How is IELTS Scored?

Each of the four subtests of the IELTS test (Listening, Reading Writing and Speaking) is scored separately and converted into band scores from 09, with 9 being the highest score. Half scores (for example, 4.5/5.5/6.5) are possible. The four individual scores are added and converted into an overall test score, again from 09, IELTS determine all, final calculations. Assessment of the four, individual IELTS subtests Listening There are 40 questions, so your score is out of a possible 40. This score is then converted to a band score between 0 and 9. Reading As for Listening, there are 40 questions, and your score out of 40 is converted into a band score between 0 and 9. Writing There are two writing tasks (Task 1 and Task 2), and each task is scored from 0 to 9 on four assessment criteria, by a trained, IELTS assessor. The two sets of four individual scores are converted into an overall score between 0 and 9 by computer. The four assessment criteria for Writing Task 1 are; Task Achievement (To what extent have you done what the task asked you to do?) Coherence/Cohesion (Is your answer well-organised, systematic, are sentences linked well and easy to follow?) Lexical Resource (Is your use of vocabulary appropriate, varied and accurate?) Grammatical Range/Accuracy (Are sentences complex as well as simple, and accurate?) The four assessment criteria for Writing Task 2 are; Task Response (Is your point of view clear, well-developed and relevant to what the question asks?) Coherence/Cohesion (Is your answer well-organised, systematic, are sentences linked well and easy to follow?) Lexical Resource (Is your use of vocabulary appropriate, varied and accurate?)
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 Grammatical Range/Accuracy (Are sentences both simple and complex, and accurate?) Speaking Your interview performance is rated by a trained assessor using four assessment criteria. These individual scores are then converted by computer into an overall Speaking score between 0 and 9. The four, assessment criteria for the Speaking test are: Fluency/Coherence (Do you speak fluently? Is content of your answers easy to follow in terms of ideas and relevance?) Vocabulary (Is your use of vocabulary flexible, varied, appropriate?) Grammatical Range/Accuracy (Do you speak using accurate and varied grammar?) Pronunciation (Is your pronunciation easy to follow, with good stress, rhythm, intonation, chunking?)

Test Report Form Your four scores for each part of the test and your final overall IELTS score are printed on your Test Report Form, which is usually available 2 weeks after your test date. What if I think my IELTS score is not accurate? You can pay a fee and ask IELTS to re-assess your subtests, but this does not guarantee a better score. For details of this process, visit the official IELTS website (www.ielts.org) What score do I need to achieve? Universities, colleges, schools, professional bodies and government departments decide on the specific scores required, according to their own judgments of the language demands involved. You should check the details of any IELTS requirements you are being asked to achieve?