The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

What is IELTS?




Learn about the IELTS standard and its 9 band scale below.

IELTS in Short

IELTS Structure

IELTS academic version


IELTS general training version


The 9 band scale

IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. Overall band scores are reported to the nearest half band.

The band rounding convention

If the average across the four skills ends in 0.25, it is rounded up to the next half band. If it ends in 0.75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.

The 9 Band Scale

IELTS Band 0

You are in the Did not attempt a test band if you have provided no assessable information at all.

IELTS Band 1

You are in the Non user band if you have essentially no ability to use English beyond possibly a few isolated words.

IELTS Band 2

You are in the Intermittent user band if you don’t find real communication possible, except for the most basic information using isolated words, or short phrases in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs.

IELTS Band 3

You are in the Extremely limited user band if you can only convey and understand general meaning in very familiar situations.

IELTS Band 4

You are in the Limited user band if you have basic competence limited to familiar situations but also have frequent problems in using complex language.

IELTS Band 5

You are in the Modest user band if you have partial command of English, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though are likely to make many mistakes, and you are able to handle basic communication in your own areas of knowledge.

IELTS Band 6

You are in the Competent user band if you have generally effective command of English despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings, and you can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.

IELTS Band 7

You are in the Good user band if you have operational command of English, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations, and you generally handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning.

IELTS Band 8

You are in the Very good user band if you have full operational command of English with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies, and you handle complex detailed argumentation well, but you find that misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations.

IELTS Band 9

You are in the Expert user band if you have full operational command of English, speaking it appropriately, accurately and fluently with complete understanding.