My IELTS writing score will not move above a certain band. What is holding it there?

Almost always one of three things, and none of them is vocabulary. Candidates plateau because they keep improving the thing they can see — word choice — while the thing holding the score is structural.

One: you are not answering the exact question

The most common cause, and the most costly, because task response is assessed separately from everything else.

A prompt asking whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages is not asking you to list advantages and disadvantages. It is asking for a judgement, with the weighing shown. An essay that lists both fairly and never decides has not done the task, however well written.

Similarly, "discuss both views and give your opinion" requires three things: view one, view two, and your own position stated clearly. Missing the third is extremely common.

Before writing, underline exactly what is being asked and write your position in one sentence. If you cannot, you are not ready to start.

Two: your paragraphs have no single idea

Coherence is assessed, and the fastest way to lose it is a paragraph containing three loosely related points.

The structure that reliably works:

• Topic sentence stating the paragraph's one idea
• Explanation of why that idea holds
• Example making it concrete
• Link back to the question

Four sentences, one idea. Two body paragraphs built like that beat four paragraphs of mixed material.

A test: cover everything but your topic sentences. Reading just those should give the shape of your whole argument. If it does not, the paragraphs are not doing their job.

Three: you are writing to a memorised template

Examiners see the same learned phrases constantly, and formulaic openings are not rewarded. Beginning with "In this modern era, it is a controversial topic that has been widely debated" signals a template and says nothing.

Start with a sentence that engages the actual topic. Paraphrase the prompt, state your position, move on. Two sentences is enough for an introduction.

The same applies to connectives. A paragraph where every sentence opens with Moreover, Furthermore, In addition reads as mechanical. Natural cohesion — pronouns, referring back, varied sentence openings — scores better than visible signposting.

What examiners actually reward

Development over coverage. Two ideas explored properly beat five mentioned. Candidates worried about length add points; the better move is to go deeper into fewer.

Precision over ambition. A complex sentence used incorrectly costs more than a simple one used well. Range matters, but accuracy is assessed too, and reaching for an unfamiliar structure usually loses more than it gains.

A clear position, held consistently. Decide what you think before writing and do not drift. Essays that argue one way and conclude the other are common and they read as confusion rather than nuance.

Practical check

Write one essay under timed conditions, then mark it against the published band descriptors rather than your own impression. The descriptors state plainly what separates one band from the next, and most candidates have never read them — which is why they keep polishing vocabulary while the structure holds the score down.