What is 19 out of 40 in IELTS Reading?
Quick answer
On IELTS.org's published points, 19 to 22 out of 40 falls between Academic Reading band 5 (15 marks) and band 6 (23 marks), and IELTS.org lists no half-band mark. The indicative table the site's band calculator uses reads the row as an estimated 5.5 in Academic and 4.5 in General Training.
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Part of The IELTS test, answered
Nineteen to 22 correct answers is a stretch where IELTS.org publishes no point of its own. It lies in the gap between two listed bands, which is why a longer table is tempting and why it has to be read with care.
A gap between two published points
For Academic Reading, IELTS.org lists 15 marks for band 5 and 23 for band 6. Scores of 19 to 22 are 4 to 7 above the first and 1 to 4 below the second. In General Training the points are 15 for band 4 and 23 for band 5, so the same scores sit between those two bands instead. IELTS.org says nothing about the half band in the middle, and its points are averages across test versions.
What the indicative table says
The table behind the site’s band score calculator fills the gap with an estimate: 5.5 for Academic and 4.5 for General Training. Treat that as a reading, not a result. IELTS.org states: “The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.” At the edges of the row, a 19 or a 22 can read as the neighbouring band on another test version. The band is described in what level IELTS 5.5 is.
Weighing it in the overall
Your overall band is the average of four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. A Reading estimate of 5.5 therefore counts the same as a 5.5 in any other section. Enter it with your other three to see where the average falls.
One mark from the next row
The row above begins at 23, so a 22 is one mark short of the indicative 6.0 and a 19 is four short. That is the 23 to 26 row. The row below is 15 to 18.
Practising
Use the site’s Reading practice test, which is marked in the browser and gives an indicative band from the same table.
What this means for your score
A candidate scores 21 of 40 on a timed Reading test. Against the Academic points that is 6 marks above the band 5 point and 2 short of the band 6 point, so IELTS.org's list gives only "between 5 and 6". The indicative row estimates 5.5. If the candidate sat General Training, 21 lies between the 15 listed for band 4 and the 23 listed for band 5.
Frequently asked questions
Is 19 out of 40 a good Reading score?
It is an estimated 5.5 in Academic, which suits some requirements and falls short of others. The deciding number is the one the institution or visa office states, not a general sense of good.
Which table is the official one?
IELTS.org publishes four average points for each version, and nothing for half bands. A table that gives a band for 19, 20, 21 and 22 individually is an estimate, however carefully built.
How many marks for the next band?
The next indicative row starts at 23 and reads as 6.0 in Academic, so from 22 it is a single mark. Conveniently, 23 is also the point IELTS.org lists for Academic band 6.
What is 19 to 22 out of 40 in General Training?
The indicative table reads it as 4.5. IELTS.org lists band 4 at 15 marks and band 5 at 23 for General Training, so these four scores sit between the two.
Sources
- IELTS scoring in detail: band scores explained — IELTS.org
- IELTS Academic: Reading test format — IELTS.org
- IELTS General Training: Reading test format — IELTS.org
Last verified 11 Nov 2026
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