essay writing marking criteria

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Writing test preparation resources

Now you can see exactly what you need to do to achieve your IELTS writing goals.

We are excited to launch a series of videos to explain the key criteria for how the Writing tests are scored. This will help you achieve your IELTS goals sooner.

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a score for each of the following four criteria:

• Task achievement (for task 1) and task response (for task 2)

Coherence and cohesion

Lexical resource.

• Grammatical range and accuracy.

Each task is assessed independently. The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1.

Find out more about the key assessment criteria (PDF 142 KB - 4 pages) and how examiners assess the Writing section (PDF 367 KB - 9 pages) .

Watch the following series about how your IELTS Writing test is marked for useful information to help you prepare.

• Viewer tip : Please view at your own pace by pausing to read the information and adjusting the YouTube Playback speed as required.

General introduction to IELTS Writing

Learn about the IELTS Writing test and get an overview of what will be assessed. This video introduces the Writing tasks and marking criteria, which be covered in more detail in the following videos.

Task achievement for Writing task one – Academic

Discover what to cover in your answer to this task. This video includes the selecting and highlighting of key features as well as providing sufficient detail to illustrate these features. It also discusses using an appropriate format, presenting an overview and reporting information accurately.

Coming soon

Task achievement for writing task one – general training.

Find out about the key areas to cover in your letter. This video discusses addressing the bullet points, explaining the purpose of the letter and using an appropriate format and tone.

Task response (Writing task two)

Learn about the key areas to cover in your essay. This video discusses writing in an appropriate format and providing a clear opening and position as well as a logical conclusion. It also emphasizes the importance of including relevant main ideas, which are extended and supported.

Learn how the organisation of your information and ideas is assessed. This video covers paragraphing, logical sequencing within paragraphs, substitution, referencing and linking devices.

Discover how your vocabulary is assessed. This video covers topics such as vocabulary range, precision, appropriacy and accuracy as well as spelling and word formation errors.

Grammatical range and accuracy

Learn how your grammar is assessed. This video covers sentence forms, grammatical errors and punctuation.

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

IELTS Writing Marking Scheme

To increase score for TA:

• present the information accurately
• answer all parts of the task
• provide a clear overview
• highlight key features and support detail with data (Academic task 1)
• give a clear position, have a definite opinion (Task 2 and General task 1)

To increase score for CC:

• manage paragraphing
• make sure that each paragraph has a central idea
• use linking words and cohesive devices ( firstly , in contrast , thus , in my opinion , to sum up etc)

To increase score for LR:

• use a wide range of vocabulary
• use less common lexical items
• avoid errors in spelling and word formation

To increase score for GRA:

• use a wide range of grammatical structures and tenses
• manage punctuation
• avoid errors in sentences

IELTS Writing score calculation

Each of these four criteria receives a score from 0 to 9 points. After that, an arithmetic mean is calculated to determine the task's total score.

• Task Achievement: 6.0,
• Coherence and Cohesion: 7.5,
• Lexical Resource: 7.0,
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy - 7.5.

IELTS writing total score

Note that Writing task 2 weights two times more than Writing task 1 .

So if you get 8.0 for task 2 and 6.5 for task 1, the total score for IELTS Writing Section is 8.0*(2/3)+(6.5)*1/3=7.5.

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IELTS Writing band scores

Learn what IELTS examiners look for in your IELTS Writing test, the criteria to be met and how your band score is calculated.

IELTS examiners must hold a relevant teaching qualification and extensive teaching experience to be able to become a qualified IELTS examiner. These qualified examiners mark your Writing test against clearly defined assessment criteria and their performance is subject to an extensive and detailed review on a regular basis.

Your Writing test is marked by between 2 and 4 examiners to ensure the highest level of accuracy and fairness in the marks awarded. The assessment criteria used by examiners is the same for both the General Training and Academic tests.

Your answers in Writing Task 1 are assessed against the following criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and 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. To find out more about the assessment criteria used by IELTS examiners, search online for the IELTS Writing public band descriptors.

Our IELTS Expert as he breaks the Task response criteria down for you to help prepare better for the IELTS Writing test.

Band scores

• Writing Task 1 band scores
• Writing Task 2 band scores

IRCC releases new SDS scores for English Language tests

IRCC announces that IELTS Academic test takers require lower overall band score than other tests.

Featured news and articles

IELTS Writing Task 2: 8 steps towards a band 8

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: How to get a band 7 or higher in task achievement

IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1: How to write a letter

IELTS Writing Task 2: How to write a good conclusion

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Scores 5 to 8 with Tips

Learn how your IELTS writing task 2 is marked and the difference between band scores 5, 6, 7 and 8 with tips to improve your score. You need to understand the 4 marking criteria used by the examiner to fulfil the requirements of the score you want.

4 Marking Criteria for IELTS Writing Task 2

The examiner will assess your IELTS essay using the 4 criteria below. Each criterion is worth 25% of your total marks for task 2. You will be given a band score for each criteria and then a total score for task 2. See bottom of page for example of scoring.

Task Response

• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy

This task 2 marking criterion is about your answer to the IELTS essay question, your main ideas and how you develop them.

Your score will increase if you:

• pay attention to ALL issues in the essay question
• write about the issues rather than just the general topic
• answer the essay question with relevant main points
• plan your supporting points so they don’t go off the topic
• write over 250 words

 Coherence and Cohesion

The IELTS examiner will check the organisation of your essay, the paragraphs and your use of linking devices.

• this means you should have two or three body paragraphs only
• have just one central topic in each body paragraph
• organise your ideas logically
• use a range of linking words
• avoid errors in linking words

Lexical Resource

Your use of vocabulary, your paraphrasing, your spelling and the number of mistakes you make will be assessed in this criterion.

• pay attention to collocations (which verb matches which noun)
• paraphrase carefully to avoid errors
• use a range of words appropriate for the topic
• spell words correctly
• avoid making errors (errors will lower your score – see table above)
• avoid using informal language

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The IELTS examiner will give you a band score for your sentence structures, the tenses you use, your control of grammar and also the number of mistakes you make.

• use different grammar tenses (conditionals, perfect tenses, passive voice, past, future etc)
• pay attention to word order in your sentences
• use a range of sentence structures
• use the correct punctuation (full stops and commas)
• common grammar errors: articles, plural nouns, uncountable nouns, word order)

Example of Writing Task 2 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 Response: Band 6
• Coherence & Cohesion = Band 7
• Grammar: Band 6
• Vocabulary: 6

Total Score for IELTS Writing Task 2 : 6 + 7 + 6 + 6 = 25/4 = 6.25. This score will be increased to 6.5. To calculate your score, add all scores together and divide by 4.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Band Scores 5, 6, 7 & 8: Differences and Tips

All IELTS Band Scores Explained

Penalty for Under Word Count

Note: The information above is taken from the band score descriptors published by IELTS. To learn about band scores 1-9, please see the  public band score descriptors for writing task 2 published by IELTS.

Recommended Pages for IELTS Writing Task 2

• 100 Essay Questions for IELTS Writing Task 2
• All Writing Task 2 Tips, Model Essays and Videos

Main IELTS Pages Develop your IELTS skills with tips, model answers, lessons, free videos and more. IELTS Listening IELTS Reading IELTS Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 2 IELTS Speaking Vocabulary for IELTS IELTS Test Information (FAQ) Home Page: IELTS Liz

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Writing marking criteria for academic task 1

There are two tasks in the IELTS academic writing test. You need to complete both of them, and you will have a total of 60 minutes. 

For task 1 you should spend about 20 minutes on this task in your IELTS exam .

In task 1, you will be presented with some kind of visual information, which is often in the form of one or more bar or pie charts , line graphs , tables or charts . 

An example of the task instructions is:

But do you know what the examiners are looking for when they mark task one? 

There are four areas of assessment: 

These four areas are equally weighted, so each of them contributes a quarter or 25% of your total score for task 1.

Task achievement assesses how well you satisfy the requirements of the task. Essentially, you are just required to identify and report key information.

The second area of assessment is coherence and cohesion . Examiners are trained to evaluate how well you have organised the information. In order to be awarded a band 7, for example, you need to ‘organise information logically’ and there needs to be ‘a clear progression’ throughout your essay. 

The most logical way to organise a task one essay is:

Paragraphs Three and Four – Details

One point worth noting is the importance of natural use of language. The assessment criteria for a band 7 score for ‘lexical resource’ include a focus on ‘awareness of style and collocation’. When you are learning IELTS vocabulary , don’t just learn words in isolation. 

Audio tutorial

Have a look at more tutorials to help you with academic task 1 :

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): How your writing is marked

How your writing is marked

One of the big mysteries about the FCE exam is how the writing exam is marked. Many of my students ask me about this and, to be honest, it is pretty complex. However, let me break it down for you and let’s go from simple to complex so at the end of the article you will feel more confident and understand what you need to do in order to get great marks in the writing paper.

There are four marking scales in the writing exam. Each of these scales looks at specific aspects of your writing. Generally speaking the four parts are:

The four marking scales

Now, of course, it is time to have a look at the four different marking scales in a little bit more detail. I’m going to keep it as simple as possible with examples and explanations so you know what to do.

Looking at the example above there are four different things that we need to include in our writing if we want to score high marks on the Content marking scale.

2. Communicative Achievement

To get high marks in Communicative Achievement you firstly need to show that you understand who is going to read your text. You might think that, of course, it is the examiner, but I’m talking about more of an imaginary reader. Let’s look at two more examples. Who is going to read your text? You got it, your English teacher is the one.

Lastly, the Communicative Achievement scale also assesses your ability to clearly express your ideas and to hold the readers attention. You should ask yourself if you would enjoy reading your text and if your arguments or ideas are clearly communicated.

3. Organisation

Looking back at our example from the beginning, how many paragraphs do you think we should use in the essay?

So, paragraphs are great, but you have to put them in logical order (which depends on the task you’re working on) and have one main idea per paragraph. Don’t try to cram five different things in one. Make a plan before you start writing and avoid these unnecessary mistake.

4. Language

For example, if you are writing about travelling you should show a wide range of vocabulary specific to this topic. For a task about the environment the vocabulary changes. I guess that makes sense. The more pointed towards the task your words and expressions are, the better it is for your marks.

Writing is not as bad as it seems

Similar posts, cambridge b2 first (fce): how to write a report, cambridge b2 first (fce) vs. c1 advanced (cae), cambridge b2 first (fce): how to write an article, cambridge b2 first (fce): reading & use of english part 3, cambridge b2 first (fce): speaking part 2, cambridge b2 first (fce): speaking part 3.

the explanation regarding how to write and mark an essay has been most helpful. thanks

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IELTS Academic Writing Marking Criteria and Scoring Checklist

Academic writing task 1 and 2 scoring rubrics plus fruitful resources to succeed with desired bandscore

Related Papers

Amr Mohammed

Veera Veera

Abstract—This research paper is based on the Academic Modules of IELTS test. A study is conducted to evaluate the performance of IELTS test takers and to analyze inter rater reliability in evaluating the test. The test is held at a private university and there are 9 participants who are the students of Foundation, Diploma and Degree courses were assessed only on writing component. This test is rated by three different raters to observe inter rater reliability in evaluating the test. The findings show that rating is not reliable and there is less agreement between the raters as different raters awarded different marks for the students. The total accumulated marks are 588 out of maximum 900 marks and the average score of these 9 students are 65.3% and falls under band 6. Since the IELTS test uses holistic marking, the raters find that the scoring rubrics are too vague in defining the qualities of writing. This study proposes analytic scoring system as a better procedure in assessing IELTS test, whereby it uses separate scales to assess different aspects of writing rather than a single score. The inter rater reliability issue can be overcome if test providers are able to furnish grading scales that could clearly equate the total marks achieved by a candidate to an appropriate band. The result and discussion from this study cannot be generalized to all IELTS candidates as there are many limitations in this study such as student preparedness, tester marking experience, time constraint, and reliability of the test and the validity of the marks tabulation method. Index Terms—IELTS, writing assessment, holistic marking, scoring rubrics, inter-rater reliability

Esmat Babaii , Sajjad Arefsadr

According to the IELTS official website, IELTS candidates usually score lower in the IELTS Writing test than in the other language skills. This is disappointing for the many IELTS candidates who fail to get the overall band score they need. Surprisingly enough, few studies have addressed this issue. The present study, then, is aimed at shedding some light on why IELTS candidates usually score lowest in writing by investigating IELTS candidates' problems with the IELTS Academic Writing test. To this end, 10 Iranian IELTS candidates were interviewed concerning the difficulties they had with this test. The interview summaries were subjected to thematic analysis. The results suggested that IELTS candidates may face four main problems with the IELTS Academic Writing test: insufficient time, unclear and difficult-tounderstand task instructions, "distant" topics, and overvaluation of advanced vocabulary and grammar in the scoring system. The study suggests that IELTS candidates' problem of scoring lowest in the Writing test may not be entirely due to deficiencies in their writing skills, and that certain features of the IELTS Academic Writing test may aggravate undesirable testing outcomes. The implications of the results of the study are discussed.

Hacer Hande Uysal

adam ramejkis

Humayun Kabir

Journal of English for Academic Purposes

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Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods

Masoud Azizi

ABSTRACT Validity is a crucial test quality, and presenting a strong validity argument is a must and an ongoing process in the development of large-scale language tests such as IELTS and TOEFL However, the presented validity evidence for writing and speaking skills, whose evaluation is subjective by nature, is somewhat shaky in comparison with other two skills. The present study was an attempt to examine whether raters are actually assessing test takers’ writing samples based on the constructs defined in the scoring rubric. Using a standard multiple regression, the predictive ability of three objective measures, namely Fluency, Grammatical complexity, and Accuracy, were checked for learners’ scores in IELTS task 2 in writing. The preliminary analysis showed no violation of the assumptions underlying the use of the multiple regression test. The results indicate that the model explains 50% of the variance in the dependent variable, i.e., learners' scores in IELTS Task 2 in writing (adjusted R2 = .501) which was found statistically significant: F (3, 37) = 14.40, p < .001. However, among the independent variables, only the accuracy measure had a statistically significant unique contribution to R2 by 40 %, indicating that accuracy of the texts written by L2 learners is the most important factor affecting the scores they receive in the writing task in IELTS. It seems that raters are so heavily affected by the accuracy of texts written by test takers that they ignore other text qualities specified in the scoring rubric. KEYWORDS: IELTS writing test, Validity, Fluency, Grammatical complexity, Accuracy

Ritesh patel

Ritesh Patel

Sathya Preethi

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Marking: How we mark your essay to improve your grade

Since 2006, oxbridge essays has been the uk’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service.

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

The essay marking service we provide here at Oxbridge Essays seeks to provide students with a better insight into their own essay writing so they can, in turn, improve their grades. But how do we go about marking your essay, dissertation or other assignment? What do we look at? What feedback do we give? How do we arrive at an estimated grade for your work? How can all of this help you in your own writing? And, how does this compare to the marking process your university tutor or lecturer will use? If you're interested in knowing how the academic marking process really works (and you should be – it will help you immensely), then read on.

When writing essays, it can be challenging to take a step back and read your work as the audience would. For students, this audience is usually a lecturer or tutor: a person with the power to give good or bad grades. That's why having a professional pair of eyes review your work before you submit it can be invaluable.

What we look for in a great essay is likely to be the same as what your tutor is looking for. Where we differ is in the level of attention devoted to providing feedback. We are not just seeking to critique your essay – our ultimate aim is to help you improve your essay to its very best potential.

The marking process

It may sound obvious, but no two markers are the same. We are human beings, after all. We may have different stylistic preferences, and what interests us will vary. Despite this, there are certain constant elements that go into writing a great essay . We look for these elements during the marking process and then give feedback on any areas that need attention. In this sense, we are the critical reader to you as an academic writer .

1. The brief

The first thing a marker will likely do is examine the writer’s brief. This indicates essay type, subject and content focus, word limit and any other set requirements. The brief gives us the guidelines by which to mark the essay. With these expectations in mind, critical reading of your essay begins. There are five key elements that we examine, all of which form the basis of any great essay :

2. Structure

A well-crafted essay will have a clear sense of structure. This is the template upon which to hang your message. Get your structure right and you’re well on the way to creating a great essay. Getting it right is all about organisation and ensuring you include all the necessary elements. The essential structural components of any essay should be an introduction, the main body and a conclusion.

An effective introduction sets the scene immediately. Within the first few sentences, it should be obvious what the rest of the essay is about. The context of the question and, therefore, the overall scope of the essay should also be explicit. This manages the reader’s expectations for the rest of their experience reading, and marking, your piece of work. The more satisfying introductions justify both the question itself and any areas of particular focus.

So, while seeking to improve an essay, we look for whether the writer has answered the what, where, who and why questions in the introduction. What is the writing about? Yes, the essay title gives us some idea but here is where we expect to see it made explicit. Who is it written for, and why? Where is it relevant?

Of course, the question of how tends to be the focus of the main body of the essay. And the main body forms the bulk of your assignment. Its organisation will depend on the type of exercise you have undertaken, and what requirements and constraints have been set by your assessors. We always take these points into consideration when marking. Markers are also aware of formatting conventions and are sensitive to these when developing critical feedback. Independent of these constraints, we check your work to determine how well different sections relate to each other and that there is a logical flow of content. This flow is the primary demonstrator that you have understood what you are writing about and how you should be presenting it. Logical flow can easily make the difference between grades. When marking your work, we aim to give you pointers on how to strengthen this area.

A strong essay conclusion serves to summarise to your assessor how well you can reflect on what you have written about. It is another vital part of the whole picture that we look to ensure you’ve mastered. We check to see if your ideas have been brought together and are coherent. If we see it, your assessor will too.

3. Knowledge and understanding

Here is where we assess how well you have understood the question and how much you know about the subject. We do more than simple fact checking (though we do ensure you have got your stuff right). We want to see how clear things are and if they’ve been linked together in the right way. We ask, how well is your message conveyed?

Often, in academic writing, it can be tempting to cram as much detail into a sentence as possible. Or to include every single point of view on the topic in hand. Really, this is the wrong way to go. At first glance, it may seem a point of style, but the best way to show your understanding of a subject is to lay your knowledge and research out in plain terms. And keep your work focused. This level of clarity is something we examine. You can find some helpful tips on perfecting your essay writing style here .

Despite a need for focus, we do expect to see breadth and depth of knowledge. This means you provide a suitable level of detail to answer the question but also evidence of a wider understanding of the subject. In short, has the detail been put into context?

Is it clear that you understand what you talk about? We have mentioned this already, but it’s the main thing your examiners are looking for, so it bears repeating. The facts you’ve researched, the way you’ve worded and structured them, the logical flow between them, and any insights you’ve discussed all contribute towards this. Your level of comprehension is foremost in the marker’s mind.

Have all things been considered? Are there any issues left out or missed? Sometimes, you’ll intentionally omit an area, and so this should be indicated when you talk about scope in the introduction. But if you’ve missed something and it seems like you’ve just forgotten it, we will remind you.

Focus – do things stay on track or are there any digressions? There’s nothing wrong with tangents, as long as they add to the story. We assess exactly the value of each phrase in the work and let you know if anything is diluting your message. Remember, your marker is knowledgeable in your area of study. If we don’t understand it, chances are your tutors won’t either.

4. Argument and critical thinking

To get the good grades, this is an area to give attention to. Convincing the reader of your argument is, essentially, what essay writing is all about. This is about how you’ve used the information to tell your story or make your point. What we look for here are coherence and evidence. Argument needs to be seen strongly throughout the work. Do you follow your line of argument right through and are counterarguments presented? We’ll let you know if, and where, your particular argument is well-formulated and substantiated. Most important for you, we give feedback on any holes in your logic.

As said, we look to see if the argument is solid, well-reasoned, examined from all angles and supported by evidence. This support comes from the literature. As we cast a critical eye on your writing, we check to see if you have, in turn, done the same to the literature. Can you discuss critically complex, even abstract, ideas and concepts? Evidence of clarity and independent thought is great to see. Going beyond what the accepted norms are is a clear indicator of your capabilities.

5. Use of sources

We examine the type and range of sources used in the construction of your essay. The best of essays will demonstrate analysis beyond any core texts to include current, respectable works, and maybe even discuss controversial ones.

All information sources must be cited in your work. This is more than simply showing where you gathered your information from. A well-placed citation gives the reader confidence in what has been claimed by the writer. So, here we look to see how suitable the sources are in supporting your text. In other words, have their contents been properly understood and are they appropriately represented?

Of course, we check to see that sources are accurately referenced in your bibliography .

6. Style and presentation

This is all about how you have packaged your content. You could have the best story to tell but it may be missed if hidden by poor presentation.

We examine the usual mechanisms of English, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction. Stylistic factors such as tone, formatting and quality of figures, are also considered. What we’re really looking for, is whether you’re giving your examiner a tiring read or an easy ride. We also check conventions related to reference style, data presentation, quote placements and so on.

One of the most important elements in presentation is consistency. It is essential to maintain high standards throughout and we pay close attention to this detail.

How Oxbridge Essays can help you

Your tutor or lecturer will grade your work. Few have the liberty of time to feedback, in great detail, on how they arrived at this decision. But our marking process is thorough and detailed. From our notes on your work, we compile a report that explains our thoughts and, importantly, gives guidance on any areas that could be improved.

What did you do well? We’ll tell you. This is more than a simple exercise in making you feel good. Knowing where your strengths lie gives you the opportunity to refocus your energies to areas more in need of attention, and also learn from your successes.

This is where we lay it all out. To improve your work , it is vital to know the parts that need some attention. This applies when editing the current work, but also in deciding which skills to focus on developing as you progress further in your career.

List of suggested improvements

Here, we don't just list of things we had trouble with. As markers, we identify problem areas and make actionable suggestions for how these could be altered to make your essay stronger. This expands on the weaknesses section but is specific and, as mentioned, actionable. We order this by value. Most impactful changes first; least impactful last. This means you can work through the list from top to bottom, and even if you don’t manage to make all the changes by hand-in date, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that obvious weaknesses have been turned into strengths.

As well as an overall grade, part of our marking process involves assessing different components of the work. Each of the five main areas, mentioned above, are given scores (from 1-5, very poor to excellent), to let you know how you rate.

In addition, we gauge your merits in other areas, such as originality, creativity, readability and independent thought. It is strength in these areas that, generally, separate the good work (B) from the great work (A).

Your overall grade is a guide. We follow similar criteria that academic institutions do, so you can be sure to have a good idea of how you are doing. An excellent essay will demonstrate strong critical and accurate analysis of a wide range of appropriate subject material, clear and substantiated arguments, independent thought, impeccable presentation, organisation and expression. The very best of these will show a level of originality beyond the expected.

Our summary is the take-home message: a little round-up of how your work was viewed by a critical reader.

What this means for you

While there’s a lot of detail and formality in the work we do to grade your essay, what we’re really trying to give you is some useful advice on how to raise the quality of your work . Ultimately, our marking service is there to help you – no matter your current skill level, subject area or level of study – get closer to achieving the grades you need.

Marking: the difference between right and wrong

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