IELTS Writing Task 2, from 6.5 to 7.0: the marking criteria and real answers side by side
Essays stuck at 6.5 share the same habits. Where the criteria separate a 6 from a 7, a 6.5 and a 7.0 answer to the same question, the mistakes Korean speakers make most, and a full model essay.
By Lora Kim8 min read
Image: generated
"I've learned the vocabulary and the templates, and Writing is still 6.5." I hear this more than anything else in class. Yet when essays stuck at 6.5 are laid side by side, a lack of vocabulary is rarely the problem. Most of them did not answer the question exactly, did not carry one idea through each paragraph, or repeat sentence patterns carried over from Korean. This post looks at what separates a 6 from a 7 in the marking criteria, compares a 6.5 answer and a 7.0 answer to the same question, and ends with a full model essay.
Task 2 at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Time | 60 minutes for Writing. About 20 minutes for Task 1 and about 40 for Task 2. |
| Length | At least 250 words. A short answer may be read as not completing the task. |
| Task | An essay responding to a point of view, argument or problem. An essay in both Academic and General Training. |
| Marking | Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, each on a 0 to 9 scale. |
Forty minutes goes quickly. This is the split I give students. Skip the five minutes of planning and you lose direction halfway; skip the five minutes of checking and the article and plural slips stay in.
Read and plan 5 min, Introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion 30 min, Check articles, plurals, tense 5 min (40 min)
What separates a 6 from a 7 in the criteria
Put the public descriptions of band 6 and band 7 side by side and the difference is not about how much you write but how clearly and how flexibly. The table summarises IDP's published descriptions and adds what to change in practice.
| Criterion | Band 6 | Band 7 | What to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Focuses on the task, some parts less covered | Covers all the requirements, a clear position | Split the question into parts and plan a paragraph for each |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Generally coherent, a clear overall progression | Logically organised, clear progression throughout | One claim per paragraph; link with content, not linkers |
| Lexical Resource | Generally adequate and appropriate | Enough for some flexibility and precision | Accurate collocations over rare words |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Simple and complex forms, limited flexibility | A variety of complex structures, some flexibility | Mix in relative and participle clauses; cut article and agreement slips |
One question, a 6.5 answer and a 7.0 answer
Now a real question, of the "Discuss both views and give your own opinion" type that comes up again and again. Both answers below are examples I wrote for class; 6.5 and 7.0 are my estimates against the criteria, not official marks.
Question
Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone. Others think students should pay for their own studies. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Step 1: split the question into parts
- The view that university should be free for everyone, and why people hold it (body 1)
- The view that students should pay, and why people hold it (body 2)
- Your own opinion: state it in the introduction, confirm it in the conclusion
"Give your own opinion" is the part most essays miss. Explain both views well with no position of your own and Task Response struggles to pass 6.
Step 2: the introduction
6.5 answer
Nowadays, education is very important in modern society. Some people think university should be free, but other people think students should pay. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.
7.0 answer
Whether university should be free is a question many governments now face as tuition costs climb. Some argue that higher education is a public good the state should fund, while others believe that the people who benefit from a degree should pay for it. In my view, tuition should be free for students from low- and middle-income families, but not for everyone.
- The 6.5 opening sentence would fit any topic. The 7.0 version names this question's issue (rising tuition costs) from the first line.
- The 6.5 answer copies the question; the 7.0 answer paraphrases both views.
- The 6.5 answer promises an opinion and never gives one. The 7.0 answer states a position in one sentence.
Step 3: a body paragraph
6.5 answer
Firstly, free university is good for society. Because many people can study. Moreover, it is good for poor students. Furthermore, the country can develop. For example, in Germany university is free and Germany is a developed country.
7.0 answer
Those who support free tuition point out that a degree benefits society as a whole, not only the graduate. A country with more nurses, engineers and teachers is healthier and more productive, and the taxes these graduates later pay can exceed what their education cost. Free tuition also removes a barrier that keeps talented students from poorer families out of university altogether, so places go to ability rather than to family income.
- The 6.5 paragraph lists four reasons and explains none. The 7.0 paragraph develops one claim (society as a whole benefits) over two sentences.
- "Because many people can study." is a fragment: a dependent clause standing alone. It belongs to the sentence before it.
- Moreover and Furthermore glue sentences together without adding meaning. The 7.0 version picks up the previous idea with these graduates and so.
- The Germany example does not prove that free tuition made Germany developed. An example that follows from the logic is safer than a country or a statistic you cannot support.
Six habits that come up again and again
Each one is small, but spread across an essay they hold Grammatical Range and Accuracy at 6. Hunting for just these six in your five minutes of checking makes a difference.
Government should give more informations to people.
The government should give people more information.
According to me, university should be free.
In my view, university should be free for those who cannot afford it.
Many students work part-time, they do not have enough time to study.
Many students work part-time, so they have little time left to study.
It can give a good effect to children.
It can have a positive effect on children.
Most of people agree with this idea.
Most people agree with this idea.
People think that people should use less plastic because people throw it away.
Many argue that plastic use should be cut, since most of it is thrown away after a single use.
The right combination over the difficult word
Lexical Resource rewards accurate words in natural combinations, not a count of rare ones. Learn the common topics as whole sentences and they are ready to use in the exam room.
| Topic | Phrases | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Education | widen access to, tuition fees | Free tuition widens access to higher education. |
| Environment | cut emissions, place a burden on | Car use places a heavy burden on city air quality. |
| Technology | raise concerns about, screen time | Long screen time raises concerns about children's sleep. |
| Society | public spending, in the long run | Prevention saves public spending in the long run. |
| Work | work-life balance, job security | Remote work can improve work-life balance. |
The full model essay
Here is my model answer to the question above. About 280 words: the position goes in the introduction, each view gets one developed claim in its own body paragraph, and the conclusion confirms the same position. Follow the paragraph structure rather than memorising the sentences.
Model answer (Lora)
Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone. Others think students should pay for their own studies. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Whether university should be free is a question many governments now face as tuition costs climb. Some argue that higher education is a public good the state should fund, while others believe that the people who benefit from a degree should pay for it. In my view, tuition should be free for students from low- and middle-income families, but not for everyone.
Those who support free tuition point out that a degree benefits society as a whole, not only the graduate. A country with more nurses, engineers and teachers is healthier and more productive, and the taxes these graduates later pay can exceed what their education cost. Free tuition also removes a barrier that keeps talented students from poorer families out of university altogether, so places go to ability rather than to family income.
On the other hand, there are strong reasons to ask students to contribute. Graduates generally earn more over their careers than non-graduates, so it seems fair that they, rather than every taxpayer, should cover part of the cost. Making university entirely free can also strain public budgets, which may lead to larger classes and fewer resources, lowering the quality of the very education being offered. Students who pay something towards their course may also take it more seriously, since they have invested in the outcome themselves.
In conclusion, both positions have merit, but neither works well on its own. Funding tuition for students who could not otherwise afford it keeps university open to talent, while asking higher-income families to pay protects the quality that makes a degree worth having. A system that combines the two is therefore fairer than either extreme.
Try this week
- Take one recent essay, split its question into parts and mark any part you left unanswered.
- Read only the first sentence of each paragraph. If the argument is not clear from those alone, rewrite the topic sentences first.
- Read it once more looking only for the six habits above, and keep the corrected sentences in a notebook.
- Two days later, write the same question again against a 40-minute timer.
Not sure which of the four criteria is holding your essay back? Take the free level test first: your Writing answer is marked along with the rest.
Questions
Does writing more than 250 words raise the score?
Can I use memorised template sentences?
Can I write Task 2 first?
Sources
- IDP IELTS: IELTS Writing test format
- IDP IELTS: IELTS Writing band scores explained
- IELTS: IELTS Academic test (timings)
Checked on 3 November 2026. Exam rules can change, so check the official pages before you book.
