What is 35 out of 40 in IELTS Reading?
Quick answer
IELTS.org lists 35 marks as the average for Academic Reading band 8, and also for General Training band 7, so 35 out of 40 sits on both points. The indicative table the site's band calculator uses reads 35 and 36 as an estimated 8.0 in Academic, and as 7.0 and 7.5 in General Training.
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Part of The IELTS test, answered
At 35 marks the two versions of Reading meet on a single number. IELTS.org prints 35 as the average for Academic band 8 and also for General Training band 7.
One number, two bands
That makes this row a clear example of why the version matters. An Academic candidate on 35 is at the top listed point, band 8. A General Training candidate on 35 is at a listed point one band lower, band 7, and IELTS.org lists nothing further up for that version. Its explanation is that General Training usually needs more correct answers for a given band. At 36 both candidates have passed their listed point by a mark, and the published list says nothing more.
What the indicative table adds
The table the site’s band score calculator uses estimates 8.0 for both 35 and 36 in Academic. In General Training it estimates 7.0 for 35 and 7.5 for 36. These are estimates only. IELTS.org says: “The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.” With so few questions left to miss, a single awkward question type can move a result across a row. What an 8.0 means in plain terms is in what level IELTS 8.0 is.
Counting it toward the overall
Reading is one of four bands. They are averaged, and the result is rounded to the nearest half band, so a Reading 8.0 can lift an overall that sits at 7.5 elsewhere. Put your four numbers into the calculator to see.
Next up
The row above begins at 37, which is the 37 to 38 page. Below this row is 33 to 34.
Practising
At this level, timing matters more than any one text. The site’s Reading practice test is marked in the browser with an indicative band from the same table.
What this means for your score
Two candidates each score 35 of 40. The Academic candidate is on the band 8 point and still 2 short of the indicative 8.5 row. The General Training candidate is on the band 7 point, which IELTS.org lists with nothing above it, so the 35 reads as an estimated 7.0, and a 36 would read as 7.5.
Frequently asked questions
Is 35 out of 40 a good Reading score?
It is an estimated 8.0 in Academic, which is a high band. Whether it is good for you depends on the score your application asks for.
Which table is the official one?
IELTS.org's list of average marks, which for this row means 35. It adds that the marks needed vary slightly by version. The 36 and the half bands are estimates from an indicative table.
How many marks for the next band?
The next indicative row, 37 to 38, reads as 8.5 in Academic, so 2 more than 35 or 1 more than 36. IELTS.org lists no point above band 8 in Academic.
What is 35 to 36 out of 40 in General Training?
The indicative table reads 35 as 7.0 and 36 as 7.5. IELTS.org lists 35 as the General Training band 7 point and lists no higher band for that version.
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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