What Are IELTS Band Descriptors?

The IELTS Writing Band Descriptors are the official assessment criteria used by examiners to score your Task 1 response. There are four main criteria, and each one is equally weighted:

• Task Achievement

• Coherence and Cohesion

• Lexical Resource

• Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Each criterion is scored from Band 0 to Band 9, and your final Writing Task 1 band is the average of these four scores.

Task Achievement

What Does Task Achievement Mean?

Task Achievement (TA) assesses how well you fulfill the requirements of the task. It includes the accuracy, relevance, and completeness of your response.

Key Factors Evaluated:

• Have you written at least 150 words?

• Have you included all key features of the visual data?

• Have you provided a clear overview?

• Have you supported the overview with data and comparisons?

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting the overview or writing a conclusion instead

• Reporting irrelevant or overly detailed information

• Failing to group related data

• Misinterpreting the visual

Tips to Improve Task Achievement:

• Always write an overview paragraph summarizing the most significant features.

• Focus on major trends, highs and lows, and notable changes.

• Avoid including your opinion—this is not required for Task 1.

• Do not try to describe every single number. Group and summarize.

Coherence and Cohesion

What Is Coherence and Cohesion?

This criterion evaluates how well your ideas are organized and how well you use linking devices to connect them.

Coherence refers to the logical flow of your writing.

Cohesion refers to how effectively you use connective words and phrases.

What Examiners Look For:

• Clear paragraph structure (Introduction, Overview, Body Paragraphs)

• Logical sequencing of information

• Appropriate use of linking devices (e.g., “however”, “in contrast”, “as a result”)

• Reference cohesion (e.g., using “this”, “these” to avoid repetition)

Common Mistakes:

• Overusing linking words like “moreover” or “therefore”

• Jumping between unrelated points

• Writing long paragraphs without breaks

• Lack of clarity in grouping data

Tips to Improve Coherence and Cohesion:

• Use one paragraph for the overview and two for body data.

• Use a variety of connectors and transition signals.

• Avoid repetition and overuse of the same linkers.

• Make sure each paragraph presents a clear main idea.

Lexical Resource

What Is Lexical Resource?

Lexical Resource assesses the range and accuracy of your vocabulary. It focuses on your ability to use topic-specific language to describe visual information.

What You Need to Demonstrate:

• Use of varied and accurate vocabulary

• Proper word choice in context

• Awareness of collocations, synonyms, and paraphrasing

• Ability to avoid repetition

Examples of Lexical Resource in Task 1:

• Trend Vocabulary: increase, rise, grow, decline, drop, fluctuate

• Adverbs & Adjectives: sharply, gradually, significant, minimal

• Comparison Phrases: while, whereas, compared to, in contrast to

• Process Vocabulary: initially, subsequently, finally

Common Mistakes:

• Repeating the same verbs like “increase” or “decrease”

• Misusing academic words (e.g., “the figure exploded” instead of “rose sharply”)

• Using informal words (e.g., “a lot” instead of “significant”)

Tips to Improve Lexical Resource:

• Learn and practice using synonyms for key verbs and adjectives

• Avoid overly complex or unfamiliar vocabulary unless used correctly

• Read and analyze model answers to discover natural academic expressions

• Use a vocabulary journal to practice new terms in context

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

What Is Grammatical Range and Accuracy?

This criterion evaluates your ability to use a variety of grammatical structures and your level of accuracy in doing so.

Examiners Look For:

• Range of sentence types (simple, compound, complex)

• Use of tenses, especially past simple and present perfect

• Proper use of passive voice (especially for process descriptions)

• Correct subject-verb agreement, articles, and prepositions

• Minimal grammar mistakes that do not affect meaning

Common Mistakes:

• Incorrect tense usage

• Lack of variety in sentence structures

• Repeated grammatical errors (e.g., article misuse: “a data” instead of “data”)

• Fragmented or run-on sentences

Tips to Improve Grammatical Range and Accuracy:

• Practice writing complex and compound sentences

• Review and apply rules for tense consistency

• Get your writing proofread to identify common mistakes

• Use grammar-checking tools to identify patterns of errors

• Study model responses and analyze their sentence structures

Putting It All Together: Sample Band Score Breakdown

Here’s how a sample candidate might be evaluated:

Even if you excel in vocabulary and task fulfillment, weaknesses in grammar or organization can lower your final band score. Hence, balanced improvement across all four descriptors is key.

Final Tips for Success

• Study each band descriptor in detail

• Practice writing under timed conditions

• Use examiner feedback if possible

• Aim for consistency across all scoring areas

• Avoid memorized templates—focus on natural, logical flow

Summary

Understanding the IELTS Writing Band Descriptors is essential to achieving a high score in Academic Writing Task 1. By aligning your writing with the four scoring criteria—Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy—you can significantly boost your band.

Key Takeaways:

• Know what each scoring category measures

• Use varied vocabulary and grammar accurately

• Structure your ideas clearly with logical flow

• Focus on reporting visual data objectively

Mastering the band descriptors isn’t just about getting a good score—it’s about becoming a more effective academic writer overall.