Essay Scoring Map
The four areas an examiner scores, in one picture.
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Every sentence in your essay is evaluated strictly through these four distinct lenses.
Understand the four official scoring criteria for IELTS Writing Task 2.
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Tick the writing habits you can already catch in yourself.
The examiner wants a clear answer to the question, not a masterpiece of rare words.
Many students think the examiner wants a beautiful, complex masterpiece filled with rare words. This is a myth.
The examiner is not looking for Shakespeare. They want a clear, logical answer to the specific prompt given. In IELTS Writing, clarity always beats complexity.
The four areas an examiner scores, in one picture.
Every sentence in your essay is evaluated strictly through these four distinct lenses.
What each of the four scoring areas looks for.
Cover every part of the prompt. Give a clear opinion and support it with relevant ideas.
Arrange ideas logically. Use clear paragraphs and simple linking words.
Use accurate vocabulary. Simple correct words beat fancy wrong words.
Mix simple and complex sentences. Keep grammar and punctuation clean.
Read a common mistake and decide which scoring area it hurts.
A student writes an essay about the benefits of public transport, but forgets to address the second part of the prompt asking about its disadvantages. Which scoring criterion will be directly lowered the most?
Describe your biggest writing struggle and see which scoring area it belongs to.
Be honest! There is no wrong answer.
Give a brief context of when this happens most.