IELTS Band Scores: Band Descriptors, Section-wise Score, and Score Calculation
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Content Curator | Updated On - Mar 30, 2024
IELTS band score is the overall score of all four test sections you have taken. IELTS band score scale ranges from 0-9, proving your English proficiency for higher education levels in European countries. 0 determines that you have not taken the test, and a 9 band score indicates that you are an expert in the English language. So if you achieve an IELTS test band score of 8 in listening, 7 in writing, 7.5 in speaking, and 7.5 in Reading, then your overall score would be 7.5. Most universities accept IELTS score and band as a mandatory exam for getting into the desired program.
IELTS band score calculation in all four sections is done based on your understanding of the questions and their response to them. You must have a better understanding of IELTS cut-off requirements before applying to universities. The mark for the listening section is 40 and for each correct answer, you will be awarded 1 mark. Scores are converted into IELTS band scale and then reported in half and whole bands. Similarly, the reading section also has a total mark of 40 and depends on how well you perform in both sections.
You will get your IELTS score depending on the mode you took your exam. So if you have taken the test online, the results will come after 6–8 days, and it takes 3–5 days when you take the test through the computer-delivered tests. You can also check your results from the test taker portal, where you will need to log in with your passport or ID number. If you have registered for your test through IDP, then you can check the results from the official website by logging into your account.
IELTS Score Calculation
The IELTS point calculation is the average of the four test sections to determine your expertise in the English Language. IELTS chart band is prepared after converting the total scores out of 40 in all the sections to the nearest of the whole or half band. When you receive your test report, you will receive the overall scores as well as the individual scores you obtained in all four sections. IELTS band calculator can be used to check the results and the IELTS score validity is for two years.
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Band Score | |
| Test Taker 1 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| Test Taker 2 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| Test Taker 3 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
IELTS Band Descriptors
The IELTS band score descriptors for various sections assess your skills in all four essential spheres of the English language and determine your suitability for pursuing higher education in an English-speaking country. The band chart for IELTS scores to CLB level ranges from an expert user of the language to a non-user of the language - where 9 band score means an expert user and 1 band score is a non-user. Hence, you should properly understand the descriptors before checking your results. The IELTS band descriptors chart is mentioned below for your reference:
| IELTS Band | Proficiency Level | Description |
| 9.0 | Expert |
|
| 8.0 | Very Good |
|
| 7.0 | Good |
|
| 6.0 | Competent |
|
| 5.0 | Modest |
|
| 4.0 | Limited |
|
| 3.0 | Extremely Limited |
|
| 2.0 | Intermittent |
|
| 1.0 | Non-user |
|
Section-wise Band Descriptor
IELTS band score varies according to your performance in the listening, reading, writing, and writing tests. For every section of IELTS syllabus, the score is calculated separately, and then their average is done to find the overall scores. For example, if you have scored 38 in the listening and reading sections, then your band score would be 9 which is the highest score. A section-wise band descriptor is given below:
| Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | Average | Overall |
| 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 28.5/4 = 7.125 | 7.0 |
| 6.0 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 23.5/4 = 5.875 | 6.0 |
IELTS Listening Band Score
IELTS listening score band ranges from 0-9. There are a total number of 40 questions, and 1 mark is awarded for each right answer. IELTS listening test scores abstained out of 40 are then converted into 9 IELTS band scores. So if you have scored 16 out of 40, then the band score would be 5 and if you have scored 35 out of 40, then the band score is 8. The listening test has 5 types of questions - Multiple choice, match the following, diagram labeling, summary completion, sentence completion, and short answer questions. The listening band score is calculated based on how you have understood and listened to the conversation between two people, listening to detailed information.
| Listening Band Score | Listening Raw Score |
| 9 | 39-40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 |
| 8.0 | 35-36 |
| 7.5 | 33-34 |
| 7.0 | 30-32 |
| 6.5 | 27-29 |
| 6.0 | 23-26 |
| 5.5 | 19-22 |
| 5.0 | 15-18 |
| 4.5 | 13-14 |
| 4.0 | 10-12 |
| 3.5 | 8-9 |
| 3.0 | 6-7 |
| 2.5 | 4-5 |
IELTS Reading Band Score
The IELTS reading test has three sections - section focuses on everyday topics, section 2 deals with work topics, and section 3 deals with a topic of general interest. IELTS reading band score is calculated based on how well-versed are you in reading long passages and answering comprehension questions, how well have you grasped the concept of the passage, and whether you can understand the questions correctly. The IELTS reading band scale is from 0-9, and it differs for the Academic and general reading tests. If you have scored 15 out of 40 on the academic reading test, then the band score would be 5 and for the general test, it would be 4. Below is a detailed IELTS chart band descriptors of the reading section:
| IELTS Reading Band Score Calculation | |||
| Academic Reading Band Score | General Training Reading Band Score | ||
| Band Score | Raw Score | Band Score | Raw Score |
| 9.0 | 39-40 | 9.0 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 | 8.5 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 35-36 | 8.0 | 37-38 |
| 7.5 | 33-34 | 7.5 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 30-32 | 7.0 | 34-35 |
| 6.5 | 27-29 | 6.5 | 32-33 |
| 6.0 | 23-26 | 6.0 | 30-31 |
| 5.5 | 19-22 | 5.5 | 27-29 |
| 5.0 | 15-18 | 5.0 | 23-26 |
| 4.5 | 13-14 | 4.5 | 19-22 |
| 4.0 | 10-12 | 4.0 | 15-18 |
| 3.5 | 8-9 | 3.5 | 12-14 |
| 3.0 | 6-7 | 3.0 | 9-11 |
| 2.5 | 4-5 | 2.5 | 6-8 |
| 2.0 | 3 | 2.0 | 4-5 |
IELTS Speaking Band Score
The IELTS speaking test is conducted through a face-to-face interview, and it is held in three parts and this section is recorded. Each of the three parts follows a different pattern to test your speaking abilities. The speaking band scale ranges from 0-9, 0 indicating that you have not taken the test, and 9, indicating that you are a proficient speaker in English. The IELTS band score for speaking is calculated based on your fluency and cohesion, usage of lexical resources, and how accurate your grammar is, and 25% of these scores are taken to calculate the band score. The first part of the IELTS speaking test is an introduction round, the second part is where the examiner will give you a task card, and you will have to speak about that specific topic for about 2 minutes and the last part is a question and answer round where the examiner will ask questions from the topic you will speak about. Below is a detailed speaking band chart descriptor for your reference :
| Marking Criteria | Explanation |
| Fluency |
|
| Pronunciation |
|
| Coherence and Cohesion |
|
| Grammatical Accuracy |
|
IELTS Writing Band Score
IELTS writing task evaluates your writing skills on various general topics in the exam. IELTS writing score is assessed based on four criteria - lexical resources, task response, cohesion and coherence, and grammatical accuracy. 25% of the scores from these criteria are taken to make the band score.
| Marking Criteria | Explanation |
| Task Response |
|
| Coherence and Cohesion |
|
| Lexical resource |
|
| Grammatical accuracy |
|
IELTS exam band calculator can be used for you to check your score section-wise. You need to have a clear and better understanding of the IELTS score band descriptors to get the raw scores. You will also receive an IELTS Test Report form as an official test report and proof of your test results.
FAQs
Ques. How is the IELTS overall test calculated?
Ans. The overall result is calculated by taking the mean result of all four sections of the test which is calculated to the nearest of the whole or half band.
Ques. How can I get a 9-band in the IELTS?
Ans. You can get a 9-band in the IELTS through thorough practice sessions every day by solving test and sample questions and setting a time limit for yourself. You need to understand and follow the questions correctly, and always recheck your answers.
Ques. Is 7 a good score on the IELTS?
Ans. If you score a 7 in the IELTS, then it is certainly good as most of the universities set the cutoff for the IELTS as 6.5 or above.
Ques. How long are the IELTS results valid?
Ans. The test report is valid for two years, starting right from the day of the examination. The test report is valid in the UK, Canada, and the USA.
Ques. What is the IELTS exam syllabus?
Ans. The IELTS exam has four distinct sections, reading, writing, and speaking and each of the parts has three sections for you to answer them.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.