IELTS Scoring: Detailed Information

IELTS scoring is based on the test results for IELTS Academic and General Tests for all four modules. The detailed Scoring is reported using the same IELTS band scale ranging from 0 to 9 denoting level of English Language proficiency.

The final test report provides band scores for each modules and overall IELTS band score.

Overall Band Score

The overall band score is the average score of all the four modules, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. All the modules scores are weighted equally.

For example, if you IELTS band scores are:

Modules	Band scores
Listening	8
Reading	7.5
Writing	7.5
Speaking	7

Then your total band score will be= 8 + 7.5 + 7.5 + 7= 30/4 = 7.5

It is the average of your IELTS Band scores of all modules.

The score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band.

For example, if your scores are:

Average Score	Final Score	Description
7.25	7.50	Score ending in .25 is rounded up to next half band
7.75	8.0	Score ending in .75 is rounded up to next whole band
8.1	8.0	Score ending in .10 is rounded down

Let’s have a closer look on band score description of each module so that you can concentrate on thorough IELTS test preparation.

IELTS Component Band Scores

IELTS Listening Test

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.

There is no penalty for incorrect answers.

The tables below indicate the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Listening.

Correct answers	Band scores
39-40	9
37-38	8.5
35-36	8
32-34	7.5
30-31	7
26-29	6.5
23-25	6
18-22	5.5
16-17	5
13-15	4.5
11-12	4

IELTS Reading Test

The IELTS Reading test consists of 40 questions with each correct answer awarded with 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 Reading tests are graded on the same scale, although conversion of raw scores to band Scores is different for both IELTS Academic Reading & General Reading Tests.

The main difference between the two tests is of genre. However, Academic Reading tests may contain texts which consists of more complex vocabulary or varied style. It is advised to answer as many questions on a General Reading test to score your target band.

The tables below signify the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Academic Reading and General Training Reading:

IELTS Reading Academic

Correct Answers	Band Scores
39-40	9
37-38	8.5
35-36	8
33-34	7.5
30-32	7
27-29	6.5
23-26	6
19-22	5.5
15-18	5
13-14	4.5
10-12	4
8-9	3.5
6-7	3
4-5	2.5

IELTS Reading General

Correct Answers	Band Scores
40	9
39	8.5
37-38	8
36	7.5
34-35	7
32-33	6.5
30-31	6
27-29	5.5
23-26	5
19-22	4.5
15-18	4
12-14	3.5
9-11	3
6-8	2.5

IELTS Writing Test

Examiners use Writing 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.

IELTS Speaking Test

Examiners use Speaking 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.

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