Scoring, explained
How IELTS Is Scored
Every section is marked from band 0 to 9. Your overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half. Here is exactly how that average is worked out, how the rounding falls, and how raw Listening and Reading scores become bands.
The short answer
IELTS reports a band from 0 to 9 for each of the four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Your overall band is the average of those four scores, rounded to the nearest half band. Scores are only ever whole or half bands, so there is no such thing as a 6.3 or a 7.2.
- Four section bands, each from 0 to 9 in half-band steps
- Overall band = the average of the four, rounded to the nearest 0.5
- An average ending in .25 rounds up to .5; ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band
What each band means
The nine-band scale describes how fully you can use English:
| Band | User | In plain terms |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert | Full, natural command with complete accuracy |
| 8 | Very good | Fully operational; only occasional, unsystematic slips |
| 7 | Good | Handles complex language well despite some inaccuracies |
| 6 | Competent | Effective command with some errors and misunderstandings |
| 5 | Modest | Partial command; copes with overall meaning in most situations |
| 4 | Limited | Basic competence limited to familiar situations |
Most university and immigration requirements sit between band 6.0 and 7.5, which is the range this scale is really about.
How your overall band is calculated
Add the four section bands, divide by four, then round. The only part people get wrong is the rounding, so here it is with real numbers:
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.875 | 7.0 |
| 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 5.875 | 6.0 |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| 6.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.625 | 6.5 |
Notice row one: an average of 6.25 rounds up to 6.5. Row two: 6.875 rounds up to 7.0. The rule always rounds a .25 or a .75 average upward, which quietly works in your favour.
Listening and Reading: raw score to band
Both sections have 40 questions worth one mark each. Your number of correct answers (the raw score) converts to a band. Listening uses one table for everyone:
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 32–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–31 | 7.0 |
| 26–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–25 | 6.0 |
| 18–22 | 5.5 |
| 16–17 | 5.0 |
| 13–15 | 4.5 |
| 10–12 | 4.0 |
Reading converts differently for the two papers. General Training texts are easier, so it takes more correct answers to reach the same band:
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 33–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–32 | 7.0 |
| 27–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–26 | 6.0 |
| 19–22 | 5.5 |
| 15–18 | 5.0 |
| 13–14 | 4.5 |
| 10–12 | 4.0 |
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 37–38 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 7.5 |
| 34–35 | 7.0 |
| 32–33 | 6.5 |
| 30–31 | 6.0 |
| 27–29 | 5.5 |
| 23–26 | 5.0 |
| 19–22 | 4.5 |
| 15–18 | 4.0 |
Every real test version is individually calibrated, so these are close estimates from official practice materials, not a guarantee for a specific paper.
Writing: four criteria, Task 2 weighted double
Writing is marked by an examiner on four equally weighted criteria, and both tasks are scored the same way:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2): did you fully answer what was asked?
- Coherence & Cohesion: is it logically organised, with natural linking?
- Lexical Resource: range and precision of vocabulary
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: variety of structures and how many sentences are error-free
Your Writing section band is a weighted average where Task 2 counts twice: (Task 1 + Task 2 + Task 2) ÷ 3. Score Task 1 at 6.0 and Task 2 at 7.0 and your Writing band is 20 ÷ 3 = 6.67, which rounds to 6.5. That is why the exam gives you 40 minutes for Task 2 and only 20 for Task 1.
Speaking: four criteria
Speaking is marked live by an examiner on four equally weighted criteria:
- Fluency & Coherence: can you keep going without long hesitation, and does it hang together?
- Lexical Resource: range and precision of vocabulary, including less common words
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: variety of structures and control
- Pronunciation: how clear and natural you are, including stress and intonation
The four criteria are averaged to your Speaking band. There is no reading or writing in this section, only an 11 to 14 minute conversation in three parts.
Frequently asked questions
How is the overall IELTS band score calculated?
You get a band from 0 to 9 for each of the four sections (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). The overall band is the average of those four, rounded to the nearest half band. For example, Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.0 and Speaking 7.0 average 6.25, which rounds up to an overall 6.5.
How does IELTS rounding work?
The average of your four section scores is rounded to the nearest whole or half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and an average ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. So 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.0. An average of 6.125 rounds down to 6.0, because the nearest half band is 6.0.
Are Listening and Reading scored the same way?
Both have 40 questions and one mark each, but the raw-score-to-band conversion differs. Listening uses one table for everyone. Reading uses two: the Academic and General Training papers convert differently, and General Training needs more correct answers for the same band because its texts are easier.
Is Writing Task 2 worth more than Task 1?
Yes. Your Writing section band is a weighted average: Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. So if you score Task 1 at 6.0 and Task 2 at 7.0, your Writing band is (6.0 + 7.0 + 7.0) ÷ 3 = 6.67, which rounds to 6.5. Spend roughly 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 on Task 2.
Can I get a half band overall, like 6.5 or 7.5?
Yes. Overall and section scores are reported in whole and half bands (for example 6.0, 6.5, 7.0). You cannot score a quarter band such as 6.25; that is why the average is rounded.
How can I find my band before test day?
Practise in the real format and score each section the way the exam does. IELTSLab marks Listening and Reading against the official conversion, and gives criteria-by-criteria AI band scores for Writing and Speaking, so you see all four bands and your rounded overall the way test day will report them.
See your four bands and overall
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