IELTS Band Score Calculator
Turn Listening and Reading correct answers into bands, add Writing and Speaking, and see your overall band.
Maintained by CD IELTS Prep Practice Team · Original practice content and transparent scoring methodology · Updated
Enter your Listening and Reading correct answers out of 40 and your Writing and Speaking bands to get your overall IELTS band. IELTS averages the four bands and rounds to the nearest half band, with .25 rounding up to the next half band and .75 up to the next whole band: 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.0. Band 7 needs about 30 correct answers in Listening and Academic Reading, but 35 in General Training Reading.
Test type
Listening uses one table for both tests. Reading uses a separate table for each, and General Training needs more correct answers for the same band.
Band 7.0 · 2 more for band 7.5
Band 7.0 · 3 more for band 7.5
Overall band
7.0
CEFR C1
L 7.0 + R 7.0 + W 6.5 + S 6.5 = 27.0 ÷ 4 = 6.75
An average ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band: 6.75 becomes 7.0.
4 more half bands, in any mix of modules, would lift your overall band to 7.5.
Estimated band. Real IELTS equates each test version, so cut scores shift by about ±1 mark between forms. This is a practice estimate, not an official score.
How the IELTS overall band score is calculated
- Convert your Listening correct answers (out of 40) to a band.
- Convert your Reading correct answers to a band, using the Academic or the General Training table — they are different.
- Add your Writing and Speaking bands, which examiners award directly.
- Divide the total of the four bands by four and round the average to the nearest half band.
The rounding has two fixed points. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. Every other average goes to the nearest half band, so .125 and .625 round down while .375 and .875 round up. Because module bands come in halves, the average can only end in one of the eight values in the table below.
| L | R | W | S | Average | Overall | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | No rounding |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 | Nearest half band (down)IELTS example C |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 | .25 rounds up to the next half bandIELTS example A |
| 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.375 | 6.5 | Nearest half band (up) |
| 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | No rounding |
| 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.625 | 6.5 | Nearest half band (down) |
| 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.75 | 7.0 | .75 rounds up to the next whole band |
| 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.875 | 7.0 | Nearest half band (up) |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 | Nearest half band (up)IELTS example B |
Rows marked “IELTS example” are the worked examples on the official scoring page: IELTS — IELTS scoring in detail.
IELTS Listening score calculator: correct answers to band
Listening has 40 questions worth one mark each, and Academic and General Training candidates take the same test, so one table serves both. On this table band 6 is 23–25 correct answers, band 6.5 is 26–29, band 7 is 30–31, band 7.5 is 32–34, band 8 is 35–36 and band 9 is 39–40. There are four published reference points: 16 correct answers for band 5, 23 for band 6, 30 for band 7 and 35 for band 8.
| Correct answers (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36official point | 8.0 |
| 32–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–31official point | 7.0 |
| 26–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–25official point | 6.0 |
| 18–22 | 5.5 |
| 16–17official point | 5.0 |
| 13–15 | 4.5 |
More detail: IELTS Listening band score chart
IELTS Reading score calculator: Academic vs General Training
Both Reading tests have 40 questions and are reported on the same band scale, but they do not convert the same way. IELTS explains that Academic Reading can include texts with more difficult vocabulary or a more complex style, so a General Training candidate usually has to answer more questions correctly for the same band. At 30 correct answers that is a full band apart: 7.0 in Academic Reading and 6.0 in General Training.
| Band | Academic Reading | General Training Reading | Extra correct answers (GT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 | 40 | +1 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 39 | +2 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 | 37–38 | +2 |
| 7.5 | 33–34 | 36 | +3 |
| 7.0 | 30–32 | 35 | +5 |
| 6.5 | 27–29 | 32–34 | +5 |
| 6.0 | 23–26 | 30–31 | +7 |
| 5.5 | 19–22 | 27–29 | +8 |
| 5.0 | 15–18 | 23–26 | +8 |
| 4.5 | 13–14 | 19–22 | +6 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 | 15–18 | +5 |
Published points — Academic: 15 correct for band 5, 23 for 6, 30 for 7, 35 for 8. General Training: 15 for band 4, 23 for 5, 30 for 6, 35 for 7. Source: IELTS — IELTS scoring in detail.
Full charts: Academic Reading · General Training Reading
Full IELTS raw score to band table (0–40)
Every possible Listening and Reading score and the band it converts to — the same table the calculator uses. Rows marked “official” are the points IELTS publishes; the rest come from past papers. Below 13 correct answers in Listening, 4 in Academic Reading and 6 in General Training Reading the table gives no band.
| Correct answers | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 |
| 38 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| 37 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| 35 | 8.0official | 8.0official | 7.0official |
| 34 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 33 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 32 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| 31 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| 30 | 7.0official | 7.0official | 6.0official |
| 29 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| 28 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| 27 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| 26 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| 25 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| 24 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| 23 | 6.0official | 6.0official | 5.0official |
| 22 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| 21 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| 20 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| 19 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| 18 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| 17 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| 16 | 5.0official | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| 15 | 4.5 | 5.0official | 4.0official |
| 14 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| 13 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| 12 | — | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| 11 | — | 4.0 | 3.0 |
| 10 | — | 4.0 | 3.0 |
| 9 | — | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| 8 | — | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| 7 | — | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| 6 | — | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| 5 | — | 2.5 | — |
| 4 | — | 2.5 | — |
| 3 | — | — | — |
| 2 | — | — | — |
| 1 | — | — | — |
| 0 | — | — | — |
Writing and Speaking: bands without a raw score
Writing and Speaking are marked by examiners against four criteria each, so there is nothing to convert — enter the band from your test report or your best practice estimate. Writing is marked on task achievement (Task 1) or task response (Task 2), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy, and Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing band (IELTS — Academic Writing test format). Speaking is marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.
See what each band looks like: band-scored writing samples · speaking cue cards
How accurate is this calculator?
The overall band is exact: it applies the rounding rule IELTS publishes to whatever four bands you enter. The Listening and Reading bands are estimates. Each module has only four published reference points, and IELTS says the precise marks needed for a band vary slightly from one test version to another, so your real cut-off may sit a little either side of this table.
The calculator works the same for IELTS on computer and on paper, which share content, question types and scoring (IDP IELTS — IELTS on paper). Paper is on its way out: on 5 March 2026 IELTS announced that from mid-2026 it would no longer offer the test on paper, with exact timelines varying by market, and that selected markets would get Writing on Paper, an option to handwrite your Writing answers. IELTS says the change does not affect the skills assessed, the test construct or how results are interpreted (IELTS — Updates to IELTS test delivery, 5 March 2026).
Get real raw scores from a timed 40-question section.
Frequently asked questions
How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
Convert your Listening and Reading correct answers to bands, add your Writing and Speaking bands, and divide the total by four. The average is rounded to the nearest half 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.
Is an IELTS average of 6.75 rounded up to 7?
Yes. An average of 6.75 gives an overall band of 7.0, and 6.25 gives 6.5. Averages of 6.125 and 6.625 round down, to 6.0 and 6.5, because those are the nearest half bands.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Listening?
Band 7 in Listening is 30–31 correct answers out of 40 on this table, the same for Academic and General Training. 30 correct answers for band 7 is one of the points IELTS publishes.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Reading?
In Academic Reading, band 7 is 30–32 correct answers out of 40. General Training Reading needs 35 correct answers, because the same raw score is worth less on General Training.
Why does General Training Reading need more correct answers than Academic?
Both Reading tests are reported on the same band scale, but Academic texts can use harder vocabulary and a more complex style. So General Training asks for more correct answers for the same band: 30 correct is band 7.0 in Academic Reading but band 6.0 in General Training.
Does this calculator work for IELTS on computer?
Yes. IELTS on computer and IELTS on paper have the same content, question types and scoring, so the same number of correct answers converts to the same band. In March 2026 IELTS announced that from mid-2026 it would no longer offer the test on paper, with exact timelines varying by market, and that selected markets would get Writing on Paper, an option to handwrite your Writing answers. IELTS says the change does not affect the skills assessed, the test construct or how results are interpreted.
Can I calculate my Writing or Speaking band here?
Not from a raw score, because Writing and Speaking do not have one. Examiners give a band against four criteria. Enter the band from your test report or a practice estimate. In Writing, Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1.
How accurate is an IELTS band score calculator?
The Listening and Reading bands are estimates. Each module has four published reference points, and IELTS says the marks needed for a band vary slightly from one test version to another. The overall-band rounding is exact: it follows the rule IELTS publishes.
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<p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">IELTS band score calculator by <a href="https://cdieltsprep.com/tools/band-calculator">CD IELTS Prep</a></p>Related
- IELTS band score chart
- IELTS to TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo
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- IELTS to CEFR
- IELTS score requirements
- How raw marks become bands
- Free IELTS mock tests
What each band means: Band 6.0 · Band 6.5 · Band 7.0 · Band 7.5 · Band 8.0
Sources
- IELTS — IELTS scoring in detail — overall-band rounding rule and examples, the published raw-score points, why General Training Reading needs more correct answers.
- IELTS — Academic Writing test format — Writing criteria and the Task 2 weighting.
- IELTS — Updates to IELTS test delivery, 5 March 2026 — IELTS on paper ending from mid-2026 with timelines varying by market, Writing on Paper in selected markets, and no change to the skills assessed, the test construct or how results are interpreted.
- IDP IELTS — IELTS on paper — IELTS on paper and on computer share content, question types and scoring.
CD IELTS Prep is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the British Council, IDP Education, or Cambridge University Press & Assessment. IELTS is a registered trademark of those organisations. Band scores shown are estimates produced by our own assessment engine.