Multiple Choice: Candidates might listen to a conversation and then answer questions like:
“What did the man decide to do after he graduated?”
Form Completion: Candidates may be required to fill in missing information, such as: “Name: __________; Age: __________.”
Scoring Criteria
- Raw Scores:
- Each correct answer in the Listening Test is awarded one point, making a total of 40 points possible.
- For instance, if a candidate answers 28 questions correctly, their raw score would be 28.
- Band Scores:
- The raw score is then converted into a band score ranging from 0 to 9. This conversion process is established by IELTS examiners and takes into account the difficulty level of each specific test version. The band scores are indicative of a candidate’s listening ability.
Conversion Example:
For example, a candidate who achieves a raw score of:
- 39 – 40: Band Score 9 (Expert user)
- 35 – 38: Band Score 8 (Very good user)
- 30 – 34: Band Score 7 (Good user)
- 26 – 29: Band Score 6 (Competent user)
- 22 – 25: Band Score 5 (Modest user)
- 18 – 21: Band Score 4 (Limited user)
- 0 – 17: Band Score 3 or lower, depending on the raw score.