Writing

How to Score Band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2: A Step-by-Step Examiner Breakdown

SW
Sarah Whitman · IELTS Writing Examiner (Retd.)· 8 min read
How to Score Band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2: A Step-by-Step Examiner Breakdown

Most candidates who plateau at Band 6 in Writing Task 2 aren't failing because of weak grammar or a limited vocabulary. They're failing because their essay doesn't give the examiner a clear structure to follow.

Start with a four-paragraph skeleton

A Band 8 essay almost always follows a simple, predictable shape: an introduction that paraphrases the question and states your position, two body paragraphs that each develop one main idea, and a conclusion that restates your position without introducing new content.

Depth beats breadth

Band 8 essays pick one idea per paragraph and spend three or four sentences developing it with a specific example, a consequence, or a comparison.

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