Short answer: IELTS band descriptors are the published criteria examiners use for Writing and Speaking: four criteria each, scored from 0 to 9, averaged into the section band. Listening and Reading have no descriptors: your raw score out of 40 is converted to a band with a fixed table. Below you will find the three conversion tables, the four Writing criteria and the four Speaking criteria paraphrased band by band from 5 to 8, one paragraph rewritten from band 6 to band 7, and what to change on each criterion to move up.
A single IELTS band hides two very different mechanisms. In Listening and Reading, every correct answer is one mark and a table turns the total into a band. In Writing and Speaking, an examiner reads or listens and places your performance on four criteria, each with its own descriptor. If you know which mechanism applies to the section you are working on, you know whether to practise accuracy on question types or to change the way you write and speak.
Listening and Reading: raw score to band
Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, one mark per correct answer and no negative marking. The three tables below are the ones used to score the practice tests on this site, presented by ranges. Listening uses one table for Academic and General Training. Reading uses two, because General Training passages are shorter and more everyday, so the General Training scale asks for more correct answers for the same band. The tables are aligned with the conversions published by the test organisers; official scales can vary slightly from one session to another.
Listening
| Correct answers out of 40 | Band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.0 |
| 37 to 38 | 7.5 |
| 35 to 36 | 7.0 |
| 32 to 34 | 6.5 |
| 30 to 31 | 6.0 |
| 27 to 29 | 5.5 |
| 24 to 26 | 5.0 |
| 22 to 23 | 4.5 |
| 16 to 21 | 4.0 |
| 14 to 15 | 3.5 |
| 10 to 13 | 3.0 |
| 8 to 9 | 2.5 |
| 6 to 7 | 2.0 |
| 4 to 5 | 1.5 |
| 0 to 3 | 1.0 |
Reading, Academic
| Correct answers out of 40 | Band |
|---|---|
| 39 to 40 | 9.0 |
| 37 to 38 | 8.5 |
| 35 to 36 | 8.0 |
| 33 to 34 | 7.5 |
| 30 to 32 | 7.0 |
| 27 to 29 | 6.5 |
| 23 to 26 | 6.0 |
| 19 to 22 | 5.5 |
| 15 to 18 | 5.0 |
| 13 to 14 | 4.5 |
| 10 to 12 | 4.0 |
| 8 to 9 | 3.5 |
| 6 to 7 | 3.0 |
| 4 to 5 | 2.5 |
| 2 to 3 | 2.0 |
| 0 to 1 | 1.0 |
Reading, General Training
| Correct answers out of 40 | Band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 37 to 38 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 7.5 |
| 34 to 35 | 7.0 |
| 32 to 33 | 6.5 |
| 30 to 31 | 6.0 |
| 27 to 29 | 5.5 |
| 23 to 26 | 5.0 |
| 19 to 22 | 4.5 |
| 15 to 18 | 4.0 |
| 12 to 14 | 3.5 |
| 9 to 11 | 3.0 |
| 6 to 8 | 2.5 |
| 4 to 5 | 2.0 |
| 2 to 3 | 1.5 |
| 0 to 1 | 1.0 |
Two practical readings of these tables. First, the steps are not even: in Listening, 30 correct answers give band 6.0 and 35 give band 7.0, so a full band sits in five questions. Second, the same raw score reads differently in the two Reading scales: 30 out of 40 is band 7.0 in Academic and band 6.0 in General Training. If you sit General Training, read your practice results on the General Training scale.
Writing: four criteria, band by band
Writing has no raw score. The examiner gives a band on four criteria and the task band is the average of the four. The criteria are Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The table paraphrases the public descriptors for bands 5 to 8. The wording is simplified; the official text is longer and more precise.
| Band | Task Achievement / Task Response | Coherence and Cohesion | Lexical Resource | Grammatical Range and Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Every part of the task is covered. The position is clear and well developed. Ideas are relevant, extended and supported. | Ideas follow a logical order. Linking is handled well and does not draw attention to itself. Paragraphs are used well. | Wide vocabulary used fluently and precisely. Less common words are handled well, with rare slips in choice, collocation or spelling. | Wide range of structures. Most sentences are error free; the few errors are minor. |
| 7 | All parts of the task are addressed. The position is clear throughout. Main ideas are extended and supported, though some may be over-generalised. | Information is organised logically with clear progression. A range of linking devices, with some under-use or over-use. Each paragraph has one clear topic. | Enough range to be flexible and precise. Some less common words and collocations, with occasional errors in choice, spelling or word formation. | A variety of complex structures. Many sentences are error free. Good control, with a few errors remaining. |
| 6 | All parts of the task are addressed, but some more fully than others. The position is relevant but the conclusion may be unclear or repetitive. Main ideas are relevant but not developed enough. | Information is arranged coherently with an overall progression. Linking works but can be mechanical or faulty inside and between sentences. Referencing is not always clear. Paragraphing is not always logical. | Adequate range for the task. Attempts at less common vocabulary, with some inaccuracy. Some spelling and word formation errors that do not block understanding. | A mix of simple and complex forms. Some grammar and punctuation errors, which rarely reduce communication. |
| 5 | The task is only partly addressed. A position exists but its development is not always clear. Some main ideas are limited or undeveloped, and irrelevant detail may appear. | Some organisation, but overall progression is missing. Linking words are inadequate, inaccurate or over-used. Repetition due to weak referencing. Paragraphs may be missing or inadequate. | Limited range, just enough for the task. Noticeable errors in spelling and word formation that may make reading harder. | Limited range of structures. Complex sentences are attempted but tend to be inaccurate. Frequent errors that may make reading harder. |
Speaking: four criteria, band by band
Speaking also has four criteria, scored the same way and averaged into the section band: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Bands 5 to 8 are paraphrased below. Note that band 7 Pronunciation is defined in the official text as showing all the positive features of band 6 and some of band 8, which is why that cell reads the way it does.
| Band | Fluency and Coherence | Lexical Resource | Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self-correction. Hesitation is about content, rarely about language. Topics are developed coherently. | Wide vocabulary used readily and flexibly for precise meaning. Less common and idiomatic language used skilfully, with occasional slips. Paraphrases effectively. | Wide range of structures used flexibly. Most sentences are error free, with only very occasional slips. | Wide range of pronunciation features, sustained with minor lapses. Easy to understand throughout; the first language accent has minimal effect. |
| 7 | Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence. Some hesitation, repetition or self-correction related to language. Uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility. | Discusses a variety of topics flexibly. Some less common and idiomatic vocabulary, with awareness of style and collocation and some inappropriate choices. Paraphrases effectively. | A range of complex structures used with some flexibility. Frequently produces error-free sentences, though some errors remain. | All the positive features of band 6 and some, but not all, of band 8. |
| 6 | Willing to speak at length, though coherence is lost at times through repetition, self-correction or hesitation. A range of connectives and discourse markers, not always used appropriately. | Enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length; meaning stays clear despite inappropriate choices. Generally paraphrases successfully. | A mix of simple and complex structures with limited flexibility. Frequent mistakes in complex structures, which rarely block understanding. | A range of features with mixed control. Some effective use, not sustained. Generally understood, though mispronounced words or sounds reduce clarity at times. |
| 5 | Usually keeps going, but relies on repetition, self-correction or slow speech. Over-uses certain connectives. Simple speech is fluent; more complex communication causes fluency problems. | Manages familiar and unfamiliar topics with limited flexibility. Attempts paraphrase with mixed success. | Basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy. A limited range of complex structures, usually with errors that may cause understanding problems. | All the positive features of band 4 and some, but not all, of band 6. |
The same paragraph at band 6 and at band 7
Descriptors are abstract until you see them applied. Here is one Task 2 body paragraph written twice, on the same idea, for a question about whether governments should invest in public transport rather than roads. The first version fits the band 6 descriptors; the second fits band 7. Nothing was added to the argument, only to the way it is expressed.
Firstly, public transport is good for the environment. Cars make a lot of pollution and this is bad for people's health. Also, if more people use buses and trains, there will be less traffic jams. For example, in my country, the government built a new metro line and now many people use it. So I think investing in public transport is better than building roads because it is good for the environment and reduces traffic.
The strongest argument for prioritising public transport is environmental. Private cars are a major source of urban air pollution, which has a direct cost in respiratory illness, whereas a single bus or train carries dozens of passengers for a fraction of the emissions. Congestion follows the same logic: when a new metro line opened in my home city, commuters who had previously driven switched to it, and journey times on the parallel road fell noticeably. Investment in roads, by contrast, tends to attract more cars, so the relief it brings is temporary.
Three things changed between the two versions.
- Cohesion. The band 6 version links with "Firstly", "Also", "For example", "So": correct, but mechanical, and the last sentence repeats the topic sentence. The band 7 version links through meaning ("follows the same logic", "by contrast") and moves forward instead of circling back.
- Lexical precision. "Good for the environment", "a lot of pollution", "bad for health" become "a major source of urban air pollution", "respiratory illness", "a fraction of the emissions", "congestion", "commuters". The words are not rarer for the sake of it; each one says something the general word did not.
- Grammatical control. "Less traffic jams" and the run-on final sentence are replaced by error-free complex sentences: a "whereas" contrast, a "when ... who had previously ..." sequence with a past perfect, and a "so" result clause. Band 7 asks for frequent error-free sentences, not for longer ones.
How to move from 6 to 7, criterion by criterion
The gap between 6 and 7 is the one most candidates ask about, because many universities and immigration routes set their threshold there. The descriptors tell you where the gap is. For Writing, the two bands side by side on each criterion and four paragraphs written at band 6 then at band 7 are in IELTS Band 6 vs Band 7 in Writing: What Actually Changes.
- Task Response. Band 6 addresses all parts unevenly; band 7 addresses them all and keeps the position clear from the first paragraph to the last. Answer the exact question, state your position in the introduction, and make sure each body paragraph extends one idea with support rather than listing three.
- Coherence and Cohesion. Band 6 linking is correct but mechanical; band 7 shows clear progression and one central topic per paragraph. Cut the connectives that only decorate, use referencing ("this", "such a policy", "the former") and make sure a paragraph can be summarised in one sentence.
- Lexical Resource. Band 6 attempts less common words with some inaccuracy; band 7 uses them with awareness of collocation and style. Learn words with their partners (heavy traffic, raise awareness, a pressing issue), and replace general verbs and adjectives with specific ones.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Band 6 mixes simple and complex forms with some errors; band 7 produces frequent error-free sentences with a variety of complex structures. Master three or four structures you can write without error (relative clauses, conditionals, contrast clauses, passives) and proofread for articles, plurals and subject-verb agreement.
- Fluency and Coherence (Speaking). Band 6 loses coherence at times; band 7 speaks at length without noticeable effort. Extend every answer with a reason and an example, and accept a short pause over a filler word.
- Pronunciation (Speaking). Band 6 shows mixed control; band 7 needs the band 6 features sustained plus some band 8 ones. Work on sentence stress and chunking, not on removing your accent.
How the section band is calculated
In Writing, each task gets four criterion bands, averaged into a task band. Task 2 then counts double: Writing band = (Task 1 + Task 2 x 2) / 3, rounded to the nearest half band. A Task 1 at 6.0 and a Task 2 at 7.0 give (6 + 14) / 3 = 6.67, so band 6.5. In Speaking, the section band is the average of the four criterion bands, rounded to the nearest half band: 7, 6, 6 and 6 average 6.25, which rounds to 6.5. The overall band across the four sections uses the same rounding rule, and you can test any combination on the band score calculator, which also holds the three raw score tables above in an interactive form.
On this site, the Writing checker and the Speaking test return an estimated band per criterion, anchored to these descriptors, so that you can see which of the four is holding your band down. Treat the estimate as a practice signal, not as a result.
Quick answers
Where can I find the official band descriptors?
The public versions of the Writing and Speaking band descriptors are published by the test organisers on ielts.org, as downloadable documents. They are the source for the paraphrased tables above. The examiner versions are more detailed and are not published.
Is band 7 hard to get?
It is a step, not a wall. On the tables above, band 7 in Listening needs 35 correct answers, and band 7 in Academic Reading needs 30. In Writing and Speaking, the difference from band 6 is control rather than range: the same ideas expressed with clearer progression, more precise words and more error-free sentences, as in the paragraph rewritten above.
How is the overall Writing band calculated?
Each task is scored on four criteria and averaged. Task 2 counts double: Writing band = (Task 1 + Task 2 x 2) / 3, rounded to the nearest half band. Task 1 at 6.0 and Task 2 at 7.0 give 6.5.
Is ParrotTalk's band official?
No. The band on this site is an estimate produced by an AI model against the same criteria, to guide your practice. Only a certified examiner gives an official IELTS band. This site is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge English.
The short version: know which mechanism scores your section, then work on the criterion that is holding you at 6. The tables above and the rounding rule are on the calculator.