IELTS guides
Every guide on the site, written around the official band descriptors. Narrow the list by skill or by test type.
Lexical Resource: Why a Bigger Vocabulary Is Not the Answer
What the lexical resource criterion rewards in IELTS Writing, why precision and collocation beat rare words, and what changes between band 6 and band 7.
Task Response: What Examiners Are Actually Looking For
What the task response criterion measures in IELTS Writing Task 2, how the band descriptors describe bands 5 to 8, and what separates band 6 from band 7.
Coherence and Cohesion: The Criterion Most Candidates Misread
What coherence and cohesion actually measure in IELTS Writing, why more linking words is not the fix, and what band 7 requires instead.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Range Without Errors
How grammatical range and accuracy is scored in IELTS Writing, why both playing safe and overreaching cap the band, and what band 7 asks for.
How IELTS Writing Is Marked: The Four Criteria and How They Combine
What the four IELTS Writing assessment criteria measure, how Task 1 and Task 2 combine into one Writing band, and how to read the public band descriptors.
How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 2 for a Band 7+
A reliable four-paragraph structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, with what examiners look for in task response, coherence, vocabulary, and grammar.