IELTS Writing Bootcamp
A 7-day plan that fixes, one per day, the technique mistakes that most often hold students at band 5-6. Each day has a short lesson, a drill, practice questions and a measurable check that upband reads from your scored essays.
Step 1: what band do you need?
Is IELTS a language test or a technique test?
Both. Half of the Writing marks (Lexical Resource and Grammar) measure your English itself, and technique can't fake those. The other half rewards technique: answering exactly what was asked, the Task 1 overview, developing ideas and organising paragraphs. Technique makes sure you get every mark your English deserves; it can't take you far above your English level.
You don't need to be especially clever, either. IELTS doesn't test intelligence. What decides how far you get is your starting English level, how many hours you practise, and whether you correct your own repeated mistakes.
How far can you get?
| Starting level | After 1-2 weeks of technique | After 2-3 months of steady work | What matters most |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 4.5-5 now | about 5-5.5 | about 6 | Biggest wins: answering every part, paragraphs, sentence basics (capitals, full stops, main verbs). |
| Around 5.5-6 now (medium) | about 6-6.5 | about 6.5-7 | Technique lifts Task Response/Achievement and Coherence. Reaching 7 needs Grammar and Vocabulary accuracy: daily writing plus correcting your own top errors. |
| Around 6.5 now | 7 if errors or a missing overview are what hold you back | about 7-7.5 | Usually held back by accuracy and precision, not structure. Work on error-free sentences and precise collocations. |
A rough guide for an average learner studying about an hour most days, based on Cambridge English's estimate of about 200 guided learning hours per CEFR level (about 1-1.5 IELTS bands, since IELTS places B2 at 5.5-6.5). This is our estimate from those figures, not something IELTS publishes. It's not a promise or an official IELTS score prediction. Everyone's progress is different.
What each band looks like
Plain-English summaries of the public IELTS Writing band descriptors (updated May 2023), for bands 5 to 8. Coherence & Cohesion uses the Task 2 wording; for Task 1 it is the same except that paragraphing is only mentioned from Band 8.
Task Response (Task 2) · mostly technique
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 5 | Main parts of the question 'incompletely addressed'. A position is given but its development is not always clear. Ideas limited, not developed enough, maybe some irrelevant detail. |
| 6 | Main parts addressed, some more fully than others. A relevant position, but conclusions may be unclear or repetitive. Some ideas not developed enough. |
| 7 | All main parts 'appropriately addressed'. Clear position throughout. Main ideas extended and supported, though some may over-generalise. |
| 8 | Question addressed sufficiently and appropriately. Ideas relevant, well extended and supported, with only occasional omissions. |
Task Achievement (Task 1) · mostly technique
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 5 | Key features not adequately covered. Details recounted mechanically, perhaps without data, and focused on details instead of the bigger picture. |
| 6 | A relevant overview is 'attempted'; information selected sensibly and supported with figures. Key features adequately highlighted, but some details irrelevant or inaccurate. |
| 7 | Clear overview of the main trends, differences or stages. Key features clearly highlighted, could be extended a little more. |
| 8 | Key features skilfully chosen, clearly presented and illustrated with the right data. |
Coherence & Cohesion · half technique, half language
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 5 | Some organisation, but not always logical. Linking words too few, wrong or overused. Paragraphs missing or unclear. |
| 6 | Clear overall progression. Linking works but can be faulty or 'mechanical'. Paragraphs not always logical. |
| 7 | Logically organised, clear progression throughout. A range of linking and referencing used flexibly, with some inaccuracy or over/under use. Paragraphing generally effective. |
| 8 | Information sequenced logically. Cohesion well managed, rare lapses. Paragraphing well judged. |
Lexical Resource · mostly language
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 5 | Limited vocabulary, mostly simple and accurate. Noticeable spelling or word-form errors that may cause some difficulty. |
| 6 | Vocabulary adequate for the task. Meaning clear despite a restricted range. Some spelling or word-form errors that don't block meaning. |
| 7 | Enough range for some flexibility and precision. Some less common or idiomatic words; awareness of collocation, though some inappropriacies. Only a few spelling or word-form errors. |
| 8 | Wide vocabulary used fluently and precisely, including less common words. Errors only occasional. |
Grammatical Range & Accuracy · mostly language
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 5 | Limited range of structures. Complex sentences tried but less accurate than simple ones. Frequent errors; punctuation may be faulty. |
| 6 | A mix of simple and complex sentences, but complex ones have more errors. Errors rarely block meaning. |
| 7 | A variety of complex structures, generally well controlled. 'Error-free sentences are frequent'. A few errors remain but don't block meaning. |
| 8 | Wide range of structures, used flexibly and accurately. Most sentences error-free. |
Track your progress: with a free account, upband marks each day's check ✓ or ✗ from your own scored essays and shows your weakest area and most frequent mistakes. Sign up free or log in.
The 7 days
Baseline: one timed essay
about 45 minGoal: Find out where you start, so you can see real progress.
Write a Task 2 essay in exactly 40 minutes, with no spellcheck and no notes, just as in the exam. Enter the minutes when you score it. Don't worry about the band: this is your starting point.
Drill
- Set a 40-minute timer.
- Write, then score it on upband.
- Note your four criterion bands and your top 2 error types.
Practice questions
- Some people believe that university education should be free for all students, regardless of their family income. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Practise →
Answer the exact question
about 60 minGoal: Never lose Task Response marks for answering a different question.
Count the parts of the question ('discuss both views AND give your opinion' is two parts). State your answer in the introduction and keep it the same to the end. Band 5 Task Response says the main parts are 'incompletely addressed'; Band 7 needs them 'appropriately addressed'.
Drill
- Spend 2 minutes on each of the questions below: underline the topic and the instruction words.
- For each, write only the introduction (2 sentences: paraphrase + your answer).
- Then write one full essay and score it.
Practice questions
- Some people think that schools should focus on academic subjects, while others believe they should teach practical life skills such as cooking and managing money. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Practise →
- In many countries, people are getting married later in life than in the past. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development? Practise →
Check: question parts fully answered at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Develop ideas, don't list them
about 60 minGoal: Turn short points into developed paragraphs.
Each body paragraph needs one main idea: topic sentence, then explanation, then a specific example (a country, a group, a real situation), then a link back to the question. Two developed ideas beat five listed ones.
Drill
- Pick one idea and write the paragraph in the 4 steps above.
- Write a full essay with two such body paragraphs and score it.
Practice questions
- Traffic congestion is becoming a serious problem in many large cities. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to reduce it? Practise →
Check: main ideas developed at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Task 1: the overview
about 50 minGoal: Unlock Band 7 Task Achievement with a clear overview.
Straight after the introduction, write 1-2 sentences on the main trends or biggest differences, with no numbers. Band 7 Task Achievement needs 'a clear overview'; Band 6 only says an overview is 'attempted'. Then choose only the figures that support the key features.
Drill
- Write only the overview (2 sentences) for both questions below.
- Then write one full report in 20 minutes and score it.
Practice questions
- The line graph shows the percentage of households with internet access in three countries between 2000 and 2020. Practise →
- The bar chart shows the percentage of adults who did at least 150 minutes of exercise per week in five countries in 2024, by gender. Practise →
Check: a clear overview at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Sentence control
about 60 minGoal: Raise your share of error-free sentences.
Every sentence: capital letter, full stop, a subject and a main verb. No sentences starting with 'Because…' on their own. Check articles (a/an/the), plurals and subject-verb agreement. At Band 7 'error-free sentences are frequent'; at Band 5 errors 'may be frequent'.
Drill
- Open your Day 0 result and rewrite every sentence that had an error.
- Write a new essay slowly and carefully, using only structures you control, and score it.
Practice questions
- More and more people are choosing to work freelance rather than for one employer. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? Practise →
Check: error-free sentences at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Linking without overusing
about 55 minGoal: Make your writing flow without mechanical linkers.
Not every sentence needs 'Firstly / Moreover / Furthermore'. Use reference words (this, these, such, which) to connect ideas, and one clear central topic per paragraph. Overused linkers make cohesion 'mechanical' (Band 6); Band 7 allows only 'some over/under use'.
Drill
- Take one of your essays and remove half of the linking words; connect with 'this/these' instead.
- Write a new essay with 4 clear paragraphs and score it.
Practice questions
- In many companies, robots and computers now do jobs that people used to do. Is this a positive or negative development? Practise →
Check: few linking/referencing problems at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Precise vocabulary
about 55 minGoal: Use topic words accurately instead of long memorised phrases.
Learn 5-8 words and collocations for the topic (e.g. environment: carbon emissions, renewable energy, reduce our reliance on…). Use them precisely. 'Inappropriate use of… memorised phrases, formulaic language' is a Band 4 Lexical Resource feature, so adapt phrases, don't copy them.
Drill
- Before writing, list 6 topic words for the question below.
- Write the essay using them naturally and score it.
Practice questions
- The best way to reduce air pollution in cities is to ban private cars from city centres. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Practise →
Check: few vocabulary/spelling errors at Band 7 level (the same rule upband scores with).
Full timed test
about 70 minGoal: Put it all together under real conditions and compare with Day 0.
Task 1 in 20 minutes, Task 2 in 40. Use the 60-minute plan and the 5-minute checklist from the Practice page. Score both and compare with your baseline.
Drill
- Task 1: 20 minutes, then score.
- Task 2: 40 minutes, then score.
- Compare each criterion with Day 0. Which improved? Which needs weeks 2-4?
Practice questions
- The table shows the average annual salary (in thousands of pounds) for five professions in 2015 and 2025. Practise →
- Some people think individuals can do little to protect the environment, while others believe individual action is essential. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Practise →
After day 7
Weeks 2-4: accuracy
One timed essay a day. Before writing, read your top 3 error types from History; after scoring, rewrite every sentence with one of those errors. One full test each weekend. Goal: errors per 100 words falling week by week.
Weeks 5-8: range
Add one new structure a week that you can control (relative clauses, conditionals, passive, participle clauses) and one topic vocabulary set. Keep the daily essay. Goal: more complex sentences without losing accuracy, towards 6.5-7.
Each day uses one or two scorings, which fits the free limit of 2 a day. upband gives estimates, not official IELTS scores. More techniques and every question type are on the Practice page.