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HOW IS IELTS SCORE CALCULATED?

How is IELTS Score Calculated?

Introduction

The International English Language Testing System, sometimes known as IELTS, is a standardized test that is designed to evaluate the English language skills of individuals who do not speak English as their first language. The results of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are accepted all around the world by colleges, companies, immigration agencies, and other organizations.

In this blog post, we will go through the methodology behind determining IELTS band scores, as well as the criteria for each band. In addition to this, we will discuss the criteria that will be used to evaluate the students' performance in the listening, reading, writing, and speaking modules.

IELTS Bands score Calculator

IELTS band scores are determined by how well an examinee performs on each of the four modules that make up the exam. Listening, reading, writing, and oral communication are the four subtests that make up the overall exam. On a scale ranging from 0 to 9, individual scores are assigned to each module. After that, we take the average of all of these individual values to arrive at our overall band score, which is likewise on a scale from 0 to 9. After everything is said and done, the final band score is rounded to the nearest whole or half bands.

(Read More: How to book a slot for IELTS exam?)

IELTS Band Scores description:

The degree of English language proficiency that a test taker has achieved can be clearly understood by referring to the band score descriptors provided by the IELTS. The following are the descriptions of the band scores:

Band 9: Skilled user; possesses full operational command of the language; can use it in an acceptable, correct, and fluent manner while retaining full comprehension.

Band 8: Very good user - Has fully operational command of the language, with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriate usage. Band 9: Excellent user - Has fully operational command of the language.

Band 7: Good user - Has operational command of the language, albeit with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings in some situations. Band 8: Advanced user - Has operational command of the language, but with significant room for improvement. In general, demonstrates a command of difficult vocabulary and an understanding of intricate logic.

Band 6: Skilled user; despite certain inaccuracies, incorrect usage, and misunderstandings, has an overall effective grasp of the language. Able to use and understand language that is quite complicated, particularly while conversing in familiar settings.

Band 5: Modest user - Has some command of the language, can get by in most situations in terms of general meaning, but is likely to make many mistakes. One should have a solid grasp on the fundamentals of communication within one's particular field. This can be achieved by practicing the IELTS sample papers on daily basis.

Band 4: Restricted user - Basic competence is restricted to situations that are already familiar to the user. Has consistent difficulty in both understanding and expressing himself. He or she is incapable of using more difficult terminology.

Band 3: Very limited user; conveys and understands only generic meaning in extremely familiar contexts; this level of proficiency is not suitable for everyday use. There are frequent failures in the communication system.

Band 2: Intermittent user - No genuine communication is possible other than providing the most fundamental information through the use of single words or short formulae in familiar situations and to address immediate needs. Has a lot of trouble understanding English, both verbally and in writing.

Band 1: Non-user; essentially unable to use the language beyond potentially a few isolated words; has no ability to use the language at all.

Band 0: Did not attempt the test; no information that can be used to score it was provided.

IELTS Bands Score for Listening and Reading

Both the listening and reading portions of the IELTS exam each have a maximum possible score of 40. Focus on improving the vocabulary for a desired IELTS score. After that, the scores are translated to band scores by using a conversion table that is provided by the organization that oversees the IELTS.

IELTS listening Bands score:

Correct answers Band scores

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

11-12

4

 

(Read More: The list of IELTS test centers in India-2023)

IELTS Band scores for Reading (Academic):

Correct answers Band scores

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

IELTS Bands score for Reading (General Training):

Correct answers Band scores

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

12-14

3.5

9-11

3

6-8

2.5

It is essential to be aware that the IELTS test is comprised of multiple modules, each of which contains a unique set of question types, and that each question type carries a unique weightage. As a consequence of this, it is not possible to compute the band score based on the number of questions that were answered correctly. The conversion table that is provided by the organization that administers the IELTS takes into account both the level of difficulty of the questions and the performance of the test taker in each module.

IELTS Standards for evaluating written work:

The writing section of the IELTS exam is broken up into two separate problems. Participants in the exam will be asked in Task 1 to summarize, explain, or describe the information that is presented in a graph, table, chart, or diagram. Participants in the second task are given a prompt and expected to produce an essay in response to that prompt. Both of these activities are graded according to the following four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

(Read More: How to boost up the IELTS Writing bands score?)

  • Accomplishment of the Task: This criterion analyzes the degree to which the test taker has addressed all aspects of the task and provided a position that is distinct and well-developed.
  • This criterion evaluates the organization of the essay as well as the use of linking words and phrases to connect ideas. Coherence and cohesion are two different aspects of the same thing.
  • This criterion evaluates the range and accuracy of vocabulary that was used in the essay. The lexical resource is evaluated.
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This criterion analyses the range of grammatical structures that were employed in the essay as well as the accuracy of those structures.

The final band score for writing is determined by taking the average of the four scores and rating each criterion on a scale that ranges from 0 to 9.

IELTS standards for evaluating speaking ability:

The IELTS speaking section is a face-to-face interview with an examiner. This portion of the test accounts for half of your overall score. The test taker's capacity to communicate in English is assessed in each of the three stages of the interview, which are separated by a break in the action. There are 3 parts in IELTS speaking. Fluency and Coherence, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Lexical Resource, and Pronunciation are the four criteria that are used to evaluate candidates during the Speaking Module.

  • Fluency and Coherence: This criterion analyses the test taker's capability to speak at a natural tempo, use suitable hesitations, and organize their thoughts in a way that is coherent.
  • Lexical Resource: This criterion analyses the variety of language that was utilized throughout the speaking test as well as its correctness.
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This criterion analyses the range of grammatical structures that were employed in the speaking test and whether or not they were accurate.

This criterion examines the candidate's ability to make sounds, stress patterns, and intonation patterns that are easily understood by the audience.

The final score for the speaking band is determined by taking the average of the four individual scores and scoring each criterion on a scale that ranges from 0 to 9.

Conclusion:

IELTS band scores are determined on the basis of how well an examinee does on each of the four modules that make up the exam. The explanations of the different band scores offer a transparent perspective on the level of English language ability that a test taker has attained. Participants in the IELTS exam can improve their preparation for the exam by taking IELTS coaching and increase their chances of achieving high band score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, some universities don’t make IELTS scores mandatory and some universities have waivers during admissions through which you can enter the US without IELTS.

It depends on the course you are taking up. For English language proficiency, the best tests to choose from are IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL.

A minimum of 60% is mandatory to be eligible to go abroad. For studying abroad, you may need to submit scores of IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, PTE, GMAT, or GRE.

 




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