How is IELTS Writing scored? The 4 criteria, and what moves you from band 6 to 7
Every IELTS Writing answer is marked on four equally-weighted criteria, each worth 25% of your Writing band. Knowing them is the difference between guessing why you got a 6 and knowing exactly what to fix. Here is the rubric examiners actually use, in plain English.
1. Task Achievement / Task Response
Did you fully answer the question — with a clear position and enough relevant, developed detail? In Task 1 that means covering every bullet (General Training letter) or every key feature and comparison (Academic report). In Task 2 it means addressing all parts of the prompt with a position you hold from start to finish. The most common band-6 problem here is a partial answer: one point developed well, the rest rushed.
2. Coherence & Cohesion
Is it easy to follow? Logical paragraphs, one central idea each, and linking that feels natural — not a 'Firstly / Secondly / In conclusion' checklist bolted on top.
- Band 6: ideas connect, but linking words are mechanical or over-used.
- Band 7: paragraphing is logical and the cohesion is almost invisible.
Want to see where your writing actually lands on these four criteria? Take a free IELTS mock test — you get a band and line-by-line feedback on each criterion in seconds.
Take a free IELTS mock test →3. Lexical Resource
The range and accuracy of your vocabulary. The band-7 jump here is usually accuracy, not fancier words: a few precise, correctly-used terms beat rare words used wrongly. Trying to force 'academic' vocabulary you don't control is the fastest way to cap yourself at 6.
4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A mix of sentence structures, with errors that don't get in the way of meaning. Band 7 needs a good number of error-free sentences and a range of structures — simple, complex and compound — used naturally.
So how do you move up a band?
Practise against the criteria, not a word count. Answer the whole task, keep your paragraphs clean, choose words you can use accurately, and vary your sentences without breaking them. Then get feedback that tells you which of the four criteria is holding you back — because guessing is the slow way.