IELTS Reading Band Score

The IELTS reading band score is graded from 1-9 scale in increments of 0.5 with band 9 being the highest grade and band 1 being the lowest score. There are 40 questions in the reading section and each question will be given 1 mark. Thus the raw score obtained out of 40 will be converted into the band score. There is no negative scoring for incorrect answers.  The IELTS academic reading band score can be a whole or half-band. 

The IELTS reading band score is valid for 2 years from the day of the TRF issue. The IELTS reading score chart is different for academic and general reading. This article provided you with a brief explanation of the band score calculation, IELTS reading score chart, IELTS reading band descriptors, etc.

Check Out our YouTube Channel to Practice Full-Length IELTS Reading Tests Daily

Table of Content 

• How to calculate the IELTS reading band score
• IELTS academic reading score calculator
• IELTS academic reading score conversion
• IELTS reading band score descriptors
• IELTS Reading band score
• IELTS reading marking criteria

How to calculate the IELTS reading band score?

The IELTS reading band score is calculated based on the number of correct answers given out of 40 questions and converted on the band scale of 1-9. Each correct answer carries 1 mark and the total mark for the reading section will be 40. The raw scores obtained out of 40 will be graded between 1-9 bands. 

The IELTS academic reading scores can be whole bands like 4, 5, 8, 7, etc, and half bands like 5.5, 7.5, 6.5, etc. These IELTS band scores will represent your English reading proficiency level as you will be reading the given passages and answering the questions in 60 minutes. The reading score calculation for the IELTS general reading test and the IELTS academic reading scores are the same.

For example, 
1.Number of correct answers: 35
Raw scores obtained: 35
IELTS reading band score: 8

2.Number of correct answers - 27
Raw scores obtained - 27
IELTS band score- 6.5

IELTS band score descriptors

The IELTS band score descriptors are used to reveal your English reading skills. The band score is depending on the number of questions answered correctly and the raw scores are converted into bands. From the below-given table, you can check your English competence level. 

Band scores	Skill level	Description
9	Expert user	Shows you have a complete understanding of the language and are able to use it fluently and accurately without grammatical errors. Having full operational command competency.
8	Very good user	Has a good operational command but lacking in a few unfamiliar situations. Occasionally some unsystematic inaccuracies may occur. Capable of handling complex and detailed argumentation.
7	Good user	Having operational command over the language with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings in some situations. Able to understand detailed reasoning and can handle complex language.
6	Competent user	Effective command of the language is exhibited along with a few inaccuracies, misunderstandings, and inappropriate word usage. In similar situations, capable of using and understanding fairly complex language.
5	Moderate user	Partial command over the language. Though mistakes are likely to happen, capable of understanding the overall meaning in most situations. Can handle basic communication in their own field.
4	Limited user	Has basic competence only in a familiar situation. Cannot handle complex language and faces difficulty in understanding and expressions.
3	Extremely limited user	Communicates with frequent breakdowns. Can understand and convey only in familiar situations with a general meaning.
2	Intermittent user	High difficulty level in understanding spoken and written English. Knows only a few selected words or phrases that are used in familiar situations.
1	Non-user	Has no ability to use the English language. Knows only a very limited number of words or phrases.

IELTS Reading band scores

You can appear for the IELTS academic reading test if you are planning to join any graduate program in the universities of English-speaking countries. Your English proficiency to survive in the educational institution is tested using the IELTS academic test. The academic reading passages are taken from books, articles, journals, and publishings, related to the educational background. 

In the IELTS academic reading test, you will be facing 3 reading sections with 40 questions. You will be scored based on the number of correct answers given and the raw scores obtained will be converted into the band score. You can find the IELTS Academic Reading Band Score chart below.

IELTS Academic Reading - Raw Score Conversion*

The IELTS reading bandscore chart for Academic Reading test is

Number of correct answers (Raw score)	IELTS Academic Reading Band Score
40-39	9
38-37	8.5
36-35	8
34-33	7.5
32-30	7
29-27	6.5
26-23	6
22-19	5.5
18-15	5
14-13	4.5
12-10	4
9-8	3.5
7-6	3
5-4	2.5

Read IELTS general reading scores, for more information regarding the general reading marking criteria.

Also Read: IELTS Score Validity

Conclusion

The “IELTS reading band score” is used to give an insight into your reading skills to institutions and immigration officials. We hope the information given in the blog will give you an understanding of the reading scores, their marking criteria, and their validity.

IELTS Reading Band Score FAQ

1. How is the IELTS reading band score calculated?

The IELTS reading band score is calculated based on the number of correct answers given by the candidates. Each question carries one mark and the raw score obtained will be graded on a scale of 0-9 to give the IELTS reading band score. The reading score can be a whole band or a half band. 

2. What is the IELTS reading band score obtained for a raw score of 31?

The IELTS band score for the raw score of 31 will be 7. It indicates that you are a good user of the English language in the reading module. 

3. Is an IELTS reading band score of 6.5 good?

Having a band score of 6.5 is considered a good band score by most IELTS experts as the base IELTS score requirement fixed by most universities is 6.5 and above. 

4. Is there a half-band score on the IELTS reading test?

Yes, there are half-band scores in the reading test. You will be given scores like 6.5, 7.5, 5.5, etc. based on the correct answers given. 

5. What is the IELTS raw score?

The number of correct answers written in the reading section will be contributing to the raw score. Each question will be given 1 mark and the corresponding score obtained will be your IELTS raw score. There are no negative marks in the IELTS reading section. 

For example, if you have written 34 correct answers, your raw score will be 34. 

6. To get a band score of 7 how many correct answers should I write?

To secure a band score of 7, the number of correct answers obtained will be between 30-32. This band score will indicate that you are a good user of the language.