How to check an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay properly
Task 2 is two thirds of your writing band, and Task Response alone is a quarter of it. A Task 2 check that only marks grammar is scoring the wrong thing. Here is how to check your essay against what examiners actually score.
What examiners actually score in Task 2
Four criteria, each worth 25 percent of your Task 2 band:
| Criterion | What it really asks |
|---|---|
| Task Response | Did you answer the exact question asked, take a clear position, and develop every idea? The most common Band 7 blocker, and the one grammar tools cannot see. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | One idea per paragraph, logical progression, linking that reads naturally instead of "Firstly, Moreover, In conclusion" stapled on. |
| Lexical Resource | Precise, natural word choice with some less common vocabulary. Memorised "academic" phrases hurt more than they help. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of complex structures used correctly. Range matters as much as accuracy: error-free simple sentences cap out at Band 6. |
How to run a proper Task 2 check
- Pick a question from a real bank, matched to its type: opinion, discuss both views, advantages and disadvantages, problem and solution, or two-part. All five types with questions are in the Task 2 topics hub.
- Write 250 plus words in 40 minutes. No dictionary, no pausing the clock.
- Paste it into the free checker. You get all four criteria on the 9-band scale, inline marks on your sentences, and the single criterion capping your band.
- Study the Band 6 to 7 rewrite of your own sentence. The point is the pattern: what changed and why it is one band higher. Apply it in your next essay, not by editing the old one.
The mistakes a Task 2 checker should catch that grammar tools miss
- Answering a nearby question. The prompt says "to what extent do you agree" and you wrote a balanced discussion. Grammar: perfect. Task Response: capped at 5.
- Undeveloped ideas. Three examples listed in one sentence instead of one example explained across three. Examiners call this "insufficiently developed".
- Mechanical linking. Every sentence opening with a connective reads as Band 6 cohesion even when each connective is technically correct.
- Memorised chunks. "In this day and age, it is a controversial issue whether..." signals a script, and examiners are trained to discount it.
Calibrate against Band 7 before you check
Scores mean more when you can see the target. Read two or three Band 7 sample answers for your question type first, then check your own essay. The gap you feel while reading is usually the same gap the checker names. If you are consistently half a band short, the 6 to 7 guide covers the plateau in detail.