What is 35 out of 40 in IELTS Listening?
Quick answer
IELTS.org's published average for Listening band 8 is 35 marks out of 40, the highest point it lists, so 35 sits on it and 36 is one mark above. The indicative table the site's band calculator uses reads both scores as band 8.0, an estimate. IELTS.org lists nothing for a higher band.
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Part of The IELTS test, answered
Here the official list runs out. The band 8 point at 35 marks is the last one IELTS.org publishes for Listening.
The last published point
IELTS.org’s scoring page lists the average Listening marks as 16 for band 5, 23 for band 6, 30 for band 7 and 35 for band 8, out of 40 one-mark questions. A candidate on 35 is on that average, and 36 is a single mark past it. Above 36 the official list has no more to say, which is why every statement about 8.5 and 9.0 on this site is an estimate.
Reading 8.0 with care
On the indicative table behind the site’s band score calculator, 35 and 36 read as 8.0. That label is an estimate and not an IELTS.org result. IELTS.org states that “The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version”, so on some test versions a 35 might not return an 8.0. Descriptions of the band in general are in what level is IELTS 8.0.
Where it leaves the overall
An 8.0 in Listening is one quarter of the average that IELTS.org rounds to the nearest half band for the overall. A high Listening can offset a weaker section, though only in quarter steps. Two more marks than 35 gives the 8.5 row on the table, starting at 37.
Practice
Near the top, accuracy on spelling, plurals and word limits decides the last few marks. The site’s Listening practice test is marked in the browser with an indicative band from the same table. Listening is one test for Academic and General Training, as how the IELTS Listening score is calculated states.
A note on margins
Because 35 is an average and the marks needed vary between test versions, a single 35 on a practice paper is a thin margin. Seeing 36 or 37 more than once gives more room before relying on the result.
What this means for your score
A candidate answers 36 of 40 questions correctly. IELTS.org lists 35 marks for band 8, so this is one above the last point it publishes, and there is no official point for 8.5 or 9 to compare it with. The indicative row, 35 to 36, reads 8.0. The same paper with 34 marks would read 7.5.
Frequently asked questions
Is 35 out of 40 a good Listening score?
It matches IELTS.org's band 8 point and reads as 8.0 on the indicative table, which is a very high Listening result. Whether it is more than you need depends on the requirement you are aiming at.
Which table is the official one?
IELTS.org's scoring page gives average marks for four Listening bands only: 16, 23, 30 and 35, and says they vary slightly between test versions. It publishes no point above band 8, so the table that reads 8.5 and 9.0 for the top marks is an estimate.
How many marks for the next band?
The indicative table reads 37 marks as 8.5, which is 1 more than 36 or 2 more than 35. IELTS.org gives no official point for it, so there is no published figure to quote for the next step.
Is Listening the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. A single Listening test and conversion cover both, as the site's Listening score answer notes. Reading is the section that converts differently for each version.
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