Improve your IELTS Academic Writing score
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WELCOME TO IELTS ONLINE WRITINGWelcome to Improve Your IELTS Academic Writing
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Meet Your Course Trainers
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Course Overview
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Using the Platform
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ABOUT THE IELTS WRITING TESTLearning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Band Descriptors
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Test Format
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TASK 1Learning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Overall Structure5 Topics
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Types of Visuals4 Topics
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Paragraph Structure8 Topics
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Organisation and Logic3 Topics
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Practice5 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 1 IMPROVE YOUR SCORETask Achievement2 Topics
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Coherence and Cohesion2 Topics
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Lexical Resource2 Topics
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy2 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 2Learning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Overall Structure5 Topics
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Question Types4 Topics
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Paragraph Structure12 Topics
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Organisation and Logic3 Topics
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Practice5 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 2 IMPROVE YOUR SCORETask Response2 Topics
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Coherence and Cohesion2 Topics
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Lexical Resource2 Topics
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy2 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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COURSE CONCLUSIONOverall tips
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Congratulations on Completing the Course
Comparing Band Descriptors
Comparing Band Descriptors
In this part of the lesson, you will compare the Coherence and cohesion descriptors for Bands 5, 6, 7, and 8. This lesson will use the public band descriptors for Task 2, which you can view here.
Assessing Coherence and cohesion
Coherence and cohesion assesses these aspects of your writing:
- The organisation of ideas into paragraphs and within paragraphs
- The use of cohesive devices (for example linking phrases and pronoun references)
As you saw in Task response, the higher band will only be selected if your essay fits all points in the band descriptor.
Band 5 and 6
Here are the Band 5 and 6 descriptors for Coherence and cohesion. Definitions of key terms are included below them.
Coherence and cohesion | |
Band 5 | Band 6 |
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Definition of Key Terms
Overall progression – If your essay progresses, it means that the ideas lead from one to the next, building on each other with new information. The body paragraphs have supporting sentences related to the main idea in the topic sentence. This will lead to a logical conclusion.
Lack of referencing and substitution – As you have just learnt, cohesive devices (two of which are referencing and substitution) should be used. If your essay is full of repeated words and does not have any signposts, then you have not use cohesive devices sufficiently.
Cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical – This means that you are using linking words, such as signposts, incorrectly or just mechanically (Firstly, Secondly, Finally).
Uses paragraphing, but not always logically – This means that you have paragraphs, but they may start in the wrong place, or are in an unexpected order. Perhaps one paragraph is much longer or shorter than the others.
What do you need to do to move from a Band 5 to a Band 6 in Coherence and cohesion?
Check Your Answers
If you want to move up from a Band 5 to a Band 6 in Coherence and cohesion you need to:
- Ensure your ideas progress logically throughout your essay. In other words, you need an introduction that states the thesis, body paragraph which each develop one part of the thesis, and a conclusion that summarises the thesis and main points. You should not repeat ideas within your body paragraphs.
- Use cohesive devices accurately.
- Use paragraphs to organise your ideas. Note that you need to write several sentences in one paragraph.
Band 6 and 7
Now compare the Band 6 and Band 7 descriptors for Coherence and cohesion.
Coherence and cohesion | |
Band 6 | Band 7 |
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- What do you need to do to move from a Band 6 to a Band 7 in Coherence and cohesion?
Check Your Answers
If you want to move up from a Band 6 to a Band 7 in Coherence and cohesion you need to:
- Use a range of cohesive devices. A range of cohesive devices means different types, such as pronoun referencing, signposts, substitution, lexical chains and so on. These need to be used ‘appropriately’ or correctly, though you may occasionally use them too often and still receive a band 7.
- Present a clear central topic within each paragraph. This means that the topic sentence of each paragraph presents a main idea and this idea does not change throughout the paragraph. All supporting sentences need to link to this main idea.
Band 7 and 8
Finally, compare the Band 7 and Band 8 descriptors.
Coherence and cohesion | |
Band 7 | Band 8 |
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- What do you need to do to move from a Band 7 to a Band 8 in Coherence and cohesion?
Check Your Answers
In order to move up from a Band 7 to a Band 8:
- There needs to be almost no errors in coherence and cohesion.
- All ideas should be in a logical order with appropriate paragraphs and cohesive devices.