What does your IELTS band score mean?
Understand the IELTS marking system and evaluate your IELTS results. Figure out what the score says about your English skills. What is a good IELTS score?
What is covered in this article?
IELTS band score calculation
What does your IELTS band score mean?
FAQs on IELTS band scores
Have you heard others talking about their IELTS score? Have you paused to think what the scores mean? For example, an IELTS score of 8 is a good score. Do you know why? What does it say about the candidate’s English proficiency?
If you are someone who already took the IELTS exam and is trying to interpret the scores, or if you are trying to set an IELTS score goal for yourself – you are at the right place. We at Student Integration, India will tell you what the different IELTS scores mean, and what a good IELTS score is.
IELTS band score calculation
Before we get to the interpretation of the band scores, let’s understand how the overall score is calculated. The overall band score is calculated as an average of the scores for the four sections of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The average will then be rounded to the nearest whole or half band. For example:
Listening - 7.5
Reading - 7.5
Speaking - 7.0
Writing - 5.0
Average = 6.75
Band score = 7.0
But how are the scores calculated for the individual components?
Listening and Reading sections have 40 questions each with 1 mark per question. So, the raw scores for listening and reading are calculated out of 40.
You should score an average mark out of 40 to achieve a particular IELTS band score. For example, if you score 30 in listening, your band score will be 7. It will be 8 for a raw score of 35. The same applies to the reading section.
For the writing and speaking sections, you will be evaluated on different criteria.
Speaking Criteria
Writing Criteria
Fluency and coherence
Task achievement
Lexical Resource
Coherence and cohesion
Grammatical range and accuracy
Lexical resource
Pronunciation
Grammatical range and accuracy
All these criteria are given equal weightage in deciding the final score. Examiners use a set of assessment standards to arrive at a band score for these different criteria. Let’s decode the words and phrases that might be confusing:
Fluency and coherence
Fluency is the ability to speak or write easily and accurately. Your speaking pace and continuity will be evaluated.
Lexical resource
It refers to your vocabulary range. Your ability to use a variety of words appropriately will be evaluated.
Grammatical range and accuracy
It refers to the appropriate use of English grammar. The grammatical errors you make will be noted.
Coherence and cohesion
It evaluates your ability to write in a logical and consistent way, by using appropriate language elements to connect ideas as you write.
Check out the IELTS website if you need in-depth information about the assessment criteria.
What does your IELTS band score mean?
IELTS Band score
What does it say about your English skills?
0
A band score of 0 (yes, it exists) simply means that the test taker did not attempt the questions.
1
A band score of 1 means that the test taker can use a few separate words but does not have the ability to use the English language. They are non-users.
2
A band score of 2 means that understanding written and spoken English is very difficult for that test taker. They are intermittent users.
3
A band score of 3 means they can understand the language in very familiar situations only. Communication breakdowns happen. They are extremely limited users.
4
A band score of 4 means that the test taker has difficulty understanding the language and expressing in English. They cannot use complex language and are competent in the language in familiar situations only. They are limited users of the language.
5
A person who scored a band score of 5 will have a partial command of the language. They are likely to make a lot of mistakes, but they will be able to understand the overall meaning in most situations. They will have the English language skills to communicate in their own field. They are modest users of the language.
6
A person with a band score of 6 will have the ability to understand and use complex language in familiar situations. Though there could be misunderstandings and inaccuracies, these Competent users will have an effective command of the language.
7
A test taker with an IELTS band score of 7 will be able to handle complex language and can understand detailed reasoning. There would be occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings. They are termed, Good users.
8
A test taker with a band score of 8 is considered a Very Good User. They can handle complex argumentation and only occasionally display inaccurate and inappropriate use of language. They might misunderstand some things in situations unfamiliar to them.
9
Test takers with a band score of 9 display appropriate, accurate and fluent use of the language. They have a complete understanding and full operational command of English. They are the Expert Users of the language.
FAQs on IELTS band scores
Is 7.5 band score good?
Yes, 7.5 is a good IELTS score. Scoring 7.5 means you are a good user of the language and can handle complex usage of the language. It is also a good score accepted by universities abroad.
What happens if I get 6.25 in IELTS?
If you score 6.25 as an average of your scores in listening, reading, speaking and writing, it will be rounded to the next half band, which is 6.5. A test taker who scores 6.5 in IELTS is considered a competent user of the language.
How long is IELTS score valid?
Your IELTS score is valid for 2 years from the day of the test. If you are not happy with the test, you can reset for IELTS as many times as you want.
What is the age limit for taking the IELTS exam?
There is no upper age limit for taking the IELTS exam. Candidates should be at least 16 years old to take the exam.
What is the IELTS exam fee?
Both computer-delivered IELTS and paper-based IELTS cost INR 15,500. You can make the payment with debit/credit cards, net banking or Paytm wallet.
Are you happy with the IELTS score/IELTS goal set for yourself? Are you looking for tips to ace the IELTS exam? Student Integration, India and our expert counsellors can help you.
