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IELTS Listening Band Score Calculator
Short answer: IELTS Listening has 40 questions and one mark each, converted on a single table used for both Academic and General Training. 30 correct is band 7.0, 26 correct is band 6.5, and 35 correct is band 8.0.
Listening band
30 of 40 correct
2 more correct answers would make it band 7.5
Out of 40. Wrong answers are not penalised, so count blanks as wrong.
IELTS Listening raw score to band score table
Every raw score out of 40 and the band it converts to. Generated from the same conversion used to mark a practice set on this site.
| Band score | Correct answers (of 40) | Marks in this band |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 | 2 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 2 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 | 2 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 3 |
| 7.0 | 30–31 | 2 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 4 |
| 6.0 | 23–25 | 3 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 5 |
| 5.0 | 16–17 | 2 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 | 3 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 | 3 |
| 3.5 | 0–9 | 10 |
How the IELTS Listening band is worked out
Listening is the one paper where Academic and General Training candidates are marked on the same conversion — the recording, the questions and the table are identical. That makes the conversion below the most stable of the four skills.
It is also more generous than Reading through the middle of the scale. The same raw score converts to a higher band in Listening between roughly band 5.5 and 7.5, which is why candidates who score identically on both papers often see a higher Listening band.
The table is generated from the conversion the IELTSbiz grader applies to a real Listening set, so the numbers here and the numbers the app awards cannot drift apart.
Worked examples
The same 30 correct answers score band 7.0 in Reading — identical performance, different table.
Sits at the bottom of its band, so a single careless transcription error here drops you a half band.
Just over half. Section 3 and 4 losses usually account for the gap at this level, not vocabulary.
The Listening raw score behind each target band
| Target Listening band | Raw score needed (of 40) | Reading equivalent for the same raw score |
|---|---|---|
| Band 6.0 | 23 correct | 23/40 in Reading would be band 6.0 |
| Band 6.5 | 26 correct | 26/40 in Reading would be band 6.0 |
| Band 7.0 | 30 correct | 30/40 in Reading would be band 7.0 |
| Band 7.5 | 32 correct | 32/40 in Reading would be band 7.0 |
| Band 8.0 | 35 correct | 35/40 in Reading would be band 8.0 |
| Band 8.5 | 37 correct | 37/40 in Reading would be band 8.5 |
IELTS Listening scoring — common questions
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in IELTS Listening?
30 out of 40. Band 6.5 starts at 26, so the 7.0 boundary is about 4 more correct answers.
Is the IELTS Listening conversion the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. Listening is the only paper where both modules sit the same test and use the same conversion table. Reading differs between the two.
Is Listening easier to score than Reading?
On the table, yes, through the middle of the scale. 30/40 is band 7.0 in Listening; the same raw score in Reading is band 7.0.
Do spelling mistakes cost marks in IELTS Listening?
Yes, and they are the biggest single source of lost Listening marks. A correctly heard answer spelled wrongly scores zero, and both UK and US spellings are accepted only where both are standard.
Is there transfer time to copy answers in the computer-delivered test?
No. Paper-based Listening gives you 10 minutes to transfer answers to the answer sheet; computer-delivered gives you 2 minutes to check what you have already typed. Plan for the version you booked.
Raise your actual Listening band
- IELTS Listening practiceParts 1–4 with the question types each part favours
- Spelling and numbers in ListeningThe single biggest source of lost Listening marks
- Overall IELTS band score calculatorCombine all four skills and see the overall band, with the rounding rule
- IELTS band requirements by country and visaThe exact bands universities, employers and visa routes ask for