IELTS Band Score Guide: The 8+ Band Secret

Your IELTS band score determines your probability of getting into the universities you are willing to study abroad. More than 10,000 institutes and organizations accept IELTS band score as proof of English proficiency. As an aspiring study abroad student and even professional willing to migrate to English-speaking countries, your IELTS score is crucial. The blog contains all the necessary information you should be aware of as an aspiring study-abroad student about your IELTS band score. 

What is the IELTS Band Chart?

The IELTS band chart is a critical tool and a vital yardstick representing the IELTS examination’s scoring system. It categorizes levels of English proficiency from 0 to 9.​ It is an essential indicator of the language ability of the test takers. The IELTS band chart adjudges the test takers in terms of the following descriptors:

• Language ability
• Readiness to study
• Readiness to work
• Live in an English-speaking environment

IELTS 9 Band Scale

​The IELTS 9-band scale is designed to measure the English language proficiency of candidates across different levels, ranging from non-users to expert users.​ Each band score corresponds to specific language abilities. The score ranges from 0 to 9, explore the below table what your score specifies about your language abilities:

Score	Candidate Skill Level	Description
9	Expert	The score reflects that the test taker has an adept command of the language.
8	Very Good	The score shows that the test taker has an adept command of the language, barring the commitment of occasional inaccuracies and inappropriate usage.
7	Good	The score underpins that the user generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning but commits a few inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misinterpretations in some situations.
6	Competent	This score shows that the test taker can use and understand reasonably complex language, particularly in familiar situations, and has an effective command of the language with the exception of some inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and miscalculations.
5	Modest	This score underscores the test taker should be able to handle basic communication in their field, have a partial command of the language and cope with overall meaning in most situations, although they are likely to make many mistakes.
4	Limited	This score frequently showcases major problems in understanding and expressing, and the test taker’s basic competence is limited to familiar situations.
3	Extremely Limited	The score reflects that the test taker frequently commits gaffes in communication and conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations.
2	Intermittent	It shows that the test taker has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.
1	Non User	This score reflects that the test taker cannot use the language except for a few isolated words.
0	Did not Attempt the Test	This score shows that the test taker did not answer the questions or attend the test.

IELTS Band Score Calculations

IELTS Listening Band Scores

In the listening section, each correct answer is awarded 1 mark and contains a total of 40 questions. The scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. The below table demonstrates the IELTS listening score calculation:

No. of 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
18-122	5.5
16-17	5
13-15	4.5
11-12	4

IELTS Reading Band Scores

In IELTS Reading, for each correct answer, you are awarded 1 mark and the section contains a total of 40 questions. The scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. 

The Academic Reading test may contain texts with more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity of styles but the IELTS Academic and General Training Reading tests are graded on the same scale. The below table demonstrates the IELTS reading score calculation:

IELTS Academic

No. of Correct Answers	Band Scores
40-39	9
38-37	8.5
36-35	8
34-33	7.5
32-30	7
29-27	6.5
26-23	6
22-19	5.5
18-15	5
14-13	4.5
12-10	4
9-8	3.5
7-6	3
5-4	2.5

IELTS General Training

No. of Correct Answers	Band Score
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

Recommended read: 50 Difficult words for IELTS & TOEFL 

IELTS Writing Band Score

In the IELTS Writing, the test taker must perform assessment criteria to award a score. The following are the four criteria for IELTS band score calculation in the writing section:

• Task achievement (for task 1)= 25%

You need to:

	Present accurate information
	Provide an  overview
	Highlight key features/stages
	Support detail with data

• Task response (for task 2)= 25%

This task involves:

	Answering the questions
	Supported and developed relevant main points
	Giving a clear position
	Provide a conclusion

• Coherence & Cohesion= 25%

This involves:

	Organizing information
	Giving one central idea in each paragraph
	Using a range of linking devices

• Grammar & Accuracy= 25%

The task involves:

	Using a range of sentence structures
	Correct use of punctuation
	Avoid making errors
	Use grammar tenses

IELTS Speaking Band Score

In the IELTS Speaking, the examiner uses an assessment criteria to award a score. The following are the four criterias for the IELTS band score calculation in the speaking section:

Criteria	Skills Expected
Fluency and Coherence	Candidate should be able to understand EnglishCandidate should talk without hesitation and pauseCandidate should talk at length
Lexical resource	Candidate avoids making errorsCandidate uses less common vocabularyThe candidate uses a range of words
Grammatical range and accuracy	Candidate avoids making errorsCandidates use a range of grammar tenses in writingThe candidate uses a range of sentence structures
Pronunciation	Candidate should be able to use accurate words and sound pronunciationCandidate must be able to understand the testAccent does not affect candidates’s understanding

How to Understand IELTS Band Score?

Your IELTS scores for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking bear an equal weightage. They are rated on a 9-band chart from 0-9, with increments of 0.5, 0.25, and 0.75.

The mean of all four parts of the test forms an overall band score. The IELTS band scores ending in 0.25 are rounded up to the next half-band and the scores ending in 0.75 are rounded up to the next whole band. 

Let’s understand the concept with some examples:

1. If the average score ends in 0.25

• It will be rounded up to the next half-round

Example:

• Suppose the average score is 6.25, the final band score will be 6.5

2. If the average score ends in 0.75

• It will be rounded up to the next whole band

Example:

• Suppose the average score is 6.75, the final band score will be 7.0.

Some more examples:

Average score	Round up Score
6.25	6
5.75	6.0
7.75	8.0

Tips to Achieve Your Target Band

Your IELTS Band Score can determine your future. Here are some tips to achieve your target band score and get into the university you want to:

• Practice Daily Reading

Set aside at least 30 minutes per day from your schedule to read English texts. You can read the things of your interest like sports magazines if you are a sports person, English newspapers if you are fond of general knowledge, reading fictional books if you are a fan of fiction. This will help you make a good IELTS reading score.

• Read the Questions Carefully

Read and understand the questions well before attempting. It will be better to lose some time rather than lose marks and answer wrong. Plus it will help you in bettering your IELTS writing score. Moreover, if you also apply the same in your interview(understanding the question), it will help you in your IELTS speaking score and IELTS listening score.

• Vocabulary

Work on your vocabulary so to avoid the same words in the exam. This can leave a good impression on the examiner and will reflect that you have a good hand in written English which will lead to a good IELTS speaking score. 

• Use Paragraphs

Make sure to write in paragraphs for a better understanding and cleanliness. Make sure you break multiple ideas into multiple paragraphs. This will make your written paper look neat which can bring you a good IELTS writing score.

Also read: Experts tips on how to study for IELTS exam

Prep Books for Scoring Well in IELTS Band Chart

To boost up your IELTS preparations, there are several books that can help you prepare for the IELTS exam and score well some of them are as follows:

• The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS (link)

For IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, it is a top choice for both. It helps students with the real candidate’s answers and tips to improve their scores. 

• Improve your IELTS Skills

It is a series of books from Macmillan. It covers writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Each book includes exercises for each chapter and focuses on exam techniques, grammar, and vocabulary. It helps with your IELTS reading score and IELTS writing score. 

• IELTS Cambridge Test Books

This book provides an actual IELTS test published by IELTS that you can use for practice and to improve your band score.

• Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS

Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS is designed to help you enhance your vocabulary and increase your scores in the exam. It is divided into different chapters with practice exercises to help you check the learning with each successive step. It can help you improve your IELTS speaking score and IELTS writing score. 

• Barron’s IELTS Superpack

The Barron’s IELTS Superpack features practice tests, audio resources, and reviews. It covers essential vocabulary, perfect for a thorough and effective preparation.

Also read: Improve your IELTS score with these insider tips

Summary

The IELTS band score is a critical factor for both aspiring students and professionals looking to study or work in English-speaking countries. In this blog, you will get to see the breakdown of the IELTS Band Chart, which rates English language proficiency on a 9-band scale, with detailed descriptions of each band. It also explains how the IELTS band chart calculation is done for the four test components namely: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Understanding how band scores are rounded (e.g., 6.25 becomes 6.5) and their significance is crucial for achieving target scores. Moreover, the blog also provides Tips for improving performance, such as daily reading, expanding vocabulary, and using paragraphs effectively, are also included. Additionally, several top-rated IELTS prep books are recommended to help candidates prepare and score well on the exam.

Also read: Study abroad without IELTS

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FAQs

1. For how long is my IELTS score valid?

Your IELTS score is valid for 2 years from the test date. It is considered to be expired as language proficiency can change over time. 

2. Is 5.75 considered as 6 in IELTS?

Yes, if your average score ends with .25 or 0.75 it will be rounded to the nearest whole band. Therefore, your score of 5.75 will be rounded up to 6. 

3. How much is considered an average score in IELTS?

A band score of 6.5 is considered to be an average score in IELTS and is welcomed by most universities and schools.

4. How to convert your score to band in IELTS?

A conversion table is provided by IELTS to convert your score to band. This table can be used to convert your raw scores (number of correct answers) in the Listening and Reading sections. As for Writing and Speaking, based on detailed performance descriptors, examiners assign band scores. The overall band score is the average of the four section band scores, rounded to the nearest half or whole band.