How to Calculate IELTS Score?: Section Wise Steps Here!

Calculating your IELTS band score is a crucial step in understanding your proficiency in the English language. If you're preparing for higher education, knowing how to calculate your IELTS score is essential. IELTS is universally recognised by immigration departments worldwide, including those of Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, Ireland, and New Zealand, as the preferred English language test. It evaluates an individual's proficiency in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

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This Story also Contains

1. IELTS Test Format - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking Section
2. How to Calculate IELTS Score?
3. IELTS Listening Section
4. IELTS Reading Section
5. IELTS Writing Section
6. IELTS Speaking Section
7. IELTS Score
8. Minimum IELTS Score Required

Indian students can take the IELTS test online whereas the paper-based format is also available in various other countries. After completing the IELTS examination, it usually takes less than a fortnight to receive the results. To access the IELTS scores, applicants must visit the official website of IDP. Test-takers will be provided with their IELTS scores for each of the four sections on a scale of 1 to 9, along with an overall IELTS band score.

Candidates must comprehend the method for calculating bands in the IELTS exam. Additionally, it is recommended to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the scoring system operates. Know details on the IELTS scoring system, how each section is scored and how to calculate band score in Ielts.

IELTS Test Format - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking Section

Familiarizing oneself with the format of the IELTS test is crucial for maximizing his/her score and opening doors to studying abroad. It is important to note that there are two types of IELTS tests: the IELTS Academic and the IELTS General Training. Both tests consist of sections mentioned below:

• Listening Section

• Reading Section

• Writing Section

• Speaking Section

IELTS Academic test: The IELTS Academic examination is designed for those who wish to pursue higher education at a university in an English-speaking nation.

IELTS General Training test: The IELTS General Training examination is undertaken by individuals who are seeking to pursue education, employment, or residency in countries where English is the primary language.

How to Calculate IELTS Score?

It is crucial to comprehend the calculation process of the IELTS band score. The IELTS examination is graded on a scale ranging from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). Additionally, candidates can receive scores with increments of 0.5, such as 5.5 or 6.5. Each section (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking) is assigned a band score, along with an overall band score. The overall band score is determined by averaging all the individual skill scores. To ensure accuracy, the band scores are rounded to the nearest whole or half band.

For example:

Scenario 1: If a candidate obtains 5.5 for Reading, 5.5 for Listening, 4.0 for Writing, and 6.0 for Speaking, the IELTS Band Score of the candidate will be: (5.5 + 5.5 + 4.0 + 6.0) ÷ 4 = 5.25 i.e., the IELTS score will be 5.5.

Scenario 2: If a candidate obtains 5.0 for Listening, 4.5 for Reading, 4.0 for Writing, and 6.0 for Speaking, the IELTS Band Score of the candidate will be: (5.0 + 4.5 + 4.0 + 6.0) ÷ 4 = 4.875 i.e., the IELTS score will be 5.

In the IELTS Result, a candidate will receive a band score for each section as well as an overall band score, which is calculated by averaging the band scores for Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. The band scores in IELTS are either given as a whole number or rounded up to the nearest half-band score.

Below are several illustrations that demonstrate the functioning of IELTS score banding.

• If a candidate’s overall IELTS band score is 6.75, his/her final score will be 7.

• If a candidate’s overall IELTS band score is 4.25, his/her final score will be raised to 4.5.

• If a candidate’s overall IELTS band score is 5.85, his/her final score will be 6.

• If a candidate’s overall IELTS band score is 5.1, his/her score will be 5 since it is the closest whole band score.

IELTS Listening Section

The IELTS Listening examination is specifically designed to assess a candidate’s proficiency in:

• Comprehending the key concepts and specific factual details

• Recognizing the viewpoints, positions, and attitudes of the speakers

• Tracking the progression of ideas and arguments

The IELTS Listening examination consists of 40 questions, with each accurate response earning the student one point. Consequently, the highest possible raw score attainable is 40. Subsequently, a band score between band 1 and band 9 is assigned depending on a candidate’s raw score.

How to calculate IELTS listening band score?

The score for the IELTS Listening section is determined by averaging the scores obtained in the four different sections of the listening test.

The examination consists of audio recordings that you will need to listen to, followed by answering questions related to the content. There are four recordings delivered by native English speakers, each accompanied by ten questions, resulting in a grand total of 40 questions. Each recording focuses on a distinct type of exercise such as:

• Discussion regarding a daily task

• A monologue regarding a popular topic

• Instructional dialogue involving multiple participants

• Scholarly monologue on a subject of study

Answering all 40 questions correctly will earn you a total of 40 marks. It is highly recommended to try your best to answer every question in order to enhance your IELTS listening score, as there is no penalty for incorrect responses. Your band score is determined based on the total number of correct answers you provide.

IELTS Listening Band Score

IELTS Reading Section

The IELTS Reading assessment is created to evaluate a candidate’s proficiency in:

• Comprehending the overall message of a passage

• Extracting the primary concepts from a text

• Analyzing the specific information within a reading

• Quickly glancing through and searching for specific details

• Grasping the logic behind arguments and their significance

• Identifying the author's viewpoint, attitudes, and intentions

The IELTS Reading assessment consists of 40 questions, with each accurate response earning the student one point. Consequently, the highest possible raw score attainable is 40. Subsequently, a band score between band 1 and band 9 is assigned according to a candidate’s raw score.

How to calculate IELTS reading band score?

In the Reading section, you will be required to respond to a total of 40 questions. These questions encompass a range of formats, including multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, matching, and sentence completion.

Unlike the Speaking and Writing tests, where answers can be subjective, in the Reading test, your responses are either deemed correct or incorrect. Consequently, the marking scheme differs slightly. For every accurate answer, you will be awarded one mark. The cumulative number of marks you obtain will determine your band score.

IELTS Reading Band Score

IELTS Writing Section

The IELTS Writing assessment is created to evaluate a candidate’s capacity to:

• Express his/her perspective or argument

• Demonstrate his/her extensive vocabulary and accurate grammar

• Elaborate on and elucidate the information depicted in data, diagrams, and charts.

The IELTS Writing score includes an assessment of a candidate’s Writing Task 1 and 2 responses. Candidates are given a band score for each of the four criterion areas: Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. All four criteria carry equal weightage.

How to calculate IELTS writing band score?

The Writing test in IELTS is evaluated by an examiner across 4 different criteria, with each criterion accounting for 25% of your total score for that task.

IELTS Writing Band Score

IELTS Speaking Section

The primary purpose of the IELTS Speaking test is to assess a candidate’s proficiency in spoken English. This test involves a conversation between the candidate and an examiner, which aims to replicate a genuine and engaging real-life interaction.

The examination will evaluate a candidate’s capacity to:

• Display proficiency and consistency in his/her verbal expression. For example- how effectively a candidate can connect thoughts and construct logical and seamless sentences.

• Exhibit his/her variety of vocabulary and how precisely he/she employs it in relevant discussions. For example- how adeptly he/she can enhance conversations with vivid details, depth, and description.

• Maintain a fluid dialogue with clear pronunciation

• Present his/her perspective, engage in discourse, and provide reasoning for his/her viewpoints.

How IELTS Speaking Score is Calculated?

The IELTS Speaking band descriptors consist of bands ranging from 0-9. These descriptors are a mean calculation of all the skills demonstrated by candidates in the IELTS Speaking test. The scoring criteria for IELTS Speaking is determined by the candidate's comprehension of different accents and their ability to effectively communicate in a face-to-face conversation.

IELTS Speaking Band Score

IELTS Band Scores Descriptors

Here’s the IELTS band scores chart to understand the descriptor of each band score.

IELTS Score

The IELTS band score chart is released within 13 days of the test date for the paper-based test at the ETS official website. Whereas, candidates can get access to the IELTS computer-based test scores within 3-5 days after the test.

IELTS band scores are generally valid for 2 years from the test date. However, some educational institutions might have different policies for acceptance of IELTS band scores.

How To Download IELTS Scorecard?

Students can get their IELTS band score chart online by browsing the ETS official website. Follow the below-mentioned instructions to download the IELTS scores:

• Visit the official IELTS website.

• Log in using the login details.

• Click on the "View Results" or "Download TRF" section.

• Enter the Test Report Form (TRF) number.

• Download the IELTS score report.

Minimum IELTS Score Required

The minimum IELTS score required varies depending on the country, university, or organisation you are applying to. Therefore, there is no universal standard for the minimum IELTS score. It is important to note that each university/college/organization may have its own specific set of requirements when it comes to the IELTS score, which can significantly impact an applicant’s chances of being selected.

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