CLB 9 IELTS score equivalent: the exact General Training bands you need
The IELTS General Training band scores that equal CLB 9—Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0—and how to reach each one.
By English Grader study guides · AI-assisted educational content · Official sources linked below
The short answer
CLB 9 is not one score—it is four separate thresholds, and Writing 7.0 is the one most candidates miss.
The CLB 9 thresholds
For IELTS General Training, CLB 9 currently corresponds to these band scores in each skill:
- Listening: 8.0
- Reading: 7.0
- Writing: 7.0
- Speaking: 7.0
Why Writing 7.0 is the bottleneck
Band 7 Writing requires you to address all parts of the task, organise ideas clearly, use a range of vocabulary accurately, and produce mostly error-free sentences—all at once.
Most candidates stuck at 6.5 lose marks on Task Response or Grammatical Accuracy, not on ideas.
Related guide: The Band 6 to 7 improvement plan
A realistic route to CLB 9
Diagnose first: take a timed practice in each skill and convert your raw scores. Then spend 80% of your study time on the skill furthest from its threshold.
For most candidates that means daily Writing practice with feedback, while maintaining Listening and Reading with two or three tests a week.
- Week 1: baseline test in all four skills
- Weeks 2–6: daily writing with feedback, listening/reading maintenance
- Week 7: full mock, check all four thresholds
Check the official source
CLB equivalencies are set by IRCC and can be updated. Confirm the current table on the IRCC website before you book.
Use the band calculator →Put this into practice
Submit a Task 2 essay and see whether you are writing at Band 7 yet.
Guest AI tries are limited to one use per feature per day. Sign in for saved progress. AI feedback and band estimates are practice guidance, not official IELTS results.
Official sources and further reading
- IRCC: language testing for Express Entry (Canada)
- UK Visas and Immigration: prove your English
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: English language requirements
Practice examples and study routines are illustrative advice, not official band-scored answers or predictions of exam questions.