Band Descriptors show exactly what examiners want in your responses. Each skill has its own criteria, but they share some key threads.
🧾 Key Descriptor Categories
- Fluency and Coherence (Speaking)
- Tip: Use discourse markers (“Actually,” “In fact,” “Moreover”) to keep speech logical and organized. Avoid long pauses or too many “um’s.”
- Bonus: Practice by recording yourself on everyday topics (e.g., your hometown). Listen back for coherence gaps.
- Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
- Tip: Learn synonyms for common words (“important” → “crucial,” “essential,” “vital”) to avoid repetition.
- Bonus: Build a theme-based vocab list (e.g., environment, technology, education) and practice them in sentences.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Tip: Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences to show range.
- Bonus: Track recurring errors in a journal (articles, verb tense, etc.) and focus on one grammar point each week.
- Task Achievement (Writing) / Task Response (Speaking)
- Tip: Always answer every part of the question. For example, if it says, “Discuss both views and give your own opinion,” don’t skip the opinion part.
- Bonus: In Writing Task 1, don’t forget an overview of the main trends or features—it’s a common oversight.
📌 How Ijada Helps
We give you band-by-band breakdowns of your mock tests, so you’ll know exactly which descriptor needs improvement—vocabulary, structure, or clarity.
