The IELTS Academic and General Training test results are reported using the same nine-band scale
The Test Report Form provides your Overall Band Score and band scores for each of the four components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Overall Band Score
The Overall Band Score is the average of the four component scores, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. The component scores are weighted equally.
Some examples:
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average of four components (total of the four individual component scores divided by four) | Band score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test taker A | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| Test taker B | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| Test taker C | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
If the average of the four components ends in .25, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next whole band.
Component Band Scores
Listening
The IELTS Listening test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
Reading
The IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
The Academic and General Training Reading tests are graded on the same scale. The distinction between the two tests is one of genre or text type. However, Academic Reading tests may contain texts which feature more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity of style. It is usual that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on a General Training Reading test to secure a given band score.
The tables below indicate the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Listening, Academic Reading and General Training Reading.
| Listening | |
| Band score | Raw score out of 40 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 23 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 35 |
| Academic Reading | |
| Band score | Raw score out of 40 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 6 | 23 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 35 |
| General Training Reading | |
| Band score | Raw score out of 40 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 23 |
| 6 | 30 |
| 7 | 34 |
| 8 | 38 |
Writing
Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the four criteria:
- Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2)
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average.
Speaking
Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the four criteria:
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Pronunciation
The criteria are weighted equally and the Speaking band score is the average.
Versions of the assessment criteria for Writing and Speaking have been developed to help stakeholders better understand the level of performance required to secure a particular band score:
- Download Writing task 1 assessment criteria (PDF,124KB)
- Download Writing task 2 assessment criteria (PDF, 68KB)
- Download Speaking assessment criteria (PDF, 120KB)
Band Score Interpretation
There is no pass or fail in IELTS. Candidates are graded on their performance in the test, using scores from 1 to 9 for each part of the test Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Your results from the four parts then produce an Overall Band Score.
Each band corresponds to a level of English competence. All parts of the test and the Overall Band Score can be reported in whole and half bands.
| Band 9: | Expert User |
| Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. | |
| Band 8: | Very Good User |
| Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. | |
| Band 7: | Good User |
| Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. | |
| Band 6: | Competent User |
| Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. | |
| Band 5: | Modest User |
| Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. | |
| Band 4: | Limited User |
| Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language. | |
| Band 3: | Extremely Limited User |
| Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur. | |
| Band 2: | Intermittent User |
| No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. | |
| Band 1: | Non User |
| Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. | |
| Band 0 : | Did not attempt the test |
| No assessable information provided. |
