# IELTS band score chart

How many correct answers out of 40 give each band in IELTS Listening, Academic Reading and General Training Reading, how the overall band is rounded, and what each band means on the CEFR.

Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-08.

Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, one mark each, and the marks convert to a band on IELTS's 0 to 9 scale. The tables below are the average marks IELTS publishes for each band: the exact marks needed vary slightly from test version to test version, so they are approximate.

## IELTS Listening band score chart

| Band | Correct answers (out of 40) |
| --- | --- |
| 9.0 | 39-40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 |
| 8.0 | 35-36 |
| 7.5 | 32-34 |
| 7.0 | 30-31 |
| 6.5 | 26-29 |
| 6.0 | 23-25 |
| 5.5 | 18-22 |
| 5.0 | 16-17 |
| 4.5 | 13-15 |
| 4.0 | 11-12 |

*Source: IDP IELTS, Listening band scores (averages)*

ielts.org publishes the same anchor points: 16 correct is about band 5, 23 correct is about band 6, 30 correct is about band 7, 35 correct is about band 8.

## IELTS Reading band score chart: Academic and General Training

Both Reading tests share one band scale, but General Training needs more correct answers for the same band, because Academic texts can be harder.

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

*Source: IDP IELTS, Reading band scores (averages)*

For example, 30 correct is about band 7.0 in Academic Reading but band 6.0 in General Training Reading.

## How the overall band score is worked out

The overall band is the average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25 it rounds up to the next half band; if it ends in .75 it rounds up to the next whole band. These are the worked examples IELTS gives:

| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall band |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |

*Source: IELTS, IELTS scoring in detail*

## Writing and Speaking

Writing and Speaking have no raw marks. Examiners give a band for each of four criteria, and the section band comes from those. In Writing, Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1.

Work out a band from your own marks with the [IELTS band score calculator](/ielts/band-score-calculator) or the [Listening](/ielts/listening-band-score-calculator), [Reading](/ielts/reading-band-score-calculator), [Writing](/ielts/writing-band-score-calculator) and [Speaking](/ielts/speaking-band-score-calculator) calculators. Compare with PTE using the [IELTS to PTE converter](/tools/ielts-to-pte-converter), or turn General Training bands into Canadian levels with the [CLB calculator](/tools/clb-calculator). For the bands visas and regulators ask for, see [IELTS band requirements by country](/ielts/band-requirements).

## IELTS band scores and CEFR levels

| CEFR level | IELTS overall band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C2 | 8.5 to 9 | Band 8 is borderline C1/C2. |
| C1 | 7 to 8 | The C1 threshold falls between 6.5 and 7. |
| B2 | 5.5 to 6.5 | Band 5 is borderline B1/B2. |
| B1 | 4 to 5 |  |

*Source: ielts.org, IELTS and the CEFR (overall bands)*

The mapping uses the overall band, not each section. ielts.org does not map bands below 4.

## Questions

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

On average, 30-31 out of 40 in Listening, 30-32 in Academic Reading and 34-35 in General Training Reading. The exact number varies slightly from one test version to another.

### Why does General Training Reading need more correct answers?

Both Reading tests use the same band scale, but Academic texts can have harder vocabulary and a more complex style, so a General Training candidate usually needs more correct answers for the same band.

### Is the band score chart exact?

No. IELTS publishes these as the average marks needed for each band; the precise cut-off moves slightly between test versions, so treat a score near a boundary as either band.

### How is the IELTS overall band rounded?

It is the average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. An average ending in .25 goes up to the half band (6.25 becomes 6.5) and one ending in .75 goes up to the next whole band (6.75 becomes 7).

### What IELTS score is C1?

ielts.org maps an overall band of 7 to 8 to CEFR C1, and 8.5 and above to C2. The mapping uses the overall band, not each section.

**Sources**
- [IELTS: IELTS scoring in detail](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/your-results/ielts-scoring-in-detail)
- [IDP IELTS: Listening band scores](https://ielts.com.au/australia/results/ielts-band-scores/listening-band-score)
- [IDP IELTS: Reading band scores](https://ielts.com.au/australia/results/ielts-band-scores/reading-band-score)
- [IDP IELTS: Reading scores (full Academic and General Training tables)](https://ielts.idp.com/egypt/results/scores/reading)
- [IDP IELTS: How IELTS Writing is scored](https://ielts.com.au/australia/results/ielts-band-scores/writing-band-score)
- [IELTS: IELTS and the CEFR](https://ielts.org/organisations/ielts-for-organisations/compare-ielts/ielts-and-the-cefr)
- [IELTS: Everything you need to know about IELTS and the CEFR](https://ielts.org/news-and-insights/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ielts-and-the-cefr)