IELTS Writing is scored on four criteria, each worth 25%: Task Response (or Task Achievement for Task 1), Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Band 6 on the overall means you are averaging Band 6 across these - but the breakdown matters enormously.

The most common Band 6 profile looks like this: Task Response 6, Coherence 6, Lexical Resource 6, Grammar 6. This is the profile of a consistent but safe writer. Every criterion is "adequate" - which is exactly what Band 6 means in the official descriptor.

To escape, you do not need to improve everything simultaneously. Improving just one criterion by 1 band moves your overall score by 0.25. Improving two criteria by 1 band each moves you from Band 6 to Band 6.5. That is the mathematical reality - and it means targeted improvement is faster than trying to improve everything at once.

Task Response at Band 6 means: you addressed the topic, but not necessarily the specific question. The official descriptor says you "address the relevant parts of the task" - implying you may have missed some parts.

The fix is a pre-writing habit. Before writing a single word, do this:

1. Underline the specific instruction word (to what extent, both views, causes and solutions, advantages and disadvantages)
2. Write in the margin: "My position is: [specific stance]"
3. Check that every body paragraph directly supports that position
4. Check that your conclusion answers the question - not just summarises your points

Band 6 coherence relies on connectors: "However," "Furthermore," "In addition," "Therefore." These are not wrong - but they are the floor, not the ceiling. The examiner sees them so often that they no longer signal sophisticated writing.

Band 7 coherence comes from logical sentence construction - where ideas flow so naturally that you often do not need a connector at all:

The mistake: trying to use the most advanced word you know. The fix: using the most precise word for the idea you are expressing.

Examiners look for: accurate collocations, appropriate register, and variety in word choice. They do not give extra marks for rare words used incorrectly.

Band 6 grammar is "mostly error-free in simple structures." The problem is that if you only use simple structures, you cannot get above Band 6 for grammar - regardless of accuracy.

Band 7 requires a mix of simple and complex structures, both used accurately. The structures most underused by Band 6 candidates:

• Conditional structures: "Were governments to invest more in renewable energy, the transition would happen within a generation."
• Passive voice for objectivity: "It has been widely argued that…" / "The benefits of this approach are well-documented."
• Noun clauses: "What concerns most observers is not the pace of change, but the absence of regulation."
• Participle phrases: "Having considered the evidence, one can only conclude that…"

Practice strategy: write each body paragraph with the instruction "use at least one complex structure you would not normally use." The discomfort of attempting harder structures - and getting corrective feedback - is what drives Grammar from Band 6 to Band 7.

The question: "Some people argue that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. Others believe that there are better alternatives. Discuss both views and give your own opinion."