--- title: "CLB 4 IELTS score: L 4.5, R 3.5, S 4.0, W 4.0" description: "CLB 4 on IELTS General Training: 4.5 listening, 3.5 reading, 4.0 speaking and writing. What CLB 5 takes, and the 6 CRS points per ability it earns." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/4/ielts last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB 4](/clb/4) # What IELTS score is CLB 4? CLB 4 on IELTS General Training takes 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, 4.0 in speaking and 4.0 in writing. Each ability is converted on its own, so all four have to reach their figure before the result reads as CLB 4 overall. Updated 14 October 2026 | Level | Listening (Band 0 to 9, half bands) | Reading (Band 0 to 9, half bands) | Speaking (Band 0 to 9, half bands) | Writing (Band 0 to 9, half bands) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | | CLB 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 4 | 6 | 6 | 24 | | CLB 5 | 6 | 6 | 24 | Scores from IRCC's [language test equivalency charts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility/language-results.html) and points from its [Comprehensive Ranking System criteria](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/crs-criteria.html), checked against canada.ca on 14 October 2026. IRCC revises these pages, so confirm the current values there before you plan around a number. ## The IELTS scores for CLB 4 IRCC's equivalency chart sets CLB 4 on IELTS General Training at 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, 4.0 in speaking and 4.0 in writing. IRCC publishes one minimum band per ability for IELTS General Training, so each figure reads as that band or higher, up to the minimum for CLB 5. The highest bar at CLB 4 is listening, at 4.5; the lowest is reading, at 3.5. Candidates who average the four miss this, because IRCC reads every ability on its own. Only IELTS General Training counts for Express Entry. The Academic option and the One Skill Retake are not accepted. ## CLB 4 and CLB 5 on IELTS, side by side CLB 4 is the lowest row IRCC publishes for IELTS. Below it there is no CLB level to read, and the first-language CRS block awards 0 points for that ability. One level up, CLB 5 needs 5.0 in listening, 4.0 in reading, 5.0 in speaking and 5.0 in writing. Moving from CLB 4 to CLB 5 takes half a band in listening, half a band in reading, one full band in speaking and one full band in writing. The biggest step is speaking, so that is usually the section to train first. ## How many CRS points is CLB 4 worth? As your first official language, each IELTS ability at CLB 4 earns 6 CRS points without a spouse or common-law partner and 6 with one: 24 or 24 across the four, in a block that tops out at 136 and 128. Reaching CLB 5 on IELTS (4.0 reading, 5.0 in the other three) adds nothing to this block, because CLB 4 and CLB 5 share one row of the points table. It matters for eligibility instead. ## Where IRCC names CLB 4 as a minimum Federal Skilled Trades Program asks for CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing. On IELTS that is 5.0 listening and speaking, 3.5 reading, 4.0 writing. Each ability is checked against its own figure, so one result below the line fails the minimum however strong the other three are. ## What French adds to a CLB 4 IELTS result With IELTS at CLB 4, NCLC 7 in French would add 25 additional points, not 50: the higher figure needs English at CLB 5 or above in all four abilities, which on IELTS is 4.0 reading, 5.0 in the other three. Lifting IELTS from CLB 4 to CLB 5 (half a band in listening, half a band in reading, one full band in speaking and one full band in writing) adds no first-language points at all, so the 25 French points are the bigger lever by far. The same level in French is NCLC 4, reached on the TCF Canada or the TEF Canada. ## IELTS at the other CLB levels - [IELTS at CLB 5](/clb/5/ielts) - [IELTS at CLB 6](/clb/6/ielts) - [IELTS at CLB 7](/clb/7/ielts) - [IELTS at CLB 8](/clb/8/ielts) - [IELTS at CLB 9](/clb/9/ielts) - [IELTS at CLB 10](/clb/10/ielts) ## CLB 4 on the other tests - [CLB 4 on every test](/clb/4) - [CLB 4 on CELPIP-General](/clb/4/celpip) - [CLB 4 on PTE Core](/clb/4/pte-core) - [CLB 4 on TCF Canada](/clb/4/tcf-canada) - [CLB 4 on TEF Canada](/clb/4/tef-canada) ## Check your own result - [CLB calculator for all five tests](/tools/clb-calculator) - [TCF and TEF score converter](/tools/score-converter) - [French CRS points calculator](/tools/french-crs-points) Questions ## IELTS, CLB 4: common questions ### What IELTS score is CLB 4? CLB 4 on IELTS General Training is 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, 4.0 in speaking and 4.0 in writing, according to IRCC's equivalency chart. Every ability has to reach its own figure; a strong section does not make up for a weak one. ### Is IELTS 4.0 in every ability enough for CLB 4? Not quite. 4.0 covers reading, speaking and writing, but listening needs 4.5 for CLB 4. ### What IELTS score do I need for CLB 5? CLB 5 on IELTS needs 5.0 in listening, 4.0 in reading, 5.0 in speaking and 5.0 in writing. From CLB 4, that is half a band in listening, half a band in reading, one full band in speaking and one full band in writing. ### How many CRS points is a CLB 4 IELTS result worth? With 4.5 listening, 3.5 reading, 4.0 speaking and writing on IELTS as your first official language, you earn 6 points per ability without a spouse and 6 with one: 24 or 24 across the four. That is one block of the CRS, not your full score. ### What would French add to CLB 4 on IELTS? NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities would add 25 additional CRS points. Lifting IELTS to CLB 5 in all four would raise that to 50. ### How do I turn my own IELTS result into a CLB level? Enter your four IELTS General Training bands, in half-band steps, in the free CLB calculator. It applies the same IRCC chart as this page, shows the level of each ability and the lowest one, and the CRS points that level earns. NEXT STEP ## Find out where your French actually stands Book a short assessment with Adèle: one writing task, one speaking task, and an honest plan for the weeks you have left before the exam. [Book an assessment](/book)[See the course tiers](/pricing) Independence notice Français Prep is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or administered by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Educational Testing Service, Duolingo, Inc. or Paragon Testing Enterprises. IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. TOEFL is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service. The Duolingo English Test is a trademark of Duolingo, Inc.. CELPIP is a trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. They are used here only to describe the exams this site prepares candidates for. --- For agents: site index https://francaisprep.com/llms.txt, developer access https://francaisprep.com/developers, and TCF or TEF to NCLC conversion over a plain GET at https://api.francaisprep.com/v1/score/convert?exam=tcf_canada&listening=512&reading=470&writing=12&speaking=11 (exam is tcf_canada or tef_canada).