Aptis Writing is marked holistically, from 0 to 50. See the level each task aims at, the Part 4 band descriptors and what raters look at.
Aptis Writing is marked in a holistic way. The rater scores the whole text at once, and there is no official breakdown by criteria. The score goes from 0 to 50 and is converted to a level. What is published is the level each task aims at and what each band describes. Here it is, with what raters really look at. Back to home.
Raters do not give one mark for grammar, one for vocabulary and one for cohesion, and then add them. They judge the whole text by its language features (grammar, vocabulary, cohesion) and then decide if you keep that level throughout the answer. So one brilliant paragraph does not make up for a text that gets weaker in the rest.
Breakdowns such as "grammar 4/5, vocabulary 3/5", which you see in many tools, including our practice exam, are teaching help, not the official score. They show what to improve. They do not predict every point.
| Part | What it is | Length | Aims at | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Five messages with single words | 1-5 words | A1 | 0-3 |
| 2 | Personal information | 20-30 words | A2 | 0-5 |
| 3 | Three answers on a social-network-style website | 30-40 words each | B1 | 0-5 |
| 4 | Two emails: informal and formal | 40-50 and 120-150 words | B2 | 0-6 |
The tasks are designed to go up in level. If you work only on the first two, you are not training where the high level is decided.
In Part 3, the scales report explains that a 3 or a 4 means B1: 3 is B1.1 (not sustained) and 4 is B1.2 (sustained). A 5 means "above B1": it is given when you meet all of B1 and go beyond it in at least one aspect. A 5 in Part 3 is not, by itself, a B2.
Part 4 aims highest. Summary of its descriptors (Aptis General technical manual):
| Band | Level | What it describes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | Probably above C1 |
| 5 | C1 | On topic, with two clearly different registers; a range of complex structures used accurately; a range of vocabulary and connectors |
| 4 | B2.2 | On topic, with the right register kept in both emails; some correct complex structures; enough vocabulary; a limited number of connectors |
| 3 | B2.1 | Partly on topic: the right register is kept in only one of the two emails |
| 2 | B1.2 | Partly on topic; the register is not kept in either email; only simple connectors |
| 1 | B1.1 | Off topic and no register |
| 0 | A0 | No meaningful language, or off topic |
Two points. The two different registers are part of the band, not decoration. And General does not report C2, so bands 5 and 6 merge into "C" on the certificate.
The scales report includes a survey of 38 raters about Part 3. The criteria chosen as most important, in the report's words:
Register was the least used criterion in that part. And the scale counts how many of the three questions you answered.
How strongly you hold your opinion is not scored. Softening (I'm not sure, perhaps, it depends) is B2-C1 language and is not penalised. What you do lose is not answering what is asked: if the question is "Should we ask for...?", you must answer whether to ask or not, not only whether it suits you.
General reports up to "C". Advanced does reach C2: its Tasks 2 and 3 have a band 6 equal to C2. For the 220-250 word essay in Teens, we use the General Part 4 descriptors as our own reference, not as official data.
Who marks Aptis Writing? Raters, using the official scales. The scales report includes a survey of 38 of them. The correction in the AptisBot practice exam is our own estimate, not the exam score.
Is there a separate mark for grammar, vocabulary...? No. The official marking is holistic: one score per task, based on the features of the text and whether you keep them through the answer.
How many words must I write? It depends on the part: 1-5 words (P1), 20-30 (P2), 30-40 per answer (P3), and 40-50 plus 120-150 in the two emails of P4.
Does a single mistake lower my level? The descriptors speak of errors that do not stop understanding in the high bands. What matters is that the text keeps the level, not that there is one typo.
Practise all four tasks with their word limits: take a practice exam in your browser.
Aptis rating scales report (Fairbairn and Dunlea, TR/2017/001), §5.2.1 and Table 1; Aptis General technical manual, Appendix H (band descriptors); Advanced Technical Supplement, Appendix G.
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