How To Interpret The IELTS Band Score


What does a band score of 9 mean?    Am I proficient enough with a band score of  6?  Knowing how to interpret the IELTS Band Scores will help you a lot in achieving your goal of getting a higher mark. 


Effective June 2010,  the IELTS is required prior  to the processing of  documents for working or student visas for the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America.  (Canada migration also requires IELTS Certification.)     The agency,  institution or government body (embassies and consulates)  processing your visa  are the ones who set the overall band requirement that you have to meet. 


A band of 6 or 6.5 is a common requirement for university admission.   A band of 7 or 7.5 is often required for the working visas of medical practitioners (nurses and doctors)  to Canada, New Zealand, Australia  and the U.S.  Skilled workers (welders, machine operators) are only required a band score of 5 or 5.5.


9          Expert User                   Has fully operational command of the language :  
                                                appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete 
                                                understanding.

8          Very Good User             Has fully operational command of the language 
                                                with only occasional  unsystematic inaccuracies 
                                                and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may 
                                                occur in unfamiliar situations.  Handles complex 
                                                detailed argumentation as well.

7          Good User                     Has operational command of the language, 
                                                though with occasional  inaccuracies, 
                                                inappropriacies, and misunderstandings in 
                                                some situations.  Generally handles complex
                                                language well and understands desired 
                                                reasoning. 

6          Competent User             Has generally effective command of the 
                                                 language despite some inaccuracies, 
                                                 inappropriacies, and misunderstandings.  
                                                 Can use and understand fairly complex language, 
                                                 particularly in familiar situations.

5          Modest User                  Has partial command of the language, coping
                                     with overall meaning in most situations, 
                                     though likely to make many mistakes.  Should
                                     be able to handle basic communication in 
                                     own field.

4          Limited User                  Basic competence is limited to familiar situations.  
                                                Has frequent problems in understanding and 
                                                expression.  Is not able to use complex language.

3          Extremely Limited          Conveys and understand only general meaning 
User                             in very familiar situations.  Frequent breakdowns 
                                                               in communication occur.

2          Intermittent User           No real communication is possible except for the 
                                                most basic information using isolated words or short 
                                                formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate 
                                                needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken 
                                                and written English.  

1          Non-user                       Essentially has no ability to use the language 
                                                 beyond possibly a few  isolated words.

0          Did Not Attempt
The Test

The general description of the competency level for each of the nine bands is reprinted from the IELTS website with permission.  Source :  Barron’s IELTS. Loughleed 2006



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