About Writing and Speaking Criteria

So what are the Writing and Speaking criteria?

Writing and Speaking criteria are similar: both include a judgment on a candidate's vocabulary and grammar. In Writing, candidates must also describe, analyse, and argue well. In Speaking, pronunciation plays a major role. To achieve a high band in IELTS, it's important to understand exactly what marking criteria are.

Writing criteria 
There are four criteria for Writing. They're the same for Task 1 and Task 2. In brief, the criteria are:

1. Task Fulfilment [Also called Task  Achievement or Task Response: Answering the question fully]
2. Coherence and Cohesion [Word, sentence, paragraphs joined smoothly; a logical order throughout]
3. Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Grammar)

Each criterion carries the same weight. This is significant because, when asked, most candidates believe grammar is the most important thing in writing.

While each criterion is worth the same, a large amount of research has shown that one criterion-Lexical Resource, called Vocabulary in the book-is most difficult. 

This is because English vocabulary is vast. The most common problem IELTS candidates have is that their vocabulary is limited. 

It is boring, repetitive, childish, or inaccurate. Perhaps the tone of their language is also inappropriate. Essentially this is due to their not ever reading much in English. 

Reading exposes you to vocabulary most quickly. Probably, learners need to do three times the amount of work on vocabulary than they do on any of the other criteria to improve. This book reflects this necessity with a large number of activities on Vocabulary.

As previously mentioned, candidates don't have a breakdown of criteria on their report form. But let's look at a typical score sheet an examiner has. This is for Writing for Task 1:
Task Fulfilment                     
  6
Coherence & Cohesion          
  6
Vocabulary                             
  5
Grammar                               
  6

The candidate gets 5.5 for this task.
(By the way: there are no half bands within criteria.)

Here is Writing score sheet for Task 2:

Task Fulfilment                     
  7
Coherence & Cohesion         
  6
Vocabulary                            
  5
Grammar                               
  6

The candidate gets Six for this task.

Task 2 is worth 60% of the final mark; Task 1, 40%. The candidate above ends up with a Six as a Writing band.

Basically, Vocabulary was this candidate's weak point, and if it had been a Six anywhere, he or she would have ended up with 6.5 for Writing. 

Now perhaps it's a small difference between Six and 6.5, but let's say you're from Nepal, and you want to do an MA in Canada. 

The university you've applied for asks for 6.5 for IELTS Writing for direct admission. If you get a Six, then you need to do an eight-week English-language course first. 

That's another two months of your life you have to pay for and live through before starting your MA. If you're from Nepal, that could mean a lot of money.

Speaking criteria 
There are also four criteria for Speaking. Unlike Writing, where the tasks are rated separately, there is only one score given for the candidate's whole Speaking test. In brief, the criteria are:

1. Fluency and Coherence [The ability to keep speaking; accurate use of linkers; sound logic]
2. Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Grammar)
4. Pronunciation

You can see that there's no Task Fulfilment criterion. This means the examiner doesn't judge the content of the candidate's answers-the candidate can say pretty much anything he or she likes. If you want to say your mother's an astronaut on the International Space Station and your father's Bill Gates' best mate, that's fine, as log as your English is correct.

Like Writing, each criterion is worth 25%.

Generally, candidates still find Vocabulary problematic. Fluency is also a challenge because it's possible the candidate has never spoken for so long in English. Also, almost no teachers or textbooks focus on fluency. ( Is it anywhere in the table of Contents of your best mate's IELTS book?) Depending on what your first language is, pronunciation may be difficult. If you're German, it's not so hard; if you're Vietnamese, it's hell. Let's say you're from Ho Chi Minh City, and you want permanent residence in Australia. Currently, the Department of Immigration requires a Seven as a minimum for Speaking to get any points towards residence. Frankly, that's going to be extremely tough because time and time again even if you're really good, you'll get :

Fluency & Coherence 
  7
Grammar                     
  7
Vocabulary                  
  7
Pronunciation              
  6

Overall Band = 6.5

Hopefully this book will give your pronunciation a boost.

If you've read this far, you've realised that IELTS is not just a matter of learning the question types (any old book deals with those), but more importantly understanding the marking criteria for Writing and Speaking. If you look at the table of Contents of this book, you'll see how each criterion is pulled apart and practised here. Then we put them all together for the practice test.

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How is IELTS marked ?

How is IELTS marked ?

On the day of the test, the speaking is marked by the examiner who interviewed the candidate. 

The writing is marked by another examiner. Listening and Reading are calculated by a clerk who is not a Speaking or Writing examiner. Therefore three different people evaluate one candidate's performance. Among other things, this reduces corruption as the examiners and clerical markers seldom know each other.

As we have just learnt, IELTS uses bands. Do you remember this candidate?

Listening 
  7
Reading 
  6.5
Writing 
  6
Speaking 
  6.5

Overall band = 6.5

Another candidate might get:

Listening 
  5.5 
Reading 
  5
Writing 
  5
Speaking 
  5

Overall band = 5

The majority of candidates have most skills or modules in the same band. if a candidate has one test that is two bands different from another, his or her paper is marked again, and the higher of the two marks becomes the new score.

For example : a candidate gets:
Listening 
  6
Reading 
  5.5
Writing 
  4
Speaking 
  6

Overall band = 5.5

If his or her writing is marked again and is still a four or becomes a 4.5, then the Overall Band remains a 5.5. If a four goes up to a five, then the new Overall Band is a six. All this happens before the final report is sent out.

Listening and Reading

These two test are made up of 40 questions each that are either right or wrong. 

There are no half marks. The marking of these is fairly easy, but they are marked twice for accuracy. There are multiple versions of the Listening and Reading test. Each version differs slightly in its degree of difficulty. 

They are all pre-tested. As you already know, Academic and GT Reading test are also different. Here's a guide to the scores needed for some bands for Listening and Reading. 

Since there are so many versions of these test, this table is approximate.

Writing and Speaking

As you can imagine, Writing and Speaking are harder to mark than Listening and Reading since each candidate will give different answer. Candidates will, however, have common features, which determine their level.

For Writing and Speaking, these common features are described by special criteria at each band. (Look up 'criteria' in your dictionary now.)

This book, McGraw-Hill's IELTS, is based on criterion marking, so it's important to understand how it works. A great many candidates prepare for IELTS without having any idea what they are being judged on, and so can't improve their performance effectively. Here, the criteria will be described and analysed. 

For example, pronunciation is a Speaking criterion, but it's likely you've got only a vague idea what pronunciation means. 

Once you've understood what many things really make up pronunciation, then you can start learning how to pronounce English well.

Remember this?
Listening 
  7
Reading 
  6.5
Writing 
  6
Speaking 
  6.5

Overall Band = 6.5

There's nothing about criteria on this report-nothing to tell you how the examiners reached their conclusions. A candidate knows only in a general sense that his Listening is stronger than everything else. He probably has no idea why his Writing got a Six.

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Getting Started - IELTS Test

Test: Academic Listening

How long does the test take ? 40 minutes. A recording lasts for 30 minutes. There are 10 extra minutes to transfer answers from a question booklet into an answer sheet after the recording has finished.

What is its format ? Around 40 questions in four section. Each section has 10 question. Each question is worth one mark. Questions are easy at the start and become more difficult as the test progresses. On  a test day, all candidates listen to the same recording and have the same questions, but these recordings and questions differ from test to test. There are different versions of all IELTS tests.

What question types are there? The following may be used: Multi-choice (choosing one answer from three possibilities. Multi-matching (choosing more than one answer from a list of up to seven possibilities). Choosing a graphic. Note /Table /Sentences / Summary completion (filling in gaps). Labelling maps or plans. Providing one-to three-word answers.

Test: Academic Reading

How long does the test take? 60 minutes. Candidates transfer their answers as they read. There is no extra time.

What is its format? Around 40 questions in three passages. Passage 1: (13 or 14 questions). Passage 2 : (13 or 14 questions). Passage 3 : (13 questions). Each question is worth one mark. 

Questions are easy at the start and become more difficult as the test progresses. 

Words to be read in the passages: 2500-2750. (With questions, there are around 3500 words.)

What question  types are there? The following may be used: Multi-choice (choosing one answer from four possibilities). 

Multi-matching (choosing more than one answer from a list of up to seven possibilities). Choosing a graphic. Note /Table /Sentence / Summary completion (filling in gaps). 

Labelling maps or plans. Providing one-to three-word answer. Completing a summary by choosing words that are given in a long list. Indicating which paragraph contains information. 

Choosing True / False / Not Given for facts. Choosing Yes / No / Not Given for views or opinions. Choosing headings. Labelling a diagram or a flowchart.

Test: Academic Writing

How long does the take? 60 minutes.

What is its format? Two short pieces of writing called tasks. Task 1: A report or description of a table , chart, process, or other visual input. Words to be written: at least 150. 

Task 2: An essay on a social or academic topic that is given. Words to be written: at least 250. 

Task 1 is easier than Task 2. Task 1 is worth 40% while Task 2 is worth 60%. 

On a test day, every candidate gets the same two tasks, but these differ from test to test.

What question types are there? 

Task 1: Describing a visual input that could be one, two, or three graph, tables, or charts; two plans or maps; or a process. 

Task 2: Essays that discuss one or both sides of an issue, or offer solutions to a problem are the most common.

Test: Academic Speaking

How long does the test take? 11-14 minutes.

What is its format? There are three parts. Part 1: (4-5 minutes). 

The candidate is asked one set of questions on personal information, and two sets of questions on simple topics. 

Part 2: (3-4 minutes). The candidate is given a random specific topic, has one minute to think, then two minutes to talk about it. There may be one or two short questions at the end. 

Part 3: (4-5 minutes). The candidate is asked more general questions connected to the topic of Part 2. A single band is given at the end of this. In part 1, candidates may be asked the same questions, but in parts 2 and 3, each candidate gets different questions. 

These will be similar from test to test. Part 1 is easy; Part 2, more difficult; and, Part 3 is rather challenging.

What question types are there? Questions in parts 1 and 2 are personal; in part 3, they are more general or abstract. Any topic of general interest may be discussed. 

Candidates need to: agree or disagree; assess; compare; describe; explain; express possibility and probability; justify an opinion; narrate; speculate; suggest; and, summarise. 

Additional skill include: the ability to self-correct; to circumlocute; to paraphrase; and, to ask for clarification.

Test: General Training Reading

How long does it take? 60 minutes. Candidates transfer their answers while they read. There is no extra time.

What is its format? Around 40 questions in three sections. 

The first two sections are divided into two parts, so there are five different texts to read in total. Each questions is worth one mark. 

Questions are easy at the start and become more difficult as the test progresses. Words to be read in the passages: 2000-2300.

 (With questions, there around 3000 words.) Note: There are fewer words in the GT than the Academic test, but candidates need to get more correct answers to be awarded the same band.

Test: General Training Writing

How long does it take? 60 minutes.

What is its format? Two short pieces of writing called tasks. 

Task 1: A formal or semi-formal letter. Words to be written: at least 150. 

Task 2: An essay on a social topic that is given. Words to be written: at least 250.

What question types are there? 

Task 1: Letters off: request, advice, offer, complaint, congratulation, or opinion are the most common. Task 2: Essays that discuss one or both sides of an issue, or offer solutions to a problem are the most common.

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