How is my IELTS overall band score worked out from my four section scores?

Your IELTS overall band score is the average of your four section scores. Each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking gets a score from 0 to 9, and the average is then rounded to the nearest half or whole band.

How the Rounding Works

Steps to Calculate Your Score

• Note your band score for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
• Section scores can include half bands such as 6.5 or 7.0.
• Add all four scores and divide the total by four.
• Round the average to the nearest half or whole band using the table above.

My Advice

Calculate your likely overall band after every mock test so you can see which section is holding your average back. Confirm the official scoring approach on the IELTS website before you plan.