Scores and interpretation
How IELTS band scores work
IELTS reports a band from 0 to 9 for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Whole and half bands describe performance on each skill; the overall band summarises the four skill results but does not replace them.
The four-skill average
The overall band is the arithmetic average of the four skill bands, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and an average ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. For example, 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.0.
A receiving organisation may require both an overall result and minimum results in individual skills. Always read its current requirement rather than assuming that one overall band is enough.
Common IELTS General Training and CLB thresholds
Canadian immigration programs use skill-by-skill equivalencies, not the IELTS overall band. The public IRCC equivalency table commonly used for IELTS General Training includes these thresholds:
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 or higher | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Use the current IRCC table for the program and language test you are applying with. Program eligibility can depend on more than a language equivalency.
What a NorthPrep estimate means
NorthPrep practice bands are uncalibrated approximations for reflection. They are not official scores, predictions, guarantees, or substitutes for a result issued by an authorised IELTS test centre. Performance can vary by test form, conditions, and the quality of human judgement used for productive skills.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English. NorthPrep is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by them.