What is 30 out of 40 in IELTS Listening?
Quick answer
IELTS.org's published average for Listening band 7 is 30 marks out of 40, so 30 sits on that point and 31 is one mark above it. The indicative table the site's band calculator uses reads both scores as band 7.0. That reading is an estimate, and the marks needed vary slightly between test versions.
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Part of The IELTS test, answered
This is the one row that straddles a point IELTS.org prints at band 7, so the official and the indicative reading agree here.
On the band 7 point
IELTS.org’s scoring page gives the average Listening marks at four levels: 16 for band 5, 23 for band 6, 30 for band 7 and 35 for band 8. A score of 30 is that band 7 figure, and 31 is one mark above it. Of all the rows in the Listening table, this is where a candidate can say most plainly what IELTS.org itself records.
Why 7.0 is still an estimate
The indicative table the site’s band score calculator uses reads 30 and 31 as 7.0. It is nonetheless an estimate, because IELTS.org writes that “The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.” The 30 is an average, so on a particular paper 30 can fall either side of band 7. Treat 31 as a little safer than 30, never as certain. If you want to know what the band means for study or work, read is band 7 in IELTS good.
Position in the overall band
A 7.0 in Listening is one of four equal parts of the overall, which IELTS.org defines as the average of the four section bands rounded to the nearest half band. The next row on the indicative table opens at 32 marks and reads 7.5; the official band 8 point is 35.
Practice
Use the site’s Listening practice test to see where you stand. It is marked in the browser with an indicative band from the same table, and that is the whole claim. Listening is scored the same way for both versions of the test, as how the IELTS Listening score is calculated explains.
Margin over the point
Because 30 is an average, aiming for it alone leaves no room. If band 7 is the target, aiming for 32 or more in practice leaves a margin for a test version where the marks needed run slightly higher.
What this means for your score
A candidate scores 30 of 40, the same number IELTS.org lists for band 7, and a classmate scores 31. Both land in the indicative row for 7.0. Neither is yet at the 35 marks listed for band 8: the first is 5 short and the second 4.
Frequently asked questions
Is 30 out of 40 a good Listening score?
It matches the band 7 point on IELTS.org's list and reads as 7.0 on the indicative table, which is a strong result. Whether it is good enough depends on the band you need, because each institution sets its own requirement.
Which table is the official one?
Only IELTS.org's average points are official: 16, 23, 30 and 35 marks for bands 5, 6, 7 and 8. IELTS.org says the precise number varies slightly between test versions. The row of 30 to 31 marks and its 7.0 are an estimate from a table with half bands.
How many marks for the next band?
The indicative table reads 32 marks as 7.5, which is 2 more than 30 or 1 more than 31. IELTS.org's next published point is 35 marks for band 8, 4 or 5 marks beyond this row.
Is Listening the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. There is one Listening test and one conversion for both versions, and the site's Listening score answer explains it. Only Reading has separate conversions.
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