IELTS Band 7 writing examples

Band 7 writing makes an argument rather than a list. The position is clear from the first paragraph and never wavers, each main idea is developed with an explanation or example, linking feels natural, and complex sentences are mostly error-free. It does not need to be impressive; it needs to be controlled.

What Band 7 means in each criterion

These are plain-language summaries of the public IELTS band descriptors. Your band in each criterion is judged against these, and your overall writing band is capped by your weakest one.

Task Response
A clear position throughout, every part of the question addressed, and main ideas extended and supported rather than named and abandoned.
Coherence and Cohesion
One central idea per paragraph and logical progression the reader never has to work for, with a range of linking used flexibly rather than mechanically.
Lexical Resource
Some less common vocabulary used with precision and awareness of collocation. Precise rather than showy: "a barrier to talent" beats "a plethora of impediments".
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A variety of complex structures with the majority of sentences error-free. Range matters as much as accuracy: perfect simple sentences alone stay at 6.

Worked examples at Band 7

Each example below is an original worked answer written to illustrate this band, with a per-criterion breakdown of why it sits there and the single thing that separates it from the band below.

Compare with other bands

The fastest way to calibrate your eye is to read the same kind of essay one band apart and notice what changes.

Which band is your writing at?

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