IELTS writing guide
How IELTS writing is marked
Coach Pen marks Task 1 and Task 2 against all four band criteria, 0–9, and shows you the specific moves that lift each one.
- Scored
- Bands 0–9
- Criteria
- All four, per task
- Tasks
- Task 1 & Task 2
What the markers look for
IELTS writing is judged on 4 things. Here's what each one is really asking for — and how Coach Pen trains it.
Task response
Fully addressing the task with developed, relevant ideas.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Coherence & cohesion
Logical flow, paragraphing, and linking.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Lexical resource
Range and precision of vocabulary.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Grammatical range & accuracy
Varied, accurate sentence structures.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
The fastest way to use this guide
Start with the free check: paste a IELTS response and see its sentence rhythm, repeated words and filler, with no account. When you want the full mark, sign up free and Coach Pen marks it against each criterion above, then sets a drill for the weakest one.
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