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Best AI for Improve IELTS writing

Get examiner-style feedback on IELTS Task 1 or Task 2 essays — band-score estimate against the official rubric, plus specific guidance on what to fix to move up a band.

Last updated May 7, 2026ieltsielts writingenglish testexam prepwriting practiceeducation
Best AI for this task

Cathoven

Cathoven applies the same four-criteria rubric IELTS examiners use (Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy) and explains exactly which descriptor is keeping you at your current band. Calibrated against a decade of real exam data. Free tier gives 2 writing scorings per day, which fits a typical study schedule of one essay per session.

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Prompt template
In Cathoven Writing Practice:

Setup:
- Task type: [TASK 1 — graph/chart/process/letter / TASK 2 — opinion essay]
- Test type: [ACADEMIC / GENERAL TRAINING]
- Word count: [Task 1: 150+; Task 2: 250+]
- Time spent: [MINUTES — under 20 min for Task 1, under 40 min for Task 2 means timed conditions]
- Target band: [GOAL — 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8]

Essay prompt: [PASTE EXACT QUESTION]
My essay: [PASTE FULL TEXT]

Output I want:
1. Band-score estimate against the official rubric
2. Per-criterion breakdown:
   - Task Achievement / Task Response
   - Coherence and Cohesion
   - Lexical Resource
   - Grammatical Range and Accuracy
3. The specific descriptor at each criterion that I'm currently meeting and the next descriptor I'd need to meet to move up
4. The 3 most impactful edits — for each, the original sentence, the improved version, and which criterion the change addresses
5. One sentence I wrote that's actually at a higher band than the rest — keep it as a model

Avoid: rewriting the whole essay (I want to learn what to fix, not get a finished version handed to me). Avoid generic advice like "use more advanced vocabulary." Be specific to my essay.
Did this prompt produce good output?

See the difference

Before vs. after using this prompt

Before — without the prompt

Wrote a Task 2 essay about whether technology has improved or worsened communication. Sent it to a friend who studied abroad and asked for honest feedback. Friend wrote back: "Looks fine to me! Maybe make the introduction longer? Otherwise, good job." Submitted similar essays for two more weeks. Sat the exam. Got Band 6.0 on writing — needed 7.0 for university admission. Had to re-take.

After — with the prompt

Cathoven analysis of the same Task 2 essay: Band-score estimate: 6.0 Per-criterion breakdown: - Task Response: Band 7. You answered both parts of the prompt and supported each with examples. This is your strongest area. - Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6. Each paragraph has a topic sentence, but linking between paragraphs uses the same connectors throughout (3 instances of "Furthermore," 2 of "In addition to that"). Inter-paragraph relationships need stronger signposting; some sentences within paragraphs jump between ideas without connection. - Lexical Resource: Band 6. Topic-appropriate vocabulary present but limited variety: "important" used 5 times, "people" 8 times, "communication" 11 times. No collocations or less common alternatives. Examiner descriptor at Band 7 requires "less common" lexical items used flexibly — your essay has none. - Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5. Almost all sentences are simple or compound. Two attempted complex sentences contain comma-splice errors. Conditional structures (if/were/would) absent entirely. Band 6 needs "a mix of simple and complex sentence forms"; you're at simple-only. The descriptor holding you back from 7: Grammatical Range. Even if Lexical Resource jumped to 7, the rubric averages and your grammar would drag you back to 6.5. The 3 most impactful edits: 1. "It is important that people communicate" → "It is essential for individuals to maintain effective communication" (lexical + simple-to-complex) 2. "Furthermore, technology has changed how we talk" → "What is more striking is that technology has fundamentally reshaped the way we communicate" (varied connector + complex structure + lexical) 3. "If we use phones too much, we don't talk to family" → "If we became overly reliant on phones, we would inevitably distance ourselves from those closest to us" (proper second conditional structure) One sentence you wrote that's already at Band 7: "Although digital tools have widened our reach, they have arguably narrowed the depth of our conversations." Keep this rhythm of contrast — it's working. Estimated time to move from 6.0 to 7.0 with focused daily practice: 6-10 weeks.

Runner-up

Write & Improve

The official Cambridge tool — same organization that owns IELTS. Completely free with no daily limits. Less detailed feedback than Cathoven but more trusted source if you want feedback that aligns with official Cambridge standards. Use it as a supplement for high-volume practice.

Open Write & Improve

Frequently asked

  • What's the difference between IELTS Academic and General Training writing tasks?

    Academic Task 1 asks you to describe a graph, chart, table, or process diagram in 150+ words — formal register, neutral tone, no opinion. General Training Task 1 asks you to write a letter (formal, semi-formal, or informal) for a real-world purpose. Task 2 is the same essay format for both versions, but Academic Task 2 prompts tend to be more abstract or academic in topic, while General Training prompts are more practical or social. Always check which version you're sitting before practicing.

  • How many essays should I write per week to improve?

    3-5 essays per week is the practical sweet spot — enough volume to build muscle memory, not so much that quality drops. Each essay should be reviewed against the rubric (with AI tools or a tutor) before you write the next one. Writing 10 essays per week without reviewing them is worse than writing 3 with detailed feedback. Aim for one Task 1 and one Task 2 per session, alternating focus weeks.

  • Will AI feedback align with what real IELTS examiners look for?

    Tools calibrated on the official rubric (Cathoven, Write & Improve) align well — they apply the same four-criteria descriptor system that real examiners use. Where AI struggles is the holistic impression real examiners form during marking — sometimes a great essay scores half a band higher than its descriptor breakdown suggests, and a technically-clean essay with no spark scores half a band lower. For the descriptor-level diagnosis (what to fix), AI is reliable. For exact band prediction, expect ±0.5.

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