Writing
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2)
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1, so the essay matters most.
How the writing test works
IELTS Band Score Calculator
Check your IELTS band score
Enter your correct answers out of 40 for Listening and Reading, and the band your Writing and Speaking were given, to see each module band and your overall band. Already have all four bands? Switch to "I have my four bands" to see the overall only.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The conversion tables and the rounding rule below give the same answer by hand.
How the overall band is worked out
Your overall band is the average of your four module bands, rounded to the nearest half band. Where the average falls exactly on a quarter, IELTS rounds up:
- Ends in .25
- rounds up to the next half band — 6.25 becomes 6.5.
- Ends in .75
- rounds up to the next whole band — 6.75 becomes 7.
- Anything else
- rounds to the nearest half band — 6.125 becomes 6, 6.375 becomes 6.5.
| L | R | W | S | Average | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 6.375 | 6.5 |
| 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.75 | 7.0 |
L, R, W, S: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking.
Listening and Reading: raw score to band
Listening and Reading each have 40 questions worth one mark. IELTS converts the total to a band using the tables below. They are the approximate tables IELTS publishes — the exact cut-offs can move by a mark between test versions.
Listening
Academic and General Training sit the same Listening test.
| Correct answers | 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 |
Academic Reading
Academic passages are longer and denser, so the same band needs fewer correct answers than General Training.
| Correct answers | 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 |
General Training Reading
General Training texts are everyday material, so each band asks for more correct answers.
| Correct answers | 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 |
Writing and Speaking are marked, not counted
There is no raw score for Writing or Speaking. A certified examiner gives a band for each of four criteria, weighted equally, and the module band is their average.
Speaking
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Pronunciation
All three parts of the interview are assessed together, not one at a time.
How the speaking test worksNot sure what band your Writing or Speaking would get?
Talk to our trainers — they mark practice answers against the same four criteria an IELTS examiner uses.
IELTS band score questions
How accurate is this IELTS band score calculator?
The overall-band rounding is exact — it is the rule IELTS publishes. The Listening and Reading conversions use the approximate tables IELTS publishes; the real cut-offs can move by a mark or so between test versions, so treat a result on a band boundary as either band.
Is the Listening band the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. Both sit the identical Listening test, so one table covers both. Only Reading and Writing differ between the two.
Why does General Training Reading need more correct answers for the same band?
The General Training texts are everyday material — notices, workplace documents, a general-interest article — so the scale is set higher to reach the same band as the denser Academic passages.
Can my overall band be higher than every one of my module bands?
No, but it can be higher than the plain average. Four bands averaging 6.25 round up to 6.5 overall, and an average of 6.75 rounds up to 7.
Can I calculate a Writing or Speaking band myself?
Not from a count of anything. Both are marked by an examiner against four criteria. The closest you can get is to have a trained evaluator mark a practice response against the same criteria — which is what the free mock test on this site offers.
Does a university look at my overall band or my module bands?
Usually both. Most courses and visa routes set an overall minimum and a minimum for each module, so a strong overall with one weak module can still fall short. Check the requirement for your course before you book.