Learn how your IELTS writing task 1 is marked and the difference between band scores 5, 6, 7 and 8. The examiner will mark your writing on the 4 marking criteria below. Also, get useful tips to learn how to increase your band score by fulfilling the requirements of each marking criteria.
Writing Task 1 Marking Criteria
The examiner will assess your writing on the 4 marking criteria below. Each criterion is worth 25% of your total marks for writing task 1.
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Below are tables to show you the requirement for IELTS band score 5 to 8 in writing task 1 for each assessment criterion. At the bottom of the page is more information about the marking criteria.
Task Achievement
The examiner will check your information, overview, detail and accuracy.
- analyse the chart and identify all key features
- highlight your key features in an overview (see table above)
- supporting your body paragraph with data (numbers and dates if possible)
- avoid putting in information which is wrong
- avoid an opinion
- write a factual report
- write over 150 words (penalty for under word count)
- watch my overview or conclusion lesson
Coherence and Cohesion
Your organisation of information, your paragraphing and your use of linking devices will be marked.
- plan where to put your information
- have four body paragraphs (structure and paragraphing)
- use a range of linking devices
- avoid mistakes with linking words
- use referencing (this, it, etc)
Lexical Resource
Your use of vocabulary, your spelling and the number of mistakes will affect your score.
Your score will increase, if you:
- use a range of vocabulary (useful task 1 vocabulary)
- use vocabulary for presenting accurate data
- understand collocations (matching verbs with nouns)
- avoid spelling mistakes
- don’t use the wrong words or informal language
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
You will get a band score for your sentence structures, tenses, control of grammar and the number of mistakes.
You will increase your score, if you:
- use a range of sentence structures
- use the right tense for the chart given to you
- use the right word order
- adjective noun / verb adverb
- avoid mistakes (see table above to learn how mistakes affect your score)
- use the right punctuation
Example of Writing Task 1 Scoring Calculated
You will get a band score for each of the above criteria and then a total score for task 2. Here’s an example:
- Task Achievement: Band 7
- Coherence & Cohesion = Band 8
- Grammar: Band 6
- Vocabulary: 7
Total Score for IELTS Writing Task 1: 7 + 8 + 6 + 7 Â = 28/4 = 7. To calculate your score, add all scores together and divide by 4.
