IELTS Writing
What IELTS Writing band 7.5 means
Strong writing: well developed and accurate, with a few criteria already at band 8.
What an examiner sees at 7.5
- A well-developed position and well-supported ideas, with only occasional lapses.
- Ideas that are easy to follow, with cohesion that is well managed.
- Fluent, precise vocabulary, with occasional slips in word choice.
- Most sentences error-free, across a wide range of structures.
What usually holds an essay at 7.5
- An occasional gap in development or support.
- Occasional inaccuracies in less common vocabulary.
- Rare but repeated small errors.
How to reach 8.0
- 1
Treat every part of the question with equal depth.
- 2
Make cohesion invisible: fewer linkers, more connection through meaning.
- 3
Check that every less common word is used naturally and precisely.
- 4
Remove the last repeated error type by proofreading for it specifically.
Is your essay at 7.5?
Get an estimated band for each criterion and the sentences that hold you back. Free, about a minute.
What Writing 7.5 is worth
- Canada (General Training)
- CLB 10
- 34 CRS points for Writing, single applicant
- Australia points test
- Proficient
- If your other skills are at least 7.0
Universities set their own requirements, usually as an overall band plus a minimum in each skill. Check the course page. Work out your overall band with the band score calculator, or your CRS points with the IELTS to CLB calculator.
Practise for 8.0
See every criterion side by side in the band descriptors explained, pick a question from the Task 2 question bank, and plan it with the essay planner.