- What is the IDP IELTS Score?
- How IELTS Score is Calculated
- Reading Band Score Calculation
- Speaking Band Score Calculation
- Writing Band Score Calculation
- Listening Band Score Calculation
- Overall IELTS Band Score Calculation
- Summary of All IELTS Score Calculation Methods
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Final Words
Do you have an IELTS test and have doubts about the method through which your score will be counted by IDP? You are not the only one, and thousands of people who take the test every day search to know what the IDP IELTS score represents, how it is marked, and how they can estimate their band score before the test day.
Today, I will provide a detailed explanation of all the information you need to know about the IDP IELTS scoring system, along with an explanation of our IDP IELTS Score with our IDP IELTS score calculator.
What is the IDP IELTS Score?
By IDP IELTS score, I refer to the band scores obtained at the end of the IELTS test conducted by IDP Education, which is one of the 2 official authorities that conduct IELTS (the other is the British Council).
The scoring system of IELTS is also equal in both IDP and the British Council, though they are separate entities. Whether the test is conducted by an individual, a group, or an organisation, the test format, scoring needs, and norms under which the test is assessed are always the same.
Key Points About IDP IELTS Score
- Score Range: This means that the band score of the IELTS can be displayed with a range of scores between 0 and 9, with all the scores being a distinct level of capability in English.
- Four Sections: You have four sections of your test, that is, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
- Final Band Score: You get a band score on each of the components and a band score as a whole (a mean of all four).
- Half Bands Exist: Your score can include half bands (like 6.5 or 7.5).
- Types of tests: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are scored in the same manner, except that the Reading section is slightly different.
IELTS Band Score Scale
| Band Score | Skill Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert User | Fully operational command of the language |
| 8 | Very Good User | Occasional unsystematic inaccuracies |
| 7 | Good User | Generally handles complex language well |
| 6 | Competent User | Effective command despite errors |
| 5 | Modest User | Partial command; understands overall meaning |
| 4 | Limited User | Basic competence in familiar situations |
| 3 | Extremely Limited | Essentially, no ability to use English |
| 2 | Intermittent | Great difficulty understanding spoken/written English |
| 1 | Non-user | Essentially no ability to use English |
| 0 | Did not attempt | No assessable information |
When you get your Test Report Form (TRF), you will get the individual section scores that you achieved and your general band.
How IELTS Score is Calculated
Now let’s dive deeper into the calculation process. I’ll explain how your raw scores (the number of correct answers) are converted into band scores. Just use our calculator to calculate the IELTS Score in the UAE.
IELTS exam evaluates four skills individually, and each of the skills is graded differently.
The Four Components Are
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
We can consider the evaluation of each of them, beginning with Reading.
Reading Band Score Calculation
There will be 40 questions in the Reading test, which will take 60 minutes. Your score is calculated depending on which module you are taking on the Academic or General Training.
For IELTS Academic Reading
Every right response earns you a mark, and your total score out of 40 is translated into a band score as per the scale as follows:
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8–9 | 3.5 |
| 6–7 | 3 |
| 4–5 | 2.5 |
For IELTS General Training Reading
Questions are a bit simpler, and hence conversion is varied:
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 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 |
My Tip for You
I would suggest that you practice reading and time keeping since time management influences your raw score considerably. Pay attention to scanning and skimming – this will assist you in ensuring that you maximize the number of correct answers as fast as possible.
Speaking Band Score Calculation
The IELTS Speaking Test is a face-to-face interview with an examiner. It usually lasts 11–14 minutes and is divided into three parts:
- Introduction and Interview (Part 1)
The questions the examiner poses concern you, your house, family, education, work, hobbies, and so forth. - Cue Card or Long Turn (Part 2)
You will be issued a topic card and 1 minute to prepare your topic, and 2 minutes to talk about it. - Discussion (Part 3)
Part 2 involves more in-depth questions on the subject by the examiner.
How the Speaking Score is Calculated
You receive a rating based on four criteria, with each one returning 25 percent of your overall score on speaking:
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | How smoothly and logically you speak |
| Lexical Resource | The range and accuracy of your vocabulary |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Your control over grammar and sentence structure |
| Pronunciation | How clearly and naturally you pronounce words |
Each criterion is given a band score from 0 to 9, and then all four are averaged to form your final speaking band score.
Example of Speaking Band Calculation
If an examiner gives you:
- Fluency: 7
- Vocabulary: 7
- Grammar: 6
- Pronunciation: 7
Then your speaking score will be:
(7 + 7 + 6 + 7) ÷ 4 = 6.75, which rounds up to 7.0.
My Tip for You
I also recorded myself and listened to the way I sounded when I practiced. You can also do the same, which assists you in locating and correcting pronunciation or fluency difficulties.
Writing Band Score Calculation
IELTS Writing Test consists of two tasks (both academic and general training), and your score in the writing test is based on your performance in the writing tasks.
Task 1 and Task 2 Overview
| Module | Task 1 | Task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Academic | Describe data (graph, chart, process, or diagram) | Write an essay about a topic |
| General Training | Write a letter (formal/informal) | Write an essay about a topic |
Scoring Criteria for Writing
As in the case of speaking, the same is true of writing, which is graded on four equal criteria:
- Task Achievement / Task Response – The quality of your response to the question.
- Coherence and Cohesion -the logic with which your ideas are structured.
- Lexical Resource: How rich and correct is your vocabulary?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy- The use of grammar is correct and natural.
They are all rated on a 0-9 scale, and your average is calculated.
Weighting Between Tasks
Task 2 weighs twice that of Task 1.
So your final writing band =(Task 1 score + (Task 2 score × 2)) ÷ 3.
Example of Writing Band Calculation
If you score:
- Task 1 = 6.5
- Task 2 = 7.0
Then Writing Score = (6.5 + (7.0 × 2)) ÷ 3 = (6.5 + 14) ÷ 3 = 6.83 → 7.0 Band
My Tip for You
I always prepare my thoughts at least 5 minutes before I start writing. I suggest the same planning assists you in remaining organized and coherent.
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Listening Band Score Calculation
The Listening test also has 40 questions. Each correct answer gives you one mark. Like Reading, your raw score is converted into a band score.
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 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 |
My Tip for You
When I was trying to listen, I paid attention to anticipating answers prior to the audio playing. It is also important to read out the questions beforehand – it makes your brain pay attention to keywords during listening.
Overall IELTS Band Score Calculation
It is time to get to the most significant part of your overall IELTS band score. Your average section scores are divided by 0.5 bands to give the average of your four section scores, which is your final band score.
Rounding Rules
- When the average is in .25, then that is rounded to the band half above it.
(e.g. 6.25 → 6.5) - When it is a decimal number ending in.75, then it is rounded off to the following entire band.
(e.g. 6.75 → 7.0)
Example 1
| Section | Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 7.5 |
| Reading | 7.0 |
| Writing | 6.5 |
| Speaking | 7.0 |
Average = (7.5 + 7.0 + 6.5 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 7.0
Overall IELTS Band Score = 7.0
Example 2
| Section | Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 8 |
| Reading | 7.5 |
| Writing | 6.5 |
| Speaking | 7 |
Average = (8 + 7.5 + 6.5 + 7) ÷ 4 = 7.25
Overall IELTS Band Score = 7.5
Summary of All IELTS Score Calculation Methods
Let’s quickly review everything I explained above in one simple table.
| Section | Total Questions | Marking Basis | Conversion / Criteria | Final Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 40 | 1 mark per correct answer | Raw score → band scale | 0–9 |
| Reading (Academic/General) | 40 | 1 mark per correct answer | Different scale for each type | 0–9 |
| Writing | 2 Tasks | Four criteria (25% each) | Task 2 is double-weighted | 0–9 |
| Speaking | 3 Parts | Four criteria (25% each) | Average of all criteria | 0–9 |
| Overall | — | Average of 4 section bands | Rounded to nearest 0.5 | 0–9 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the IDP IELTS score?
The IELTS score IDP IELTS results show how well you can use the English language by taking the IELTS exam through IDP Education. It has a score on the same scale as that of the British Council between Band 0 and 9.
2. Is the IDP IELTS score different from the British Council IELTS?
No. They have the same rules of exam and scoring, and evaluation criteria. Only that the organization that tests you is different.
3. How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
The average of section scores (i.e., Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking) will offer an overall band score that will be rounded off to the nearest half band.
4. What is the method of calculating the Reading and Listening score?
Each section has 40 questions. Each right response will earn you one mark, and the overall marks will be transformed into a band score by using the IELTS conversion chart.
5. How long does it take to get IDP IELTS results?
- Examination using computers: 35 days or less.
- Paper-based test: within 13 days
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Final Words
The fact that an IDP IELTS score is calculated is quite an effective one. Being aware of the actual grading of your Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking sections, you will be better prepared than you have ever been and will make an effort to improve your band score.
This knowledge will give you control of your outcomes, whether you are planning to study, work, or immigrate.
