IELTSVegaIELTS Listening · raw score
39 out of 40 in IELTS Listening is Band 9.0
Any score from 39 to 40 out of 40 earns Band 9.0 in Listening. That is the top of the scale. Listening uses one conversion table for Academic and General Training.
39/40
Band9.0
Filled: correct answers (98%). Ringed: the 39–40 range for Band 9.0. One fewer correct answer drops you below Band 9.0.
Scores around 39
| Correct / 40 | Listening band |
|---|---|
| 36 | 8.0 |
| 37 | 8.5 |
| 38 | 8.5 |
| 39 | 9.0 |
| 40 | 9.0 |
39/40 in each section
| Section | Band |
|---|---|
| Listening | 9.0 |
| Academic Reading | 9.0 |
| General Training Reading | 8.5 |
Same raw score, different band: each section has its own conversion table.
Your overall band with 9.0 in Listening
The overall band is the average of all four skills, rounded to the nearest half band (.25 and .75 round up). If your other three skills each landed on the band on the left, your overall would be:
| Other three skills | Overall band |
|---|---|
| 5.5 each | 6.5 |
| 6.0 each | 7.0 |
| 6.5 each | 7.0 |
| 7.0 each | 7.5 |
| 7.5 each | 8.0 |
| 8.0 each | 8.5 |
Is Band 9.0 enough for a visa?
Visa rules set a minimum in each skill, so this Listening band counts on its own, whatever your overall.
Australia skilled visas
Superior English (8.0+), the 20-point level. IELTS score for Australia PR
Canada Express Entry
CLB 10 for Listening. The Federal Skilled Worker Program needs CLB 7 in every skill; CLB 9 earns the most points. IELTS score for Canada PR
How to keep Band 9
- Most lost Listening marks are mechanical: spelling, a missing plural -s, or going over the word limit. Check every completion answer against the instruction before you move on.
- Read ahead in the pauses. Knowing that question 14 wants a number tells you what to listen for.
- Do not chase a missed answer. Mark a guess and pick up the next question, or you lose two marks instead of one.
Listening score questions
What band is 39 out of 40 in IELTS Listening?
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39 out of 40 in IELTS Listening is Band 9.0. Any score from 39 to 40 gets the same band. Listening uses one conversion table for Academic and General Training. Conversion tables are equated for each test version, so the cut-off can move by a mark either way.
Is 39 out of 40 a good score in IELTS Listening?
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Band 9.0 is a very strong score: Band 8 and above is in the top range of the scale. Requirements are almost always set per skill, so check the band your university or visa asks for in Listening specifically, not just overall.
Is 39/40 the same band in Academic Reading?
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No. 39 out of 40 is Band 9.0 in Academic Reading and Band 8.5 in General Training Reading. Each section has its own conversion table.
Every Listening score
The full IELTS band score chartFind out your real Listening score.
Sit full timed Listening papers, marked out of 40 and converted to a band, with every answer explained.
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