IELTS Writing Band Descriptors Explained: What Examiners Look For (2026)

The IELTS writing band descriptors are the official scoring rubrics that Cambridge examiners use to award every Writing mark. Most candidates never read them — yet understanding exactly what these official IELTS band descriptors say is the fastest way to close the gap between your current score and your target. Knowing what separates Band 6 from Band 7 in each criterion is the most direct route to improving your score, and AI feedback tools now make it possible to get this kind of criterion-level analysis instantly and for free.

The 4 IELTS Writing Band Descriptors Criteria (Each Worth 25%)

Criterion	What It Measures	Key Question
Task Achievement (WT2) / Task Response (WT1)	Did you answer the question fully and correctly?	Did I address ALL parts of the prompt?
Coherence & Cohesion	Is your essay logically organised and does it flow?	Can a reader follow my argument easily?
Lexical Resource	How wide and accurate is your vocabulary?	Am I using varied, precise and natural words?
Grammatical Range & Accuracy	Do you use varied grammar structures correctly?	Are my complex sentences accurate?

Before diving into each criterion, note that the IELTS writing band descriptors are publicly available on the Cambridge website. Studying them alongside regular practice is the most efficient preparation strategy — especially when you combine them with AI feedback that scores each criterion in real time.

Task Achievement: What Each Band Looks Like

Band	Task Achievement Description	Common Reason
Band 5	Addresses the task only partially; position may be unclear	Misread the question; no clear opinion stated
Band 6	Addresses main parts; position is clear but not fully developed	Weak development; one body paragraph underdeveloped
Band 7	Covers requirements; clear progressive position; relevant ideas	All parts addressed; opinion consistent throughout
Band 8	Sufficiently addresses all parts; well-developed and relevant	Ideas fully extended with specific examples
Band 9	Fully addresses task; ideas are relevant, extended and supported	No gaps; every claim supported; nuanced position

The most common Task Achievement mistake: Writing a partial response. For opinion essays, this means giving both sides equal weight without stating a personal view. For two-part questions, this means answering only one of the two questions in depth.

Coherence & Cohesion: What Each Band Looks Like

Band	Description	What This Looks Like in Practice
Band 5	Some organisation; overuses or underuses cohesive devices	“Firstly… secondly… finally…” used in every paragraph
Band 6	Arranges information coherently; uses a range of cohesive devices	Paragraphs are clear but transitions can be mechanical
Band 7	Logical progression; clear central topic in each paragraph	Ideas flow naturally; cohesive devices used flexibly
Band 8	Sequences information and ideas skilfully	Reader never has to re-read to understand the logic
Band 9	Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention	Completely invisible — the essay just reads perfectly

Lexical Resource: What Each Band Looks Like

Band	Description	Key Signal
Band 5	Limited vocabulary; noticeable errors in word choice	Repeats 5-6 key words throughout; basic collocations only
Band 6	Adequate vocabulary; some less common items attempted	Attempts sophisticated words but occasional errors
Band 7	Sufficient range with some flexibility and precision	Less common words used accurately; good collocation
Band 8	Wide resource used fluently and flexibly	Rare errors; natural idiomatic use; strong collocation
Band 9	Full, flexible and precise use at all times	No errors; vocabulary perfectly matched to meaning

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: What Each Band Looks Like

Band	Description	Key Signal
Band 5	Limited range; frequent errors	Mostly simple sentences; errors in complex structures
Band 6	Mix of simple and complex; some errors in complex	Complex sentences attempted but often contain errors
Band 7	Variety of complex structures; some errors; good control	Complex sentences mostly accurate; rare errors
Band 8	Wide range; majority of sentences error-free	Complex structures used naturally; only minor slips
Band 9	Full range; rare minor errors as slips	Perfect grammar throughout; extremely rare minor errors

Using IELTS Writing Band Descriptors to Move From Band 6 to Band 7

Criterion	From Band 6 to Band 7: The Key Change
Task Achievement	Ensure every part of the question is answered; make your position unambiguous; add a specific example to each body paragraph
Coherence & Cohesion	Move beyond “firstly/secondly/finally” — use a wider range of discourse markers and ensure each paragraph has a clear central idea
Lexical Resource	Replace your 5 most-repeated words with less common alternatives; focus on collocations (words that naturally go together)
Grammatical Range	Use at least 3 different complex structures per essay: relative clauses, conditionals, passive voice — and check each one is accurate

The official IELTS Writing test format and scoring guidelines are published by IDP and British Council — the two official IELTS test providers worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the IELTS band descriptors publicly available?

Yes — IELTS publishes the public version of the Writing Task 2 band descriptors on ielts.org. The examiner version contains additional detail, but the public descriptors are sufficient for preparation purposes.

Do all 4 criteria carry equal weight?

Yes — each criterion is worth exactly 25% of your Task 2 score. However, Task Achievement is the “gateway” criterion: if you have not answered the question correctly, your Coherence and Vocabulary scores cannot compensate fully.

Can I score Band 7 in one criterion and Band 5 in another?

Yes. Uneven profiles are common. The final Task 2 score is an average of the four criterion scores, rounded to the nearest 0.5. Identifying your weakest criterion and targeting it specifically is the most efficient preparation strategy.