How is IELTS marked?

At IELTS, we want to help boost you to the next level. We want to make sure you don’t need to repeat your English language test. That’s why we share with you how we test, how we mark your work, and what is important.

For IELTS Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening we’ll tell you what examiners look for and how your test is marked. We’ll also show you how your overall band score is calculated. Or check how other tests compare to IELTS.

The Listening test has four parts and you need to answer 40 questions in your IELTS Listening test. You get one mark for each correct answer. The total correct answers will determine your 'raw' score, from which your band score will be determined. It is very important to try to answer every question as a blank answer will get no marks.

Your IELTS Listening band score contributes to your overall IELTS band score.

IELTS Listening score table converter

* The IELTS Listening band score tables that are shown here highlight the average number of marks required to achieve a particular IELTS band score. Actual marks may vary slightly between tests due to the variation in listening questions used on different occasions.

Your IELTS Reading scores are calculated by the number of correct answers you have out of 40 questions in the test. You get one mark for each correct answer in the IELTS Reading test. The total correct answers will determine your 'raw' score from which your band score will be determined. It's very important to try and answer every question as a blank answer will get no marks.

Your IELTS Reading band score contributes to your overall IELTS band score.

IELTS Reading score table converter

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* The IELTS Reaing band score tables that are shown here highlight the average number of marks required to achieve a particular IELTS band score. Actual marks may vary slightly between tests due to the variation in questions used on different occasions.

The IELTS Writing test is marked by qualified IELTS examiners who are intensively trained and monitored to ensure consistency and quality of marking, no matter where in the world the test is taken. A minimum of two examiners will mark your Writing test, and sometimes even up to three or four – we do this to ensure the highest level of accuracy and fairness possible.Your Writing test response is scored in the areas of:

• Task achievement (for Writing Task 1) or Task response (for Writing Task 2)

• Coherence and cohesion

• Lexical resource

• Grammatical range and accuracy

To understand what each of these means read the Writing band task 1 and task 2 descriptors, which have detailed information about each phrase and how they relate to the different band scores that are possible.

IELTS Writing band scores explained

The Speaking test in IELTS is just like a conversation that you would have in everyday life. In the test, you will sit in a private, quiet room with a qualified examiner who will engage you in a conversation. While it can be difficult to speak to a stranger, make the most of it! With IELTS, the examiner can slow down for you, speed up or even repeat or rephrase a question if you like – all you have to do is ask. The examiner is there to enable you to perform at your best.Your speaking skills are marked against a number of criteria, including:

• Fluency and coherence

• Lexical resource

• Pronunciation

• Grammatical range

• Accuracy

To understand what each of these means, read the Speaking band descriptor, which has detailed information about each phrase and how they relate to the different band scores that are possible.

IELTS Speaking band scores explained