How to improve your IELTS Writing score?
Quick answer
Aim your practice at the four criteria the examiner marks: task achievement or response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Give Task 2 the most attention, because IELTS.org states that it contributes twice as much as Task 1. Write at least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2.
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Writing improves fastest when you stop asking whether an essay is good and start asking which criterion it fails.
The four criteria are the target
IELTS.org states that Writing is marked on task achievement (Task 1) or task response (Task 2), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Each task is assessed independently, the four criteria are weighted equally, and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight than Task 1, and IELTS.org puts it as twice as much.
The format and the minimums
Writing is 60 minutes with two tasks. Task 1 needs at least 150 words in a suggested 20 minutes: a description of visual information in Academic, a letter in General Training. Task 2 needs at least 250 words in a suggested 40 minutes, and is an essay on a point of view, argument or problem. Answers must be full connected text, not notes or bullet points. Because Task 2 counts for more and takes longer, most of your practice belongs there.
What moves 6 to 7 in each criterion
The public band descriptors show the step.
Task response: band 6 addresses the main parts of the prompt, but some ideas may be insufficiently developed. Band 7 presents a clear, developed position with main ideas that are extended and supported, though there may be over-generalising.
Coherence and cohesion: at band 6 cohesive devices are used to some good effect but may be faulty or mechanical. At band 7 a range of devices is used flexibly, with some inaccuracies or some over- or under-use.
Lexical resource: band 6 is generally adequate, with a restricted range or a lack of precision. Band 7 has some ability to use less common items and an awareness of style and collocation.
Grammatical range and accuracy: band 6 mixes simple and complex forms, but flexibility is limited and complex structures are less accurate. Band 7 uses a variety of complex structures with some flexibility, and sentences without errors are frequent.
Practise with feedback
Write timed essays and mark them against these descriptors, or have someone else do it. Our posts on Task 2 essay structure and on Task 1 maps, charts and tables cover the two tasks in more detail. Change one thing per essay, and compare the next essay against the same criterion.
What this means for your score
A Task 2 essay at band 6 usually addresses the main parts of the question, but some ideas are not developed. To move towards band 7, the descriptors ask for a clear, developed position with main ideas that are extended and supported. Pick one idea in each paragraph and add a reason and an example.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Task 2 count in Writing?
IELTS.org states that Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score. A strong Task 2 with a weaker Task 1 can therefore lift the result more than the reverse. That does not make Task 1 optional, since both tasks are assessed against the same four criteria.
How many words do I need to write?
IELTS.org gives at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2. The suggested times are about 20 minutes for Task 1 and about 40 minutes for Task 2. You must write full sentences and not notes or bullet points.
Which criterion is the hardest to improve?
IELTS publishes no ranking. The descriptors for bands 6 and 7 show where the differences are: accuracy of complex sentences, range and precision of vocabulary, flexible use of cohesive devices, and depth of support for ideas. Mark two of your own essays against each criterion to see which is furthest from band 7.
Sources
- IELTS Academic: Writing test format — IELTS.org
- IELTS General Training: Writing test format — IELTS.org
- IELTS Writing band descriptors (public version) — IELTS.org
- IELTS scoring in detail: band scores explained — IELTS.org
Last verified 30 Sep 2026
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