Enter your 4 skill scores below to get your real overall band - using the exact official rounding rule, not a rough guess.
7.0
Your overall IELTS band
Your overall band is the average of your four skill scores, rounded to the nearest half band — but the rounding isn't always what you'd guess. If the average ends in .25, it rounds up to the next half band. If it ends in .75, it rounds up to the next whole band.
Worked example: Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.0, Speaking 7.0. Average = (6.5+6.5+5.0+7.0) ÷ 4 = 6.25. Because it ends in .25, it rounds up to an overall band of 6.5 — even though a plain average alone might suggest something lower feels "typical." This is exactly why one unusually weak skill can pull your real overall score down more than expected, and why it's worth knowing precisely which skill that is.
Know your overall band. Now find out which skill is actually holding it back.
Get a free breakdown across all 4 skills, not just a number. Take the free 4-skills diagnostic →
How is the overall IELTS band score calculated?
It's the average of your four skill scores, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25 it rounds up to the next half band; if it ends in .75 it rounds up to the next whole band.
Is this calculator official or affiliated with IELTS?
No — this is an independent tool built by Smooth English Company using the publicly documented official rounding rule. Your real overall band is always the one on your official Test Report Form.
Why does my overall band sometimes surprise me?
The .25/.75 rounding rule can round your overall band up more than a simple average would suggest — which is also exactly why one weak skill can drag the whole average down more than people expect.