Data and methodology byAli ZaidiBuilds BandLadder's AI scoring and data
What the data says
Key findings
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy was the lowest, or joint lowest, of the four criteria in 84% of responses.
- 56% of responses scored below band 6 overall and 12% reached band 7 or higher.
- 23% of responses were shorter than the minimum word count (150 for Task 1, 250 for Task 2).
- Task 2 essays under 200 words averaged band 3.9, against 5.8 for essays of 250 to 299 words.
- Academic Task 1 reports averaged 5.3 on Task Achievement, against 6.1 for General Training letters: summarising a chart with a clear overview was harder than covering a letter's three bullet points.
Average band on each criterion
By task and criterion
The first criterion is Task Achievement for Task 1 and Task Response for Task 2; the other three are shared. See the IELTS Writing band descriptors for what each one rewards.
| Task | Responses | Overall | TA / TR | Coherence | Vocabulary | Grammar | Band 7+ | Below 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 report (Academic) | 277 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 11% | 65% |
| Task 1 letter (GT) | 338 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 14% | 44% |
| Task 2 essay (Academic) | 81 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 21% | 61% |
| Task 2 essay (GT) | 199 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 9% | 60% |
Average band by length
Word count and band
The minimum is 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. ielts.org says a short answer may not show enough for the higher bands; writing more is not penalised. Stronger writers also write more, so these averages show an association, not the effect of adding words.
| Words | Task 1 band | Task 1 responses | Task 2 band | Task 2 responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 under 120 · Task 2 under 200 | 4.2 | 57 | 3.9 | 35 |
| Task 1 120–149 · Task 2 200–249 | 5.2 | 77 | 5.1 | 34 |
| Task 1 150–179 · Task 2 250–299 | 5.7 | 266 | 5.8 | 150 |
| Task 1 180+ · Task 2 300+ | 6.2 | 215 | 6.1 | 61 |
Using the numbers
What this means for your preparation
Grammar was the criterion most often holding a response back. The band 7 descriptor asks for frequent error-free sentences and a mix of simple and complex structures, so check your essays for your own recurring errors (articles, agreement, tenses) as well as for range.
Write at least the minimum: 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Then check one essay at a time against the criteria with the free IELTS Writing checker, and compare it with the Task 2 sample essays.
How the numbers were made
Methodology and limits
The data is every single-task IELTS Writing practice response (Task 1 or Task 2, over 20 words) scored on BandLadder from June 2025 to October 2026by learner accounts; staff and test accounts are excluded. Scores are BandLadder AI marking against the public IELTS Writing band descriptors, on the 0–9 scale. "Lowest criterion" counts ties, so the shares for different criteria can add up to more than 100%.
These are practice scores, not official IELTS results, and BandLadder learners are not a random sample of IELTS candidates. Some groups are small; the number of responses is shown in each row.
Free to quote with credit
Cite this data
Journalists, teachers and students may quote these figures or the CSV with credit to BandLadder and a link to this page, under our content use policy.
BandLadder (2026). IELTS Writing practice statistics (895 responses). Retrieved from https://bandladder.com/ielts-writing-statistics
<a href="https://bandladder.com/ielts-writing-statistics">IELTS Writing practice statistics</a> (BandLadder, 2026)Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Which IELTS Writing criterion do learners score lowest on?+
In BandLadder practice data (895 responses), Grammatical Range and Accuracy was the lowest, or joint lowest, criterion in 84% of responses.
Does writing under 250 words lower your IELTS Task 2 band?+
In our practice data, Task 2 essays under 200 words averaged band 3.9 and essays of 250 to 299 words averaged 5.8. Stronger writers also tend to write more, so this is a correlation, but ielts.org says a short answer may not show enough for the higher bands.
What share of IELTS Writing practice responses reach band 7?+
12% of the 895 responses scored band 7 or higher, and 56% scored below band 6.
Are these official IELTS statistics?+
No. These are BandLadder practice responses scored by BandLadder's AI against the public IELTS Writing band descriptors, not official IELTS results.
Can I use these numbers in an article or report?+
Yes, with credit to BandLadder and a link to this page. The CSV is free to download.
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© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy