How is the scoring done in the IELTS Writing and Speaking exam?

Here, we have broken the IELTS Writing and Speaking Public Band Descriptors for your ease. Realize that if you are able to work on each segment individually, you will be able to target 9 Band in your IELTS exam.

IELTS Speaking: Please note, IELTS don’t want you to have an accent, like that of a British or an American. You have to speak effortlessly and make sure that you make no errors while speaking by following the bullets listed below:

Fluency & Coherence

• Talking at length
• Talking without self-correction
• Able to be understood
• Using linking devices
• Talking without pauses or hesitation

Lexical Resources

• Use a range of words and paraphrasing
• Avoiding errors
• Using collocation
• Using a less common vocabulary

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

• Using a range of sentence structures
• Using a range of grammar tenses
• Avoiding errors

Pronunciation

• Able to be understood throughout the test
• Able to use intonation
• Accent doesn’t affect understanding
• Accurate word and sound pronunciation

How IELTS Writing Task 1 is scored?

In Task 1 Writing, IELTS examiners evaluate you as per the rubric gave below and you have to ensure that you are able to meet all the given parameters. Any deviation from the topic reduces your scores in Task Achievement/Response, any spelling error or irrelevant word choice reduces your errors in Lexical Resource, any error in tenses, conjunction, punctuations etc reduces your numbers in grammatical Range and Accuracy and if your paragraphs do not have a consistent flow of ideas and is difficult to interpret in one read then your scores in coherence and cohesion may suffer.

Let’s look at the step by step requirement from a candidate:

As mentioned above, the examiner will score your task basis the rubric given above and will assess you on :

1. Task Achievement
2. Lexical Resouce (Vocabulary range)
3. Coherence and Cohesion
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Task Achievement

You score a band 6 if you:

• Highlight key features adequately
• Your information is well selected
• some information may be inaccurate

You score a band 7 if you:

• present a clear overview of the task
• highlight the key/important features of the task clearly
• provide accurate information
• develop some paragraphs but chances of improvement are there

You score a band 8 if you:

• provide a clear overview of the task
• illustrate and highlight the key features of the task
• Sufficiently cover all requirements of the task

How can I increase my Task achievement score in IELTS Writing Task 1?

You will be able to score higher if you:

• are able to identify and analyse all the key features of the chart or graph or diagram or process
• present and highlight the overview of the key features
• are able to present data, statistics, numerical quantities in body paragraphs
• do not give your own opinion or thoughts
• write a report which is based on facts provided in the and nothing else
• write more than 150 words. (better keep it between 150 to 180 words)

Coherence and Cohesion

You get a band 6 if you:

• organise your paragraph information coherently
• use paragraphs in your writing
• use linking words effectively
• make errors in linking the sentences and paragraphs
• use pronouns or referencing keywords that are faulty or inappropriate

You get a band 7 if you :

• logically organize the information in your paragraphs
• use a range of linking devices
• over or underuse the linking words or phrases
• use good referencing

You get a band 8 if you:

• logically organise the information and ideas
• use correct paragraphing features
• manage and retain all linking and cohesion words
• experience no problem in using referencing keywords or pronouns

How can I improve my coherence and cohesion scores in IELTS Writing Task 1?

• create a step by step plan of your paragraphs
• use a range of linking devices
• do not write more than 4 to 5 paragraphs
• make no mistake with linking words and phrases
• use correct pronouns to link ideas and sentences

Lexical Resource – Vocabulary

You get a band 6 if you:

• use an adequate range of vocabulary for the task
• use some less common words but with errors
• make some errors in word formation or spelling
• communicate clearly

You get a band 7 if you:

• have a sufficient range of vocabulary
• use less-common words
• have awareness of language styles and collocations
• make occasional errors in spellings or word choices

You get a band 8 if you:

• display a wide range of vocabulary features
• use less-common words skillfully
• make rare or no errors in spellings or word formation

How can I get good scores in Lexical Resource section of IELTS Writing Task?

Your scores can increase if you:

• use a range of vocabulary features rather than using repetitive words or phrases
• provide accurate data with the help of keywords
• understand collocations
• avoid spelling mistakes(try to make none)
• do not use informal English or slangs

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

You get a band 6 if you

• use simple and complex sentence structure of sentences
• make some errors in grammar
• make some errors in punctuations
• communicate clearly

You get a band 7 if you

• use a variety of complex sentence structures
• write many error-free sentences
• show good control over grammatical features
• make occasional errors in spelling or punctuation

You get a band 8

• use a wide range of complex sentence structures
• write sentences that are free of errors

How can I improve my IELTS GRA scores in IELTS Writing Task 1?

If you want to improve your scores, you should:

• use a range of sentence structures (Relative clauses/ Conjunctions etc)
• use the right tenses for the chart or graph given to you use the right word order
• avoid all the small grammatical errors
• use the right punctuations marks

How are the band scores calculated?

Your scores will be an average of the 4 parameters listed above, for example, if you get :

• Task Achievement – 8
• Lexical Resouce – 8
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy – 7
• Coherence and Cohesion – 7

Then your overall score for Writing Task 1 will be = (8+8+7+7) /4 = 7.5

Though how much you learn about the scoring system of this examination, we recommend you to practise for IELTS writing and Speaking under an expert’s guidance if you are working for higher bands and if you feel that your proficiency is a bit week in English. Practice well!

Relevant Links :

• IELTS online or offline? 
• IELTS Writing – 1st Top Secret way to think of Ideas – Method 1
• IELTS Writing – 1st Top Secret way to think of Ideas – Method 2
• IELTS Writing – 1st Top Secret way to think of Ideas – Method 3