21 out of 40 in IELTS General Training Reading: what band is it?

21 out of 40 in IELTS General Training Reading is band 4.5. 2 more correct answers would make it 5.0. 2 fewer correct answers would still be band 4.5.

Band 4.5 covers 19 to 22 correct answers. The figures are IDP’s published table, which IELTS calls indicative because the cut-offs vary slightly between test versions.

Correct answers

/ 40

Your General Training Reading band

21 of 40 correct

CEFR B1Between Limited user and Modest user

2 more correct answers would make it 5.0.

21/40 in IELTS General Reading is about band 4.5.

Get a study plan for 4.5

21 out of 40 in the other papers

IELTS General Training Reading4.52 more correct answers would make it 5.0.
IELTS Listening5.52 more correct answers would make it 6.0.
IELTS Academic Reading5.52 more correct answers would make it 6.0.

What 4.5 in Reading meets

Universities ask for an overall band and a minimum for every skill. 4.5 in Reading meets the per-skill minimum at, for example:

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool UniversityChina · undergraduate · at least 4.5 in each skill

You also need their overall band. Search university requirements

From 21/40 to every band

Correct answers	Band	From 21
40	9.0	+19
39	8.5	+18
37–38	8.0	+16
36	7.5	+15
34–35	7.0	+13
32–33	6.5	+11
30–31	6.0	+9
27–29	5.5	+6
23–26	5.0	+2
19–22	4.5	Your score
15–18	4.0	−3
0 to 14	No band published	−7