IELTS Writing Scoring

How IELTS Writing is scored and where Band 6 turns into Band 7

IELTS Writing is judged on four equally weighted criteria. If you do not know exactly what each one measures, practice becomes guesswork. These guides explain the real differences between Band 6 and Band 7 performance and what to improve next.

What this methodology page gives you

A plain-English explanation of each scoring criterion
The practical difference between Band 6 and Band 7 writing
Common mistakes that keep essays stuck below target
A usable improvement checklist for your next practice essay
These guides are based on the public IELTS band descriptors and are designed to support self-study, not to replace an official exam.

How to use these pages properly

1. Learn the criterion

Read one criterion page and understand what examiners actually reward there.

2. Check a real draft

Run one of your own essays through the free checker and compare the feedback against the guide.

3. Rewrite one thing

Do not fix everything at once. Pick one weakness and improve it deliberately in the next draft.