IELTS Listening Band Score Description
The IELTS Listening test is graded on a band scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest score possible. Each band score corresponds to a level of proficiency in English. The following is a general description of the band scores for the IELTS Listening test:
|
Band Score |
Level of Proficiency |
Description |
|
9 |
Expert User |
Has full operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate, and fluent with complete understanding. |
|
8 |
Very Good User |
Has a very good command of the language: appropriate, accurate, and fluent with only occasional inaccuracies. |
|
7 |
Good User |
Has a good command of the language: generally accurate and fluent, but with some inaccuracies and misunderstandings. |
|
6 |
Competent User |
Has a competent command of the language: generally accurate, but with some errors and misunderstandings. |
|
5 |
Modest User |
Has a modest command of the language: has partial understanding of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. |
|
4 |
Limited User |
Has a limited command of the language: basic competence is limited to familiar situations. |
|
3 |
Extremely Limited User |
Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. |
|
2 |
Intermittent User |
No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. |
|
1 |
Non-User |
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
|
0 |
Did not attempt the test or response was irrelevant to the question. |
N/A |
IELTS Listening Band Score Calculation
The IELTS Listening test is scored on a band scale of 0 to 9. The overall band score is calculated by taking the average of the scores obtained in each of the four sections of the test.
For example, if a test-taker scores 7.5 in Section 1, 8 in Section 2, 6.5 in Section 3, and 7 in Section 4, then the overall band score is calculated as follows:
(7.5 + 8 + 6.5 + 7) ÷ 4 = 7.5
The overall band score is rounded up or down to the nearest half-band. In the example above, the overall band score of 7.5 would be rounded up to a band score of 8.
It’s important to note that the band score for the IELTS Listening test is based on the number of correct answers, and there is no penalty for incorrect answers. Therefore, it is always recommended to attempt all questions in the test.
|
Raw Score |
Band Score |
|
40 |
9 |
|
39 |
8.5 |
|
37-38 |
8 |
|
35-36 |
7.5 |
|
33-34 |
7 |
|
30-32 |
6.5 |
|
27-29 |
6 |
|
23-26 |
5.5 |
|
20-22 |
5 |
|
16-19 |
4.5 |
|
13-15 |
4 |
|
10-Dec |
3.5 |
|
8-Sep |
3 |
|
6-Jul |
2.5 |
|
4-May |
2 |
|
2-Mar |
1.5 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
The raw score is the total number of correct answers out of 40. The band score is determined based on the raw score, with higher scores indicating better listening skills. It’s important to note that the IELTS Listening test is scored independently of the other sections of the IELTS exam.
