Home ›IELTS Band Descriptors
IELTS band descriptors are the published criteria examiners use to mark Writing and Speaking. Each skill has four criteria, each scored from 0 to 9, and together they give your band for that skill. This guide summarises the criteria in plain English and shows what typically separates band 6, band 7 and band 8.
Examiners mark Writing and Speaking against four criteria each. Every criterion gets a band from 0 to 9, and the band for the skill is based on the four together, so one weak criterion pulls the whole score down.
The tables below summarise the official descriptors in plain English. They describe typical features, not a checklist: examiners match your performance to the band that fits best overall.
| Criterion | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2) | Whether you cover every part of the task — a clear overview in Task 1, a clear and developed position in Task 2 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Logical organisation, paragraphing, and natural, accurate use of linking words and referencing |
| Lexical Resource | Range and precision of vocabulary, collocation, and control of spelling and word formation |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Variety of sentence structures and how many sentences are free of errors |
| Band | Typical features |
|---|---|
| 6 | Addresses the task, but some parts are underdeveloped or the position is unclear in places; organisation is clear but linking can be mechanical; adequate vocabulary with some errors; a mix of simple and complex sentences, with errors that rarely block meaning |
| 7 | Addresses all parts with a clear position and extended, supported ideas; logical progression with a range of linking devices; some less common vocabulary used with awareness of style and collocation; frequent error-free sentences |
| 8 | Covers all parts with well-developed, relevant ideas; information is sequenced logically and paragraphing is well managed; a wide vocabulary used fluently with occasional slips; most sentences are error-free |
| Criterion | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | Speaking at length without unnatural pauses, and linking ideas logically |
| Lexical Resource | Range of vocabulary, paraphrase, and idiomatic language used appropriately |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Range of sentence structures and how many sentences are free of errors |
| Pronunciation | How easily you are understood, including stress, rhythm and intonation; an accent on its own is not penalised |
| Band | Typical features |
|---|---|
| 6 | Willing to speak at length but coherence slips through repetition, self-correction or hesitation; enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length; complex structures attempted with frequent errors; generally understood, though some words or sounds are unclear |
| 7 | Speaks at length without noticeable effort, with some hesitation while searching for language; flexible vocabulary including some less common and idiomatic items; a range of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences; easy to understand throughout |
| 8 | Speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self-correction; wide vocabulary used readily and precisely; a wide range of structures, mostly error-free; easy to understand, with the accent having minimal effect |
Band 9 model essays, letters and templates from the Writing library. Browse all 118 in the Learning Hub.
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Cue cards, speaking questions and Writing Task 1 questions with band 9 sample answers, plus a free band score calculator.
Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each counts equally.
Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Each counts equally.
A band 7 answer covers every part of the task with a clear position and developed, supported ideas, links them naturally and has frequent error-free sentences. At band 6, ideas are often underdeveloped, linking can be mechanical and errors are more common.
No. Pronunciation is judged on how easily you are understood and on features such as stress and intonation, not on having a particular accent.