Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Calculator

Pick the best eye, verbal and motor response to get the GCS total, the head-injury severity band and the correct way to write it down. Mark any component you cannot test as NT — the calculator will not produce a misleading total.

Practise NEET-PG MCQs FreeView Plans

Written and reviewed by the Kinase Medical Team · Last reviewed 30 September 2026

Quick Answer

GCS = Eye (1–4) + Verbal (1–5) + Motor (1–6), total 3–15. In head injury, 13–15 is mild, 9–12 moderate and 3–8 severe. Always record the components (e.g. E3 V4 M5 = 12). If a component cannot be tested — such as verbal in an intubated patient — write NT and do not report a total.

For learning — not for clinical decisions. This calculator is a study aid for exam preparation. Check every result against your institution's protocols and senior advice before acting on it.

Glasgow Coma Scale calculator

Eye opening (E)
Verbal response (V)
Best motor response (M)

Choose one response for each of E, V and M.

How it's calculated

Total score
GCS = E + V + M (range 3–15)
Eye opening (E)
4 Spontaneous · 3 To sound · 2 To pressure · 1 None
Verbal response (V)
5 Orientated · 4 Confused · 3 Words · 2 Sounds · 1 None
Best motor response (M)
6 Obeys commands · 5 Localising · 4 Normal flexion · 3 Abnormal flexion · 2 Extension · 1 None
Score the best response seen. 'NT' (not testable) can be recorded for any component when something outside the patient's conscious level stops it being assessed.

Each response is scored from "none" (1) upwards, so the minimum total is 3. Older descriptors are still common in exam questions; they map to the same numbers:

Score2014 descriptorOlder wording
E4Spontaneous—
E3To soundTo speech / command
E2To pressureTo pain
E1None—
V3WordsInappropriate words
V2SoundsIncomprehensible sounds
M5LocalisingLocalises to pain
M4Normal flexionWithdrawal
M2ExtensionAbnormal extension

How to interpret the result

Severity bands for head injury as given in StatPearls (NBK513298) and glasgowcomascale.org. Valid only when E, V and M are all testable.
Total GCSSeverity band
13–15Mild
9–12Moderate
3–8Severe
Any component NTNo total — report the testable components (e.g. E2 VNT M4) and follow the trend

Worked example

After a road traffic accident, a patient opens his eyes only when the nail bed is pressed, says occasional words, and moves a hand up towards the site of pressure.

Eye: to pressure = E2. Verbal: words = V3. Motor: localising = M5. Total = 2 + 3 + 5 = 10 → moderate. Record it as E2 V3 M5 (GCS 10).

If the same patient is then intubated, record E2 VNT M5 — no total.

Limitations and common pitfalls

  • Never score an untestable component as 1. Swelling (eyes), intubation (verbal) or paralysis (motor) make that part NT, and a total would falsely suggest a deeper coma.
  • Report the components, not only the sum — equal totals can hide very different patients.
  • The severity bands were built for head injury. Alcohol, drug intoxication (especially sedatives), seizures, hypoxia, hypotension and hypothermia can all give a falsely low score — reassess once they are corrected.
  • The adult GCS can be used unchanged in children older than about 5 years; younger children need a paediatric version with age-appropriate verbal responses.
  • The GCS does not assess pupils or lateralising signs; GCS-P and a full neurological examination add that information.

Revise the concept behind this tool: Glasgow Coma Scale — concept and exam points →

Sources

  1. Glasgow Coma Scale — official site: What is GCS (glasgowcomascale.org)
  2. Glasgow Coma Scale — official site: structured approach and NT guidance (glasgowcomascale.org/faq)
  3. StatPearls — Glasgow Coma Scale (NCBI Bookshelf, NBK513298)
  4. Teasdale G et al. The Glasgow Coma Scale at 40 years: standing the test of time. Lancet Neurol 2014 (PubMed 25030516)
  5. Inconsistency in the Application of Glasgow Coma Scale in Pediatric Patients (PMC10896613)

For learning — not for clinical decisions. Reference ranges and cut-offs vary between laboratories and guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the components of the Glasgow Coma Scale?▼
Three: eye opening (E, scored 1–4), verbal response (V, 1–5) and best motor response (M, 1–6). The total ranges from 3 to 15. The lowest possible score is 3, not 0, because each component starts at 1 (none).
How is GCS severity classified in head injury?▼
The usual bands are mild 13–15, moderate 9–12 and severe 3–8. Some textbooks draw the lines slightly differently, and the bands only apply when all three components can be tested.
How do you score GCS in an intubated patient?▼
The verbal response cannot be tested, so record it as NT (not testable), for example E3 VNT M5. Do not score it as 1 and do not report a total, because the sum would look falsely low. Use the eye and motor scores and their trend.
Why report E, V and M separately rather than just the total?▼
The same total can describe very different patients. A GCS of 8 made up of E2 V2 M4 is not the same as E4 V1 M3. The official guidance is to communicate the three components; the total is a summary.
What changed in the 2014 GCS wording?▼
The descriptors were simplified. Eye opening 'to speech' became 'to sound' and 'to pain' became 'to pressure'; verbal 'inappropriate words' became 'words' and 'incomprehensible sounds' became 'sounds'; motor 'withdrawal' became 'normal flexion' and 'abnormal extension' became 'extension'. The scores did not change.
What is the GCS-Pupils score?▼
GCS-P adds pupil reactivity: GCS-P = GCS total − Pupil Reactivity Score, where the Pupil Reactivity Score is 0 (both react), 1 (one unreactive) or 2 (both unreactive). It extends the lower end of the scale to 1.
Formulas checked against tier-1 sources
Free, no sign-up
Runs in your browser

Ready to Start Practicing?

Start Free Practice

No credit card required