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IELTS Scores
About your IELTS results
What does your IELTS score mean? With a 9-Band scale, each IELTS band score reflects different level of English users. You may refer to the IELTS Score Scale and Descriptor, and How to calculate your overall IELTS band score for more.
IELTS 9-Band scale
You will be given a score from 1 to 9 for each part of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The average produces your Overall Band Score. You can score whole (e.g., 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half (e.g., 5.5., 6.5, 7.5) bands in each part of the test.
The highest IELTS score is 9 and the lowest is 1, each score is a reflection of different levels of English users. There is no pass or fail in IELTS.
IELTS Score Scale and Descriptor
IELTS Band 9 Expert user |
has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. |
IELTS Band 8 Very good user |
has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacy. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. |
IELTS Band 7 Good user |
has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriacy and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. |
IELTS Band 6 Competent user |
has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacy and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
IELTS 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. |
IELTS 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. |
IELTS Band 3 Extremely limited user |
conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur. |
IELTS 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. |
IELTS Band 1 Non-user |
essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
View IELTS Band Score System and HKDSE result comparison table
How to calculate your overall IELTS band score?
Your overall band score is calculated by taking the mean score of the four test components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). The score for each component is equally weighted. Your overall band score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band.
- If you achieve 6.5 for Listening, 6.5 for Reading, 5.0 for Writing and 7.0 for Speaking, your Overall IELTS Band Score would be:
(6.5 + 6.5 + 5.0 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 6.25 which is IELTS 6.5 - If you achieve 4.0 for Listening, 3.5 for Reading, 4.0 for Writing and 4.0 for Speaking, your Overall IELTS Band Score would be:
(4.0 + 3.5 + 4.0 + 4.0) ÷ 4 = 3.875 which is IELTS 4
IELTS Listening Scores
IELTS Listening contain 40 questions. Each correct item is awarded one mark, so the maximum raw score you can achieve for each component is 40. Band scores ranging from Band 1 to Band 9 are awarded to candidates on the basis of their raw scores (number of correct answers).
Number of marks required for respective Listening Scores*
No. of Correct Answers | IELTS Listening Scores |
35 | IELTS Band 8 |
30 | IELTS Band 7 |
23 | IELTS Band 6 |
16 | IELTS Band 5 |
IELTS Speaking Scores
IELTS Examiners use detailed assessment criteria which describe written performance at each of the 9 IELTS bands.
Examiners award a band score for each of four criterion areas: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy; and Pronunciation. The four criteria are equally weighted.
IELTS Reading Scores
IELTS Reading components contain 40 questions. Each correct item is awarded one mark, so the maximum raw score you can achieve for each component is 40. Band scores ranging from Band 1 to Band 9 are awarded to candidates on the basis of their raw scores (number of correct answers).
Number of marks required for respective Reading Scores*
No. of Correct Questions General Training |
No. of Correct Questions Academic |
IELTS Listening |
---|---|---|
– | 35 | IELTS Band 8 |
34 | 30 | IELTS Band 7 |
30 | 23 | IELTS Band 6 |
23 | 15 | IELTS Band 5 |
16 | – | IELTS Band 4 |
IELTS Writing Scores
IELTS Examiners use detailed assessment criteria which describe written performance at each of the 9 IELTS bands.
Examiners award a band score for each of four criterion areas: Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2);Coherence and Cohesion;Lexical Resource; Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The four criteria are equally weighted.
Need more information about the IELTS exam?
* Provides an approximate band score only
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