IELTS Band Score Calculator: Overall, Listening & Reading
Type your number of correct answers in Listening and Reading, add your Writing and Speaking bands, and the calculator shows each band and your overall score, rounded the way IELTS rounds it. Below it you will find the full conversion tables and a short explanation of how the rounding works.
IELTS Listening and Reading band score tables
Listening and Reading both have 40 questions, one mark each. Your raw score is converted to a band with the table below. Academic and General Training Reading use different tables: General Training texts are easier, so you need more correct answers for the same band.
| Band | Listening | Academic Reading | General Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 39–40 | 39–40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 37–38 | 39 |
| 8 | 35–36 | 35–36 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 33–34 | 36 |
| 7 | 30–31 | 30–32 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 | 32–33 |
| 6 | 23–25 | 23–26 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 | 27–29 |
| 5 | 16–17 | 15–18 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 | 13–14 | 19–22 |
| 4 | 11–12 | 10–12 | 15–18 |
| 3.5 | 8–10 | 8–9 | 12–14 |
| 3 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 9–11 |
| 2.5 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 6–8 |
The band most students aim for
These are the conversion tables IELTS publishes as a guide. Each test version is checked for difficulty, so in a real test the line between two bands can move by a mark or so.
How the overall band score is calculated
Your overall band is the average of your four skill bands, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25, it goes up to the next half band; if it ends in .75, it goes up to the next whole band.
| ListeningList. | ReadingRead. | WritingWrit. | SpeakingSpeak. | AverageAvg. | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.125 | 6 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 7.5 | 7.5 | 7 | 7 | 7.25 | 7.5 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 8.5 | 7.75 | 8 |
So a single half band in one skill can lift your overall score. If you need 6.5 overall and you are close, the skill you find easiest to improve is often the quickest way there.
IELTS band score FAQ
Quick answers to the questions students ask most.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Reading?
In Academic Reading you need 30 out of 40. In General Training Reading you need 34, because its texts are easier.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Listening?
30 out of 40. Listening uses the same table for Academic and General Training.
How is the IELTS overall score rounded?
It is the average of the four skills, rounded to the nearest half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to .5, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
Is there a band for every number of correct answers?
Yes. Each raw score from 0 to 40 falls into one band. Very low scores, below about 4, give band 2 or lower.
Is this calculator exact?
It uses the conversion tables IELTS publishes as a guide. In a real test the boundaries can move slightly between test versions, so treat the result as a close estimate.
Or start with the free Listening practice test with audio