The Four Skills and How They Are Weighted

Skill Marks Marked By
Listening 40 questions, 1 mark each Computer (automated)
Reading 40 questions, 1 mark each Computer (automated)
Writing Task 1 + Task 2 Trained human examiner
Speaking Parts 1, 2, 3 Trained human examiner
Overall Band Score

Your four section scores are averaged and rounded to the nearest 0.5. A score of 6.5 in Listening, 7.0 in Reading, 6.0 in Writing and 6.5 in Speaking gives an overall of 6.5.

Writing: The Four Criteria Explained

Task Achievement / Task Response (25%)

Did you fully answer the question? Did you address all parts?

  • Band 7: addresses all parts of the task, presents a clear position throughout
  • Band 6: addresses all parts but with less fully developed ideas
  • Band 5: only partially addresses the task

Coherence and Cohesion (25%)

Is your response logically organised? Do ideas flow?

  • Band 7: uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately
  • Band 6: uses cohesive devices but not always appropriately
  • Band 5: makes inadequate, inaccurate use of cohesive devices
What Examiners Hate

Mechanical overuse of linking words: “Firstly… Secondly… Thirdly… Furthermore… Moreover… In conclusion…” This actually LOWERS your Coherence and Cohesion score because it is rigid and unnatural.

Lexical Resource (25%)

Do you use a wide, accurate range of vocabulary?

  • Band 7: uses some less common vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation
  • Band 6: uses a mix of simple and more complex vocabulary
  • Band 5: uses simple and basic vocabulary

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

Do you use varied, accurate grammar?

  • Band 7: uses a variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences
  • Band 6: mix of simple and complex structures with some errors
  • Band 5: limited range with frequent errors in complex structures

Speaking: The Four Criteria

Criterion What It Measures
Fluency & Coherence Smooth delivery, logical sequence
Lexical Resource Vocabulary range and precision
Grammatical Range Variety of structures
Pronunciation Clarity, not accent
Accent Does Not Affect Score

Your regional accent does NOT affect your Pronunciation score. What matters is whether the examiner can understand you easily. Clear articulation of words matters more than sounding “British” or “American.”

The Fastest Way to Use This Information

Read the official band descriptors for Writing and Speaking (available free on the British Council and IDP websites). For each criterion, understand what separates Band 6 from Band 7. That gap — and only that gap — is what you need to close.

Knowing the criteria is not cheating. The examiners read them before every test. You should too.