GeneralGuide
Band 6 vs 6.5 vs 7: What Actually Changes in the Descriptors
There is no band 6.5 descriptor. This guide shows what changes between band 6 and band 7 in each skill, and where a score of 6.5 comes from.
Many university and immigration requirements fall between band 6 and band 7. That range is common, but it is not a rule.
Each institution or organisation sets its own level of IELTS scores source: IDP.
Band 6 is Competent and band 7 is Good source: ielts.org. A label does not tell you what to change. The band descriptors do.
Where 6.5 comes from
IELTS publishes band descriptors for whole bands only. A 6.5 comes from arithmetic, in three ways.
- In Listening and Reading, your mark out of 40 falls between the marks for band 6 and band 7.
- In Writing and Speaking, the four criteria carry equal weight, and their average gives the score source: ielts.org. Criterion scores of 6, 6, 7 and 7 average 6.5.
- Your overall band is the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band source: ielts.org.
So some of your criteria or sections are at band 7, and some are at band 6. To move up, raise the ones at band 6.
Listening and Reading: band 6 to band 7
| Section | Band 6 | Band 7 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 23 | 30 | 7 |
| Academic Reading | 23 | 30 | 7 |
| General Training Reading | 30 | 35 | 5 |
These marks out of 40 are averages. The exact number varies slightly between test versions source: ielts.org. The Reading and Listening conversion guides show the marks for other bands.
Our improvement plans for Listening and Reading show where to start.
Writing: band 6 to band 7
| Criterion | Band 6 | Band 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Task response | A relevant position, but conclusions may be unclear, unjustified or repetitive. Some ideas may be insufficiently developed. | A clear and developed position. Main ideas are extended and supported, though there may be a tendency to over-generalise or a lack of focus. |
| Coherence and cohesion | Cohesion may be faulty or mechanical, through misuse, overuse or omission. | A range of cohesive devices, including reference and substitution, used flexibly, with some inaccuracies or some overuse or underuse. |
| Lexical resource | Vocabulary is generally adequate. Meaning is generally clear despite a rather restricted range or a lack of precision. | Enough range for some flexibility and precision. Some less common or idiomatic words, and an awareness of style and collocation, though inappropriacies occur. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | A mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with limited flexibility. Complex structures are less accurate than simple ones. | A variety of complex structures, used with some flexibility and accuracy. Error-free sentences are frequent. |
Every row moves in the same direction. Band 6 completes the task, with limits and errors. Band 7 does the same things more flexibly and more accurately.
One strong feature is not enough for band 7. The rest of the script has to meet the band 7 row as well. How IELTS Writing is marked links a guide for each criterion, starting with task response. Each guide has its own band 6 to band 7 section.
Our Writing improvement plan shows where to start.
Speaking: band 6 to band 7
| Criterion | Band 6 | Band 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Fluency and coherence | Willing to speak at length, but coherence may be lost at times through hesitation, repetition or self-correction. | Produces long turns without noticeable effort. Hesitation does not affect coherence. |
| Lexical resource | Enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length. Some words may be inappropriate, but the meaning is clear. | Flexible use across a variety of topics. Some less common and idiomatic items, and an awareness of style and collocation. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | A mix of short and complex forms. Errors are frequent in complex structures but rarely get in the way of communication. | A range of structures used flexibly. Error-free sentences are frequent. |
| Pronunciation | Chunking is generally appropriate, but control is variable. | All the positive features of band 6, and some, but not all, of those of band 8. |
Pronunciation has no band 7 wording of its own, so its band 7 cell points to bands 6 and 8.
To get a band, a test taker must fully fit its positive features. The rating is based on average performance across all parts of the test source: ielts.org.
So every part of the test counts. How IELTS Speaking is marked links a guide for each criterion, and each one has a band 6 to band 7 section.
Our Speaking improvement plan shows where to start.
Using the comparison
Start with the criterion or section that sits at 6. One criterion moved from 6 to 7 can lift a section score, and one section lifted can move your overall band. The band score calculator shows how far.
If your report already says 6.5, how to get band 7 when you are stuck at 6.5 turns this comparison into a plan.
The skill labels, the averaging rules and the conversion marks come from the IELTS scoring in detail page on ielts.org. The band 6 and band 7 rows and the rating rules come from the Writing band descriptors (updated May 2023) and Speaking band descriptors on ielts.org. The line on institutions setting their own level comes from IDP's guide to understanding IELTS scores. Last checked September 2026.
- Written by
- Compass IELTS Editorial Team, the team behind the Compass IELTS band score tools and practice tests
- Published
- Updated
- Sources
- Words in a quote box, and sentences just before a source link such as ielts.org, come from the test owners. Everything else is our explanation. Facts about the test come from official sources, linked where we use them. Read our editorial policy.
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