Why Does My Overall SpeechRater Score Seem Off?

Short Answer:
The overall SpeechRater® score is calculated using additional proprietary algorithms and factors that ETS — the organization behind SpeechRater — has not publicly disclosed.

Tip: ask the AI in the bottom right corner to help you troubleshoot any issue.

Understanding the Discrepancy

Sometimes, users notice that their overall SpeechRater score doesn't seem to match the individual dimension scores. For example, you might score in high percentiles for fluency and pronunciation but still receive a lower overall score than expected. This can be confusing — so let’s break it down.

How SpeechRater Works

SpeechRater analyzes your spoken English using multiple scoring dimensions, such as:

• Speaking Rate

• Sustained Speech

• Vocabulary Diversity

• Grammatical Complexity

• Etc.

Each of these dimensions is scored independently to provide insight into specific aspects of your performance. These scores are visible in your My Speaking Score report and can guide your targeted improvement.

But… the Overall Score Isn’t an Average

While it’s natural to assume that the overall score is the average of the individual dimensions — it’s not. ETS uses a more complex scoring model to generate the final SpeechRater score. This model may include:

• Weighted averages

• Score normalization

• Error modeling or factor analysis

• Other proprietary algorithms

These methods are designed to reflect your overall communicative competence — not just individual traits — and are kept confidential to prevent system manipulation and maintain fairness.

Why Outliers Happen

When your overall score doesn’t seem to line up with your individual scores, it may be due to how these hidden factors interact. These cases are known as outliers and they’re rare — but they do happen.

Importantly, an outlier doesn’t necessarily mean you did anything wrong. It may reflect how ETS’s algorithm weighs or interprets certain aspects of your speech in combination.

Should I Be Concerned?

Not at all. ETS has spent years developing SpeechRater, and it's been validated across hundreds of thousands of test-taker responses. The goal is always fairness, accuracy, and consistency.

But remember: the overall score is just one data point. You’ll get the best results by looking at your full report — especially the dimension scores — and combining that with consistent practice and expert guidance.

Final Thoughts

At My Speaking Score, our mission is to help you use your data to improve. So if your score looks strange, you’re not alone — and we’re here to help you make sense of it.

Need help interpreting your report?

Send us an email to help@myspeakingscore.com.