Calculating Score in IELTS Exam

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Academic and General Training papers are graded on the same scale-from 1 to 9 for each part of the test-Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The average produces your entire band score. Score can be whole (e. g. 5.0,6.0,7.0) or half (e. g. 5.5. 6.5,7.5) bands in each part of the test.

Overall Band Score

Entire band score includes mean score of the 4 test components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) .

The score for each segment is equally desirable.

Overall band score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band.

Example: Score of 6.5 for Listening, 6.5 for Reading, 5.0 for Writing and 7.0 for Speaking, implies Overall Band Score of 6.5. So, total score will be = 6.25 which is a band score of 6.5.

Example: Score of 4.0 for Listening, 3.5 for Reading, 4.0 for Writing and 4.0 for Speaking, implies Overall Band Score of 4.0. Total score of 15. = 3.875 which is a band score of 4.0.

Listening and Reading Scores

Listening and Reading both includes 40 questions each. Each correct item is awarded one mark.

Maximum raw score in each component or segment can be 40.

Band scores ranging from Band 1 to Band 9-given based on their raw scores.

Writing and Speaking Scores

Elaborative assessment criteria is used for marking the Writing and Speaking segment of the test

Writing: Examiners award a band score for all 4 criterion areas: Task Achievement (for Task 1) and Task Response (for Task 2)

  • Coherence and Cohesion
  • Lexical Resource
  • Grammatical Range
  • Accuracy

The 4 criteria are equally weighted and important.

Speaking: Examiners award a band score for all 4 criterion areas:

  • Fluency and Coherence
  • Lexical Resource
  • Grammatical Range
  • Accuracy and Pronunciation

The 4 criteria are equally weighted and important.

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