Key takeaways
- The overall band is the average of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, rounded to the nearest half or whole band.
- An average ending in .25 rounds up to .5, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
- Listening and Reading are scored by counting correct answers out of 40, then converted to bands.
- Many visas and universities also need a minimum in each skill, not just the overall score.
Your IELTS result shows four skill bands and one overall band. The overall band is not chosen by an examiner. It is a simple calculation, and knowing it tells you exactly which skill to improve to lift your overall score. You can try your own scores in our free IELTS band score calculator.
The rule
Add your four skill bands, divide by four, then round to the nearest half band. An average that ends in .25 sits exactly halfway between two half bands and rounds up to .5, and one that ends in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. Every other average rounds to whichever half band is closest.
Worked examples
- Listening 7.0, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.5: total 26.0, average 6.5, overall 6.5.
- 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 7.0: average 6.625, which is closer to 6.5 than to 7.0, so overall 6.5.
- 6.5, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0: average 6.875, so overall 7.0.
- 6.0, 6.5, 6.5, 6.0: average 6.25, which rounds up to 6.5.
- 5.5, 6.0, 6.0, 5.5: average 5.75, which rounds up to 6.0.
Notice that the last two examples gain half a band from rounding. A small improvement in one skill can therefore lift your overall score when your average is just below a rounding point.
How each skill band is decided
- Listening and Reading: you get one mark per correct answer out of 40, and the raw score is converted to a band. The conversion differs slightly between test versions, and General Training Reading needs more correct answers for the same band than Academic Reading.
- Writing and Speaking: examiners score four criteria each and average them. See our guide to IELTS band scores for what each band looks like.
Approximate raw score conversions
As a guide for Academic papers, about 23 correct answers is roughly band 6, 30 is roughly band 7, and 35 is roughly band 8. These are estimates because the exact table changes by test version. Use the calculator for a fuller table and always treat the result as an estimate.
Minimum scores in each skill
Universities, employers and immigration programmes often ask for an overall band and a minimum in each skill, for example 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0. A high average does not help if one skill is below the minimum, so look at your weakest band first. Our mock test guide shows how to find it.
The overall band is calculated by the test provider. This guide explains the rule and is a study aid, not an official result.