A practical route from IELTS Writing Band 6 to Band 7

Know what is being judged

Task 1 is judged for task achievement, while Task 2 is judged for task response. Both also receive scores for coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 2 carries more weight, so plan approximately 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2.

Band 7 does not require flawless English. It requires a clear position, developed main ideas, logical progression, flexible vocabulary and frequent error-free sentences. Improving those visible features is more reliable than memorising impressive phrases.

Plan before you draft

• Task 1 Academic: identify the two or three biggest features and write the overview before details.
• Task 1 General: identify the purpose, reader and every bullet point; choose a suitable tone.
• Task 2: write your position in one sentence, then choose two main ideas you can explain and exemplify.
• Give each body paragraph one job. A paragraph with three undeveloped ideas is weaker than one fully explained idea.

Make checking measurable

Reserve the final four minutes. Check subject–verb agreement, sentence boundaries, articles, plural endings and repeated words in that order. A fixed checklist catches more errors than rereading vaguely.

After marking, rewrite the response rather than merely reading comments. Keep the argument but repair organisation, development and language. The rewrite turns feedback into a skill you can reproduce.

Avoid common score blockers

• Do not force memorised introductions onto a question they do not answer.
• Do not list data in Task 1 without a clear overview and comparisons.
• Do not use a linking word in every sentence; cohesion should also come from reference and logical order.
• Do not replace precise simple words with unusual synonyms that change the meaning.