IELTS Reading Score Chart: How the IELTS Band Calculator Works?

The IELTS Reading test consists of a total number of 40 questions. There is one mark awarded for each correct answer, and the total is then converted on the nine-band scale. The IELTS reading score chart is similar to the IELTS listening score chart in terms of calculation. The writing and speaking tests are judged on the more advanced criteria.

For those who have not even appeared for the IELTS exam once, getting familiar with the band calculator helps them aim for a higher score. A higher band also ensures that you can surely make a major leap towards the education hub of your dreams. The blog ahead will guide you through the various scoring and calculating techniques for IELTS and what should you expect from it.

IELTS Scorecard- Reading and Listening Band Calculation

IELTS Reading and Listening tests contain 40 questions each, with one mark for each question. Both exams carry 40 marks respectively, and there is no negative marking for the wrong answers. The marks obtained are then converted into the standard band scores that are set. The following tables show both General Training and Academic  IELTS band score chart:

IELTS Academic Reading Score Chart

Also Read: Best Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2 to Achieve Band 8: Here’s Your Guide to Score Big

IELTS Reading Score Chart (General Training)

IELTS Listening Score Chart

IELTS Band Calculator for Writing and Speaking

Where the reading and listening band scores are calculated on the basis of marks conversions, there are basic factors for assessing the writing and speaking parts as well. For writing task 1 and 2, task achievement and task response are checked. These include properly addressing the task, adding relevant points, supporting details with data, and giving good conclusions. Other factors include coherence and cohesion, lexical resources, grammar range, and accuracy.

For the speaking task, the factors which are assessed are fluency, lexical resources, grammar range, accuracy, and pronunciation. These include several other subfactors like the range of words, paraphrasing, sentence structure, intonation, collocations, grammar tenses, and many more, which are checked by the examiner as per the marking requirements.

IELTS Scorecard- Additional Information about IELTS Band Calculator

The IELTS band scores range from 0 to 9, 9 being the highest. However, making it to a score of 9 is a great deal and requires exceptional overall performance.

The result comprises four different scores in four skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) and on overall band score. The overall result is the average of all four skills.

The average score can come as halves or in points, and there are certain rules for rounding off scores in these cases:

• The overall band score is rounded to the nearest whole or half band.
• If the overall band score is 7.25, it will be given as 6.5
• If the overall band score is 7.75, it will be given as 8.
• If the overall band score is 7.1, it will go down to a score of 7.

How do General Training and Academic IELTS Band Score Charts Differ?

IELTS Academic exam is conducted for higher study purposes abroad, whereas the purpose of the General Training exam is to move for professional training, work, or immigration to other countries. The IELTS reading score chart is a bit different in Academic and General Training. As seen in the above tables, a score of 39-40 grabs a band score of 9 in the academic test, but a raw score of 39 fetches a band score of 8.5 in the general training test.

Other than that, the Listening, Writing, and Speaking Band scores are almost similar in both academic and general training. The difficulty and level of questions may be higher in terms of complexity and vocabulary in the case of the IELTS Academic test. Although there is no test that can be called easier than the other, still the General test can be termed as the test with better scoring chances and ease of attempting.

Conclusion

Being familiar with the IELTS Reading, Listening and other score charts keep you a step ahead while preparing and set the expectations right in advance. They also give an upper hand by enabling to aim for better and higher, and by showing what are the main areas which need to be focused on. All these points will surely get you the result you want.

Also Read: MCQ Type of Questions in IELTS Reading Exam: Here’s How to do It