IELTS Writing Band
The Writing section evaluates candidates’ ability to express ideas coherently in written English. Both Writing Task 1 and Task 2 are evaluated based on four criteria. Examiners assign a band score for each of these four parameters:
- Task Achievement & Response
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
You achieved a band score of 8 for Writing Task 1 and a band score of 6 for Writing Task 2. Consequently, your overall Writing score amounts to 6.5 which initially results in 6.66 (8+6+6-20/3-6.66). However, rounding off the score gives you a final score of 6.5.
So to determine your score, sum up the band score for Task 1 and twice the band score for Task 2, then divide the total by 3. This calculation allows you to calculate your own score in a fair and accurate manner.
Task Achievement
- Strive to present accurate and factually correct information during your presentation, ensuring that the content is reliable and precise.
- Offer a succinct overview of the subject matter to provide a broad understanding of the topic without delving into excessive details.
- Highlight the key features or significant aspects of the subject matter, allowing your audience to grasp the most important points.
- Back up your statements and arguments with pertinent data, evidence, or examples that support your claims and enhance the credibility of your presentation.
Task Response
- Respond to questions in a direct and comprehensive manner, ensuring that you address the core of the inquiry with clarity and completeness.
- Provide supporting points or evidence to bolster the validity and persuasiveness of your arguments or claims, demonstrating a well-rounded understanding of the topic.
- Summarize the main points discussed, bringing together key ideas and insights, and conclude your response by offering a concise and impactful conclusion that ties everything together.
Coherence and Cohesion
- Arrange information and ideas in a well-organized manner by structuring them into paragraphs, allowing for a clear and systematic presentation of content.
- Maintain clarity and coherence by ensuring that each paragraph revolves around a single central idea, avoiding the mixing of multiple concepts within a single paragraph.
- Enhance the flow and logical progression of your writing by using a range of linking devices, such as transitional words and phrases, to establish smooth connections between sentences and paragraphs, guiding the reader through your ideas effectively.
Lexical Resource
- Enhance your language skills by employing a wide variety of words and actively practicing paraphrasing to showcase your linguistic versatility.
- Improve the natural flow and fluency of your writing by incorporating collocations, which are commonly used combinations of words that go together naturally.
- Maintain the overall quality and professionalism of your work by diligently checking your spelling to ensure accuracy and eliminate any errors that may detract from the impact of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Enhance the richness and diversity of your writing by utilizing a wide array of sentence structures, adding complexity and variety to your prose.
- Express different time frames and actions accurately by incorporating a range of tenses, allowing for precise and nuanced communication.
- Aim for impeccable writing by diligently proofreading and editing your work, eliminating errors and ensuring a polished final product.
- Maintain clarity and proper sentence structure by paying close attention to punctuation, ensuring that your ideas are effectively conveyed and understood by readers.
Conclusion
- Understanding the IELTS writing band and the factors that contribute to band scores is vital for test-takers aiming to excel in this section.
- Each assessment criterion is assessed on a scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest score. The IELTS band descriptors outline the specific characteristics of each score level for each criterion, allowing examiners to assign an appropriate band score for a candidate’s performance.
- By focusing on task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy, candidates can enhance their writing skills and improve their IELTS band scores.
- Diligent practice, strategic preparation, and familiarity with the assessment criteria will undoubtedly contribute to success in the IELTS writing section.
