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Calculate IELTS Writing band scores

Learn how IELTS Writing is marked, and see how this relates to the official IELTS Writing band scores. An IELTS Examiner marks your Writing test on 4 different criteria. Each criterion is worth 25% of your total mark for that task. The examiner will give you a band score for Writing Task 1 and a band score for Writing Task 2. Then, your final IELTS Writing band score is calculated.

Your IELTS Writing band score will contribute to your overall IELTS band score.

Who marks IELTS Writing?

Your Writing test is marked by between two and four examiners. That's to ensure the highest level of accuracy and fairness in the marks awarded. The assessment criteria used by IELTS examiners are the same for both the General Training and Academic tests.

How are IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2 scored?

Your answers in Writing Task 1 are assessed against the following criteria:

  • task achievement

  • coherence and cohesion

  • lexical resource

  • grammatical range and accuracy.

Writing Task 2 is assessed in much the same way except for the task response criterion.

Each band score matches the performance in the descriptors across these four criteria.

What assessment criteria are used by IELTS Examiners

To find out more about the assessment criteria used by IELTS examiners, check the table below. You can also download the IELTS Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Task 2external icon assessment criteria as a PDF.

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What do the IELTS Writing Band Scores mean?

  • Writing Task 1 band scores

  • Writing Task 2 band scores