IELTS Marking Criteria Writing Task 1

Bhaskar Das

Nov 19, 2022

IELTS Marking Criteria Writing Task 1 describes how IELTS Writing task 1 is marked. IELTS academic writing task is evaluated by proficient examiners. They examine the submitted task in 4 criteria in the IELTS writing task 1 marking criteria. To give a fair and proper mark, these IELTS academic writing tasks are checked by 2 to 4 academic examiners based on IELTS writing task 1 band descriptors. IELTS also provides a method to increase the marks for band descriptors writing tasks 1 and 2. They showed how one can improve. By correcting and giving proper advice, they try to improve one’s mistakes and help to improve their marks.

IELTS gives marks in a band system IELTS academic writing task 1. They use IELTS writing task 1 band descriptors for the evaluation of the tasks. There is a band of 1 to 9 for evaluation. For task 1 there is a band for 5 to 8. To get maximum in this band one must reach the required criteria.

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IELTS Task 1 Marking Criteria

There are mainly 4 criteria for the evaluation of band descriptors for writing task 1 and IELTS band scores are given accordingly. The following criteria are mentioned below:

  1. Task achievement
  2. Coherence and Cohesion
  3. Lexical resources
  4. Grammatical range and accuracy

These are the main criteria that are followed in IELTS Writing band descriptors task 1 and 2. Students need to keep a note of these while taking the IELTS Writing task.

Evaluation of IELTS Academic Marking Criteria

The first thing that comes in IELTS Marking Criteria Writing Task 1 is Task achievement. Task achievement means how much one reaches out to the required topic and writes it clearly. IELTS academic exam pattern is required to be understood effectively for understanding the band descriptors IELTS writing task 1. This can also be divided into some other sub-criteria within this main criterion of task achievement.

  1. Presenting accurate information: One must present accurate information about the topic. Any flaw in the information can affect the criteria of task achievement.
  2. Providing an overview: It will be evaluated on the basis of a clear overview. As long as one gives a clear overview of the topic and writes it clearly, it will be helpful to get a better score in task achievement.
  3. Highlighting Kay features: To achieve a good score in task achievement one should highlight the key facts. Key facts help someone to get to know about the topic's relevance all the more.
  4. Supporting details with data: Proper data is always a good choice to write accurately about any topic. Giving examples that can support the statement is very important to get a good band score in task achievement.
  5. Task response: The relevancy of the topic is considered here. One must write relevant sentences to his answer. Writing irrelevant sentences can deduct marks. This is very significant. Relevant statements are needed to write a better answer.

Coherence and Cohesion IELTS Academic Writing

Coherence and Cohesion are all about the structure and linking the topic statements properly in IELTS Writing band descriptors task 1 and 2. The more one can build a good structure of the paragraphs, the more one will get a band score in marking criteria for IELTS writing task 1 in Coherence and Cohesion. Based on the IELTS Writing Score, candidates would be able to excel in this section and meets all the criteria for marking. Some sub-criteria are:

  1. Organizing paragraphs: To give a proper answer about a topic, there must be accurate paragraphing. These paragraphs will give proper clarity of thought. Paragraph helps to build a good structure of the answer. If there is a question about giving an opinion, one can use at least 4 paragraphs. The first paragraph should be for introducing the topic. The second should be the advantages, the third would be for disadvantages of the given topic subject and the fourth would be the conclusion. This kind of paragraph creates a proper structure of answers and helps to get good marks.
  2. Central idea: Each paragraph should contain a Central idea. Thus, it will provide a proper shape of the answer as well as create an impact on the examiner. The idea must be very clear. No ambiguous term would be used. Clarity of thought should be expressed in the clarity of writing.
  3. Use of linking devices: Using linking devices are helpful to get more score band. A few examples of linking devices are, therefore, furthermore, since, firstly, secondly, finally etc. Linking devices help to link the paragraphs. They also help to link the sentences as well. 

Lexical Resources in IELTS Academic Writing

Lexical resources mean the variety of used words and spelling of the answer. The more correctly you use the words, the more you will get marks with respect to writing task 1 band descriptors. The following sub-criteria are useful to note:

  1. Spelling: Writing correct spelling always impacts the quality of the answer. The more correct spell you write, there is the chance to get a good score band. The spelling of a word is the main identity of the word. It carries the essence of the word. Writing misspells words can alter the meaning as a whole. So one must be aware of writing correct spelling.
  2. Range of words: Placing the correct word for the correct place impacts the quality of the writing. Using synonyms, antonyms and phrases help to improve the writing. The range of words shows the intellectual capacity of the examinee. For example, one can use the word ‘beginning’ in place of the word ‘opening’. Thus, the use of another word makes the essence clear.
  3. Avoid errors: While paraphrasing, one must be aware of not making any kind of errors. It can affect the body of the answer. Errors are not at all expected in writing the answer. It impacts badly on the answer and also on the examiner.

IELTS Academic Writing Grammar

While writing an answer in the English language, it is very much necessary to know about grammar which is one of the prime aspects in IELTS marking criteria writing task 1. Using proper grammar is the emblem of a good answer. One must be aware of the grammar and its use in the answer.

Some other things which impact the range of grammar are:

  1. Sentence structure: Structuring sentences is important. To convey a proper meaning it is the basic need to use proper sentence structure. Using simple, complex, compound sentences is essential. It creates a variety of sentence structure for the answer.
  2. Tense: Tense plays a vital role in answer writing. Using present, past and future tense in proper places will give a proper structure to the answer. Tenses give the proper sense of position. For example, if one wants to convey something about the future, he may use ‘will’, and ‘would be’. But mistakenly if he used ‘had gone’, ‘was happened ‘, then the whole meaning would be altered.
  3. Punctuation: Using punctuation is also significant. Wrong punctuation can totally change the meaning. So error-free punctuation can help to get good marks. Coma, full stop, colon all are punctuations. One must have a clear-cut idea of the usage of the punctuations. Using wrong punctuation could affect the quality of the answer

Band Scores for Marking Criteria

All these four criteria are used to evaluate an answer. Now let’s have a look at an example for understanding IELTS task 1 band descriptors.
Suppose task 1 result is as such
Task achievement: band 8
Coherence and Cohesion: band 7
Lexical resources: band 6
Grammar range and accuracy: band 7
Then total score will be, (8+7+6+7)÷4 = 7
In this way, the entire cycle of band scoring occurs. It is the evaluation system of IELTS task 1.

One must be aware of all these things. Collecting proper information is the base of writing. After collecting this information, there is a need to arrange the statements. Grammatical error is not at all expected in answer writing. One must be aware of using all these things. Using synonyms and a variety of ranges will impact a good answer. Candidates shoukd make use of IELTS Writing Practice Papers that would help them develop their writing skills.Therefore, we can say it is very necessary to write an answer considering all the criteria.

Read More IELTS Writing Related Samples

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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