In short: IELTS is an English test that assesses listening, reading, writing and speaking, and reports a band score from 0 to 9. CEFRHub does not issue a certificate: it is an educational assessment that places your written or spoken production on the CEFR scale, in English or French, so you know where you stand before the exam and can track your progress while you prepare.
IELTS vs CEFRHub: What Sets Them Apart
| IELTS | CEFRHub | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | International English test | Educational assessment, not a certifying test |
| Owned by | The British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment | CEFRHub Technologies Inc. (Canada) |
| Languages | English | English and French |
| What is assessed | Listening, reading, writing and speaking | Written and spoken production |
| Result | A band score from 0 to 9 for each of the four sections, and an overall band score | A CEFR level from A1 to C2, with sub-levels, and a report in under 3 minutes |
Sources: ielts.org, About IELTS and IELTS Academic pages.
How the IELTS Test Works
According to the IELTS Academic page, the test has four sections and takes 2 hours and 45 minutes, at a test centre or remotely online:
- Listening: about 30 minutes;
- Reading: 60 minutes;
- Writing: 60 minutes;
- Speaking: 11–14 minutes.
IELTS Academic or General Training?
The Listening and Speaking sections are the same in both tests; Reading and Writing differ (IELTS test types). IELTS Academic is for study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or for professional registration (doctors and nurses, for example); General Training assesses the everyday English needed in social situations and in the workplace. The right test depends on your plans: IELTS advises checking the requirements of the institution or organisation before choosing.
How IELTS Is Scored
Each section receives a band score from 0 to 9, in whole or half bands; the overall band score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band (IELTS scoring in detail). Listening and Reading each contain 40 questions. Writing is marked on four criteria (task achievement or task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy), and so is Speaking (fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, pronunciation).
| Band | IELTS skill level |
|---|---|
| 9 | Expert |
| 8 | Very good |
| 7 | Good |
| 6 | Competent |
| 5 | Modest |
| 4 | Limited |
| 3 | Extremely limited |
| 2 | Intermittent |
| 1 | Non-user |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test |
How long are results valid? IELTS recommends that results be considered valid for two years after the test; organisations that accept IELTS can choose to accept older results, so check with them directly.
IELTS Band Scores and the CEFR
IELTS publishes an approximate alignment of its overall band scores with the CEFR:
| IELTS overall band | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| 5.5–6.5 | B2 |
| 7.0–8.0 | C1 |
| 8.5–9.0 | C2 |
IELTS is explicit that these are not exact equivalences: "IELTS is not a level-based test", and there is no one-to-one correspondence between its scores and CEFR levels. The C1 minimum threshold falls between bands 6.5 and 7: many 6.5 test takers would be at C1, but some would be marginally below, so an institution that needs a high degree of confidence at C1 may require 7. Band scores of 8.5 and higher are recognised as C2; band 8 is borderline. Source: IELTS and the CEFR. For the full table and its limits, see our IELTS to CEFR equivalency page.
Where CEFRHub Fits
Before the exam: knowing where you stand
At IELTS, writing and speaking are marked by examiners against published criteria. Before you register, a CEFRHub assessment places a written or spoken production on the CEFR scale, from A1 to C2 with sub-levels, with a report based on the descriptors of the CEFR and its Companion Volume: you see what is in place and what is left to work on. A CEFRHub level is not an IELTS band score; for the published correspondence, see the table above.
To try it: Freemium is $0, with no credit card (writing: 1 assessment every 30 days; speaking: 1 assessment offered once); Professional CA$49/month (50 assessments).
During preparation: tracking progress
Between two practice sessions, regular assessments of your productions show whether your work is paying off. For a group of learners preparing the same session, the teacher uses the same rubric from one assessment to the next.
Safeguards against inflated levels
IELTS places the C1 threshold between bands 6.5 and 7. On the CEFR side, CEFRHub's methodology publishes three safeguards against inflated levels:
- without at least two C1 markers attested in the production, the level is capped at B2.2;
- strong spelling or pronunciation never on its own justifies a move to C1: this is the CEFR's "range over accuracy" principle;
- each level boundary carries its own exclusion checklist, to be checked before the level is awarded.
How CEFRHub Assesses Speaking
Two ways to submit a spoken production:
- Record with the microphone, in the browser; an audio level indicator is shown while you record.
- Upload an existing audio file, in MP3 or WAV format.
You also state the type of production: spontaneous, reading aloud, or rehearsed and memorized. This helps the analysis account for the differences between reading a text and speaking spontaneously.
What CEFRHub Does Not Do
- CEFRHub does not issue a certificate or an IELTS band score. When an institution or organisation requires an official result, you need an official test such as IELTS.
- CEFRHub does not assess listening or reading. It assesses written and spoken production; IELTS assesses all four skills.
For French, the same comparison exists with the DELF and the DALF: see DELF vs DALF: CEFR levels and where CEFRHub fits. For university requirements, see what CEFR level you need for university; to tell B2 from C1, see CEFR B2 vs C1: the differences.
CEFRHub assesses written and spoken production, in English and French: a CEFR level from A1 to C2, with sub-levels, and a report based on the descriptors of the CEFR and its Companion Volume, in under 3 minutes. It is an educational assessment tool, not a certifying test. Results are not accepted for any immigration, citizenship or admission process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CEFRHub replace IELTS?
No. CEFRHub is an educational assessment tool, not a certifying test, and it does not give an IELTS band score. When an official result is required, you need an official test such as IELTS.
Is CEFRHub useful for IELTS preparation?
For writing and speaking, yes: an assessment places your production on the CEFR scale and shows what is left to work on, before the exam and during preparation. CEFRHub does not assess listening or reading, and it does not predict a band score.
Does CEFRHub give an IELTS band score?
No. CEFRHub reports a CEFR level from A1 to C2, with sub-levels. IELTS publishes an approximate alignment between its band scores and CEFR levels, with its limits (IELTS and the CEFR).
Is IELTS band 7 B2 or C1?
According to IELTS, the C1 minimum threshold falls between bands 6.5 and 7: many 6.5 test takers would be at C1, some marginally below. An institution that needs a high degree of confidence at C1 may therefore require 7 (IELTS).
Is an IELTS 8.5 C1 or C2?
C2: IELTS recognises band scores of 8.5 and higher as C2. Band 8 is borderline between C1 and C2.
Is CEFR easier than IELTS?
They are not the same kind of thing. The CEFR is a framework of reference that describes six levels, from A1 to C2; IELTS is a test whose band scores IELTS itself relates to those levels, without an exact match. Neither is easier: what matters is which result the institution or organisation asks for.
How long is IELTS valid?
IELTS recommends that results be considered valid for two years after the test. Organisations that accept IELTS can choose to accept older results: check with them directly (IELTS).
How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
It is the average of the four section band scores (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), rounded to the nearest half band.
What is the difference between IELTS Academic and General Training?
Listening and Speaking are the same; Reading and Writing differ. IELTS Academic is for study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or for professional registration; General Training assesses everyday English in social situations and in the workplace.
Does CEFRHub assess reading and listening like IELTS?
No. CEFRHub assesses written and spoken production; IELTS also assesses listening and reading.