What is an IELTS Score Calculator?
An IELTS Score Calculator is a tool that computes your overall band score for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam by averaging your performance across four assessment sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The calculator follows the official IELTS scoring methodology, rounding the average to the nearest half-band to determine your final score on a scale from 0 to 9.
When to Use an IELTS Score Calculator
This calculator is particularly useful in the following situations:
- Before receiving your official results to estimate your overall band score
- When planning your study strategy to determine which skills need improvement to reach your target score
- For educational institutions or immigration authorities to quickly assess if an applicant meets their minimum English proficiency requirements
How to Calculate Your IELTS Score
The IELTS scoring system follows these specific steps:
Step 1: Obtain individual band scores (0-9) for each of the four skills:
- Listening score (0-9)
- Reading score (0-9)
- Writing score (0-9)
- Speaking score (0-9)
Step 2: Calculate the average of the four scores
Overall Score = (Listening + Reading + Writing + Speaking) ÷ 4
Step 3: Round to the nearest half-band (0.5)
- If the average decimal is less than 0.25, round down to the nearest whole band
- If the average decimal is between 0.25 and 0.75, round to the nearest half-band (0.5)
- If the average decimal is 0.75 or higher, round up to the nearest whole band
Converting Correct Answers to Band Scores
For the Listening and Reading sections, your raw score (number of correct answers) is converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.
IELTS Listening Score Conversion
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 39-40 | 9.0 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8.0 |
| 32-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-31 | 7.0 |
| 26-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-25 | 6.0 |
| 18-22 | 5.5 |
| 16-17 | 5.0 |
| 13-15 | 4.5 |
| 10-12 | 4.0 |
| 6-9 | 3.5 |
| 4-5 | 3.0 |
| 3 | 2.5 |
| 2 | 2.0 |
| 1 | 1.0 |
| 0 | 0 |
IELTS Academic Reading Score Conversion
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 39-40 | 9.0 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8.0 |
| 33-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-32 | 7.0 |
| 27-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-26 | 6.0 |
| 19-22 | 5.5 |
| 15-18 | 5.0 |
| 13-14 | 4.5 |
| 10-12 | 4.0 |
| 8-9 | 3.5 |
| 6-7 | 3.0 |
| 4-5 | 2.5 |
| 2-3 | 2.0 |
| 1 | 1.0 |
| 0 | 0 |
IELTS General Training Reading Score Conversion
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 37-38 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 7.5 |
| 33-35 | 7.0 |
| 30-32 | 6.5 |
| 27-29 | 6.0 |
| 23-26 | 5.5 |
| 19-22 | 5.0 |
| 15-18 | 4.5 |
| 11-14 | 4.0 |
| 8-10 | 3.5 |
| 5-7 | 3.0 |
| 3-4 | 2.5 |
| 2 | 2.0 |
| 1 | 1.0 |
| 0 | 0 |
Note: Writing and Speaking scores are assessed by trained examiners using the IELTS assessment criteria and cannot be calculated from raw scores.
IELTS Band Score Interpretation
| Band Score | Skill Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert | Complete mastery of English |
| 8.0 - 8.5 | Very Good | Fully operational command with only occasional inaccuracies |
| 7.0 - 7.5 | Good | Operational command with occasional inaccuracies |
| 6.0 - 6.5 | Competent | Generally effective command with some inaccuracies |
| 5.0 - 5.5 | Modest | Partial command with many mistakes |
| 4.0 - 4.5 | Limited | Basic competence limited to familiar situations |
| Below 4.0 | Extremely Limited | No real communication possible except the most basic information |
Examples of IELTS Score Calculation
Example 1: Whole Number Rounding
A test-taker receives the following scores in their IELTS test:
| Section | Band Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 7.5 |
| Reading | 6.5 |
| Writing | 6.0 |
| Speaking | 7.0 |
Calculation:
Average = (7.5 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 27 ÷ 4 = 6.75
Since 6.75 is greater than or equal to 6.75, we round up to the nearest whole band.
Overall Band Score: 7.0 (Good)
Example 2: Half-Band Rounding
Another test-taker achieves these scores:
| Section | Band Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 8.0 |
| Reading | 7.5 |
| Writing | 6.0 |
| Speaking | 7.0 |
Calculation:
Average = (8.0 + 7.5 + 6.0 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 28.5 ÷ 4 = 7.125
Since 7.125 is between 6.75 and 7.25, we round to the nearest half-band.
Overall Band Score: 7.0 (Good)
Example 3: Converting Raw Scores to Band Scores
A test-taker receives the following raw scores:
| Section | Raw Score (Correct Answers) | Converted Band Score |
|---|---|---|
| Listening (40 questions) | 32 | 7.5 |
| Academic Reading (40 questions) | 28 | 6.5 |
| Writing (assessed by examiner) | - | 6.0 |
| Speaking (assessed by examiner) | - | 7.0 |
Calculation:
Average = (7.5 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 27 ÷ 4 = 6.75
Since 6.75 is greater than or equal to 6.75, we round up to the nearest whole band.
Overall Band Score: 7.0 (Good)
Improving Your IELTS Score
If you need to improve your IELTS score, consider using these related tools:
- SAT Score Calculator - Compare with other standardized test scores
- Final Exam Grade Calculator - Track your progress in IELTS preparation courses
- Cumulative GPA Calculator - Monitor your academic performance alongside language proficiency
Remember that consistent practice across all four skills is key to achieving your target IELTS band score.