How the overall band is calculated
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate A | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| Candidate B | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| Candidate C | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
How many correct answers for each band
Listening and Reading each have 40 questions. These are the official average marks for each band; the exact number changes slightly from one test version to another.
| Correct answers out of 40 | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| 30 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| 23 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| 16 (Listening) / 15 (Reading) | 5 | 5 | 4 |
General Training Reading needs more correct answers than Academic Reading for the same band.
How to raise your band
- If one section pulls the average down, like Writing for candidate A above, work on it first, and get your essays checked with comments, not only a band.
- Practise Listening and Reading on a computer: in Uzbekistan IELTS is taken on a computer.
- Watch the rounding: moving one section up by half a band can lift your overall band by a full half band.
LINGUA IELTS 2.0 prepares you live on Zoom with checked writing and computer-format mock tests: see the course, the prices, or online vs offline preparation.
Questions
Is 6.25 rounded to 6.0 or 6.5?
To 6.5. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Listening?
About 30 out of 40, on average. The exact number varies slightly by test version.
Why does my mock test give a different band?
Each test version has its own conversion, so the same number of correct answers can mean slightly different bands. Treat the raw-score estimate as a range.
