English guide
IELTS Band Scores Explained: How Your Score Is Calculated
Updated 27 September 2026 · 3 min read
IELTS results are reported as bands from 0 to 9 for each of the four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — plus an overall band. Knowing exactly how those numbers are produced helps you set a realistic target and focus your study where it counts.
What the bands mean
| Band | Description | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert | Full, fluent and accurate command of English |
| 8 | Very good | Occasional unsystematic errors |
| 7 | Good | Handles complex language well, with some mistakes |
| 6 | Competent | Generally effective despite some errors and misunderstandings |
| 5 | Modest | Partial command; copes with overall meaning in most situations |
| 4 | Limited | Basic competence in familiar situations only |
How the overall band is calculated
Your overall band is the average of the four skill bands, rounded to the nearest half or whole band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
- Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.5, Speaking 6 → average 6.125 → overall 6
- Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6, Speaking 6 → average 6.25 → overall 6.5
- Listening 7.5, Reading 7, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7 → average 7.0 → overall 7
- Listening 8, Reading 7.5, Writing 7, Speaking 7.5 → average 7.5 → overall 7.5
Listening and Reading: raw scores to bands
Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, one mark each. Your raw score out of 40 is converted to a band. The exact conversion varies slightly between test versions, but these are typical figures for Listening and Academic Reading:
| Band | Listening (out of 40) | Academic Reading (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 39–40 | 39–40 |
| 8 | 35–36 | 35–36 |
| 7 | 30–31 | 30–32 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 |
| 6 | 23–25 | 23–26 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 |
General Training Reading uses a different conversion, because its texts are easier — you need more correct answers for the same band.
How Writing is marked
Examiners mark each Writing task against four equally weighted criteria: Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource (vocabulary) and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band.
How Speaking is marked
The Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation of 11–14 minutes, marked on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation, each worth a quarter.
Academic vs. General Training
Listening and Speaking are the same in both versions. Reading and Writing differ: Academic uses texts and tasks suited to university study, such as describing a chart in Writing Task 1, while General Training uses everyday and workplace material and asks for a letter in Task 1. Check which version your university, employer or visa requires before you book.
What score do you need?
Many universities ask for an overall 6.5 with no band below 6, while competitive courses may ask for 7 or more. Migration and professional registration often require minimum scores in every skill. Requirements differ between institutions and change over time, so always check the organisation you are applying to.
How to raise your band
- Take the free English level test to see where you are now.
- Work through the IELTS preparation course, with lessons for every section and question type.
- Practise writing under timed conditions and check your word count with the Word Counter.
- Build vocabulary with the vocabulary trainer — Lexical Resource is a quarter of both Writing and Speaking.