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IELTS Writing Band Scores

Calculation, assessment criteria, band chart, and tips to improve your Writing score.

IELTS Writing Band Scores: Calculation and Assessment Criteria
The IELTS Writing test measures your ability to express ideas clearly and accurately in written English. Your writing is marked by trained IELTS examiners using standardised criteria.
This page explains how IELTS Writing band scores are calculated, what examiners look for, and how you can improve your score.
How IELTS Writing Band Scores Are Calculated
IELTS Writing is evaluated using the same assessment criteria for both Academic and General Training Writing tests. Each writing task is marked using four key criteria:
1) Task Achievement / Task Response
How well you address the task requirements and support your ideas.
2) Coherence and Cohesion
How logically your ideas connect, including paragraphing and linking words.
3) Lexical Resource
The range, accuracy, and appropriateness of your vocabulary.
4) Grammatical Range and Accuracy
How varied and correct your sentence structures and grammar are.
Each criterion is scored from Band 0 to Band 9. The average of these four scores forms your IELTS Writing band score.
IELTS Writing Band Score Calculator
Select band scores for each criterion to estimate your Writing band (average rounded to the nearest 0.5).
Estimated Writing Band
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IELTS Writing Band Score Chart
Writing band scores mapped to skill level.
Band Skill level
9Expert
8Very good
7Good
6Competent
5Modest
4Limited
3Extremely limited
2Intermittent
1Non-user
0Test not attempted
Tips to Improve Your IELTS Writing Band Score
1) Understand the question fully
Before writing, identify the task type and make sure you cover all parts.
2) Plan your structure
Use a clear introduction, well-organised body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
3) Avoid repetition
Use a wider range of vocabulary and vary your sentence openings.
4) Use varied sentence forms
Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences while staying accurate.
5) Check grammar and spelling
Reserve a few minutes to review mistakes and fix punctuation errors.
Band scores
Writing band descriptors are based on the four criteria used in marking.
Band 9
Task achievement: All requirements are fully and appropriately satisfied; rare lapses may occur.
Coherence and cohesion: Message is effortless to follow; cohesion rarely attracts attention; paragraphing is skilfully managed.
Lexical resource: Wide range used precisely and naturally; very rare spelling/word formation errors with minimal impact.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Wide range of structures with full flexibility and control; errors are extremely rare.
Band 8
Task achievement: Response covers all requirements appropriately; may have occasional omissions/lapses.
Coherence and cohesion: Message is easy to follow; ideas are logically sequenced; paragraphing is sufficient and appropriate.
Lexical resource: Wide resource used fluently; skilful use of uncommon items; occasional errors have minimal impact.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Wide range used flexibly and accurately; most sentences are error-free; occasional errors have minimal impact.
Band 7
Task achievement: Covers task requirements; content is relevant and accurate with a few omissions/lapses; format is appropriate.
Coherence and cohesion: Clear progression; ideas are logically organised; cohesive devices used with some inaccuracies/overuse/underuse.
Lexical resource: Sufficient for flexibility and precision; some use of less common items; few spelling/word formation errors.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Variety of complex structures with some flexibility and accuracy; errors may persist but do not impede communication.
Band 6
Task achievement: Focuses on task requirements with an appropriate format; some irrelevant/inaccurate detail may occur.
Coherence and cohesion: Generally coherent with overall progression; cohesion can be faulty or mechanical due to misuse/overuse/omission.
Lexical resource: Generally adequate; meaning is clear despite restricted range or lack of precision; some spelling/word formation errors.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Mix of simple and complex forms with limited flexibility; errors occur but rarely impede communication.
Band 5
Task achievement: Generally addresses the task; format may be inappropriate in places; irrelevant/inaccurate material can reduce achievement.
Coherence and cohesion: Organisation is evident but not fully logical; sentences are not fluently linked; limited/overuse of cohesive devices.
Lexical resource: Limited but minimally adequate; frequent simplifications/repetitions; noticeable spelling/word formation errors may cause difficulty.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Limited range; complex sentences attempted but faulty; frequent errors may cause difficulty.
Band 4 to Band 0 (summary)
Band 4: Limited response; organisation may be unclear; vocabulary and grammar are basic with frequent errors that can impede meaning.
Band 3: Does not address requirements well; minimal organisation; errors predominate and meaning is often unclear.
Band 2: Barely related to task; little relevant message; extremely limited language control.
Band 1: Very short or unrelated content; no real communication; no rateable language.
Band 0: Should be used only where the candidate did not attempt, used another language, or the answer is totally memorised.