The IELTS Writing Task 2 Band 8 Checklist

A checklist to help you reach band 8 in writing task 2

Below you’ll find a checklist with key things that you should do to reach band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2.

Ultimately, reaching bands 8 or 9 depends on your ability to combine excellent topic specific vocabulary, with excellent grammar and good essay structure. There’s no magic here. However, this checklist can help you identify missing elements in your IELTS Writing Task 2 answer. If you include all of the elements below, your answer should have everything necessary for a top band in IELTS.

You can follow the links for more information and practice exercises.

Band 8 Checklist

Task Achievement:

• Make sure you answer the question asked

• Use simple and relevant main ideas

• Outline your opinion and main ideas in introduction and conclusion

• Give the same opinion in your introduction and conclusion

• One main idea in each body paragraph

• A strong topic sentence to begin each body paragraph

• Develop and extend main ideas in body paragraphs:

  • Result clauses: This is why/ This leads to/ As a result/ By + gerund

  • Cause clauses: This is because/ This results from

  • Examples: For instance/ For example/ One example of this

Coherence & Cohesion:

• Develop and extend ideas in a clear and logical way

• Sequence your ideas using sequencing adverbs e.g. Firstly, secondly, finally

• Connect ideas using linking adverbs: Furthermore/ In addition etc

• Connect ideas with referencing using it/ they and this

Grammatical Range:

• Make complex sentences using relative clauses

• Combine two supporting ideas with ‘Not only….but…’ 

• Write complex sentence using contrast adverbs e.g. Although…/ While…

• Make a conditional statement (1st, 2nd or 3rd conditional)

• Use gerund clauses

Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)

• Do not repeat exactly the same language used in the IELTS question

• Use topic related vocabulary (can be simple but must be relevant)

• Use synonyms and parallel expressions (avoid repetition of words and phrases)

• Use formal or semi-formal language (avoid informal words and phrases)

• Correct spelling