IELTS Listening Raw Score to Band: Full Conversion Table (2026)

The IELTS Listening test has 40 questions, each worth one mark. Your raw score (number of correct answers out of 40) is converted to a band score on the 9-band scale. The conversion is the same for both Academic and General Training Listening — only the Reading conversion differs by test type.

Use the Listening score converter tool to check any raw score instantly, or read on for the full table and what each band means.

IELTS Listening conversion table

Raw score (out of 40)	Band score
39-40	9.0
37-38	8.5
35-36	8.0
32-34	7.5
30-31	7.0
26-29	6.5
23-25	6.0
18-22	5.5
16-17	5.0
13-15	4.5
11-12	4.0
8-10	3.5
6-7	3.0

These thresholds may shift by 1 mark on certain test versions, but the structure remains stable. Listening is generally considered the section where bands track most reliably to raw scores.

What each band means in practice

Band 9 (39-40 correct)

Near-perfect comprehension across all four sections. Achievable but rare — typically requires native or near-native English and very focused practice.

Band 8 (35-38 correct)

Excellent comprehension. You can handle accents, distinguish between paraphrased options, and rarely miss spelling.

Band 7 (30-34 correct)

Strong comprehension with occasional errors, especially in Section 4 (the academic monologue). This is the threshold most candidates aim for.

Band 6 (23-29 correct)

Adequate comprehension. You handle the simpler sections well but struggle with synonym-substitution and longer monologues.

Band 5 (16-22 correct)

Limited comprehension. You understand basic information but miss details and paraphrased questions.

How to move from one band to the next

Band 6 → Band 7 (need 7 more correct)

The four-section composition matters:

Section 1 (booking/transactional): typically straightforward — most Band 6 candidates already get 8-10/10 here
Section 2 (information monologue): aim for 8-9/10
Section 3 (academic discussion): aim for 7-8/10
Section 4 (academic lecture): the bottleneck — aim for 7-8/10

For tactics, see IELTS Listening tips to improve your score.

Band 7 → Band 8 (need 5 more correct)

Section 4 still matters most, but spelling and word-limit errors become the bigger blockers. Practice writing answers under time pressure, paying close attention to:

"No more than two words" rules
Singular vs plural forms
Proper nouns (capitalization, exact spelling)

Common reasons candidates lose points

Spelling errors on names and places — answer is correct conceptually but spelled wrong, marked wrong
Word limit violations — "no more than two words" answered with three words = wrong
Hearing the trap — speakers frequently say a word, then correct themselves; the second answer is the right one
Synonym substitution — the question uses "modify" but the speaker says "change"
Number formatting — writing "2 hundred" instead of "200" or vice versa

Listening section breakdown

Section	Context	Difficulty	Average raw score for Band 7
Section 1	Everyday transaction (e.g., booking)	Easy	9-10 / 10
Section 2	Monologue on a general topic	Medium	8-9 / 10
Section 3	Conversation in academic context	Hard	7-8 / 10
Section 4	Academic lecture	Hardest	6-7 / 10

If you target these sub-scores in practice, your overall will land on Band 7.

Calculating your overall band

Once you have a Listening band score, combine it with your Reading, Writing, and Speaking bands to get an overall:

Example: Listening 7.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7.0

Average: (7.0 + 7.0 + 6.5 + 7.0) / 4 = 6.875
Rounded to nearest half-band: 7.0 ✅

Use the IELTS band score calculator to test your scenario.

Frequently asked questions

Is the conversion the same for Academic and General Training? Yes. Listening uses the same conversion table for both test types. Only Reading differs.

Do I lose marks for wrong answers? No. There is no negative marking. Always guess if you are unsure.

Can my band change if I retake just Listening? Yes — see IELTS One Skill Retake for eligibility rules. Listening is one of the four sections you can retake individually.

For a complete strategy across all four sections, see How to Get Band 7 in IELTS.