IELTS Writing Task 1 Band Scores: A Complete Guide
Understanding how IELTS Writing Task 1 is marked is the most direct route to improving your score. Every Task 1 response is assessed against four equally weighted criteria, each contributing 25% of the Task 1 band score. However, Task 1 itself contributes only one-third of the total Writing band score, with Task 2 contributing the remaining two-thirds. Misunderstanding this weighting — and spending too long on Task 1 — is a strategic error that lowers many candidates’ overall Writing scores.
Task 1 vs. Task 2: The Score Weighting
| Task | Word Count | Time Allocation | Weight in Writing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing Task 1 | 150 words minimum | 20 minutes | One-third (33%) |
| Writing Task 2 | 250 words minimum | 40 minutes | Two-thirds (67%) |
A candidate who scores Band 9 on Task 1 and Band 5 on Task 2 will achieve approximately a Band 6.3 overall Writing score. A candidate who scores Band 6 on Task 1 and Band 8 on Task 2 will achieve approximately a Band 7.3. This arithmetic makes it clear: Task 2 investment yields a greater return. The practical implication is that 20 minutes must be the hard ceiling for Task 1, and any time saved should be redirected to Task 2. For high-quality Task 2 sample responses and criteria, see the Band 9 Task 2 sample answers guide.
The Four Marking Criteria
The four criteria are: Task Achievement (TA), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA). Each is scored from Band 1 to Band 9 in whole and half bands. The four scores are averaged (not weighted against each other within Task 1) to produce the Task 1 band score.
Criterion 1: Task Achievement (25%)
Task Achievement in Task 1 assesses whether you have: addressed all requirements of the task, presented a clear overview of main trends or features, selected and highlighted key features accurately, and supported your claims with data where appropriate.
| Band | Task Achievement Descriptor Summary |
|---|---|
| 9 | Fully satisfies all requirements. Clearly presents and highlights key features with accurate, relevant, and well-supported data. |
| 8 | Covers requirements sufficiently. Presents, highlights, and illustrates key features with only minor omissions. |
| 7 | Covers requirements. Presents a clear overview of main trends. Relevant key features are highlighted, though details may not always be logically selected. |
| 6 | Addresses requirements though some features may be inadequately covered. Presents an overview with information selected appropriately. |
| 5 | Partially addresses requirements. An overview is present but may be unclear. Some key features may be missing or inaccurately reported. |
| 4 | Minimally addresses requirements. Overview is absent or very unclear. Data is largely inaccurate or missing. |
The decisive difference between Band 5 and Band 7 is the presence and quality of the overview. A Band 5 response may have an overview that is “unclear”; a Band 7 response has a “clear overview.” Practising the overview is therefore the highest-yield Task Achievement intervention available to any candidate.
Criterion 2: Coherence and Cohesion (25%)
Coherence and Cohesion assesses the organisation of information and the use of cohesive devices (connectives, pronouns, reference words). At Band 7, the response must show “clear overall progression,” use “a range of cohesive devices,” and have “well-organised paragraphs.” At Band 6, cohesive devices may be used but “not always accurately or appropriately.”
| Band | Coherence and Cohesion Descriptor Summary |
|---|---|
| 9 | Cohesion is used seamlessly. Information is logically organised. Paragraphing is consistent and appropriate. |
| 8 | Sequences information and ideas logically. Manages all cohesive devices well with only minor lapses. |
| 7 | Logical organisation with clear overall progression. Uses a range of cohesive devices flexibly, though there may be occasional over- or under-use. |
| 6 | Coherent arrangement of information. Uses a range of cohesive devices but not always accurately. |
| 5 | Some organisation evident. Limited range of cohesive devices, possibly faulty. |
The most common Coherence and Cohesion error at Band 5–6 is overuse of a single connector (“then,” “also,” or “and”) and absence of clear paragraph breaks. A four-paragraph structure (introduction, overview, body 1, body 2) with varied connectives resolves both issues simultaneously.
Criterion 3: Lexical Resource (25%)
Lexical Resource assesses the range, accuracy, and appropriacy of vocabulary. At Band 7, the response uses “sufficient range to allow some flexibility and precision,” with “less common vocabulary” used with “some awareness of style and collocation.” At Band 8, the resource is used “fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings” with “only occasional inaccuracies.” The Task 1 vocabulary reference provides the complete set of trend verbs, degree modifiers, comparison phrases, and approximation language required to meet the Band 7 and Band 8 Lexical Resource descriptors.
| Band | Lexical Resource Descriptor Summary |
|---|---|
| 9 | Full, flexible, and precise vocabulary use. Rare errors only. Sophisticated command of lexical features. |
| 8 | Wide resource used fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings. Occasional errors in word choice or word form, but do not cause problems. |
| 7 | Sufficient range for flexibility and precision. Uses less common vocabulary with some awareness of collocation. Occasional errors in word choice, spelling, or word form. |
| 6 | Adequate vocabulary for the task. Attempts to use less common vocabulary with some inaccuracy. Noticeable errors in spelling and word form. |
| 5 | Limited vocabulary range. Repetitive vocabulary. Errors in spelling and word form that may cause difficulty for the reader. |
Criterion 4: Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)
Grammatical Range and Accuracy assesses the variety of grammatical structures used and the accuracy with which they are deployed. At Band 7, the response uses “a variety of complex structures” with “frequent error-free sentences.” At Band 8, the majority of sentences are error-free and a range of structures is used “with flexibility and accuracy.”
| Band | Grammatical Range and Accuracy Descriptor Summary |
|---|---|
| 9 | Wide range of structures. Virtually all sentences are error-free. Rare slips only. |
| 8 | Wide range of structures used with flexibility and accuracy. Most sentences error-free. Occasional non-systematic errors. |
| 7 | Variety of complex structures with some flexibility and accuracy. Frequent error-free sentences. Minor errors present but not systematic. |
| 6 | Mix of simple and complex sentences. Some error-free sentences, but systematic errors occur and may reduce clarity. |
| 5 | Limited range of structures. Errors in grammar are frequent and may cause comprehension problems. |
What Separates Band 6 from Band 7
The Band 6 to Band 7 jump is the most significant and most commonly targeted improvement for IELTS candidates. The following table identifies the decisive differences across all four criteria.
| Criterion | Band 6 Characteristic | Band 7 Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Overview present but not clearly distinct from introduction; some key features missing | Clear, separate overview paragraph; key features selected and highlighted accurately |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Cohesive devices used but not always accurately; paragraphing may be inconsistent | Clear overall progression; varied cohesive devices used flexibly; consistent paragraphing |
| Lexical Resource | Adequate vocabulary; less common words attempted but with frequent inaccuracy | Sufficient range for precision; less common vocabulary used with some accuracy; minor errors only |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Mix of simple and complex; systematic errors present | Variety of complex structures; frequent error-free sentences; errors not systematic |
What Separates Band 7 from Band 8
| Criterion | Band 7 Characteristic | Band 8 Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Key features highlighted; minor omissions or lapses in logical selection | All requirements covered; only very minor omissions; data well-integrated |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Flexible use of cohesive devices with occasional over- or under-use | Cohesive devices managed well with no notable lapses; sequences information logically |
| Lexical Resource | Occasional inaccuracies in less common vocabulary; some collocation errors | Wide resource used fluently; precise meanings conveyed; only occasional inaccuracies |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Frequent error-free sentences; minor errors not causing communication problems | Most sentences error-free; wide range of structures; errors occasional and non-systematic |
Practical Implications for Score Improvement
Given the descriptor analysis above, the following interventions are ranked by their potential score impact for candidates currently at Band 5–6. The band score requirements that matter most depend on your goal — for university applications, see IELTS for university admission for institution-specific score floors. For a comparison of how the IELTS Reading band scores are calculated and how they interact with your overall band, see the Reading guide.
- Write a clear, separate overview paragraph. This single change addresses Task Achievement at the Band 7 level. Without it, no Band 7 is possible regardless of how strong the other three criteria are.
- Vary cohesive devices.Replace repetitive use of “then,” “also,” and “and” with a range of connectives suited to the relationship between ideas (contrast, sequence, addition, concession).
- Expand trend vocabulary with degree modifiers.Moving from “increased” to “rose significantly” or “surged dramatically” addresses Lexical Resource at the Band 7 level and Grammatical Range simultaneously.
- Use complex grammatical structures deliberately.Three patterns cover the majority of Task 1 needs: noun phrase as subject, “there was” construction, and comparative sentence. Alternating these three patterns satisfies the Band 7 requirement for “a variety of complex structures.”
Candidates targeting Band 7 should focus on interventions 1 and 2. Candidates targeting Band 8 should focus on interventions 3 and 4 once a consistent overview and paragraph structure are in place.