If you are an Indian student who wishes to study in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand then you would already know about IELTS. The first challenge in your application process is the IELTS test. Since English is not India’s primary speaking language, students have to appear for an English test that evaluates their speaking, writing and listening ability and gives them a score. Knowing how to calculate IELTS is important for all study abroad aspirants as it helps them understand and score more in the bands that they are good at. Know everything about the IELTS Score Calculator in this blog!
This Blog Includes:
What is IELTS?
IELTS or the International English Language Testing System is taken by those residing in non-native English-speaking countries who wish to study or work in English-speaking countries. It is important as it is a requirement for visa applications and university applications. A good IELTS score will make you eligible for the top universities while with a low IELTS score, you have to settle with a lower-ranking university.
IELTS Test Format
There are two types of tests within IELTS Academic and General Training. Students who wish to study in the universities abroad take the Academic Test and those who wish to work or undertake work abroad take the General Training Test. In both these IELTS tests, the Listening and Speaking sections are the same while the Reading and Writing sections are different.
IELTS Sections | How it is tested? |
Listening | MCQs, Diagram Labelling, Short Answers, Matching, Sentence Completion, etc |
Academic Reading | MCQs, Identifying Information, Matching Headings and Features, Summary, Notes, etc |
Academic Writing | Describe facts or processes provided in pictures and 250-word essay |
General Training Reading | MCQs, Identifying Information, Matching Headings and Features, Summary, Notes, etc |
General Training Writing | Personal Response of 150 words and semi-formal write-up of 250 words |
Speaking | Interview (11-14 minutes) |
IELTS Band Score Calculator
While the Writing and Speaking sections of IELTS are subjects, the Listening and Reading sections are marked out of 40 questions. The IELTS band score you get according to the rightly marked answers in both these sections is given below-
IELTS Overall Score Calculator
We now know how to calculate the score in each section. Let’s now know how the overall IELTS score is calculated. The first step is to take the average out of all the section scores- Reading, Speaking, Writing and Listening. For example, let’s take these sample scores and use the IELTS Score Calculator-
Listening | 6.5 |
Reading | 6.5 |
Writing | 5.0 |
Speaking | 8.0 |
Average score
= 6.5+6.5+5.0+8.0/4
= 26/4
= 6.5
Therefore, the overall IELTS Score Calculator is 6.5.
Now, let’s get to the tricky part. Sometimes, the average may not come up to 0.5. In that case, you must round it up to the nearest decimal.
Listening | 6.5 |
Reading | 6.5 |
Writing | 5 |
Speaking | 7 |
Average score
= 6.5+6.5+5.0+7.0/4
= 25/4
= 6.25
Here, the average score is 6.25 which can be rounded up to 6.5. If the average score had been 6.75, the IELTS score would have rounded up to 7.
Is your IELTS score good, okay or bad?
Wondering whether your IELTS score is good or not? Take a look at this chart and decide whether you are eligible for your dream university!
If you’re an international student who is planning to study abroad then you must be aware of the fact that a good IELTS score means admission to a good University abroad. But do you know if your IELTS score is good enough? An IELTS score between 7-9 is considered a good IELTS score while a score of 5 or 6 depicts that you’ve achieved an “Okay” IELTS score. An IELTS score of less than 5 is generally considered a bad IELTS score.
How To Achieve a Good IELTS Band Score?
An IELTS test is divided into 4 sections i.e. Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The English Language Test includes a variety of questions such as the MCQs, True or False, Matching Sentences, Completing Sentences and more. To get the desired IELTS band score you must be first aware of the marking scheme of an IELTS test. You receive 1 mark for each correct answer, with the total number of marks determining your band score.
Apart from the calculation of the scores, you must keep in mind a target score you want to achieve and start preparing for that. To get the IELTS band score you need, you must practice daily, explore your vocabulary, read newspapers and articles, work on your confidence, pay attention to the listening part and listen to at least 2-3 recordings daily, choose your words precisely and proofread what you’ve written so far.
Securing a Band 9 score in IELTS is often considered to be a daunting task by many. That being said, one must keep abreast of the common tips and tricks to help you score a band 9.
- Dedicate ample time to studying and practising for the IELTS well in advance of your test date. Consistent effort is key to improving your English language skills across all areas tested.
- Familiarize yourself with the specific tasks, time constraints, and marking criteria for each section of the IELTS. This will help you strategize effectively during the exam.
- Surround yourself with the English language as much as possible. Read English newspapers, watch English movies and TV shows, and listen to English podcasts and music.
- Utilize official IELTS practice tests and resources to get accustomed to the format and difficulty level of the actual exam.
- Practice listening to a variety of English accents at different speeds and in different contexts.
- Don’t get bogged down by trying to understand every single word.
- Practice reading a variety of academic and non-academic texts in English.
- Learning to skim and scan for specific information will help you save time and answer questions efficiently.
- Learn to paraphrase and summarize information in your own words.
- Focus on writing clear, concise, and well-organized essays: Structure your essays using an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
- Practice speaking English fluently and confidently. Find conversation partners or practice speaking on your own.
How Long Can it Take to Increase your IELTS scores?
It depends upon your dedication and commitment to the same. Multiple factors contribute to the process of increasing your IELTS score as you must be first aware of your strengths and weaknesses, identifying what is making you score less, your current level, the level of score you need to get, your studying and learning strategies, and further complicating factor is to figure out what scores you may need for different universities. However, it has been reported that on average it takes up to 3 months of study to improve by up to half a band in IELTS.
So that was all about the IELTS Score calculator. Hope the blog has answered your queries regarding the topic.
The IELTS score is calculated based on mean results from all four parts of the exam.
The full form of IELTS is the International English Language Testing System.
The total scoring range of the IELTS exam is 0-9.
Build a plan with Leverage Edu‘s Leverage Live classes and our top trainers and strengthen your English score as well as your application so that you can secure your spot in your dream college. Reach out to Leverage Edu on 1800572000 and schedule a free session today.