How IELTS Writing Task 2 is Assessed

IELTS Writing Task 2 can feel mysterious until you understand exactly how your essay is assessed. Behind every band score, examiners follow a clear set of criteria that focus on what you say, how you organise it, and how accurately you use English. This article breaks down the assessment system into simple language, explaining each of the four scoring areas and showing how they combine to produce your final band. By seeing the four assessment criteria from the examiner’s point of view, you will know precisely what to focus on if you want to move your Writing score to the next level.

How scoring works overall 1. Task Response – answering the question fully 2. Coherence and Cohesion – logical organisation 3. Lexical Resource – vocabulary range and precision 4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy – sentences and correctness How the four scores combine Conclusion Related Reading

How scoring works overall

You write one essay of at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.
Examiners give four separate band scores:
- Task Response (TR)
- Coherence and Cohesion (CC)
- Lexical Resource (LR)
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)
Each criterion is worth 25% of Task 2; the four numbers are then averaged (e.g. 7.0, 6.5, 7.0, 6.0 → 6.6 → 6.5 overall for Task 2).

Also read:

Everything You Need to Know about IELTS Academic Writing Test

An Overview of IELTS Writing Task 2

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

1. Task Response – answering the question fully

TR is about how well you answer the exact question, develop ideas, and stay relevant.

Examiners look for whether you:

Address all parts of the task (e.g. both views + your opinion; causes + solutions; advantages + disadvantages).
Present a clear position throughout (your opinion is easy to see and doesn’t change).
Provide relevant, specific main ideas, not just general comments about the topic.
Develop ideas with explanations, results, and (where appropriate) examples, rather than listing points.
Write more than 250 words; being under‑length reduces the TR band.

What Bands 6–8 essays read like in TR:

Band 6

Answers the question basically but may not fully cover every part
Has an unclear or inconsistent position
Has ideas that are too general and under‑developed

Band 7

Fully addresses all parts of the task
Has a clear overall position
Uses 2–3 strong, relevant main ideas with support

Band 8

Directly answers every part of a complex question
Has a clear and nuanced position
Has highly relevant and well‑chosen ideas

Also read:

Everything You Need to Know about IELTS Academic Writing Test

What is Task Response in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

2. Coherence and Cohesion – logical organisation

CC covers how logically your ideas are organised and how well they are linked.

Examiners look for:

Clear overall structure – typically 4–5 paragraphs with a clear introduction, 2–3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
One central idea per body paragraph, signposted by topic sentences.
Logical progression of ideas, so the reader can follow your argument easily.
Appropriate use of cohesive devices (linking words, reference words like “this/these”, substitution) without overuse or mechanical repetition.
Clear referencing so it’s obvious what pronouns like “it,” “this trend,” or “these problems” refer to.

What Bands 6–8 essays read like in CC:

Band 6

Has unbalanced paragraphs with mixed ideas
Has sentences that sometimes jump or repeat points
Uses basic linkers, over‑uses them or combines them incorrectly
Uses “this/that/these” but sometimes unclear what they refer to

Band 7

Has a clear, standard essay structure
Writes a body paragraph with one central idea with a topic sentence
Presents ideas logically within and between paragraphs
Uses varied and natural linking words with clear referencing

Band 8

Has a natural and controlled structure
Has smoothly-connected sentences with a clear sense of cause–effect, contrast, and development
Uses a wide range of cohesive devices subtly
Has no confusing jumps or unnecessary repetition

Also read:

Everything You Need to Know about IELTS Academic Writing Test

What is Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

3. Lexical Resource – vocabulary range and precision

LR is about your range and control of vocabulary.

Examiners check whether you:

Use a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic (not just repeating basic words like “good/bad/a lot”).
Choose words that are accurate in meaning and collocation (“take measures,” “pose a threat,” “high levels of pollution”).
Paraphrase the question and key ideas naturally instead of copying or using wrong synonyms.
Use an appropriately formal/academic style (avoiding slang, very informal phrases, and most contractions).
Keep spelling and word‑formation errors low enough that they don’t cause confusion.

What Bands 6–8 essays read like in LR:

Band 6

Uses fairly basic words and repeats them
Attempts some less common words and collocations
Writes too informally
Has regular spelling errors

Band 7

Uses a good range of vocabulary
Employs topic‑specific phrases and collocations
Paraphrases the question and key concepts naturally
Has infrequent spelling errors

Band 8

Uses varied, precise, and well‑chosen vocabulary
Uses sophisticated collocations and topic‑specific lexis
Can rephrase ideas in multiple ways
Has very few lexical errors

Also read:

An Overview of IELTS Writing Task 2

What is Lexical Resource in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy – sentences and correctness

GRA focuses on the variety and accuracy of your grammar.

Examiners look for:

A mix of simple and complex sentences (subordinate clauses, relative clauses, conditionals, contrast clauses, etc.).
Generally accurate verb tenses and forms, including passive and modals where needed.
Correct word order, subject–verb agreement, and article use.
Reasonably accurate punctuation (capital letters, full stops, commas; sometimes colons/semicolons).

What Bands 6–8 essays read like in GRA:

Band 6

Uses a mix of simple and some complex sentences
Have small errors in articles, prepositions, plural/uncountable nouns, and agreement
Uses tense correctly but inconsistently
Have punctuation mistakes

Band 7

Uses a range of complex sentence structures
Writes sentences that are mostly error‑free
Have a good control of basic grammar
Use punctuation accurately

Band 8

Uses a wide variety of complex sentence structures
Creates most sentences that are completely error-free
Uses grammar to add nuance (e.g. contrast with “while/whereas”, concession with “although”, conditions with “provided that”)
Uses well‑controlled punctuation consistently

Also read:

An Overview of IELTS Writing Task 2

What is Grammatical Range and Accuracy in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

How the four scores combine

Each criterion is scored from 0–9.
Example: TR 7 + CC 6 + LR 7 + GRA 6 .
That Task 2 band is then combined with Task 1 (with Task 2 given double weight) to form the final Writing band reported on your Test Report Form.

Also read:

An Overview of IELTS Writing Task 2

What is Task Response in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

What is Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

What is Lexical Resource in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

What is Grammatical Range and Accuracy in IELTS Writing Task 2 and how to reach Band 7+?

Contact Maxway for IELTS Training

Conclusion

IELTS Writing Task 2 is not a guessing game but a clearly structured assessment of how well you answer the question, organise your ideas, and control your language. Once you understand the four criteria—Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy—you can see exactly why you received a particular band and what has to change to reach a higher one. By planning your essays carefully, developing a few strong ideas instead of many weak ones, and steadily strengthening your vocabulary and grammar, you move from “hoping for a good score” to deliberately writing the kind of essay examiners are trained to reward.

How IELTS Writing Task 2 is Assessed

How scoring works overall

1. Task Response – answering the question fully

2. Coherence and Cohesion – logical organisation

3. Lexical Resource – vocabulary range and precision

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy – sentences and correctness

How the four scores combine

Conclusion

Related Reading

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