Official IELTS Band Descriptors 2026 (British Council & IDP)

What are the official IELTS band descriptors?

The official IELTS band descriptors are the public-facing scoring criteria used by British Council, IDP, and Cambridge ESOL examiners to rate Writing and Speaking responses on a 9-band scale. Listening and Reading use raw-mark-to-band conversion tables instead of descriptors. This page consolidates all five reference tables — Writing Task 1, Writing Task 2, Speaking, plus the raw-score conversions for Listening and Reading — into a single reference.

Last updated: May 2026. The descriptors below are distilled from the publicly available IELTS criteria and the deep-dive section guides on this site: Speaking band descriptors 2026, Writing Task 1 band descriptors 2026, and Writing Task 2 band descriptors 2026.

How are IELTS Writing and Speaking scored?

Writing and Speaking are each scored on four equally weighted criteria, averaged and rounded to the nearest half band. Each criterion is scored from Band 1 to Band 9.

• Writing Task 1: Task Achievement (TA), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)
• Writing Task 2: Task Response (TR), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)
• Speaking: Fluency and Coherence (FC), Lexical Resource (LR), Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA), Pronunciation (P)

Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the Writing total. Use the IELTS band score calculator to model how section scores combine into your overall band.

IELTS Speaking band descriptors (Bands 5-9)

The Speaking criteria are assessed live by a certified examiner. Each criterion contributes 25% of your Speaking band.

Fluency and Coherence (FC)

Band	Descriptor
9	Speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction. Hesitation is content-related, not language-related. Topic developed coherently and appropriately.
8	Speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self-correction. Hesitation usually content-related. Topic developed coherently.
7	Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence. May have some language-related hesitation, repetition, or self-correction. Uses connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility.
6	Willing to speak at length but may lose coherence at times due to repetition, self-correction, or hesitation. Uses connectives but not always appropriately.
5	Maintains flow with repetition, self-correction, or slow speech. Over-uses certain connectives. Simple speech is fluent; complex communication causes problems.

Lexical Resource (LR)

Band	Descriptor
9	Vocabulary used with full flexibility and precision in all topics. Idiomatic language used naturally and accurately.
8	Wide vocabulary used readily and flexibly. Less common and idiomatic items used skilfully with occasional inaccuracies. Effective paraphrase.
7	Vocabulary used flexibly across topics. Some less common and idiomatic items used with awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices. Paraphrase used effectively.
6	Wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and convey meaning despite inappropriacies. Generally paraphrases successfully.
5	Talks about familiar and unfamiliar topics but with limited flexibility. Attempts paraphrase with mixed success.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

Band	Descriptor
9	Full range of structures used naturally and appropriately. Consistently accurate apart from native-speaker-style slips.
8	Wide range of structures used flexibly. Majority of sentences error-free. Only very occasional inappropriacies or non-systematic errors.
7	Range of complex structures used with some flexibility. Frequently produces error-free sentences. Some grammatical mistakes persist.
6	Mix of simple and complex structures with limited flexibility. Frequent errors with complex structures, but they rarely cause comprehension problems.
5	Basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy. Limited use of more complex structures, usually with errors.

Pronunciation (P)

Band	Descriptor
9	Full range of pronunciation features used with precision and subtlety. Speech always easy to understand.
8	Wide range of pronunciation features. Sustained flexible use with only occasional lapses. Easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect.
7	Shows all positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of Band 8.
6	Range of pronunciation features used with mixed control. Generally understandable, though mispronunciation reduces clarity at times.
5	Shows all positive features of Band 4 and some, but not all, of Band 6.

For full criterion-by-criterion strategies, see the Speaking band descriptors deep dive.

IELTS Writing Task 1 band descriptors (Bands 5-9)

Task 1 is a 150-word minimum response — a chart/graph/map/process report (Academic) or a letter (General Training). Both versions share the CC, LR, and GRA descriptors below; only Task Achievement differs slightly between Academic and General Training.

Task Achievement (TA)

Band	Descriptor
9	Fully satisfies all task requirements. Clearly presents a fully developed response.
8	Covers all task requirements sufficiently. Presents, highlights, and illustrates key features clearly and appropriately.
7	Covers task requirements. Academic: clear overview of main trends, differences, or stages. GT: clear purpose with consistent appropriate tone. Key features highlighted but could be more fully extended.
6	Addresses task requirements. Academic: presents an overview with information appropriately selected. GT: purpose generally clear; tone may be inconsistent. Adequately highlights key features but details may be irrelevant.
5	Generally addresses the task; format may be inappropriate. Academic: recounts detail mechanically with no clear overview. GT: purpose unclear at times; variable tone. Inadequate coverage of key features.

Coherence and Cohesion (CC) — Task 1

Band	Descriptor
9	Cohesion attracts no attention. Skilfully manages paragraphing.
8	Information sequenced logically. All aspects of cohesion managed well. Paragraphing used sufficiently and appropriately.
7	Information organised logically with clear progression. Range of cohesive devices used appropriately, though with some under- or over-use.
6	Coherent arrangement with clear overall progression. Cohesive devices used effectively but cohesion within or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical.
5	Some organisation but lacks overall progression. Inadequate, inaccurate, or over-use of cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource (LR) — Task 1

Band	Descriptor
9	Wide vocabulary range with very natural and sophisticated control. Rare minor errors only as 'slips'.
8	Wide vocabulary used fluently and flexibly. Skilful use of uncommon items with occasional inaccuracies. Rare spelling/word-formation errors.
7	Sufficient range for flexibility and precision. Less common items used with awareness of style and collocation. Occasional errors in word choice/spelling.
6	Adequate range for the task. Attempts less common vocabulary with some inaccuracy. Some spelling/word-formation errors that don't impede communication.
5	Limited range, minimally adequate. Noticeable spelling/word-formation errors may cause some difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) — Task 1

Band	Descriptor
9	Wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy. Rare slips only.
8	Wide range of structures. Majority of sentences error-free. Only very occasional errors.
7	Variety of complex structures. Frequent error-free sentences. Good control of grammar and punctuation.
6	Mix of simple and complex forms. Some errors but rarely reduce communication.
5	Limited range. Complex sentences less accurate than simple ones. Frequent errors and faulty punctuation.

For sample answers and the Band 6 → 7 jump, see the Writing Task 1 band descriptors deep dive.

IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors (Bands 5-9)

Task 2 is a 250-word minimum essay and is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the Writing total. The CC, LR, and GRA descriptors are functionally the same as Task 1; the major difference is Task Response (TR), which replaces Task Achievement.

Task Response (TR)

Band	Descriptor
9	Fully addresses all parts of the task. Fully developed position with relevant, extended, well-supported ideas.
8	Sufficiently addresses all parts. Well-developed response with relevant, extended, supported ideas.
7	Addresses all parts of the task. Clear position throughout. Main ideas extended and supported, though may overgeneralise or lack focus.
6	Addresses all parts but some more fully than others. Relevant position but conclusions may be unclear or repetitive. Ideas inadequately developed.
5	Addresses task only partially. Position expressed but development unclear. Main ideas limited or not directly relevant.

Critical 2026 rule: if your essay is flagged as substantially memorised or template-based, Task Response is capped at Band 4.0 regardless of the rest of the essay. See the IELTS new rules 2026 reference for the template penalty mechanics.

Coherence and Cohesion (CC) — Task 2

Band	Descriptor
9	Cohesion attracts no attention. Skilful paragraphing.
8	Logical sequencing. All cohesion managed well. Paragraphing used sufficiently and appropriately.
7	Logical organisation with clear progression. Range of cohesive devices used appropriately, with some under- or over-use.
6	Coherent arrangement with clear overall progression. Cohesion within/between sentences may be faulty or mechanical.
5	Some organisation but no overall progression. Inadequate or repetitive cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource (LR) — Task 2

Band	Descriptor
9	Wide range with very natural and sophisticated control. Rare minor slips.
8	Wide range used fluently and flexibly. Skilful use of uncommon items with occasional inaccuracies. Rare spelling/word-formation errors.
7	Sufficient range for flexibility and precision. Less common items used with awareness of style and collocation. Occasional errors.
6	Adequate range. Attempts less common vocabulary with some inaccuracy. Some spelling errors that don't impede communication.
5	Limited range, minimally adequate. Noticeable errors may cause difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) — Task 2

Band	Descriptor
9	Wide range with full flexibility and accuracy. Rare slips.
8	Wide range of structures. Majority of sentences error-free.
7	Variety of complex structures. Frequent error-free sentences. Good control.
6	Mix of simple and complex forms. Some errors but communication maintained.
5	Limited range. Frequent errors and faulty punctuation.

For sample essays and the Band 6 → 7 differences in Task 2, see the Writing Task 2 band descriptors deep dive.

IELTS Listening band score conversion (Academic and General Training)

Listening uses a raw-mark-to-band conversion table — there are no descriptors. Both Academic and General Training use the same conversion. The table below is the standard 2026 baseline; exact cut-offs vary slightly between test versions.

Raw score (out of 40)	Band
39-40	9.0
37-38	8.5
35-36	8.0
32-34	7.5
30-31	7.0
26-29	6.5
23-25	6.0
18-22	5.5
16-17	5.0

For full conversion ranges and improvement strategies, see IELTS Listening raw score to band conversion.

IELTS Reading band score conversion (Academic vs General Training)

Reading uses a raw-mark-to-band conversion that differs between Academic and General Training — General Training requires a higher raw score for the same band because the texts are easier.

Band	Academic raw score (/40)	General Training raw score (/40)
9.0	39-40	40
8.5	37-38	39
8.0	35-36	37-38
7.5	33-34	36
7.0	30-32	34-35
6.5	27-29	32-33
6.0	23-26	30-31
5.5	19-22	27-29
5.0	15-18	23-26

These cut-offs are the public IELTS baseline and are version-dependent — your specific test may differ by 1 raw mark in either direction. See IELTS Reading raw score to band conversion for full ranges.

How is the overall IELTS band calculated from these criteria?

1. Each section (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) produces a single band from 1.0 to 9.0.
2. Writing and Speaking section bands = average of their four criteria, rounded to the nearest half band.
3. Listening and Reading section bands = raw-score-to-band conversion.
4. Overall band = average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest whole or half band.

An average of 6.25 rounds up to 6.5; 6.124 rounds down to 6.0. Use the IELTS band score calculator to model rounding scenarios.

Where do these descriptors come from?

The descriptor language on this page is distilled from the publicly available IELTS criteria published by Cambridge ESOL on behalf of the British Council and IDP. The full official PDFs are available on ielts.org and via test-centre booking dashboards. The criteria themselves have not changed in substance for 2026 — what changed is improved public accessibility (rule 14 in the IELTS new rules 2026 reference) and the new template-penalty cap on Task Response.

How to use these descriptors in practice

1. After every practice essay or recorded Speaking response, score yourself on each criterion using the relevant table above.
2. Identify the criterion pulling your average down — that is the highest-leverage target.
3. Drill that criterion narrowly before moving on. A two-band gap on one criterion costs more than a half-band gap on three.
4. Use the public descriptors as your final-stage checklist — examiners are scoring against them, not against essay-template guides.
5. Cross-check with Writing Band 7 mistakes and Speaking Band 6 → 7 strategies for the criterion you are weakest on.

Want a band estimate that maps your Speaking and Writing directly to the descriptors above? Start a free trial and get instant criterion-by-criterion feedback aligned to the 2026 official descriptors.