IELTS Speaking Score Calculator
The four criteria
Average 6.0Fluency and Coherence FC
6Lexical Resource LR
6Grammatical Range and Accuracy GRA
6Pronunciation P
6
Your Speaking band: 6.0
Your Speaking bandEstimate
Criteria average 6.0
You're half a band from 6.5.
The four Speaking criteria
The examiner rates your whole test, all three parts together, on four criteria. Each gets a band from 0 to 9 and counts for a quarter of your Speaking score.
- FCFluency and Coherence
- You speak at length without strain, and your ideas follow a logical order.
- LRLexical Resource
- How wide and precise your vocabulary is, and how well you paraphrase.
- GRAGrammatical Range and Accuracy
- How varied your sentence structures are, and how many sentences have no errors.
- PPronunciation
- How easy you are to understand: sounds, word stress, rhythm and intonation.
How the Speaking band is worked out
When the four criteria average to a whole or half band, that is your band: 7, 6, 7, 6 averages 6.5.
When they average to a quarter, such as 6.25 or 6.75, IELTS has not published which way it goes. This calculator rounds down and tells you what rounding to the nearest half band would give.
From the four criteria to a Speaking band
Add up your four criterion bands and find the total.
| Total of 4 criteria | Average | Estimated band |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| 35 | 8.75 | 8.5 (9.0) |
| 34 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| 33 | 8.25 | 8.0 (8.5) |
| 32 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 31 | 7.75 | 7.5 (8.0) |
| 30 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 29 | 7.25 | 7.0 (7.5) |
| 28 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 27 | 6.75 | 6.5 (7.0) |
| 26 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 25 | 6.25 | 6.0 (6.5) |
| 24 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 23 | 5.75 | 5.5 (6.0) |
| 22 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 21 | 5.25 | 5.0 (5.5) |
| 20 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 19 | 4.75 | 4.5 (5.0) |
| 18 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 17 | 4.25 | 4.0 (4.5) |
| 16 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
* Rounded to the nearest half band instead, this would be half a band higher.
What examiners listen for
The band descriptors set out what fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation sound like at bands 6, 7 and 8.
Frequently asked questions
How is the IELTS Speaking score calculated?
The examiner gives a band from 0 to 9 for each of the four criteria. They carry equal weight, and their average is your Speaking band, reported as a whole or half band.
Does pronunciation count as much as grammar?
Yes. Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation each count for a quarter of the score.
Is 6.25 in Speaking rounded to 6.0 or 6.5?
IELTS does not publish this. Many teachers say it is rounded down; the rule for the overall band would round it up. This calculator rounds down, so it never overstates your band, and tells you when the other rule would give more.
Is 7 a good Speaking score?
Yes. Band 7 is a good user and CEFR C1: you speak at length without noticeable effort, use some less common vocabulary and idiom, and produce many error-free sentences. It clears the per-skill minimum at most universities.
How do I get 7.5 in Speaking?
You need about half your criteria at 8 and half at 7, for example 8, 7, 8, 7. That means speaking fluently with only occasional hesitation, using less common words precisely, keeping most sentences error-free and being easy to understand throughout.
Are the three parts of the Speaking test scored separately?
No. The examiner rates your performance across the whole test on the four criteria. There is no separate score for Part 1, 2 or 3.
Is Speaking the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. Both take the same Speaking test, marked the same way.
Sources
- IELTS: IELTS scoring in detail
- IELTS: IELTS and the CEFR
- British Council: Understanding and explaining IELTS scores
All accessed on 10 October 2026. GoPrep is not affiliated with IELTS.
Getting ready for IELTS?
More free IELTS tools
All free toolsIELTS band score calculator
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Listening score calculator
Get your Listening band from your correct answers out of 40.
Speaking topic generator
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
IELTS score converter
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.