How IELTS band scores are calculated
Your IELTS result is a band from 0 to 9 for each of the four skills, plus one overall band. Here is how each score is worked out, with examples you can check against your own results.
How the overall band is calculated
Your overall band is the average of your four skill bands, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. If the average ends in .25, it rounds up to the next half band. If it ends in .75, it rounds up to the next whole band.
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
Listening and Reading: raw score to band
Both tests have 40 questions, and each correct answer earns one mark. The table below shows the commonly published conversions. Exact cut-offs can vary slightly between test versions, so treat them as a guide.
| Band | Listening (out of 40) | Academic Reading (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 | 39–40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 37–38 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 | 35–36 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 33–34 |
| 7.0 | 30–31 | 30–32 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 |
| 6.0 | 23–25 | 23–26 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 |
| 5.0 | 16–17 | 15–18 |
General Training Reading needs more correct answers
General Training Reading uses a different scale because its texts are easier. For example, Band 7 needs about 34 correct answers, compared with about 30 in Academic Reading.
How Writing is scored
Examiners give a band for each of four criteria: Task Response (Task Achievement in Task 1), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The four count equally within each task, and Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band.
How Speaking is scored
Speaking is also scored on four equally weighted criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
What this means for your preparation
- Because of rounding, a small gain in one skill can lift your overall band by half a point.
- If you need a minimum in every skill, as many universities and visa routes require, your weakest skill matters most.
- Listening and Reading usually respond fastest to practice, while Writing and Speaking need feedback on each attempt.
Put it into practice
Try a test or an essay check and see where you stand today.
Related practice
- IELTS Reading practicePractise IELTS Reading online in the computer-based layout: passage beside questions, highlighting and a band score the moment you finish. Start free.
- IELTS Listening practicePractise IELTS Listening online with real question types and exam timing. Your answers are marked instantly, with the right answer next to yours. Start free.
- IELTS mock testsTake a full IELTS mock test online with the same format and timing as the Academic exam. See your band for each skill and what to work on next.