The New 9-Band Marking Criterion for IELTS Speaking
Pronunciation
Band 9
l uses a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety
l sustains flexible use of features throughout
l is effortless to understand
Band 8
l uses a wide range of pronunciation features
l sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional lapses
l is easy to understand; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility
Band 7
l shows all the positive features of band 6 and some; but not all the positive features of band 8
Band 6
l uses a range of pronunication features with mixed control
l shows some effective use of features, but this is not sustained
l can generally be understood througout, though mispronunication of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times.
Band 5
l shows all the positive features of band 4 and some, but not all the positive features of band 6
Band 4
l uses a limited range of pronunication features
l attempts to control features, but lapses are frequent
l mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty for the listener
Band 3
l shows al lthe positive features of band 2 and some, but not all the positive features of band 4
Band 2
l speech is often unintelligible
Band 1
l no communication possible
l no rateable language
Band 0
l does not attend
