02 Understanding the marking criteria for IELTS writing.pdf

IELTS exams marking

1. 02 Understanding the marking
criteria for IELTS writing

2. Introduction

3. What is the IELTS writing exam?
TheIELTS Writing examis a component of theInternational English Language Testing System (IELTS)1.It
consists of two tasks that you must complete within one hour2. Here is a brief overview of the tasks:
Task 1: You will be required to write a150-word descriptionof a diagram or set of data.
Task 2: You will need to write a250-word discursive essay .
Your performance in both tasks will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Task Achievement
Coherence and Cohesion
Grammar
Vocabulary.
To practice for the IELTS Writing exam, you can find free online practice tests on the official IELTS
website1.These tests include sample questions and answers to help you assess your abilities

4. What are the four marking criteria for the IELTS
writing exam?
The IELTS Writing examis evaluated based on four marking criteria:
Task Achievement: This criterion assesses how well you address the task requirements and present
relevant information.
Coherence and Cohesion: It evaluates the organization and logical progression of your ideas, as well
as the use of cohesive devices.
Grammar: This criterion examines your ability to use a range of grammatical structures accurately
and appropriately.
Vocabulary: It assesses your lexical resource, including the variety and accuracy of words you use in
your writing.
These criteria are used to evaluate your performance in both Task 1 and Task 2 of the IELTS Writing
exam.
Good luck with your preparation! Let me know if there’s anything else I can assist you with.

5. Why is it important to understand the marking
criteria?
Understanding the marking criteria for the IELTS Writing examis crucial for several reasons:
Focus: Familiarizing yourself with the marking criteria helps you understand what the examiners are looking for. This
knowledge enables you to direct your efforts towards meeting the specific requirements of each criterion.
Preparation: By understanding the marking criteria, you can tailor your preparation accordingly. You can focus on
improving your skills in areas such as task achievement, coherence and cohesion, grammar, and vocabulary.
Self-Assessment: Knowing the marking criteria allows you to evaluate your own writing objectively. You can identify
your strengths and weaknesses in each criterion and work on areas that need improvement.
Targeted Practice: Armed with knowledge of the marking criteria, you can practice writing tasks that align with these
criteria. This targeted practice helps you become more familiar with the expectations of the examiners.
Confidence: Understanding the marking criteria gives you confidence in your ability to meet the requirements of the
IELTS Writing exam. This confidence can help reduce anxiety and improve your overall performance.
By comprehending the marking criteria, you can approach the IELTS Writing exam strategically and maximize your
chances of achieving a desirable score.

6. Marking Criteria Overview

7. Task
Achievement
▪How well do you answer the
task?
▪Do you identify and address all
of the key points in the task?
▪Do you use relevant and
appropriate evidence to support
your claims?

8. Coherence and
Cohesion
▪How well is your writing
organized?
▪Do you use a variety of cohesive
devices to connect your ideas?
▪Is your writing easy to follow
and understand?

9. Lexical
Resource
▪Do you use a wide range of
vocabulary?
▪Do you use vocabulary that is
appropriate for the task and the
target audience?
▪Do you avoid using the same
words and phrases over and
over again?

10. Grammatical Range
and Accuracy
▪Do you use a variety of
grammatical structures?
▪Do you avoid making
grammatical errors?
▪Is your writing grammatically
correct?

11. Review
Questions
1)What are the four marking
criteria for the IELTS writing
exam?
2)Why is it important to
understand the marking
criteria?
3)How can you improve your
score in each of the four
marking criteria?

12. Examples

13. Task
Achievement
•Good: The essay clearly answers
all of the key points in the task
and provides relevant evidence to
support the claims.
•Bad: The essay does not answer
all of the key points in the task or
does not provide enough
evidence to support the claims.

14. Coherence and
Cohesion
•Good: The essay is well-organized
and easy to follow. The writer
uses a variety of cohesive devices
to connect their ideas.
•Bad: The essay is poorly
organized and difficult to follow.
The writer does not use enough
cohesive devices to connect their
ideas.

15. Lexical
Resource
•Good: The writer uses a wide range
of vocabulary that is appropriate for
the task and the target audience.
The writer avoids using the same
words and phrases over and over
again.
•Bad: The writer uses a limited range
of vocabulary that is not appropriate
for the task or the target audience.
The writer uses the same words and
phrases over and over again.

16. Grammatical Range
and Accuracy
•Good: The writer uses a variety of
grammatical structures and
avoids making grammatical
errors. The writer's writing is
grammatically correct.
•Bad: The writer uses a limited
range of grammatical structures
and makes grammatical errors.
The writer's writing is not
grammatically correct.

17. Activity

18. An example of a badand a goodresponse for IELTS Writing Task 1
The chart shows the number of books borrowed from four village libraries over four
different months. The number of books borrowed varied. In January, the number of
books borrowed was 100. In February, it increased to 150. In March, it decreased to
120. In April, it increased again to 200. The chart shows that the number of books
borrowed changed over time.
Bad Example: The following is an example of a poorly written response for IELTS
Writing Task 1:
This example lacks clarity, coherence, and relevant details. It does not provide a
clear overview or describe the main features of the chart effectively.

19. Questions
1)How well does the sample
answer the task?
2)Is the sample well-organized
and easy to follow?
3)Does the writer use a wide
range of vocabulary and
grammar?
4)Does the writer avoid making
grammatical errors?

20. Good Example: The following is an example of a well-written
response for IELTS Writing Task 1
Thebarchartillustratesthenumberofbooksborrowedfromfourvillagelibrariesoverfour
differentmonths:January,February,March,andApril.Overall,therewasafluctuationinthe
numberofbooksborrowedduringthisperiod.
InJanuary,thenumberofbooksborrowedstoodat100.Thisfigureincreasedsignificantlyin
Februarytoreach150.However,therewasaslightdeclineinMarch,withonly120books
borrowed.Finally,inApril,thenumberofbooksborrowedexperiencedasharprisetoreachits
peakat200.
Insummary,thedatarevealsthattherewerevariationsinthenumberofbooksborrowedfrom
thesevillagelibrariesoverthefour-monthperiod,withFebruaryandAprilrecordinghigher
figurescomparedtoJanuaryandMarch.
Good Example: The following is an example of a well-written response for IELTS
Writing Task 1:
Thisexampleprovidesaclearoverviewandeffectivelydescribesthemainfeatures
ofthechart.Itusesappropriatevocabularyandsentencestructurestoconvey
informationaccurately.

21. Conclusion

22. Review
Questions:
Task Achievement:
How can students ensure they address all the requirements of the
task effectively?
What strategies can students employ to present relevant
information in their writing?
Coherence and Cohesion:
What techniques can students use to organize their ideas logically
and coherently?
How can students improve the flow of their writing by using
cohesive devices?
Grammar and Vocabulary:
What steps can students take to enhance their grammatical
accuracy in writing?
How can students expand their vocabulary range to express ideas
more precisely?

23. Review
Questions
Answers
1)Task Achievement:
1.To address all the requirements of the task effectively, students
can start by carefully reading the prompt and identifying the key
points. They should ensure that their response covers all the
necessary aspects mentioned in the task.
2.Additionally, students can practice writing concise and focused
responses to develop their ability to present relevant information
effectively.
2)Coherence and Cohesion:
1.Students can organize their ideas logically and coherently by
structuring their writing using paragraphs. Each paragraph should
focus on a single main idea and be connected to the previous and
following paragraphs.
2.Furthermore, students can use cohesive devices such as
transition words (e.g., “however,” “therefore”) to improve the
flow and coherence of their writing.
3)Grammar and Vocabulary:
1.To enhance grammatical accuracy, students can review common
grammatical structures and practice using them in their writing.
They can also seek feedback from teachers or native English
speakers to identify and correct any recurring grammatical errors.
2.Expanding vocabulary range can be achieved by reading
extensively, noting down new words, and actively incorporating
them into their writing.