What is 23 out of 40 in IELTS Reading?
Quick answer
IELTS.org lists 23 marks as the average for Academic Reading band 6, so a score of 23 sits on that point and 26 is three marks above it, with band 7 listed at 30. The indicative table the site's band calculator uses reads 23 to 26 as an estimated 6.0 in Academic and 5.0 in General Training.
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Part of The IELTS test, answered
Twenty-three is a number IELTS.org prints, which gives this row a firmer footing than most. The band 6 point for Academic Reading and the band 5 point for General Training are both 23 marks.
Published points and this row
IELTS.org’s list reads: Academic band 5 at 15, band 6 at 23, band 7 at 30. A score of 23 is on the band 6 point, and 24, 25 and 26 are one to three marks past it, four to seven short of band 7. For General Training the listed bands are 4 at 15, 5 at 23 and 6 at 30, so the same scores sit one band lower. All of these are averages that IELTS.org says it derives from marks scored at each level.
The estimate for each version
On the indicative table behind the site’s band score calculator, 23 to 26 marks reads as 6.0 in Academic and 5.0 in General Training. It is an estimate. IELTS.org states: “The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.” That matters most at the edges of the row. A 23 sits right on the published average, so on another test version it could read lower, and a 26 could read higher. The band itself is covered in what level IELTS 6.0 is.
Reading inside the overall
Your overall is one average of four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. A 6.0 in Reading means the other three sections need to carry the average if you want 6.5 overall, and the calculator makes that arithmetic quick.
What the next row asks
The next row, 27 to 29, is estimated at 6.5 in Academic. It already has its own page, 27 out of 40 in Reading. Below this row is 19 to 22.
Practising
Try the site’s Reading practice test. It is marked in the browser, with an indicative band from the same table.
What this means for your score
A candidate answers 24 of 40 correctly in a mock Reading test. Academic candidates compare that with 23 for band 6 and 30 for band 7, which puts it one above the first and six short of the second. A General Training candidate compares it with 23 for band 5 and 30 for band 6, the same distances. The indicative estimates are 6.0 and 5.0.
Frequently asked questions
Is 23 out of 40 a good Reading score?
In Academic it reaches the point IELTS.org lists for band 6, estimated at 6.0. Whether that is good depends on the band you need, so check the requirement first.
Which table is the official one?
Just IELTS.org's four points per version: 15, 23, 30 and 35 marks. They are averages, and IELTS.org says the marks needed vary slightly between test versions. Rows for individual marks are estimates.
How many marks for the next band?
Next row up is 27 to 29 at an estimated 6.5 in Academic, which needs 4 more marks than 23. The next point IELTS.org lists is 30 for band 7, 7 more than 23.
What is 23 to 26 out of 40 in General Training?
The indicative table reads it as 5.0, and 23 is the point IELTS.org lists for General Training band 5. General Training band 6 is listed at 30 marks.
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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