IELTS Writing Band Descriptors: Task 2 (Public Version)

Band Task response Coherence and cohesion Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy
9 • fully addresses all parts of the task • uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention • uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural • uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility
• presents a fully developed position in answer to the • skilfully manages paragraphing and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
question with relevant, fully extended and well minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
supported ideas
8 • sufficiently addresses all parts of the task • sequences information and ideas logically • uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly • uses a wide range of structures
• presents a well-developed response to the question • manages all aspects of cohesion well to convey precise meanings • the majority of sentences are error-free
with relevant, extended and supported ideas • uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately • skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may • makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and
collocation
• produces rare errors in spelling and/or word
formation
7 • addresses all parts of the task • logically organises information and ideas; there is clear • uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some • uses a variety of complex structures
• presents a clear position throughout the response progression throughout flexibility and precision • produces frequent error-free sentences
• presents, extends and supports main ideas, but • uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately • uses less common lexical items with some • has good control of grammar and punctuation but
there may be a tendency to over-generalise and/or although there may be some under-/over-use awareness of style and collocation may make a few errors
supporting ideas may lack focus • presents a clear central topic within each paragraph • may produce occasional errors in word choice,
spelling and/or word formation

6 • addresses all parts of the task although some parts • arranges information and ideas coherently and there is • uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task • uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
may be more fully covered than others a clear overall progression • attempts to use less common vocabulary but with • makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but
• presents a relevant position although the • uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within some inaccuracy they rarely reduce communication
conclusions may become unclear or repetitive and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical • makes some errors in spelling and/or word
• presents relevant main ideas but some may be • may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately formation, but they do not impede communication
inadequately developed/unclear • uses paragraphing, but not always logically
5 • addresses the task only partially; the format may be • presents information with some organisation but there • uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is • uses only a limited range of structures
inappropriate in places may be a lack of overall progression minimally adequate for the task • attempts complex sentences but these tend to be
• expresses a position but the development is not • makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive • may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word less accurate than simple sentences
always clear and there may be no conclusions devices formation that may cause some difficulty for the • may make frequent grammatical errors and
drawn • may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and reader punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some
• presents some main ideas but these are limited and substitution difficulty for the reader
not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant • may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be
detail inadequate
4 • responds to the task only in a minimal way or the • presents information and ideas but these are not • uses only basic vocabulary which may be used • uses only a very limited range of structures with only
answer is tangential; the format may be arranged coherently and there is no clear progression repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the rare use of subordinate clauses
inappropriate in the response task • some structures are accurate but errors
• presents a position but this is unclear • uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be • has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; predominate, and punctuation is often faulty
• presents some main ideas but these are difficult to inaccurate or repetitive errors may cause strain for the reader
identify and may be repetitive, irrelevant or not well • may not write in paragraphs or their use may be
supported confusing
3 • does not adequately address any part of the task • does not organise ideas logically • uses only a very limited range of words and • attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and
• does not express a clear position • may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and expressions with very limited control of word punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
• presents few ideas, which are largely undeveloped those used may not indicate a logical relationship formation and/or spelling
or irrelevant between ideas • errors may severely distort the message
2 • barely responds to the task • has very little control of organisational features • uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; • cannot use sentence forms except in memorised
• does not express a position essentially no control of word formation and/or phrases
• may attempt to present one or two ideas but there is spelling
no development
1 • answer is completely unrelated to the task • fails to communicate any message • can only use a few isolated words • cannot use sentence forms at all
0 • does not attend
• does not attempt the task in any way
• writes a totally memorised response
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UCLES 2005