Booking for IELTS Exam

The easiest way to book for IELTS exam is do it online. You can pick your desired test location, select your preferred test format and pay the test fee online.

But before booking for IELTS test or even joining any IELTS course, you need to understand how you are marked !

All scores of IELTS range from 0 to 9. However, you can receive .5 scores (for example 6.5 or 7.5). Furthermore, for each section (listen, read, write and talk) you obtain a band score and also an overall band score. The average score for all the modules is the total band score.

The total test scores are computed to the next 0.5 or next entire band score. This implies that you push the score to the closest entire score or half score depending on the nearest value if the final scoring is not exactly 7.5 (as indicated in this table). See the given instance:

• You have a total score of 6.1, which will decrease to 6. To clarify, The band’s closest score. 6.1 is closer to band 6 than to 6.5, in other words.
• If it is estimated that the overall score is 6.85, the final outcome will be 7 as Band 7 is nearer to Band 6.85 than Band 6.5.
• You may raise your total score to 6.5 if you have an average of 6.25. In fact, Band score 6.25 is exactly between Band 6 and 6.5. Thus, IELTS will push it to 6.5 in this situation.
• If your total score is 6.75, you will get Band 7. Again, this score is just from 6.5 to 7. Your score is rounded off in this situation.

See the score table and the description of each point from IELTS Officials here:

Band Score	Skill Level	Description
Band 9	Expert user	You have a complete operational language command. Your usage of English is adequate, correct and fluid and you are well aware of it.
Band 8	Very good user	With occasionally unsystematic error and incorrect use you have fully operational control of the language. In new circumstances, you may mistake some things. Your argumentation is sophisticated and comprehensive.
Band 7	Good user	You have operational control of the language, yet in certain cases you have errors, misuse and misunderstandings. In general, you are highly aware of sophisticated language and of thorough thinking.
Band 6	Competent user	In general, despite certain errors, misuse and misunderstandings, you have a good grasp of the language. In familiar settings you can use and comprehend quite sophisticated words.
Band 5	Modest user	You control the language partially, and in most cases deal with its general significance, although there may be numerous blunders. In your own field you should be able to communicate in basic terms.
Band 4	Limited user	Your fundamental skills are confined to familiar settings. You often have understanding and expressing difficulties. The complicated language you can’t use here.
Band 3	Extremely limited user	In familiar circumstances, you merely transmit and perceive broad significance. Communication is frequently disrupted.
Band 2	Intermittent user	You have a lot of difficulties comprehending English spoken and written.
Band 1	Non-user	Except for a few isolated words, you have no capacity to utilise the language.
Band 0	Did not attempt the test	You did not answer the questions.

Section band scores

• Listening

            There are 40 questions in the IELTS Listening test. Each right answer receives one point. The IELTS nine-band scale is used to convert scores out of 40. Scores are given in full and half bands.

IELTS Listening Scores:

Correct Answers	Band Scores
39 – 40	9
37 – 38	8.5
35 -36	8
32 – 34	7.5
30 – 31	7
26 – 29	6.5
23 – 25	6
18 – 22	5.5
16 -17	5
13 – 15	4.5
11 -12	4

• Reading

            The IELTS Reading exam consists of 40 questions. Each right answer receives one point. The IELTS nine-band scale is used to convert scores out of 40. Scores are given in full and half bands.

            Academic and General Training Reading exams are both evaluated on the same scale. The difference between the two tests is a matter of text type. However, Academic Reading tests are tougher than General Training tests due to the complex language and the many uncommon words used.  Furthermore, on a General Training Reading test, a higher number of questions must be completed correctly in order to achieve a particular band score.

IELTS Reading Scores (Academic) 

Correct Answers	Band Scores
39-40	9
37-38	8.5
35-36	8
33-34	7.5
30-32	7
27-29	6.5
23-26	6
19-22	5.5
15-18	5
13-14	4.5
10-12	4
8-9	3.5
6-7	3
4-5	2.5

IELTS Reading Scores (General) 

Correct Answers	Band Score
40	9
39	8.5
37-38	8
36	7.5
34-35	7
32-33	6.5
30-31	6
27-29	5.5
23-26	5
19-22	4.5
15-18	4
12-14	3.5
9-11	3
6-8	2.5

• Writing

Examiners assign a band score to each of the four categories using evaluation criteria:

1. Task Response 

2. Coherence and cohesion.

3. Lexical Resources

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

To clarify, read the table below for further information on each criterion for scoring.

See the marking criteria for IELTS writing task 2 here: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ielts_task_2_writing_band_descriptors.pdf

Please see the marking criteria for IELTS writing task 1 here: 

https://www.ielts.org/-/media/pdfs/writing-band-descriptors-task-1.ashx?la=en

• Speaking

Examiners assign a band score to each of the four categories using evaluation criteria:

1. Fluency and Coherence
2. Lexical Resource
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
4. Pronunciation

Please see the marking criteria for IELTS speaking here: https://www.ielts.org/-/media/pdfs/speaking-band-descriptors.ashx?la=en