IELTS Writing Criteria: How TR, CC, LR and GRA Cap Your Band

IELTS writing criteria are four equal scores: Task Response or Task Achievement (TR/TA), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA). The lowest of those four usually caps the overall Writing band, even when the other skills look strong.

The four criteria at a glance

Criterion	Task 1 name	Task 2 name	Core question
Task	Task Achievement (TA)	Task Response (TR)	Did you fully answer the question?
Organisation	Coherence & Cohesion (CC)	Coherence & Cohesion	Is the writing easy to follow?
Vocabulary	Lexical Resource (LR)	Lexical Resource	Is word choice precise and varied?
Grammar	Grammatical Range & Accuracy (GRA)	Grammatical Range & Accuracy	Are sentences controlled and varied?

Each criterion is scored from Band 0 to 9. Your Writing band is the average of the four, then rounded to the nearest half or whole band according to IELTS rounding rules.

In this guide

1. Why the four criteria matter more than one number
2. The four criteria at a glance
3. Task Achievement (Task 1) and Task Response (Task 2)
4. Coherence & Cohesion
5. Lexical Resource
6. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
7. How the overall Writing band is calculated
8. Try this yourself
9. Frequently asked questions

This guide from IELTS AI Tutor by IELTSGRADER walks through each criterion, how the overall band is calculated, and how to use criterion-level feedback to plan practice. It is written for Academic and General Training candidates who want a clear map, not a vague pep talk.

Why the four criteria matter more than one number

An overall 6.5 can hide very different profiles:

• Task Response 7, Coherence 7, Lexical 6, Grammar 6 → vocabulary and accuracy are the bottleneck
• Task Response 6, Coherence 6, Lexical 7, Grammar 7 → ideas and structure need work first

Two students with the same overall band need different study plans. That is why your IELTS AI Tutor report shows each criterion separately, with fix cards tied to weak sentences, not just a single score. Use the Writing band score calculator if you want to combine Task 1 and Task 2 practice bands (Task 2 counts double).

Task Achievement (Task 1) and Task Response (Task 2)

Academic Task 1: Task Achievement

Examiners look for:

• A clear overview of the main trends or features (not a list of every number)
• Accurate selection of key data
• Comparison where relevant
• Coverage of the visual without inventing causes or opinions

A common Band 6 pattern: you describe some data correctly but miss a clear overview, or you dump every figure without highlighting what matters. Band 7 typically shows a purposeful overview and selective, accurate detail.

General Training Task 1: Task Achievement

For letters, Task Achievement means:

• Covering all bullet points in the prompt
• Using an appropriate tone (formal, semi-formal, or informal)
• Making the purpose of the letter clear from the start

Missing one bullet or mixing casual slang into a formal complaint letter often keeps TA at 6 even when grammar looks fine. See our GT formal letter checklist for a practical audit.

Task 2: Task Response

For essays, Task Response asks:

• Did you address every part of the question?
• Is your position clear throughout (especially for opinion and discuss-both-views prompts)?
• Are ideas developed with explanation and examples, not just stated?

Band 6 essays often have a clear opinion but thin development, short paragraphs that repeat the same idea. Band 7 essays extend ideas with specific support. Compare patterns in Band 6 vs Band 7 Task 2.

Coherence & Cohesion

This criterion is about how ideas are organised, not how fancy your linking words sound.

Examiners notice:

• Logical paragraphing (one main idea per body paragraph)
• Clear progression from introduction to conclusion
• Referencing (this, these, such) that connects ideas without confusion
• Linking devices used accurately, not a chain of “Moreover… Furthermore… In addition…” with no real connection

Overusing memorised connectors is a classic Band 6 habit. Under-paragraphing (one long block) or jumping topics mid-paragraph also hurts CC. A focused 14-day Coherence & Cohesion plan can fix this faster than memorising more transition phrases.

Lexical Resource

Lexical Resource rewards:

• Range appropriate to the topic
• Precision (the right word, not the rarest word)
• Collocations that sound natural
• Awareness of style (academic vs letter tone)

What does not automatically raise your band: stuffing uncommon synonyms that do not fit the context. “Ameliorate the predicament of educational institutions” is usually worse than “improve schools” if the rest of the sentence is awkward.

Band 6 writers often repeat the same nouns and verbs. Band 7 writers paraphrase key ideas and use topic vocabulary with fewer word-choice errors. For Task 1 trend language, see trends vocabulary. For the Band 6→7 vocabulary jump, see lexical resource collocations.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

GRA balances two things:

1. Range, simple and complex structures (conditionals, relative clauses, passive where useful)
2. Accuracy, errors that do not block meaning vs errors that confuse the reader

Frequent small errors (articles, subject–verb agreement, tense) can keep you at 6 even if you attempt complex sentences. Occasional slips with mostly controlled complex grammar is more typical of Band 7.

A practical rule from tutoring: fix the error types that appear in every essay before chasing exotic structures. Your AI tutor flags recurring grammar patterns so you can target them in rewrites.

How the overall Writing band is calculated

1. Score each of the four criteria (e.g. TR 6, CC 7, LR 6, GRA 7).
2. Average them: (6 + 7 + 6 + 7) ÷ 4 = 6.5.
3. Apply IELTS rounding: averages ending in .25 round down to the nearest half band; .75 round up to the next whole band. (Example: 6.25 → 6.0; 6.75 → 7.0.)

Because the average is equal-weighted, raising your lowest criterion by 0.5 often moves the overall band more than polishing an already-strong area.

Academic vs General Training: same criteria, different tasks

Both modules use the same four criteria and the same overall calculation. The difference is the Task 1 product:

• Academic: charts, graphs, maps, processes
• General Training: letters

Task 2 is an essay in both modules, with similar TR expectations. If you are choosing a path, read Academic vs General Training Writing.

What a grader shows vs what a tutor shows

A basic checker might return one band. IELTS AI Tutor by IELTSGRADER is built as a tutor:

• Criterion-by-criterion scores aligned to public band descriptors
• Sentence-level fix cards for weak spots
• Model answers and study focus based on your lowest criterion
• Optional mock writing cycles so you practise under timed conditions

That does not replace an official IELTS result. It gives you a practice loop you can repeat weekly, diagnose, rewrite, retest, which is how most candidates actually improve.

A simple way to use this guide this week

1. Submit one Task 2 essay through the IELTS essay checker or Task 2 checker.
2. Write down your four criterion scores.
3. Spend the next 7–14 days only on the lowest criterion (structure drills for CC, idea development for TR, collocation lists for LR, error logs for GRA).
4. Rewrite the same essay once, then write a new timed essay.
5. Compare the new report, look for movement in that weakest criterion first.

If you prefer a full exam simulation, use the IELTS mock writing test, then turn the report into a short sprint using feedback to study plan.

Common myths about Writing scores

“I need Band 7 vocabulary to get Band 7.”
Not alone. Unclear Task Response or weak paragraphing can hold you at 6.5 even with good words.

“Longer essays always score higher.”
Length helps only if ideas are developed. Padding with repetition can hurt Coherence and Lexical Resource.

“Memorised templates guarantee Band 7.”
Templates that ignore the question damage Task Response. Examiners and tutors both notice off-topic or generic content.

“Grammar mistakes mean I cannot get 7.”
Some Band 7 scripts still have occasional errors. Systematic errors that confuse meaning are the bigger problem.

Try this yourself

Prompt: Score your last essay yourself on TR/CC/LR/GRA, then compare with the essay checker.

1. Write under realistic time limits.
2. Check your essay free (or the Task 1/2 checker if relevant).
3. Rewrite only the lowest criterion once, then re-check.

Next steps

Understand the four criteria, then measure yourself against them, not against a friend’s overall band. Start with one checked essay, identify the bottleneck, and practise with purpose.

Ready to see your criterion profile? Try the essay checker, turn the report into a study plan, explore IELTS AI Tutor, or compare Speaking practice if you are preparing across both skills. The public overview of that tool is the IELTS essay checker. Create an account at signup when you want a repeatable practice loop.

Frequently asked questions

What are the four IELTS Writing criteria?

Task Response/Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.

How is the overall Writing band calculated?

Criteria are averaged and rounded to the nearest half band (practice tools approximate this).

Is Task 2 worth more?

Yes — Task 2 contributes more to the Writing score than Task 1.