IELTS Computer Delivered Tests + Band Score

Big Drop in Speaking Score

by RAJESH
(DEHRADUN)

Hi,

In March 2016 I gave IELTS academic module and got

L: 6.5
R: 6
W: 5
S: 6.5

In Aug 2016 I retook IELTS and got

L: 6
R: 6
W: 6
S: 4.5

In Aug test I expected 6.5 or 7 band in speaking but when i got the result I was totally disappointed.

I gave my best in speaking and was confident to get 7 but never imagined for 4.5.

Should I go for revaluation of my speaking module?

Please suggest.

Comments for Big Drop in Speaking Score

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Sep 07, 2016
 Drop in Speaking Score
by: IELTS buddy

Hi Rajesh,

Your situation is one where you certainly should seriously consider a remark.

There is a very big difference in the speaking ability of someone who is 4.5 and someone 6.5.

Sometimes scores can vary, even by a band or more if someone performs better one time than another. You may find the questions easier or feel more relaxed for some reason at one test than another. Did you feel you did much better in the first test than the second for some reason?

But if you are very confident that that situation does not apply to you, it is very unlikely you could drop two bands over that time so something may have gone wrong.

There's no way to predict though how a remark could go so it's really up to you.

As I said, a possible scenario is you performed much better the first time but maybe it was graded a bit high, and this time you performed less well but it was also under-marked. So maybe you are at the 5.5 level.

You also need to think about what band you need. Is it 6? Usually if bands do get increased it's just around half a band so you may not go up to a 6 (though anything is possible).

But it's all just speculation. If you are confident that is is higher e.g. you have had a teacher who knows you are better than that, maybe you should consider it, but it's really up to you.

Good luck
Sep 07, 2016
 speaking
by: deepu

Tomorrow will be my exam of speaking hope I will get good bands plzz pray for me

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Drop in IELTS Speaking Score

by Grace

I have a question regarding speaking. I took the test 4 years ago and got a 7.5 in speaking section. I took another one recently but recieved a 6.5 so I was wondering how can speaking skills drop dramatically? Is it because my part 2 answers were too short?

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Jan 21, 2021
 Drop in IELTS Speaking Score
by: IELTS buddy

It's not possible to know why it may have dropped.

I'm not sure what you mean about your part 2 answers being too short, because part 2 is a short talk on a topic. Unless you mean you did not speak for 2 minutes. If you didn't really speak enough generally in the test, this could bring your score down.

There can be just small differences when you are talking about half a band so it is possible for a score to vary between a half band when someone takes the test again. However, it is odd to get a one band difference as that is quite a lot, unless like I say you were not speaking enough.

It would also be odd for your score to drop if you have been using English a lot in the last 4 years and you think you have improved noticeably. If you have not been using English in the four years and so your skills have declined, then of course it could drop.

If you are fairly sure that your speaking has stayed the same or improved and your score is wrong then you could consider getting your test looked at again - that's called in Enquiry on Results. It seems like it could be a good case for that in your situation.

Problem is though it costs the same as a new test. You will only get your money back if your score was wrong and it increases.
Feb 17, 2022
 Speaking
by: Anu

Today is my speaking test and i did very well in part 2 but in part 1 i messed up in one question and i started fumbling and in part 3 i messed up in 2 questions and examiner interrupted me.

did this decrease my band score?

Okay so in part 1 in one question i take a lot of pauses and in part 3 i give example related to myseld like when i am child and examiner interrupted me and say that she want general example
Feb 17, 2022
 Speaking
by: IELTS buddy

Unfortunately without hearing your test it's really impossible to know whether anything you did affected your band score.

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Speaking score dropped by one band

by Manvir
(India)

Hi

I have given IELTS twice, in first attempt my score was:

L-8.5
R-7.5
W-6
S-7.5

I needed 8 in listening & 7 each in rest three, so I gave the exam again & my score was:

L-8.5
R-8.5
W-7
S-6.5

My speaking exam went quite well & there was hardly 2 months of gap between both the tests. How did I lose 1 complete band in speaking, I just can not understand.

I want to go for re-evaluation of my speaking module.

Please advise, it will be really useful.

Manvir Singh

Comments for Speaking score dropped by one band

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Aug 06, 2016
 IELTS Speaking Score Change
by: IELTS buddy

Hi Manvir,

There is a quite a difference between a 6.5 and 7.5, and as you say it is odd for someone's speaking to drop by a band in a few months.

However, it is possible if you did perform much better the first time. Are you sure you did as well the second time as the first?

A candidate can do much better at one time in the exam than another time if for example they feel more relaxed with the examiner they have and they find the questions easier. This can make a big difference.

It is common to hear people come out of the test one time and think it went great but another time it went badly. So this can account for variations and fluctuations in IELTS band scores.

I see that your writing was 6.5 the first time, then you got 7. It can be difficult to get from 6.5 to 7, so it would be a shame if you took the test again but then found you could not get up to 7 on your writing.

So it may be worth considering a remark but it is a gamble and nobody can say if your score will change or not. Could it be that your score was too high the first time?

So you really need to think about how confident you are that you did better than 6.5, and then decide yourself whether you want to risk it or take the test again.

Good luck
Aug 06, 2016
 Thanks
by: Manvir

Thanks for advice. However, I would like to correct you about my writing score, it was 6 before and not 6.5.

I completely understand that scoring 7 in writing is difficult but I will certainly give the exam again.

Beside, I have already filled the re-evaluation. I hope this may be more fruitful.
Aug 06, 2016
 IELTS validity period or range
by: gafar

how long does it take the result before it gets useless?
Aug 06, 2016
 Validity of result
by: Anonymous

2 years...
Aug 07, 2016
 Re-evaluation
by: IELTS buddy

Hi Manvir,

Yes I see it was 6, my mistake. Please post back when you get the re-evaluation mark. It will be interesting to see if the speaking score changes.

Thanks
Aug 09, 2016
 IELTS EXAM NOT A STANDARDISED TEST
by: Anonymous

I took IELTS exam in July 2015, and scored

L:7.5
R:7.5
W:6.5
S:8.0

To raise my writing score to Band 7, I took this test again in Jan 2016 and scored the following.

L:7
R:8.0
W:7.0
S:6.5

Could never understand why speaking score was dropped by 1.5 Band. Personally, I don't think if there are two examiners in IELTS who grade speaking and writing sections. Such a huge variation in IELTS score clealry shows weaknesses and variations in IELTS exams.
Aug 10, 2016
 IELTS EXAM NOT A STANDARDISED TEST
by: IELTS buddy

That is a big drop and there is a big difference between someone who is 8 and someone who is 6.5.

However, consider the things that I said to Manvir - are there any reasons why you may have performed much better in the first test than the second?

If you are sure you performed the same in both then you may want to reconsider a remark (EOR) but it's up to you - there are no guarantees and it will cost you money to do it.
Aug 10, 2016
 Surprising
by: Anonymous

Did u apply for re-evaluation of speaking module also..
If not, then it is very bizarre.
Aug 10, 2016
 IELTS EXAM NOT A STANDARDISED TEST
by: Anonymous

In fact, I did not apply for the re-evaluation because I could not secure Band 8 in listening.

Based on my personal experience, I would like to mention that speaking and writing sections highly depend on examiners. Both times, I took my IELTS tests in the US. The first time, my examiner was a native speaker, and the second time, unfortunately, a non-native speaker.

Is there someone who could tell me if speaking and writing sections are graded by two examiners, or there is one grader only?
Sep 10, 2016
 IELTS EXAM NOT A STANDARDISED TEST
by: Arnold

Same thing happened to me. I took ielts last May 2015 and the result was:

L-8
R-7
W-6.5
S-8.5

I tried to sit another IELTS exam 2 months after, July 2015, in the hopes of reaching at least band 7 in writing. And this was the result.

L-8.5
R-7
W-7
S-6

I got what I aimed for but I was disappointed with my speaking result. Even when I had it remarked, my speaking result remained the same.

But I thanked God because IELTS buddy is here to help. The most effective tool/reviewer there is on the planet!

I took another IELTS in July 2016 and I got 7.5 in listening and the rest were all 7.

Thank you ielts buddy!!
Apr 26, 2019
 Should I apply for a re-mark?
by: Jane

Hi!

I just got my IELTS Academic results.

Overall Band: 8.0
Listening: 9.0
Reading: 7.0
Writing: 6.5
Speaking: 8.5

My writing score is surprising and disappointing at the same time. I thought I did well during the test. I was at least expecting a 7.

Do you think I have a chance of getting a better score in my re-mark? It's my first time taking the test. Thanks!
Jan 18, 2020
 Speaking score
by: Anonymous

Hi, I have been getting 8 for speaking so far but the last time it was 6.5. Do you think a remark will work? Any idea on score changes at IDP?

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IELTS Revaluation for Speaking?

Hi,

Nov 2018

L - 7.5
R - 7.0
W - 6.5
S - 7.5

Dec 2018

L - 7.5
R - 6.5
W - 6.0
S - 8.0

Apr 2019

L - 8.0
R - 7.5
W - 7.0
S - 6.5

Should I give my paper for revaluation for Speaking section? This is my 6th attempt and I have never scored less than 7.0 in speaking in all my attempts! This is crazy and I am disheartened. Please guide.

Thanks

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Apr 20, 2019
 IELTS Revaluation for Speaking?
by: IELTS buddy

It's up to you but yes I would say you have very good reasons for getting it remarked.

It's quite possible to make errors with the writing and for the score to drop, for example not answering the question fully.

But it's odd for someone's speaking to suddenly drop like that unless for some reason you think you may have done worse that day.
Apr 22, 2019
 Thank you
by: Anonymous

Thank you. I am giving it for revaluation today itself!
Hope the scores change for good!

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