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The International English Language Test System (IELTS) is a standard assessment taken by a candidate to assess the level of fluency in the English language. IELTS is widely recognised by international students who wish to pursue higher education abroad. The exam is also taken by people who want to migrate or start a career abroad.
IELTS is accepted as proof of English language proficiency in over 11,000 educational institutions in countries like the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. The exam contains four sections; their scores determine the candidate's level of fluency in English. Let's look in detail at how to calculate IELTS writing scores.
Table of Contents
- IELTS writing section: An overview
- IELTS writing section pattern 2024
- IELTS writing section syllabus 2024
- IELTS writing score calculator
- IELTS writing score chart
- IELTS writing band score calculator
- IELTS writing calculator
- Frequently asked questions
- How to calculate IELTS writing score?
- What is 5.75 in IELTS writing?
- How to calculate the IELTS writing task 2 score?
- How is writing Task 1 and 2 scored?
- What is the score scale of IELTS Writing?
- How is IELTS writing marked?
- How to calculate writing task 1 and 2?
- How is the writing task evaluated in IELTS?
- How many tasks are there in IELTS writing?
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IELTS writing section: An overview
| No. of questions | 2 |
| Total band score | 9 |
| Duration (in minutes) | 60 |
| Is the syllabus the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training? | No |
IELTS writing section pattern 2024
No. of questions: 2
Duration: 60 minutes
It is important to understand the IELTS exam pattern and the IELTS exam syllabus before we learn about the IELTS writing score chart. The IELTS writing test consists of two descriptive essays between 150-250 words. You are required to complete the tasks in 60 minutes. The questions can be in the form of a graph, chart, or diagram, where you should analyse and describe the data.
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IELTS writing section syllabus 2024
While the pattern for the IELTS writing section is the same for the Academic and General Training versions, the syllabus differs. The concepts of the essays are different in both versions, so make sure you prepare accordingly.
IELTS writing syllabus 2024
| Task | IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
| Task 1 | A data interpretation task, where you have to write an essay relevant to the data provided. Your response can be to describe a particular data, the entire procedure, a certain stage in the process, and others. | A letter-writing task, where you should write a letter explaining an issue or requesting certain data. The task may be a personal, semi-formal, or formal letter. |
| Task 2 | An interpretation essay, in which you have to express your point of view, argument, or problem. You can use relevant examples to support your point or opinion. Keep the tone formal, and write the essay in an academic style. | An essay in which you must convey your point of view for an argument or a problem. You can add a personal touch to the essay. |
IELTS writing score calculator
An IELTS band score calculator help candidates to find their band score for all sections in the exam. The essays in the IELTS writing section are reviewed and scored based on four marking criteria. These grading factors are the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training.
- Task achievement or response
- Coherence and cohesion
- Lexical resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy
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IELTS writing score chart
The scoring criteria contribute to 25% weightage for each of the total scores. Here's a breakdown of these factors that determines your IELTS writing score.
IELTS writing section: Grading criteria
| IELTS writing grading factor | Task 1 | Task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Task achievement or response | Task achievement - Evaluate the accuracy of the response. The factor analyses how the information was interpreted and conveyed and whether it was relevant to the task. | Task response - Analyses the candidate’s ability to cover all the elements asked in the question. Evaluates the opinion presented and the way it is conveyed. |
| Coherence and cohesion | Evaluates the candidate’s structure and natural flow in the response. | Evaluates the response’s structure and flow of ideas in the essay. |
| Lexical resource | Analyses the candidate’s use of vocabulary in the response. | Examines the use of vocabulary in the essay. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | Focuses on the candidate’s strength in grammar. | Evaluates the candidate’s use of grammatical structures. |
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IELTS writing band score calculator
There are two types of scores in the IELTS exam. The raw score refers to the number of questions you have answered correctly. This score is converted into the band score, a scale between 0-9, provided by IELTS.
IELTS writing band scores
| IELTS band score | Description |
|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user |
| 8 | Very good user |
| 7 | Good user |
| 6 | Competent user |
| 5 | Modest user |
| 4 | Limited user |
| 3 | Extremely limited user |
| 2 | Intermittent user |
| 1 | Non-user |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test |
The examiner grades the essays in IELTS writing based on the scoring criteria mentioned earlier. Both tasks in this section are awarded band scores.
Each criterion is marked between the band score of 0-9. An arithmetic mean of the scores is then calculated to obtain the band score for the writing task.
The writing section's scoring is quite different from the other sections. Task 2’s band score is worth twice that of Task 1.
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IELTS writing calculator
Overall IELTS writing band score calculator
IELTS has yet to reveal its calculation method for the scores, but there are several IELTS writing score calculators available online that would provide the precise band score for the section. Here’s an example of how the IELTS writing scores are calculated.
For example: Consider the below scores as the band scores of your IELTS writing section.
| Writing task | Band score |
|---|---|
| Task 1 | 6 |
| Task 2 | 7 |
As mentioned earlier, task 2’s score has double weightage and contributes to 66% of your total band score in the writing section. Take the arithmetic mean of the scores. This gives the overall band score.
IELTS writing band score = (Task 1 + task 2) ÷ 2
Example
IELTS writing band score = (6 + 7) ÷ 2 = 13 ÷ 2 = 6.5
Note: It is not confirmed whether the band scores are rounded up or down to the nearest number, as IELTS has not disclosed its calculation method.
IELTS writing band score calculator for a separate task
For example: Consider the below scores as your band scores of task 1 in the IELTS writing section.
| Writing criteria | Band score |
|---|---|
| Task achievement or response | 6 |
| Coherence and cohesion | 7 |
| Lexical resource | 7 |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | 6 |
Take the arithmetic mean of the scores. This gives the overall band score.
IELTS writing band score for task 1 = Sum of writing criteria scores ÷ 4
IELTS writing band score for task 1 = 6 + 7 + 7 + 6 ÷ 4 = 26 ÷ 4 = 6.5
Note: It is not confirmed whether the band scores are rounded up or down to the nearest number.
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Frequently asked questions
How to calculate IELTS writing score?
IELTS has yet to disclose its calculation method for determining the band score of your exam. There are many IELTS writing score calculators available online that would give you a precise score. Here’s how your tasks’ grades are calculated in the IELTS writing section.
IELTS writing band score calculator
IELTS writing band score = (Task 1 + task 2) ÷ 2
What is 5.75 in IELTS writing?
The overall band score of 5.75 in IELTS writing can either be rounded up or down to obtain the nearest score. The candidate’s band score will be 5.5 or 6.0.
How to calculate the IELTS writing task 2 score?
IELTS writing band score calculator for task 2
IELTS writing band score for task 2 = Sum of writing criteria scores ÷ 4
It is important to note that Task 2 in the writing section has double weightage in the scoring scale and contributes to 66% of your total band score.
How is writing Task 1 and 2 scored?
The scores for the IELTS writing section are marked based on four writing criteria.
- Task achievement or response
- Coherence and cohesion
- Lexical resource
- Grammatical range and accuracy
What is the score scale of IELTS Writing?
The IELTS writing section is evaluated through band scores ranging from 0-9.
How is IELTS writing marked?
The IELTS writing section is evaluated through band scores ranging from 0-9. It is not confirmed whether the band scores are rounded up or down to the nearest number. IELTS has yet to disclose its calculation method for determining the band score of your exam.
How to calculate writing task 1 and 2?
The examiner grades the essays in IELTS writing based on the scoring criteria mentioned earlier. Both tasks in this section are awarded band scores.
Each criterion is marked between the band score of 0-9. An arithmetic mean of the scores is then calculated to obtain the band score for the writing task. The writing section scoring is quite different from the other sections. Task 2’s band score is worth twice that of task 1.
How is the writing task evaluated in IELTS?
The examiner grades the essays in IELTS writing based on the scoring criteria mentioned earlier.
IELTS writing band score for task 1 = Sum of writing criteria scores ÷ 4
Task 2’s score has double weightage and contributes to 66% of your total band score in the writing section. Take the arithmetic mean of the scores.
IELTS writing band score = (Task 1 + task 2) ÷ 2
How many tasks are there in IELTS writing?
The IELTS writing test consists of two tasks, wherein you are required to write two descriptive essays between 150-250 words. You are required to complete the tasks in 60 minutes. The questions can be in the form of a graph, chart, or diagram, where you should analyse and describe the data.
