A Detailed Guide to the IELTS Writing Marking Criteria: Understanding Task Achievement & Coherence

"I'm using difficult vocabulary, but my score is stuck at 6.0..." "I've reduced my grammatical errors, but I just can't seem to break the Band 7.0 barrier."

In IELTS Writing, many test-takers struggle with this "Band 6.0 plateau." The truth is, between Band 6.0 and 7.0, there is a "wall of logic and development" that cannot be overcome by vocabulary and grammar alone.

This article, based on the official IELTS Band Descriptors, explains specific points to revise in order to raise a Band 6.0 response to a Band 7.0.

1. What are the 4 IELTS Writing Assessment Criteria?

First, let's understand the criteria. IELTS Writing is scored based on the following four criteria, each accounting for 25% of the total score.

1. Task Achievement / Response (TA/TR): How well the task is addressed (Have you answered the question? Is your response well-developed?)
2. Coherence & Cohesion (CC): The clarity and flow of your ideas (Are your ideas logically connected?)
3. Lexical Resource (LR): Your range and accuracy of vocabulary.
4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy (GRA): Your range and accuracy of grammar.

Many test-takers focus only on 'Lexical Resource (LR)' and 'Grammatical Range & Accuracy (GRA)', but in many cases, the real barrier to achieving Band 7.0 is 'Task Response (TR)' and 'Coherence & Cohesion (CC)'.

2. [Task Response] From a 'List of Ideas' to 'In-Depth Development'

One of the crucial differences between Band 6.0 and 7.0 is how deeply you can 'Extend' your ideas.

• Band 6.0: Presents ideas, but the explanation is shallow and ends in generalizations.
• Band 7.0: Adds 'Why? (reasons)' and 'For example? (specific examples)' to ideas, fully supporting the main points.

Specific Revision Examples (Before/After)

Topic: The negative effects of income inequality on society

❌ Before (Band 6.0) "That imbalance does have a significant negative impact on society."

[Examiner's Perspective] The writer states there is a 'negative impact,' but fails to explain 'why it is negative' or 'what the specific impacts are.' This is judged as 'an idea presented but not sufficiently developed,' resulting in a score of 6.0.

⭕️ After (Band 7.0) "That imbalance can fuel serious social issues; for example, extreme income gaps have sparked public unrest and higher crime rates in some countries."

[Improvement Point] By adding specific examples/support, such as 'public unrest' and 'higher crime rates,' the argument becomes much more persuasive. In IELTS, this kind of in-depth development of ideas is highly valued.

3. [Coherence & Cohesion] Moving Beyond 'Mechanical Connectors'

Next is the crucial skill of connecting ideas. A common pitfall, the overuse of linking words, can actually lead to a lower score.

• Band 6.0: Mechanically places connectors like Firstly, Furthermore, On the other hand at the beginning of sentences.
• Band 7.0: Uses referencing words (like This, That) and pronouns to smoothly link sentences.

Specific Revision Examples (Before/After)

Topic: High incomes in the entertainment industry

❌ Before (Band 6.0) "Firstly, the entertainment industry is extremely lucrative. In addition to that, members of it do not add real value to society. On the other hand, some people think entertainers deserve high pay."

[Examiner's Perspective] Every sentence begins with a connector, giving a 'mechanical' impression. This is a typical feature of a Band 6.0 response.

⭕️ After (Band 7.0) "The entertainment industry is extremely lucrative. This high income level, however, is not matched by a commensurate contribution to society. Some people argue that entertainers deserve their high pay, but I disagree."

[Improvement Points]

• Using a referencing phrase like "This high income level" (demonstrative + noun) to refer back to the previous sentence's content.
• Instead of relying on sentence-starters, contrasting ideas (however, but) are inserted naturally within the sentence flow. This is what it means to 'logically organise information.'

4. [Lexical Resource] 'Correct Collocations' Over 'Difficult Words'

The idea that 'using difficult words will increase your score' is a major misconception. Using 'natural word combinations (collocations)' correctly is a much faster path to Band 7.0 than forcing unnatural, advanced vocabulary.

• Band 6.0: Attempts to use difficult words result in unnatural phrasing. There are errors in collocation.
• Band 7.0: Uses appropriate vocabulary for the context and correct collocations.

Specific Revision Examples (Before/After)

Topics: Shopping trends / Youth crime

❌ Before (Band 6.0)

1. "Shopping is a beloved activity... its escalation in acclaim has merits and demerits."
2. "Many young people do crimes these days."

[Examiner's Perspective]

1. "Beloved" and "escalation in acclaim" are overly dramatic and unnatural in this context. Furthermore, "do crimes" is a classic collocation error.

⭕️ After (Band 7.0)

1. "Shopping has become an increasingly popular pastime... bringing benefits as well as detrimental effects."
2. "Many young people commit crimes these days."

[Improvement Points]

• Natural combinations (collocations) that native speakers would use, such as "popular pastime" and "commit crimes," are employed.
• To aim for Band 7.0, it's more important to expand your knowledge of these 'set phrases' than to memorize difficult words from a vocabulary list.

5. Summary: A Checklist for Surpassing Band 7.0

To break through the Band 7.0 barrier, review your own essays for the following three points:

1. Development (TR): Are you fully developing your ideas with 'Why?' and 'For example?' instead of just stating them?
2. Linking (CC): Are you using referencing words like This/That to connect to the previous sentence, rather than overusing Firstly, Secondly?
3. Vocabulary (LR): Are you using natural collocations like commit a crime instead of forcing difficult, unnatural words?

By correctly understanding the marking criteria and consciously changing your writing style, your score will definitely improve. If you feel you've reached a limit with self-study, the fastest way forward is to get professional feedback to have your personal writing habits pointed out objectively.

For IELTS Writing Preparation, Choose 'ELT'

At ELT, native-speaking instructors specializing in IELTS, including former examiners, will meticulously analyze and correct your essays based on the official marking criteria. We provide logical guidance on 'why you're scoring 6.0' and 'how to reach 7.0' to help you achieve your target score.

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