IELTS Band Scores 2024: Section Wise IELTS Score, Marking Scheme & Score Validity

 

IELTS Band Score Scale

The IELTS band score system ranges from 0 (Did not attempt the test) to 9 (Expert user). Each band score reflects a specific level of English proficiency:

• Band 9: Expert user
• Band 8: Very good user
• Band 7: Good user
• Band 6: Competent user
• Band 5: Modest user
• Band 4: Limited user
• Band 3: Extremely limited user
• Band 2: Intermittent user
• Band 1: Non-user

How IELTS Band Scores are Calculated?

It is important to understand how the IELTS score is calculated. The IELTS test is scored between 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). A candidate can also get scores in .5 also e.g. 5.5 or 6.5. Candidates get a band score for each of the skills (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking) and an overall band score. The overall band score is the average of all the skills. The band scores are rounded to the nearest whole band or half band.

Each component of the IELTS test contributes equally to the overall band score. The scoring process involves several steps:

1. Individual Scores: Each section (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) is scored out of 9.
2. Averaging Scores: To calculate the overall band score, add the four individual scores together and divide by four.
3. Rounding: The resulting average is then rounded to the nearest half or whole number:
• If the average ends in .25, it rounds up to the next half band (e.g., 6.25 becomes 6.5).
• If it ends in .75, it rounds up to the next whole band (e.g., 6.75 becomes 7).

For example, if a candidate scores:

• Listening: 6.5
• Reading: 6.5
• Writing: 5.0
• Speaking: 7.0

The calculation would be:

(6.5 + 6.5 + 5.0+ 7.0)/4 = 6.25 

Now, 6.25 will be rounded to IELTS overall score to 6.5

Section	Score
Listening	6.5
Reading	6.5
Writing	5.0
Speaking	7.0
Overall Band Score	6.5

Section-Specific Scoring of IELTS Band Score 2024

One can check the section-wise scoring pattern of IELTS band score. 

Listening

The IELTS Listening test contains 40 questions and for each correct answer student is awarded one mark; therefore, the maximum raw score you can achieve is 40. A band score ranging from band 1 to band 9 is then awarded based on your raw score. The raw scores are converted into band scores based on a specific scale:

Raw Score	Band Score
39 - 40	9
37 - 38	8.5
35 - 36	8
...	...
10 - 12	4

Reading

The IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions and for each correct answer student is awarded one mark; therefore, the maximum raw score you can achieve is 40. A band score ranging from band 1 to band 9 is then awarded based on your raw score.

Raw Score	Band Score
39 - 40	9
...	...
10 - 12	4

Writing

The IELTS Writing band descriptors can help you understand how an examiner assesses your Writing Task 1 and 2 responses. Writing is assessed based on four criteria:

1. Task Achievement (Task Response for Task 2)
2. Coherence and Cohesion
3. Lexical Resource
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Each criterion carries equal weight (25% each), and scores are given on a scale of 1 to 9 based on performance.

Speaking

The Speaking test is evaluated across four criteria:

1. Fluency and Coherence
2. Lexical Resource
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
4. Pronunciation

As with Writing, each criterion counts for 25% of the total score.

IELTS score calculator

In IELTS Result, you will get a band score for each section and an overall band score that is an average of the band scores for Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. IELTS band scores are given as a whole or are rounded up to the nearest half-band score. If you look at the above table then the average of the four sections comes out to be 6.25 but it rounded off to 6.5, so, the overall band score comes out to be 6.5

Below we have given some possible scenarios that will help you understand how IELTS score banding works.

• In case, your overall band score is 7.75 then your final score will be 8.
• In case, your overall band score is 7.25 then your final score will be increased to 7.5
• In case, your overall band score is 7.85 then your final score will be 8.
• In case, your overall band score is 7.1 then your score will be 7 as this is the nearest whole band score.

IELTS Band Scores 2024 Descriptors

Read the IELTS band scores chart to understand the descriptor of each band score.

Band score	Skill Level	Descriptors
9	Expert user	The test taker has complete command of the language. Their use of the English language is fluent and shows a complete understanding of the language
8	Very good user	The test taker has complete command of the language with few inaccuracies. They handle complex situations well. They may misunderstand certain unfamiliar situations
7	Good user	The test taker has a good command of the English language with inaccuracies occasionally and inappropriate usage in certain situations. They understand detailed reasoning well and handle complex language well
6	Competent user	The test taker has an effective command of the language with some inappropriate usage and some inaccuracies. They can understand the complex language well in familiar situations
5	Modest user	The test taker has partial command of the English language and can deal with overall meaning. They make many mistakes. They can handle basic communication in their field
4	Limited user	The test taker is limited to familiar situations only. He/she cannot use complex language and frequently shows problems in understanding and expression
3	Extremely limited user	The test taker understands the only general meaning in very familiar situations. There are repeated breakdowns in communication
2	Intermittent user	The test taker has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English
1	Non-user	The test taker cannot use the English language except for a few isolated words
0	Did not attempt the test	The test taker did not answer the questions

While checking the scores, you need to submit details of the candidate number, passport number, test date, identification document number, and date of birth. So, make sure to keep all these basic details with you before checking the scores. Also, keep these details handy for the next 28 days, as after this you won’t be able to see them online. This is just a preview, which is not counted as official. This is to help candidates to see their results before getting an Official Test Report form. The test report comprises the scores of all 4 sections. Make sure to keep this report completely safe as only one copy is issued per candidate. The higher your IELTS score is the better your chances of getting into your dream university.

Minimum IELTS Score

It depends on the country, university, or organization you are targeting. As such, there is no concept of a minimum IELTS score. However, the university/college/organization you are targeting may have its own set of minimum requirements for the IELTS score. The IELTS score can play a crucial role in your selection criteria.

IELTS Section Wise Band Score

The IELTS score is calculated after taking an average of all the sections. Check out the IELTS Band scores section-wise.

Listening Band Score

In the Listening section, the applicants have to listen to conversations, recorded texts, and monologues and write answers based on them. We have provided the table, so, you can calculate your estimated IELTS Listening band score using it. Also, there is no negative marking for wrong answers.

Correct Answers	Band Score
39-40	9
37-38	8.5
35-36	8
32-34	7.5
30-31	7
26-29	6.5
23-25	6
18-22	5.5
16-17	5
13-15	4.5
11-12	4

Reading Band Score

The reading section comprises 40 questions based on three passages. We have provided the table, so, you can calculate your estimated IELTS Reading band score using it. In addition to this, there is no negative marking for wrong answers.

Correct Answers	Band Score
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 Writing Assessment Criteria

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score on the below-mentioned criteria

• Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2): Candidates need to follow the instructions carefully in the prompt, answering the question or performing the task completely.
• Coherence and Cohesion: It analyses the student's writing structure and how well they organized the essay and paragraphs. Whether transitions are useful, clear, and present. The relevance of ideas and supporting details.
• Lexical Resource: It analyses the candidates' ability to use vocabulary in an effective way.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: It measures how the candidates use varied sentence structures and how they used grammar correctly.

Examiners give equal weightage to each of the criteria mentioned above and the score on the task is average.

IELTS Speaking Assessment Criteria

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the mentioned criteria:

• Fluency and Coherence: This is the most important criterion for measuring IELTS Speaking skills. Here, a candidate needs to show that he/she is how much confident with the usage of the language.
• Lexical Resource: It measures whether the candidate has used a good range of vocabulary accurately.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: It analyses whether the candidate has used grammatical forms correctly.
• Pronunciation: It analyses how the candidate makes vowel and consonant sound along with intonation.

Examiners give equal weightage to each of the criteria mentioned above and the Speaking band score is the average.

Also Read:

IELTS Resources	IELTS Syllabus
IELTS Pattern	IELTS Practice Tests