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Every year, scores of students
aspiring to study in the US and other
countries like Australia and New Zealand, to name a few appear for English
language proficiency tests to prove their language proficiency and to get
admission to their preferred institute and course. The two highly recognised
English language proficiency tests are the International English Language
Testing System (IELTS) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Both these tests help students to study abroad
and work in
English-speaking nations after proving their English language abilities.
Premier universities and
colleges follow standardised admission policies for international students. Students
need to show their proficiency in the English language by clearing exams like
IELTS and TOEFL. Good scores in these exams ensure that they possess the necessary
English skills for understanding academic writing, producing scholarly writing
and communicating with their supervisors.
Although both are English language proficiency tests, they have different formats, test structures, scoring and many other things. So, let’s uncover these differences.
IELTS vs TOEFL
Both the tests comprise 4
sections: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking, but the test structure of
TOEFL iBT differs from IELTS.
Test Structure- TOEFL iBT
|
Test Structure |
Purpose |
Inclusions |
Duration |
|
Reading Section |
Measure ability to
understand and read the kind of materials used in an academic setting. |
|
54-72 minutes |
|
Listening |
Measure ability to
understand lectures and conversations in English |
|
|
|
Speaking |
Measure English
speaking ability in an academic environment |
Comprises 4 tasks:
|
Preparation time: 15-30
seconds before each response
Response time: 45-60
seconds |
|
Writing |
Measure writing ability
in an academic setting |
Comprises 2 tasks:
|
|
IELTS: IELTS Academic and IELTS
General Training are two kinds of IELTS tests. The Academic test is for those
who wish to study at university or in an English-speaking setting (higher
education) and pursue a professional career. The IELTS General Training is
designed for those who wish to study below degree level in an English-speaking
college or school, and for work-related purposes.
|
Test Structure |
Inclusions |
|
Listening (Paper
format) |
|
|
Reading (paper format) |
Academic
·
Mix question types (multiple choice,
matching features, note completion and diagram label completion, to name a
few)
General Training ·
3 long texts ·
Mix question types (multiple choice,
matching features, note completion, sentence and note completion, etc.) ·
40 questions, 60 minutes |
|
Writing (Paper format) |
Academic Task 1: Describing
visual information (graph/chart/table/diagram) in 150 words in 20 minutes Task 2: Writing an
essay of 250 words in 40 minutes General Training Task 1: Writing a
letter of 150 words in 20 minutes Task 2: Writing an
academic essay of a minimum of 250 words in 40 minutes |
|
Speaking |
An oral interview with
an examiner - 3 parts (introduction and interview, long turn and discussion )
|
|
|
IELTS |
TOEFL |
|
Conducting Body |
Cambridge English and
the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia |
Educational Testing Services (ETS) |
|
Test Format |
|
|
|
Scoring |
0-9 |
0-120 |
|
Duration |
2 hours and 45 minutes |
Approximately 3 hours |
|
Acceptance worldwide |
Recognised by over
11,000 organisations globally and 3,400 institutions in the USA |
11,500 universities and
other institutions in more than 150 countries, including the US, the UK, New
Zealand, Canada and across Europe and Asia |
|
Results |
Paper-based test: 13
days after the written test Computer-based: 3-5
days after the test |
At Test centre and iBT
Home Edition: 4-8 days after the test date iBT Paper Edition: 11-13 days after the test |
A Pro-Tip: To study abroad, check the course-specific
admission guidelines of the university carefully before appearing for TOEFL or
IELTS tests.
In case you have cleared
one or both tests and are looking for financial help, there is no need to look
further than Avanse Financial Services. We offer hyper-personalised education
loans to students and help them in fulfiling their academic aspirations. To
know more about education loans for students and eligibility criteria, contact us
today!
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