IELTS reading score calculator
Type how many of the 40 questions you got right. You get your Reading band straight away, for Academic or General Training.
See the conversion table and sources ↓Correct answers out of 40
Estimated reading band
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Enter your raw score to see your band
How to use it
- Pick Academic or General Training. The two use different tables, so the same raw score can land on different bands.
- Count your correct answers from a practice test and enter the number out of 40.
- Read your band, and see how many more correct answers it takes to reach the next one.
Need your overall band across all four sections? Use the IELTS band score calculator, or check every cutoff on the band score chart.
Reading conversion tables
The table the calculator runs on. IELTS equates each test version separately and doesn't publish one fixed table, so real cutoffs can move by about a mark between sittings.
Reading, Academic
| Band | Raw score / 40 |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 |
| 7.5 | 33–34 |
| 7.0 | 30–32 |
| 6.5 | 27–29 |
| 6.0 | 23–26 |
| 5.5 | 19–22 |
| 5.0 | 15–18 |
| 4.5 | 13–14 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 |
| 3.5 | 8–9 |
| 3.0 | 6–7 |
| 2.5 | 4–5 |
| 2.0 | 0–3 |
Reading, General Training
| Band | Raw score / 40 |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 32–33 |
| 6.0 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 27–29 |
| 5.0 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 19–22 |
| 4.0 | 15–18 |
| 3.5 | 12–14 |
| 3.0 | 9–11 |
| 2.5 | 6–8 |
| 2.0 | 0–5 |
The calculator shows your band. A full Reading practice test shows which question types are costing you marks.
Take a free IELTS Reading practice testMore free IELTS tools
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Tables checked against these sources. Verified 2026-08.
Questions, answered
How many correct answers do I need for band 7 in Reading?+
On the Academic scale, 30 out of 40 gives band 7.0. On General Training you need 34. General Training passages are easier, so its scale asks for more correct answers.
Is the Academic table different from General Training?+
Yes. A score of 30/40 is band 7.0 in Academic and band 6.0 in General Training. Pick the module you are sitting before you read the result.
Is this my official Reading band?+
No. IELTS equates each test version separately and does not publish one fixed table, so real cutoffs can shift by about a mark. Treat the result as a close estimate for practice.
Do wrong answers lose marks?+
No. Each correct answer is one mark and wrong or blank answers score zero, so always guess when you are unsure.
How is IELTS Reading scored?+
Each of the 40 questions is worth one mark. Your raw score is the number you got right, and it is converted to a band from 0 to 9 in half-band steps using the Academic or General Training scale.
What Reading score do I need for band 6.5?+
On the Academic scale, 27 to 29 correct answers give band 6.5. On General Training it takes 32 to 33.
Is the Reading table the same on paper and on computer?+
Both formats are scored on the same 0 to 9 band scale. IELTS equates each test version separately, so the exact cutoffs can shift by about a mark. Use this table as an estimate either way.
How does my Reading band affect my overall band?+
Your overall band is the average of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, rounded to the nearest half band. Enter all four in the band score calculator to see where you land.
How can I raise my Reading score?+
Find which question types cost you marks (True/False/Not Given and matching headings are common), then practise those under a 60-minute timer. A full practice test on SmoothMock tags each wrong answer with a cause.
Want a higher Reading band?
Take a free IELTS Reading practice test →