Stuck at band 6 in IELTS Writing? Here is what to change

A Writing score that refuses to move is the most common frustration in IELTS preparation. If you have written dozens of essays and still get 6 or 6.5, the problem is rarely effort. It is usually that practice repeats the same habits instead of changing them.

Five habits that hold essays at band 6

1. Answering the topic, not the question. An essay about technology in general, when the question asked whether phones should be banned in schools. Read the last sentence of the question twice.

2. Listing instead of developing. Three or four reasons, each in one sentence. Two reasons, each explained and illustrated, score higher. See the body paragraphs guide.

3. Linkers as decoration. Firstly, Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, Therefore at the start of most sentences. The band 6 descriptor calls this “mechanical”. See the linking words guide.

4. Ambitious words used slightly wrongly. The band 6 descriptor describes the “risk-taker” whose wider vocabulary comes with “higher degrees of inaccuracy”. Precision earns more than rarity.

5. Errors in most long sentences. Band 7 needs frequent error-free sentences. If most of your complex sentences contain a small error, grammar stays at 6.

Most writers have one or two error types that cause most of their mistakes. Find yours, and you have found your fastest half band.

What to change this week

• Before writing, underline every part of the question and tick each one off after.
• Give every body paragraph four moves: main idea, explanation, example, link back.
• Delete half your linking words and replace a few with this, which or such.
• Keep a list of your own errors from every checked essay, and proofread for the top one first.

Stop writing more, start rewriting

Writing ten essays without feedback mostly practises the same mistakes ten times. Write one, find exactly what holds it back, rewrite those sentences, and only then write the next.

Find your band 6 habits

Paste your last essay into the essay checker. It estimates each criterion separately, so you can see whether Task Response, Coherence, Vocabulary or Grammar is the one keeping you at 6, and it marks the exact sentences to fix. Then read what band 6.5 means and how to get band 7.