Latest IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Descriptors - Updated May 2023

If you're a young learner from a developing country with dreams of studying abroad in the US, Australia, or Europe, acing your IELTS test is a crucial step. The IELTS Writing Task 2 is particularly challenging, where you're required to write an essay on a given topic. But how is your essay graded? What are examiners looking for? Understanding the band descriptors can help you write exactly what the examiners want to see.

We've taken the official IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors directly from the IELTS.org website and converted them into a more accessible text format. This guide provides the most recent update, as of May 2023, and it lays out the scoring criteria used for both Academic and General Training tests.

The band descriptors are divided into four categories: Task Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Each band (from 9 to 0) has specific positive and negative features that will determine your score. Use this guide to understand what each band requires and avoid the pitfalls that could limit your rating.

Want to practice and improve your writing skills? Try our AI IELTS writing task checker at Upscore AI Trainer. It's designed to help you understand and meet the band descriptors, leading you to achieve the best possible score in your IELTS Writing Task 2.

Let's dive into the band descriptors!

Writing Task 2 Band Descriptors

Updated May 2023

Scoring criteria for Academic and General Training tests

Please visit IELTS.org for updates

Band Score

A script must fully fit the positive features of the descriptor at a particular level. Bolded text indicates negative features that will limit a rating.

Band 9

Task Response
The prompt is appropriately addressed and explored in depth.
A clear and fully developed position is presented which directly answers the question/s.
Ideas are relevant, fully extended and well supported.
Any lapses in content or support are extremely rare.

Coherence & Cohesion
The message can be followed effortlessly.
Cohesion is used in such a way that it very rarely attracts attention.
Any lapses in coherence or cohesion are minimal.
Paragraphing is skilfully managed.

Lexical Resource
Full flexibility and precise use are widely evident.
A wide range of vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features.
Minor errors in spelling and word formation are extremely rare and have minimal impact on communication.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A wide range of structures is used with full flexibility and control.
Punctuation and grammar are used appropriately throughout. Minor errors are extremely rare and have minimal impact on communication.

Band 8

Task Response
The prompt is appropriately and sufficiently addressed.
A clear and well-developed position is presented in response to the question/s.
Ideas are relevant, well extended and supported.
There may be occasional omissions or lapses in content.

Coherence & Cohesion
The message can be followed with ease.
Information and ideas are logically sequenced, and cohesion is well managed.
Occasional lapses in coherence and cohesion may occur.
Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately

Lexical Resource
A wide resource is fluently and flexibly used to convey precise meanings.
There is skilful use of uncommon and/or idiomatic items when appropriate, despite occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation.
Occasional errors in spelling and/or word formation may occur, but have minimal impact on communication.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A wide range of structures is flexibly and accurately used.
The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is well managed.
Occasional, non-systematic errors and inaccuracies occur, but have minimal impact on communication.

Band 7

Task Response
The main parts of the prompt are appropriately addressed.
A clear and developed position is presented.
Main ideas are extended and supported but there may be a tendency to over-generalise or there may be a lack of focus and precision in supporting ideas/material.

Coherence & Cohesion
Information and ideas are logically organised, and there is a clear progression throughout the response. (A few lapses may occur, but these are minor.)
A range of cohesive devices including reference and substitution is used flexibly but with some inaccuracies or some over/under use.
Paragraphing is generally used effectively to support overall coherence, and the sequencing of ideas within a paragraph is generally logical.

Lexical Resource
The resource is sufficient to allow some flexibility and precision.
There is some ability to use less common and/or idiomatic items.
An awareness of style and collocation is evident, though inappropriacies occur.
There are only a few errors in spelling and/or word formation and they do not detract from overall clarity.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A variety of complex structures is used with some flexibility and accuracy.
Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, and error-free sentences are frequent.
A few errors in grammar may persist, but these do not impede communication.

Band 6

Task Response
The main parts of the prompt are addressed (though some may be more fully covered than others). An appropriate format is used.
A position is presented that is directly relevant to the prompt, although the conclusions drawn may be unclear, unjustified or repetitive.
Main ideas are relevant, but some may be insufficiently developed or may lack clarity, while some supporting arguments and evidence may be less relevant or inadequate.

Coherence & Cohesion
Information and ideas are generally arranged coherently and there is a clear overall progression.
Cohesive devices are used to some good effect but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical due to misuse, overuse or omission.
The use of reference and substitution may lack flexibility or clarity and result in some repetition or error.
Paragraphing may not always be logical and/or the central topic may not always be clear.

Lexical Resource
The resource is generally adequate and appropriate for the task.
The meaning is generally clear in spite of a rather restricted range or a lack of precision in word choice.
If the writer is a risk-taker, there will be a wider range of vocabulary used but higher degrees of inaccuracy or inappropriacy.
There are some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but these do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used but flexibility is limited.
Examples of more complex structures are not marked by the same level of accuracy as in simple structures. Errors in grammar and punctuation occur, but rarely impede communication.

Band 5

Task Response
The main parts of the prompt are incompletely addressed. The format may be inappropriate in places.
The writer expresses a position, but the development is not always clear.
Some main ideas are put forward, but they are limited and are not sufficiently developed and/or there may be irrelevant detail. There may be some repetition.
There may be some repetition.

Coherence & Cohesion
Organisation is evident but is not wholly logical and there may be a lack of overall progression. Nevertheless, there is a sense of underlying coherence to the response.
The relationship of ideas can be followed but the sentences are not fluently linked to each other.
There may be limited/overuse of cohesive devices with some inaccuracy.
The writing may be repetitive due to inadequate and/or inaccurate use of reference and substitution.
Paragraphing may be inadequate or missing.

Lexical Resource
The resource is limited but minimally adequate for the task.
Simple vocabulary may be used accurately but the range does not permit much variation in expression.
There may be frequent lapses in the appropriacy of word choice and a lack of flexibility is apparent in frequent simplifications and/or repetitions.
Errors in spelling and/or word formation may be noticeable and may cause some difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
The range of structures is limited and rather repetitive.
Although complex sentences are attempted, they tend to be faulty, and the greatest accuracy is achieved on simple sentences.
Grammatical errors may be frequent and cause some difficulty for the reader.
Punctuation may be faulty.

Band 4

Task Response
The prompt is tackled in a minimal way, or the answer is tangential, possibly due to some misunderstanding of the prompt. The format may be inappropriate.
A position is discernible, but the reader has to read carefully to find it.
Main ideas are difficult to identify and such ideas that are identifiable may lack relevance, clarity and/or support.
Large parts of the response may be repetitive.

Coherence & Cohesion
Information and ideas are evident but not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression within the response.
Relationships between ideas can be unclear and/or inadequately marked. There is some use of basic cohesive devices, which may be inaccurate or repetitive.
There is inaccurate use or a lack of substitution or referencing.
There may be no paragraphing and/or no clear main topic within paragraphs.

Lexical Resource
The resource is limited and inadequate for or unrelated to the task. Vocabulary is basic and may be used repetitively.
There may be inappropriate use of lexical chunks (e.g. memorised phrases, formulaic language and/or language from the input material).
Inappropriate word choice and/or errors in word formation and/or in spelling may impede meaning.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A very limited range of structures is used.
Subordinate clauses are rare and simple sentences predominate. Some structures are produced accurately but grammatical errors are frequent and may impede meaning.
Punctuation is often faulty or inadequate.

Band 3

Task Response
No part of the prompt is adequately addressed, or the prompt has been misunderstood.
No relevant position can be identified, and/or there is little direct response to the question/s.
There are few ideas, and these may be irrelevant or insufficiently developed.

Coherence & Cohesion
There is no apparent logical organisation. Ideas are discernible but difficult to relate to each other.
There is minimal use of sequencers or cohesive devices. Those used do not necessarily indicate a logical relationship between ideas. There is difficulty in identifying referencing.
Any attempts at paragraphing are unhelpful.

Lexical Resource
The resource is inadequate (which may be due to the response being significantly underlength). Possible over-dependence on input material or memorised language.
Control of word choice and/or spelling is very limited, and errors predominate. These errors may severely impede meaning.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Sentence forms are attempted, but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate (except in memorised phrases or those taken from the input material). This prevents most meaning from coming through. Length may be insufficient to provide evidence of control of sentence forms.

Band 2

Task Response
The content is barely related to the prompt.
No position can be identified.
There may be glimpses of one or two ideas without development.

Coherence & Cohesion
There is little relevant message, or the entire response may be off-topic. There is little evidence of control of organisational features. Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.

Lexical Resource
The resource is extremely limited with few recognisable strings, apart from memorised phrases.
There is no apparent control of word formation and/or spelling.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
There is little or no evidence of sentence forms (except in memorised phrases).

Band 1

Task Response
Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.
The content is wholly unrelated to the prompt.
Any copied rubric must be discounted.

Coherence & Cohesion
Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.
The writing fails to communicate any message and appears to be by a virtual non-writer.

Lexical Resource
Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.
No resource is apparent, except for a few isolated words.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.
No rateable language is evident.

Band 0

Task Response
Should only be used where a candidate did not attend or attempt the question in any way, used a language other than English throughout, or where there is proof that a candidate’s answer has been totally memorised.

Summary

Understanding these band descriptors is the key to improving your IELTS Writing Task 2 score. Keep practicing, keep improving, and you'll be on your way to achieving your study abroad dreams in no time!

Visit Upscore AI Trainer to practice and perfect your writing skills. Happy studying!