“What’s the maximum score an IELTS essay can lose if a test taker develops an essay in a way that’s different from what the examiner expects?” This is my reply:
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by your question. Are you asking whether there’s a marking penalty if the overall view given by the candidate is very different from the personal view of the examiner? If you are, then the answer is that it makes absolutely no difference at all.
Task 2 of the IELTS writing test requires candidates to develop a clear position in response to a question or statement given in the essay question. Here, the word “position” means “a point of view or attitude on a certain question.”
Candidates are assessed on their ability to present their overall position clearly, and on how well that position is explained through supporting ideas and examples. Based on the examiner’s assessment, the candidate’s essay is given a score from 1 to 9 for “Task Response” (one of the four areas the examiner assesses).
