IELTS Writing Score Calculator
Task 1
Average 6.0Task Achievement TA
6Coherence and Cohesion CC
6Lexical Resource LR
6Grammatical Range and Accuracy GRA
6
Task 2counts double
Average 6.0Task Response TR
6Coherence and Cohesion CC
6Lexical Resource LR
6Grammatical Range and Accuracy GRA
6
Your Writing band: 6.0
Your Writing bandEstimate
Weighted average: (6.0 + 2 × 6.0) ÷ 3 = 6.0.
You're half a band from 6.5.
The four Writing criteria
Each task is marked on four criteria, each on the band scale from 0 to 9, and they count equally. The first criterion is Task Achievement for Task 1 and Task Response for Task 2.
- TATask Achievement
- You cover what the task asks, give a clear overview and pick out the key features.
- TRTask Response
- You answer every part of the question, with a clear position and developed ideas.
- CCCoherence and Cohesion
- Your ideas follow a logical order in clear paragraphs, and the linking helps the reader.
- LRLexical Resource
- How wide and precise your vocabulary is, and how accurate your spelling and word forms are.
- GRAGrammatical Range and Accuracy
- How varied your sentence structures are, and how many sentences have no errors.
How Task 1 and Task 2 combine
Each task gets the average of its four criteria. IELTS says Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1, so the Writing score is (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3.
With Task 1 at 5.75 and Task 2 at 6.5, that is (5.75 + 13) ÷ 3 = 6.25. A strong Task 2 lifts a weak Task 1 more than the other way round.
IELTS does not say how an average like 6.25 becomes a half band, whether task scores are rounded before they are combined, or whether a criterion can get a half band. The public band descriptors define whole bands only, and examiners are generally understood to give a whole band for each criterion. This calculator rounds the weighted average down to the half band below, so it never overstates your band, and shows the exact figure next to it.
Task 1 and Task 2 combined
Find your Task 1 score in the left column and your Task 2 score along the top.
| Task 1 score ↓ · Task 2 score → | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 (5.5) | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 (6.5) | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 (6.0) | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 (7.0) | 7.0 |
| 6.0 | 5.0 (5.5) | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 (6.5) | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 (7.5) |
| 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 (6.0) | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 (7.0) | 7.0 | 7.5 |
| 7.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 (6.5) | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 (7.5) | 7.5 |
| 7.5 | 5.5 (6.0) | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 (7.0) | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 (8.0) |
| 8.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 (6.5) | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 (7.5) | 7.5 | 8.0 |
* Rounded to the nearest half band instead, this would be half a band higher.
What examiners look for
The band descriptors set out what a 6, a 7 and an 8 look like on each criterion.
Frequently asked questions
How is the IELTS Writing score calculated?
Each task is marked on four equally weighted criteria, and the task score is their average. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, so the Writing band comes from (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3, reported as a whole or half band.
Does Task 2 count more than Task 1?
Yes. IELTS says Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score, so it is worth spending about 40 of your 60 minutes on it.
How do I get 7 in IELTS Writing?
You need about 7 on every criterion, above all in Task 2: a clear position throughout, ideas that are extended and supported, logical paragraphs, a range of less common vocabulary used accurately, and many error-free complex sentences.
How can I get 6.5 in Writing?
6.5 sits between the band 6 and band 7 descriptors: some criteria at 7, the rest at 6. With 7, 6, 7, 6 in both tasks the average is exactly 6.5. Try combinations in the calculator.
What happens if my answer is under the word limit?
Task 1 needs at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250. A shorter answer is marked down under Task Achievement or Task Response.
Is Writing scored the same way in General Training?
Yes. The criteria and the weighting are the same. In General Training, Task 1 is a letter rather than a description of a chart, and it is still marked on Task Achievement.
Is this my official Writing score?
No. It is an estimate from the published criteria and weighting. Only a trained examiner marks your real test, and IELTS does not publish its final rounding step.
Sources
- IELTS: IELTS scoring in detail
- IELTS: IELTS Academic test format: Writing
- IELTS: IELTS and the CEFR
- British Council: Understanding and explaining IELTS scores
All accessed on 10 October 2026. GoPrep is not affiliated with IELTS.
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