4/22/2018 IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Schemes

IELTS Writing Mark Schemes

The two writing questions are marked out of 9 according to the following criteria:

Grammatical Range
Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource
and Accuracy
9 fully satisfies all the uses cohesion in such uses a wide range of uses a wide range of
requirements of the task a way that it attracts no vocabulary with very natural structures with full
clearly presents a fully attention and sophisticated control of flexibility and accuracy;
developed response skilfully manages lexical features; rare minor rare minor errors occur
paragraphing errors occur only as ‘slips’ only as ‘slips’

8 covers all requirements of sequences information uses a wide range of uses a wide
the task sufficiently and ideas logically vocabulary fluently and range of
presents, highlights and manages all aspects of flexibly to convey structures
illustrates key features / cohesion well precise meanings the majority of
bullet points clearly and uses paragraphing skilfully uses uncommon sentences are
appropriately sufficiently and lexical items but there error-free
appropriately may be occasional makes only very
inaccuracies in word occasional errors
choice and collocation or
produces rare errors in inappropriacies
spelling and/or word
formation

7 covers the requirements of logically organises uses a sufficient range uses a variety of
the task information and ideas; of vocabulary to allow complex
(Academic) presents a there is clear some flexibility and structures
clear overview of main progression throughout precision produces
trends, differences or uses a range of uses less common frequent error-
stages cohesive devices lexical items with some free sentences
(General Training) appropriately although awareness of style and has good control
presents a clear purpose, there may be some collocation of grammar and
with the tone consistent under-/over-use may produce occasional punctuation but
and appropriate errors in word choice, may make a few
clearly presents and spelling and/or word errors
highlights key features / formation
bullet points but could be
more fully extended

https://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_Writing_MarkSchemes.html 1/4
4/22/2018 IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Schemes

6 addresses the arranges information uses an adequate range uses a mix of

requirements of the task and ideas coherently of vocabulary for the simple and
(Academic) presents an and there is a clear task complex
overview with information overall progression attempts to use less sentence forms
appropriately selected uses cohesive devices common vocabulary but makes some
(General Training) effectively, but with some inaccuracy errors in
presents a purpose that is cohesion within and/or makes some errors in grammar and
generally clear; there may between sentences spelling and/or word punctuation but
be inconsistencies in tone may be faulty or formation, but they do they rarely
presents and adequately mechanical not impede reduce
highlights key features / may not always use communication communication
bullet points but details referencing clearly or
may be irrelevant, appropriately
inappropriate or inaccurate

5 generally addresses the presents information uses a limited range of uses only a
task; the format may be with some organisation vocabulary, but this is limited range of
inappropriate in places but there may be a minimally adequate for structures
(Academic) recounts detail lack of overall the task attempts
mechanically with no clear progression may make noticeable complex
overview; there may be no makes inadequate, errors in spelling and/or sentences but
data to support the inaccurate or over-use word formation that may these tend to be
description of cohesive devices cause some difficulty for less accurate
(General Training) may may be repetitive the reader than simple
present a purpose for the because of lack of sentences
letter that is unclear at referencing and may make
times; the tone may be substitution frequent
variable and sometimes grammatical
inappropriate errors and
presents, but inadequately punctuation may
covers, key features / be faulty; errors
bullet points; there may be can cause some
a tendency to focus on difficulty for the
details reader

4 attempts to address the presents information uses only basic uses only a very
task but does not cover all and ideas but these vocabulary which may limited range of
key features / bullet points; are not arranged be used repetitively or structures with
the format may be coherently and there is which may be only rare use of
inappropriate no clear progression in inappropriate for the subordinate
(General Training) fails to the response task clauses
clearly explain the purpose uses some basic has limited control of some structures
of the letter; the tone may cohesive devices but word formation and/or are accurate but
be inappropriate these may be spelling; errors
may confuse key features inaccurate or repetitive errors may cause strain predominate,
/ bullet points with detail; for the reader and punctuation
parts may be unclear, is often faulty
irrelevant, repetitive or
inaccurate

https://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_Writing_MarkSchemes.html 2/4
4/22/2018 IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Schemes

3 fails to address the task,
which may have been
completely misunderstood
presents limited ideas
which may be largely
irrelevant/repetitive
does not organise
ideas logically
may use a very limited
range of cohesive
devices, and those
used may not indicate
a logical relationship
between ideas
uses only a very limited attempts sentence
range of words and forms but errors in
expressions with very grammar and
limited control of word punctuation
formation and/or spelling predominate and distort
errors may severely the meaning
distort the message

2 answer is barely related to the has very little control of uses an extremely limited cannot use sentence
task organisational features range of vocabulary; essentially forms except in
no control of word formation memorised phrases
and/or spelling
1 answer is completely unrelated to fails to communicate any can only use a few isolated cannot use sentence
the task message words forms at all

Advertisements

 IELTS Writing Practice

General Writing tests: 

Academic Writing tests: 

 IELTS Sections

Listening (IELTS_listening.html)

Academic Reading (../IELTS/IELTS_Academic_reading.html)

General Reading (../IELTS/IELTS_General_reading.html)

Academic Writing (../IELTS/IELTS_Academic_writing.html)

General Writing (../IELTS/IELTS_General_writing.html)

Speaking (../IELTS/IELTS_Speaking.htm)

IELTS Home (../IELTS/index.html)

https://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_Writing_MarkSchemes.html 3/4
4/22/2018 IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Schemes

Like 250K Share

Tweet

Advertisements

2014 © Exam English Ltd. ALL Rights Reserved. Home (../index.html) | Terms of Use (../terms_and_privacy.htm)

https://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_Writing_MarkSchemes.html 4/4