Official IELTS Writing Band Descriptors

Fully addresses all parts of the task; presents a fully developed position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and supported ideas.

Sufficiently addresses all parts of the task; presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas.

Addresses all parts of the task; presents a clear position throughout the response; presents, extends and supports main ideas, but there may be a tendency to over-generalise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus.

Addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others; presents a relevant position although conclusions may become unclear or un-supported; presents relevant main ideas but some may be inadequately developed/un-supported.

Addresses the task only partially; the format may be inappropriate in places; expresses a position but the development is not clear; presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail.

Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention; skilfully manages paragraphing.

Sequences information and ideas logically; manages all aspects of cohesion well; uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately.

Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout; uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use; presents a clear central topic within each paragraph.

Arranges information and ideas coherently; there is a clear overall progression; uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical; may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately; uses paragraphing, but not always logically.

Presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression; makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices; may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution; may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be inadequate.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings; skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation; produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision; uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation; may produce occasional errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task; attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy; makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication.

Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task; may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader.

Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of structures; the majority of sentences are error-free; makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies.

Uses a variety of complex structures; produces frequent error-free sentences; has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors.

Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms; makes errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication.

Uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences; may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.

Fully satisfies all the requirements of the task; clearly presents a fully developed response.

Covers all requirements of the task sufficiently; presents a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages; clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended.

Covers the requirements of the task; presents a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages; clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended.

Addresses the requirements of the task; presents an overview with information appropriately selected; presents and adequately highlights key features/bullet points but details may be irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate.

Generally addresses the task; the format may be inappropriate in places; recounts detail mechanically with no clear overview; there may be no data to support the description.

Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention; skilfully manages paragraphing.

Sequences information and ideas logically; manages all aspects of cohesion well; uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately.

Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout; uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use; presents a clear central topic within each paragraph.

Arranges information and ideas coherently; there is a clear overall progression; uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical; may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately; uses paragraphing, but not always logically.

Presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression; makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices; may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution; may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be inadequate.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings; skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation; produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision; uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation; may produce occasional errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task; attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy; makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication.

Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task; may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader.

Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of structures; the majority of sentences are error-free; makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies.

Uses a variety of complex structures; produces frequent error-free sentences; has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors.

Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms; makes errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication.

Uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences; may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.

Fully satisfies all the requirements of the task; clearly presents a fully developed response.

Covers all requirements of the task sufficiently; presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and appropriate; clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended.

Covers the requirements of the task; presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and appropriate; clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended.

Addresses the requirements of the task; presents a purpose that is generally clear; tone may be inconsistent; presents and adequately highlights key features/bullet points but details may be irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate.

Generally addresses the task; the purpose may be unclear or variable; tone may be variable; presents key features/bullet points but these may be inadequately covered, or may have a focus on details.

Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention; skilfully manages paragraphing.

Sequences information and ideas logically; manages all aspects of cohesion well; uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately.

Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout; uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use; presents a clear central topic within each paragraph.

Arranges information and ideas coherently; there is a clear overall progression; uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical; may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately; uses paragraphing, but not always logically.

Presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression; makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices; may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution; may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be inadequate.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings; skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation; produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision; uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation; may produce occasional errors in spelling and/or word formation.

Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task; attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy; makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication.

Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task; may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader.

Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as 'slips'.

Uses a wide range of structures; the majority of sentences are error-free; makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies.

Uses a variety of complex structures; produces frequent error-free sentences; has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors.

Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms; makes errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication.

Uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences; may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.