# IELTS band score calculator

Your overall band from the four skills with IELTS's official rounding, plus Listening and Reading marks to band.

## How your overall band is rounded

IELTS averages your four bands and rounds to the nearest half. So 6.25 becomes 6.5, and 6.75 becomes 7.0.

## Turn marks out of 40 into a band

Correct answers out of 40 for each band, from IDP's published averages (the Reading half bands follow the standard conversion table). General Training Reading needs more right answers than Academic.

| Band | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 9.0 | 39-40 | 39-40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 | 37-38 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 35-36 | 35-36 | 37-38 |
| 7.5 | 32-34 | 33-34 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 30-31 | 30-32 | 34-35 |
| 6.5 | 26-29 | 27-29 | 32-33 |
| 6.0 | 23-25 | 23-26 | 30-31 |
| 5.5 | 18-22 | 19-22 | 27-29 |
| 5.0 | 16-17 | 15-18 | 23-26 |
| 4.5 | 13-15 | 13-14 | 19-22 |
| 4.0 | 11-12 | 10-12 | 15-18 |

*Average marks out of 40 - IDP IELTS and the standard conversion table*

One skill at a time: the [Listening](/ielts/listening-band-score-calculator) and [Reading](/ielts/reading-band-score-calculator) calculators work from marks, and the [Writing](/ielts/writing-band-score-calculator) and [Speaking](/ielts/speaking-band-score-calculator) calculators work from the four criteria.

## Band score questions

### How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?

It is the average of your Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking bands, rounded to the nearest half band. Averages ending in .25 round up to the next half band and those ending in .75 round up to the next whole band.

### What is 6.25 in IELTS overall?

6.5. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band.

### How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Listening?

About 30 out of 40, according to IELTS. The exact number varies slightly between test versions.

### How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Reading?

About 30 out of 40 in Academic Reading, and about 35 out of 40 in General Training Reading.

**Sources**
- [IELTS: IELTS scoring in detail, checked 25 September 2026](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/your-results/ielts-scoring-in-detail)
- [IDP IELTS: Listening band scores, checked 25 September 2026](https://ielts.com.au/australia/results/ielts-band-scores/listening-band-score)
- [IDP IELTS: Reading band scores, checked 25 September 2026](https://ielts.com.au/australia/results/ielts-band-scores/reading-band-score)