Candidates receive a Test Report Form setting out their Overall Band Score and their scores on each of the four sub-tests; Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each of the sub-test scores is equally weighted. The Overall Band Score is calculated by taking the mean of the total of the four individual sub-test scores. Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band. For the avoidance of doubt, the following rounding convention applies; if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.

For example:

1. If a candidate achieve;
   • Listening: 6.5 • Reading: 6.5
   • Writing: 5.0
   • Speaking: 7.0
   • Overall Score: 6.5
     Process: 6.5 + 6.5 + 5.0 +7.0 = 25/4 = 6.25 (Round up to 6.5)
2. On the other hand;
   • Listening: 6.5
   • Reading: 6.5
   • Writing: 5.5
   • Speaking: 6
   • Overall Score: 6
     Process: 6.5 + 6.5 + 5.5 + 6 = 24.5/4 =6.125 (Round down to 6)

The nine bands and their descriptive statements:

Band 9 – Expert User

• Accurate and fluent with complete understanding
• Appropriate language application
• Fully operational command over the global language

Band 7 – Good User

• Handles complex arguments quit goodAppropriate language application
• Less grammatical mistakes/slips
• Fully operational command over the language with rare inadequacies

Band 6 – Competent User

• Effective command of the language
• Fewer and minor mistakes
• Generally handles complex sentences
• Slips in tense formation 

Band 5 – Modest User

• Only partial command over the language
• Collecting ideas from the questions in most situations
• Making many mistakes
• Using simple language

Band 4 – Limited User

• Basic competent
• Problem in understanding and expressing ideas
• Not possible to use complex language
• Making mistake in grammatical structure

Band 3 – Extremely Limited User

• Understand only general meaning
• Convey ideas with inappropriateness & inaccurate
• Frequent breakdowns in communication occurs

Band 2 – Intermittent User

• Meaning less communication
• Using isolated words for the most basic information Difficult to understand the questions in speaking and writing modules
• Long pause and unclear ideas

Band 1 – Non User

• No ability to use the language
• Broken and isolated words

Band 0 – Didn’t attempt the test

• Didn’t provide any information to enter the exam hall