The IELTS Writing Task 2 Marking Criteria EXPLAINED

Summary

In this video, Alex, an ex-IELTS examiner, explains how IELTS writing is marked using the public version of the writing task 2 band descriptors. He outlines the four criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Alex emphasizes the importance of addressing all parts of the task, maintaining a clear position throughout the essay, and using a variety of cohesive devices. He also discusses common mistakes that can lead to lower band scores, such as faulty and mechanical linking, and the need for a wide range of vocabulary with minimal errors. The video encourages students to seek expert guidance to improve their writing skills and aim for a band 7 or higher.

Takeaways

• 📝 The IELTS writing section is marked based on four criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.
• 🎯 Aiming for a band score of 7 or 8 is common, and understanding the band descriptors is crucial for achieving these scores.
• 📈 Each criterion is scored individually, and the total score is calculated from these individual scores; a lower score in one area can pull down the overall band.
• 📋 To achieve a band 7, it's essential to address all parts of the task, present a clear position throughout the response, and extend and support main ideas.
• 🔗 Coherence and cohesion involve logical organization, clear progression, and effective use of cohesive devices; avoiding faulty or mechanical linking is key.
• 📚 Lexical resource at band 7 requires a sufficient range of vocabulary and less common lexical items, with occasional errors not impeding communication.
• ✅ Grammatical range and accuracy demand a variety of complex structures and frequent error-free sentences for a band 7.
• 🔍 Examiners look for clarity in referencing and substitution to avoid repetition, which can lead to a lower score if not handled correctly.
• 📉 Errors in paragraphing, such as illogical organization or lack of clear structure, can significantly impact the score.
• 💡 Expert IELTS teachers can provide valuable feedback and guidance to help candidates improve their writing and meet the criteria for higher bands.
• 🌐 E2language.com offers resources, tutorials, and live classes to help candidates prepare for and pass their English language tests.

Q & A

What is the mission of E2language.com?

The mission of E2language.com is to help students pass their English language tests, with a particular focus on overcoming the challenges of IELTS writing.

How many criteria does the IELTS writing task 2 have?

The IELTS writing task 2 has four criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

What is the highest band score in the IELTS writing task 2?

The highest band score in the IELTS writing task 2 is band 9, which is reserved for expert users.

What does it mean to 'address all parts of the task' in the context of IELTS writing task 2?

To 'address all parts of the task' means that the candidate must answer all parts of the question posed in the writing task, such as providing reasons and discussing both sides of an argument.

Why is it important to present a clear position throughout the response in IELTS writing task 2?

Presenting a clear position throughout the response is important because it demonstrates that the candidate has a coherent argument and is able to maintain a consistent viewpoint, which is a key aspect of task response.

What is meant by 'coherence and cohesion' in the IELTS writing task 2?

Coherence and cohesion refer to the logical organization of information and ideas, the use of linking words and phrases, and the overall flow of the essay, ensuring that it is easy to follow and understand.

How can faulty or mechanical cohesion affect an IELTS writing score?

Faulty cohesion can lead to a lower score because it indicates incorrect use of linking words, which can disrupt the flow of the essay. Mechanical cohesion, while not incorrect, can be overly repetitive and lack variety, which may not impress examiners.

What is the significance of 'lexical resource' in the IELTS writing task 2?

Lexical resource refers to the range and accuracy of vocabulary used in the essay. A wide range of vocabulary and accurate word choice can enhance the essay's clarity and sophistication, contributing to a higher score.

Why is it crucial to have 'frequent error-free sentences' in an IELTS writing task 2 essay?

Having frequent error-free sentences is crucial because it shows the candidate's ability to construct grammatically correct and well-formed sentences, which is a key aspect of grammatical range and accuracy.

How can a candidate ensure they are not dropping below a band 7 in IELTS writing task 2?

A candidate can ensure they are not dropping below a band 7 by thoroughly understanding the band descriptors, addressing all parts of the task, maintaining coherence and cohesion, using a wide lexical resource, and minimizing grammatical errors.

What services does E2language.com offer to help IELTS candidates improve their writing?

E2language.com offers tutorials with expert IELTS teachers, feedback on speaking and writing submissions, daily live group classes, and access to various courses to help candidates improve their IELTS writing skills.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Understanding IELTS Writing Assessment

Alex, an ex-IELTS examiner and expert teacher at E2language.com, introduces the IELTS writing assessment process. He explains that the public version of the writing task 2 band descriptors is the key resource for understanding how examiners mark IELTS writing. The four main criteria are task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Alex emphasizes that candidates should aim for a band score of 7 or 8 and that understanding the band descriptors is crucial for achieving a high score. He also clarifies that examiners give four separate scores, one for each criterion, and the total score is calculated from these individual scores.

05:00

📈 Scoring Insights for Task Response and Coherence

The video script delves into the specifics of task response and coherence and cohesion. For task response, Alex outlines the band 7 requirements, which include addressing all parts of the task, presenting a clear position throughout the response, and extending and supporting main ideas. He warns that failing to meet these criteria can result in a lower band score. In terms of coherence and cohesion, the script discusses the importance of logical organization, clear progression, and the use of cohesive devices. It also addresses common issues such as faulty and mechanical cohesion, improper use of referencing, and the impact of these on the overall score. Alex provides examples to illustrate these points and advises candidates on how to avoid such mistakes.

10:04

📚 Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range

The final part of the script focuses on lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy. Alex explains that a sufficient range of vocabulary and the use of less common lexical items are expected at band 7, while accuracy is crucial. He points out that occasional errors are acceptable at band 7 but can lead to a lower score if they are frequent or impede communication. For grammatical range, the script highlights the need for a variety of complex structures and the importance of having frequent error-free sentences. Alex provides examples to demonstrate the differences between band 7, 6, and 5 levels of writing in terms of grammatical errors and their impact on the overall score. He concludes by encouraging candidates to critically analyze their writing and seek professional feedback to improve their skills.

Keywords

💡IELTS Examiner

An IELTS Examiner is a professional who assesses the language proficiency of test-takers in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In the video, Alex, an ex-IELTS examiner, uses their experience to explain how IELTS writing is marked, which is crucial for understanding the scoring process and improving one's writing skills for the test.

💡E2language.com

E2language.com is mentioned as the platform where Alex, the speaker, is an expert IELTS teacher. The website is implied to offer resources and tutorials to help students pass their English language tests, particularly focusing on overcoming the challenges of IELTS writing.

💡Band Descriptors

Band descriptors in the context of IELTS refer to the public guidelines that outline the criteria and standards for scoring test-takers' performances. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding these descriptors, especially for Writing Task 2, to know what is expected at each band level.

💡Task Response

Task response is one of the four criteria used by examiners to score IELTS writing. It assesses how well a candidate addresses the task requirements. The video explains that to achieve a high band score, one must address all parts of the task, present a clear position throughout the response, and extend and support main ideas.

💡Coherence and Cohesion

Coherence and cohesion are critical for IELTS writing as they evaluate the logical organization of information and the use of linking words or phrases. The video script uses examples to illustrate the difference between effective and faulty cohesion, which is essential for a high band score.

💡Lexical Resource

Lexical resource refers to the range and accuracy of vocabulary used in IELTS writing. The video emphasizes the need for a sufficient range of vocabulary and the correct use of less common lexical items to achieve a higher band score.

💡Grammatical Range and Accuracy

This criterion assesses the variety and accuracy of grammatical structures in a candidate's writing. The video points out that for a band 7, examiners expect frequent error-free sentences, indicating a good command of grammar.

💡Band Scores

Band scores in IELTS range from 0 to 9, with each band representing a different level of English proficiency. The video discusses aiming for bands 7 and 8, which are common targets for test-takers seeking to meet university or professional requirements.

💡Paragraphing

Paragraphing refers to the structure of an essay, including the logical arrangement of ideas into paragraphs. The video uses examples to show the difference between logical and illogical paragraphing, highlighting its impact on the overall coherence of the writing.

💡Referencing and Substitution

Referencing and substitution involve the use of pronouns and other words to refer back to previously mentioned ideas without repetition. The video explains that incorrect or repetitive use of referencing can lead to a lower band score due to a lack of variety and clarity.

💡Tutorial

A tutorial, as mentioned in the video, is a personalized lesson or guidance session. The speaker encourages students to book tutorials for one-on-one feedback on their writing, which can help identify and rectify errors to improve their IELTS scores.

Highlights

Introduction to IELTS writing assessment by an ex-IELTS examiner.

Explanation of the public version of the IELTS writing task 2 band descriptors.

Overview of the four marking criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

Importance of aiming for a band score of 7 or 8 in IELTS writing.

How the total IELTS writing score is calculated from the four individual criterion scores.

The necessity of addressing all parts of the IELTS writing task to achieve a high score.

Requirement to present a clear position throughout the IELTS essay.

Advice on how to extend and support main ideas in the essay body.

Coherence and cohesion criteria, including logical organization and effective use of cohesive devices.

The pitfalls of faulty and mechanical cohesion in IELTS writing.

Importance of proper referencing and substitution to avoid repetition in the essay.

Logical paragraphing as a key component of coherence and cohesion.

Lexical resource criteria, emphasizing a sufficient range and accurate word choice.

Grammatical range and accuracy, with a focus on producing frequent error-free sentences.

Practical tips for minimizing errors in vocabulary and grammar to achieve a band 7.

Offering of tutorials and feedback services by E2language.com to help candidates improve their IELTS writing.

Encouragement to book a tutorial for personalized feedback on IELTS writing.

Transcripts

hi I'm Alex I'm an ex IELTS examiner and one of the expert IELTS teachers here at

E2language.com. Here at E2 language our mission is to help you pass

your English language test and we know that IELTS writing is a big hurdle, so

today I want to show you how an examiner marks your writing. That is I'm going to

show you exactly how the marking criteria work I know it looks like a

super complicated document but I'm only going to show you the important parts. So

how does it work? First of all I should mention this is the public version of

the writing task 2 band descriptors. Everything you need to know is on here

and you can find this via the link below. Now, there are four criteria here task

response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and

accuracy. And the band scores are on the left; expert user is up the top, band 9,

and band zero is down the bottom for people who didn't turn up or who wrote a

memorized essay. Most people are aiming around here band 7

and band 8. Now, the examiner actually gives you four scores one for each of

the criterion and your total score is worked out from them. So, how do you get

your score? Well let's say you get 7 7 7 7 from the examiner, then congratulations!

That of course is a band 7 essay however if you miss one and get let's say band 6

in grammatical range and accuracy even though you've got three 7s this will

come to band 6.5 for this one you can counter this by scoring about

8 somewhere else. So what does this mean for you as a candidate? How can you

be sure that you're not going to drop below and 7? Well of course we need to

know what's in the band 7 criteria, but you also need to look at band 6 and

then 5 and even been 3 because that's where the

reasons for band 6 or 6.5 exists Let's start with criterion

one, task response, which is here on the left. If you look at the band seven

requirements, you can see three dot points and the first one says, addresses

all parts of the task. Now if you have a question like this nowadays people use

social media to keep up with the news why do they do this is it a positive or

negative trend you'll see that there are two questions why do they do this is it

a positive or negative trend you're more likely to be down here if you answer

just one question addresses the task only partially so that's a simple one

there are two questions answer both the second question that we just saw asked

is it a positive or a negative development now this brings us to the

second point presents a clear position throughout the response very important

word there is threw out threw out the response basically this means that you

are giving an opinion from top to bottom in your essay now let's say you don't

want to give an opinion or your opinion is not clear to the examiner this is

catastrophic we're down here at band three does not express a clear position

so your work could be beautifully written full of rich vocabulary and

ideas but if I get to the end if I don't know what you think you're gonna score

band three so address all parts of the task clear opinion throughout and then

presents extends supports main ideas this is the body of your essay whenever

you give an idea or make a point you need to present it extend it supportive

if you don't you'll be down here at six presents relevant main ideas but

inadequately developed or unclear or five limited ideas that are not

sufficiently developed or have irrelevant detail this is where an

expert IELTS teacher can really help you so make sure that you book your tutorial

if you're a subscriber and submit your work for

so that we can help you criterion 2 is coherence and cohesion and this is all

about paragraphing linking and flow

there are three points here logically organizes information and idea clear

progression uses a range of cohesive devices clear central topic within each

paragraph if you've done any IELTS prep you would know all of this but you could

still be scoring six point five or six why is that well let me show you here it

bends six the second dot point says uses cohesive devices effectively but

cohesion within and or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical faulty or

mechanical again these are very important words let me show you what

they mean faulty cohesion here's an example some

people like to get their news from social media while there are some

benefits but this is not always a good idea

faulty cohesion this is really it's a grammatical problem but there's a

linking word here while linking word but and they are used incorrectly so this is

classic band six faulty linking the other one was mechanical mechanical

cohesion here's an example firstly blah blah blah secondly blah blah blah

finally love a blah therefore blah blah blah moreover blah blah blah it's

totally fine it's not wrong but it's pretty boring and it's mechanical the

linkers are at the start of the sentence and they're not very imaginative if

you've come to our live classes you'll know that we have a few tricks to avoid

having this mechanical cohesion but you probably recognize that you're guilty of

this in your own writing it's very common so beware of faulty and

mechanical linking another big reason why you might lose points is because of

referencing been success that you may not always use referencing clearly or

appropriately a referencing is words like it they there

this these using them correctly means knowing your countable and uncountable

x' and editing carefully so do you know when to use the word this and when to

use the word these if not you could be using your references incorrectly and

the more serious issue is here in band 5 may be repetitive because of lack of

referencing and substitution let me show you an example of this these days it is

quite difficult to avoid advertisements some people believe that advertisements

make life better whereas other people feel advertisements make life worse

despite the negative aspects of advertisements I feel that life is

better with advertisements grammatically this is fine however you can notice the

repetition this writer has used the word advertisements five times in just three

sentences this is way too many this is a classic band 5 repetitive because of

lack of referencing and substitution of course you have to repeat vocabulary but

be careful with repeating the same word more than once per sentence and

definitely not more than three times per paragraph one final point on this

criterion is about paragraphing no band 6 says users paragraphing but not always

logically well what is a logical paragraph you ask this this is logical

paragraphing the words here are just nonsense so don't worry about them for

the moment I'm just talking about the visual aspect you can clearly see here

the introduction to body paragraphs and the conclusion now compare that to this

essay immediately this poor student can say goodbye to IELTS 7 why is there one

sentence sitting all alone here and what's this weird gap in the middle of

this paragraph what's this huge block of text at the

end where is the conclusion this is illogical paragraphing paper-based IELTS

same thing bye-bye then seven but the good news is that is super easy to avoid

just learn the e to structure look at our samples and it's super simple in

terms of the content it's a little more difficult but again learn the e to

structure and apply it to your writing criterion 3 is lexical resource this is

vocabulary there are two factors at play here the first one is range band $0.07

uses a sufficient range uses less common lexical items and the other point is

accuracy so in band 7 you may produce occasional

errors in word choice spelling or word formation let's look at accuracy from

bounds 7 to band 5 & 7 occasional errors band 6 some errors and they do not

impede communication band 5 noticeable errors that cause some difficulty for

the reader so band 7 a few errors then 6 quite a

lot of errors but I understand everything and 5 a lot of errors and in

some places I can't follow because of those errors the final criterion has

much the same approach grammatical range and accuracy again here an examiner is

looking for a variety of complex structures in them 7 wide range in band

8 and 9 but here is the kicker in band 7 second dot point frequent error free

sentences if you've ever submitted your work for assessment or for feedback have

a look at how many sentences you have which are absolutely perfect where the

teacher hasn't made any comment or any changes frequent error free sentence is

actually fairly rare you need to be perfect in a lot of sentences you need

to edit really really rigorously so how many errors can you make well band 8

says the majority of sentences are error free so for band 7 you need to be pretty

close to 50% let's say now remember the VOC

have Criterion grammar works in much the same way found seven frequent error free

sentences band six makes some errors and they rarely reduce communication and

five frequent errors that cause some difficulty let's see this in action here

look at this first paragraph in conclusion to some extent advertising

does have a role to play in the economy and can provide useful information to

the buying public there's a spelling error in there but otherwise it's pretty

much perfect this one in conclusion to some extend advertisement does has a

role to play in the economy and can providing useful information to the

buying public I can see lots of errors here but I can still understand what the

writer is trying to say in conclusion to some extend advertisements does have a

roles for play economics and can to pervade us full information to the busy

poopley here I'm having trouble understanding so this is a good example

of a band 7 fan 6 and band 5 level of writing so let me simplify everything

sum it all up to score band 7 up in task response you need to answer all parts of

the question extend support your ideas give a clear position throughout

coherence cohesion use referencing use substitution beware of faulty and

mechanical linking and paragraph logically for vocab and grammar just two

points wide range minimize your errors it all sounds very simple I know but it

can be difficult to analyze your own writing critically so if you get in

touch with us here at e2 language you can book a tutorial with me or one of

the other IELTS teachers and we'll go through your writing with you step by

step sentence by sentence and point out to you where you might be making errors

and more importantly show you how to fix them up so that on test day you are

scoring down seven such now that II to language calm 100% online

you can submit speaking and writing for feedback book your tutorials come along

to our daily live group classes access our course and heaps more catch you soon