How to Self-Evaluate Your IELTS Essay (Band Descriptor Checklist)

If you want to score Band 7+ in IELTS Writing Task 2, you must know what the examiner is looking for. Many students write essays but don’t evaluate their own work properly—which means they keep making the same mistakes!

Why Should You Self-Evaluate?

        ✔️ Helps you identify weaknesses and improve faster

        ✔️ Ensures your essay meets the IELTS scoring criteria

        ✔️ Saves time by fixing mistakes before the real exam

Step 1: Use the IELTS Band Descriptors Checklist

IELTS examiners score your essay on four criteria—each worth 25% of your final writing score.

Band Descriptor	What It Means	Questions to Ask Yourself
Task Response	Did you answer the question fully?	✅ Did I cover all parts of the question? ✅ Did I give a clear opinion (if needed)? ✅ Did I support my ideas with explanations & examples?
Coherence & Cohesion	Is your essay well-organized & easy to follow?	✅ Does my essay have clear paragraphs? ✅ Did I use linking words effectively? ✅ Does each paragraph have one clear idea?
Lexical Resource	Is your vocabulary varied & precise?	✅ Did I use topic-specific vocabulary? ✅ Did I avoid repeating the same words? ✅ Did I avoid informal words & slang?
Grammar & Accuracy	Is your grammar correct & varied?	✅ Did I use a mix of simple & complex sentences? ✅ Did I check for grammar errors (tenses, articles, prepositions)? ✅ Did I proofread for spelling & punctuation mistakes?

Step 2: Use the “3-Pass Self-Check Method”

🔍 Pass 1: Check for Task Response

✔️ Read the question again and make sure your essay fully answers it.

✔️ Highlight your main ideas—are they relevant to the topic?

🔍 Pass 2: Check for Structure & Flow

✔️ Ensure you have 4-5 clear paragraphs (Introduction, Body 1, Body 2, Conclusion).

✔️ Read your essay out loud—does it sound smooth or disorganized?

🔍 Pass 3: Check for Vocabulary & Grammar

✔️ Look for repeated words—replace them with synonyms.

✔️ Check for grammar mistakes (verb tense, subject-verb agreement).

Step 3: Use a Simple Self-Evaluation Table

Criterion	Score (1-5)	Comments
Task Response	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Needs stronger examples
Coherence & Cohesion	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Good, but improve transitions
Lexical Resource	⭐⭐⭐	Repeated words—add variety
Grammar & Accuracy	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Minor errors in tenses

Total Score: 15/20 → Approx. Band 6.5-7

Final Takeaway: How to Improve Faster!

        ✔️ Use the Band Descriptor Checklist every time you write an essay

        ✔️ Follow the 3-Pass Self-Check Method to spot mistakes

        ✔️ Keep a mistake journal—track errors & learn from them

        The more you practice self-evaluation, the faster you improve! 🚀