IELTS Band Score Chart: Listening and Reading Marks out of 40
Quick answer: In IELTS Listening and Reading, each of the 40 questions is worth one mark. Approximately, 30 correct answers gives band 7 in Listening and Academic Reading, while General Training Reading needs about 34 or 35. Band 9 needs 39 or 40 correct in Listening and Academic Reading, and 40 in General Training. These conversions are approximate and can vary slightly between test versions.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
What is the IELTS band score chart for Listening and Reading?
Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, and every correct answer is worth one mark. Your raw mark out of 40 is then converted to a band from 1 to 9. The chart below shows the usual raw score ranges for each band.
These conversions are approximate; the exact conversion can vary slightly between test versions. Use the chart to estimate your level after a practice test, not to predict an exact official result.
| Band | Listening (correct /40) | Academic Reading (correct /40) | GT Reading (correct /40) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 39–40 | 39–40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 37–38 | 39 |
| 8 | 35–36 | 35–36 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 33–34 | 36 |
| 7 | 30–31 | 30–32 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 | 32–33 |
| 6 | 23–25 | 23–26 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 | 27–29 |
| 5 | 16–17 | 15–18 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 | 13–14 | 19–22 |
| 4 | 10–12 | 10–12 | 15–18 |
Raw scores below 10 give a band below 4. The chart stops at band 4 because most study and visa targets are well above that level.
How do you read the chart?
Find your raw score in the column for the skill you took. Then read across to the band on the left. If you scored 33 in Listening, that sits in the 32 to 34 range, which is about band 7.5.
Make sure you use the right Reading column. Academic and General Training Reading use different conversions, so the same raw score can give a different band.
Worked example: Priya takes a full practice test and scores 28 in Listening and 31 in Academic Reading.
- Listening: 28 is in the 26 to 29 range, so about band 6.5.
- Academic Reading: 31 is in the 30 to 32 range, so about band 7.
- If she had taken General Training Reading, 31 would be about band 6.
Listening band score chart out of 40
Listening is the same test for Academic and General Training candidates, so there is one chart for everyone.
| Correct answers (out of 40) | Approximate band |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 10–12 | 4 |
Notice that the gaps are not equal. Band 6.5 covers four raw marks (26 to 29), while band 9 covers only two (39 and 40). Near the top of the scale, each mistake matters more.
Academic Reading band score chart out of 40
Academic Reading uses longer texts from sources such as books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources, written for a non-specialist reader (ielts.org). The chart below is for the Academic test only.
| Correct answers (out of 40) | Approximate band |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Many university courses ask for 6.5 or 7 in each skill. On this chart, that means aiming for roughly 27 to 32 correct answers or more.
General Training Reading band score chart out of 40
General Training Reading uses everyday texts, work-related texts such as job descriptions and training materials, and one longer general interest text (ielts.org). Because the texts are generally less academically demanding, you need more correct answers for the same band.
| Correct answers (out of 40) | Approximate band |
|---|---|
| 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 |
For example, band 7 needs about 34 or 35 correct in GT Reading, compared with about 30 in Academic Reading. You can read more in our guide on why GT Reading needs more correct answers.
Is there a band score chart for Writing and Speaking?
No. Writing and Speaking are not marked out of 40. Trained examiners give a band on the same 9-band scale using four criteria for each skill. The band can be a whole band or a half band, such as 6 or 6.5.
| Skill | How it is marked |
|---|---|
| Writing | Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1. |
| Speaking | Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation. |
Once you have all four bands, the overall band is the average, rounded to the nearest half band. See how the overall band score is calculated for worked examples.
How should you use the chart when you practise?
- Take a full timed test under real conditions. Do not pause the audio or go over time in Reading.
- Mark your answers strictly. Wrong spelling or too many words means the answer is wrong.
- Convert your raw score with the chart and write down the band.
- Track your score across several tests. One test can be easy or hard for you, so look for a trend.
- Work out the gap. If you need band 7 in Listening and you score 27, you need about three or four more correct answers.
Small gains add up. Three extra correct answers in Listening can move you from band 6.5 to band 7, which can change your overall band too.
Practise now: Take a free timed Listening Test 1, Academic Reading Test 1 or GT Reading Test 1, then convert your raw score with the chart above. Or try our band score calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Listening?
You need about 30 or 31 correct answers out of 40 for band 7 in Listening. This is approximate; the exact conversion can vary slightly between test versions.
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Academic Reading?
You need about 30 to 32 correct answers out of 40 for band 7 in Academic Reading. The exact number can vary slightly between test versions.
Why does General Training Reading need more correct answers?
General Training Reading texts are generally less academically demanding than Academic Reading texts, so you need more correct answers for the same band. For band 7, GT needs about 34 or 35 correct answers compared with about 30 in Academic.
Is the Listening band chart the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. The Listening test is the same for Academic and General Training candidates, so the same approximate band chart applies to both.
Do I lose marks for wrong answers in IELTS?
No. A wrong answer simply scores zero, so you should answer every question. A blank answer and a wrong answer both score nothing.
Can I use this chart to predict my real IELTS score?
You can use it to estimate your level from a practice test. Real conversions are approximate and can vary slightly between test versions, and practice tests may be easier or harder than the real test.