🗣️ IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors

Band 5.5 Low Intermediate

Fluency & Coherence

Some hesitation and repetition; struggles with flow of ideas.

How a student shows this: Stops to search for words, ideas are unclear or disjointed.

Lexical Resource

Basic vocabulary with limited range; frequent errors.

How a student shows this: Uses simple words repeatedly and makes word choice mistakes.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Frequent errors; uses basic structures only.

How a student shows this: Mostly simple sentences, many grammar errors.

Pronunciation

May be difficult to understand; basic pronunciation.

How a student shows this: Mispronounces common words; needs effort to understand.

Band 6.0 Intermediate

Fluency & Coherence

Speaks with some hesitation but can maintain flow.

How a student shows this: Pauses occasionally; connects ideas but may repeat.

Lexical Resource

Fairly good range but with some repetition or inaccuracies.

How a student shows this: Uses a mix of common and uncommon words with some mistakes.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Attempts complex structures with mixed success.

How a student shows this: Some complex sentences, noticeable grammar errors.

Pronunciation

Generally clear; some mispronunciations.

How a student shows this: Intelligible but not always natural.

Band 6.5 Upper Intermediate

Fluency & Coherence

Good control but some minor hesitation.

How a student shows this: Can speak continuously but may pause briefly.

Lexical Resource

Shows flexibility but occasional errors occur.

How a student shows this: Can paraphrase and vary vocabulary with few mistakes.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Mix of simple and complex grammar, generally accurate.

How a student shows this: Uses different sentence types with occasional slips.

Pronunciation

Mostly clear and natural.

How a student shows this: Stress and rhythm are mostly appropriate.

Band 7.0 Good User

Fluency & Coherence

Speaks at length with only occasional hesitation; ideas are well connected.

How a student shows this: Rarely pauses; expresses ideas smoothly.

Lexical Resource

Uses a wide range of vocabulary naturally and effectively.

How a student shows this: Can express meaning clearly and paraphrase well.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Uses complex grammar with few errors.

How a student shows this: Makes occasional minor grammar errors.

Pronunciation

Clear pronunciation; occasional lapses don’t affect understanding.

How a student shows this: Easy to understand; some accent but not distracting.

Band 8.0 Very Good User

Fluency & Coherence

Speaks with complete fluency and coherence; ideas flow naturally and effortlessly.

How a student shows this: No hesitation; connects ideas perfectly and expresses them effortlessly.

Lexical Resource

Uses idiomatic and colloquial expressions precisely; extensive vocabulary.

How a student shows this: Uses natural idioms and a broad vocabulary flawlessly.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Rare grammatical errors, with a wide and flexible use of complex structures.

How a student shows this: Almost no errors, demonstrates mastery of grammar.

Pronunciation

Near-native pronunciation, clear and natural intonation and rhythm.

How a student shows this: Pronunciation indistinguishable from a native speaker.

Band 9.0 Expert User

Fluency & Coherence

Fully fluent, effortless and spontaneous; coherent and organized at a native speaker level.

How a student shows this: Speaks perfectly with natural flow and clarity.

Lexical Resource

Uses vocabulary precisely and naturally in all contexts; idiomatic and colloquial language used expertly.

How a student shows this: Uses vocabulary at a native speaker level with perfect accuracy.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Mastery of complex grammatical structures with no errors.

How a student shows this: Grammar is flawless.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation indistinguishable from a native speaker; excellent control of intonation and rhythm.

How a student shows this: Perfect native-like pronunciation and intonation.