IELTS Writing criteria
The IELTS Task Response criterion explained
Task Response is the criterion that asks one blunt question: did you actually answer the prompt. It is where off-topic and under-length essays lose marks they can never recover with good grammar. Here is what examiners check, and how to score higher on it.
In short
- Task Response is one of four equally weighted criteria and asks whether you addressed the full Task 2 question.
- It rewards a clear position, ideas that are developed and extended, and a complete answer over 250 words.
- Off-topic, partial, or under-length essays are capped here regardless of vocabulary and grammar.
What Task Response actually measures
Task Response is one of the four IELTS Writing criteria, alongside Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Each is worth 25% of a task's score. On Task 1 the same criterion is named Task Achievement and checks that you report the key features of a chart, graph, map, process or letter accurately. On Task 2, Task Response governs the 250-word essay and breaks down into three things examiners look for.
Answering the full question. Most Task 2 prompts have two parts. "Discuss both views and give your own opinion" is two jobs. "What are the causes and what can be done" is two jobs. Cover only one and your Task Response is capped at band 5, however fluent the writing. Read the prompt twice and underline every separate instruction before you plan.
A clear position. The examiner should know what you think after the introduction and never lose track of it. A position that appears, disappears, then contradicts itself signals an unclear stance and holds you at band 6. State your view in the introduction, support it through every body paragraph, and restate it in the conclusion.
Developed and extended ideas. Listing many reasons without support scores lower than developing a few fully. The band 7 pattern is point, then extension: make the claim, explain the mechanism, give a concrete example, and state the consequence.
Word count and off-topic answers are capped here
Two faults cost the most under Task Response, and both are avoidable. The first is going under length. Task 2 requires at least 250 words and Task 1 at least 150. An under-length answer cannot fully address the prompt, so the examiner penalises it directly under this criterion. Aim for roughly 260 to 290 words on Task 2: enough to develop two body paragraphs without padding.
The second is drifting off-topic. A common trap is memorising an essay on "education" and forcing it onto a prompt about "online education for adults". The examiner is marking your response to this exact question, not the general theme. If a band 8 essay answers a different question, its Task Response collapses.
A worked example of developing one idea on a prompt about remote work: "Remote work raises productivity for many employees [point]. Without a commute and open-plan interruptions, workers protect long blocks of focused time [mechanism]. A 2021 study of software teams, for instance, found measurably faster delivery when staff worked from home [example], which lets companies hit deadlines with the same headcount [consequence]." That single idea, fully extended, does more for your Task Response band than four one-line assertions.
Band 6 vs band 7 on Task Response
The gap between a 6 and a 7 on this criterion is rarely about language. It is about whether you addressed every part of the question and supported your position. The contrasts below show the difference in practice.
| What the examiner sees | Band 6 (capped) | Band 7 (target) |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage of the prompt | Answers one part; second part touched or skipped | Both parts addressed in full |
| Position | Present but unclear or wavers between paragraphs | Clear from the introduction and sustained throughout |
| Idea development | Main ideas stated but not extended or exemplified | Each main idea explained, supported and concluded |
| Length | Near or under 250 words; thin conclusion | Comfortably over 250 with no padding |
| Relevance | Some general points loosely tied to the topic | Every paragraph answers this specific question |
A teacher marking your essay against the official descriptors can tell you which row is holding you down. That is what a correction does: a human assessor maps your writing to each criterion and shows the exact lines where Task Response slips, rather than a generic score. See how the correction works or start with a single task correction.
Task Response: common questions
What is the IELTS Task Response criterion?+
Task Response is one of the four IELTS Writing criteria, worth 25% of your Task 2 score. It measures how fully you answer the question: a clear position, ideas that are developed and extended, and a complete response of at least 250 words.
Is Task Response the same as Task Achievement?+
They are the equivalent criterion on different tasks. Task Achievement is the Task 1 version, checking you cover the key features of a chart, map or letter accurately. Task Response is the Task 2 version, checking you address the full question and develop a clear position. Both are worth 25% of that task's score.
Does going under the word count lower my band?+
Yes. Task 2 requires at least 250 words and Task 1 at least 150. Under-length answers are penalised directly under Task Response or Task Achievement, because an incomplete response cannot fully address the prompt. Examiners do not stop counting at the minimum.
Can a well-written essay still get a low Task Response score?+
Yes. If you answer only part of the question, drift off-topic, or never state a clear position, Task Response is capped no matter how good your grammar and vocabulary are. Answering the exact question asked is the first thing examiners check.
How do I develop ideas for higher Task Response?+
Make each main point, then extend it: explain why it is true, give a specific example, and state the consequence. Two fully developed ideas score higher than four undeveloped ones. Vague, unsupported claims keep your Task Response score at band 5 or 6.