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IELTS VS TOEFL : Which Exam is Best for you?

Proving your language proficiency to authorities in English-speaking nations is critical for your visa application. If you perform well on your language test, you are viewed as a suitable addition to their employment or student population.This is because knowing the language in a foreign place demonstrates your versatility; speaking the language bridges the communication gap between two very different cultures.

What is IELTS? Vs What is Toefl

IELTS TOEFL
There are two versions of the IELTS language test- the IELTS Academic and the IELTS General Training. The two have similar scoring systems as well as the same format. There are four sections- listening, reading, writing and speaking. The TOEFL test is very similar to the IELTS. Unlike the IELTS conducted by ETS, the tests take place on the same day, with breaks between the Listening and Speaking sections. There are four sections as well- listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Different sections of IELTS

The IELTS test is divided into the following categories:

Section Number of Questions Time Given
Listening 40 30 minutes
Reading 40 60 minutes
Writing 2 tasks 60 minutes
Speaking 3 tasks 11-14 minutes

Different sections of TOEFL

The following are the different sections of IELTS:

Section Number of Questions Time Given
Reading 36-56 60-80 minutes
Listening 34-51 60-90 minutes
Speaking 6 tasks 20 minutes
Writing 2 tasks 50 minutes

Cost of IELTS vs Cost of TOEFL

IELTS Exam fees TOEFL Exam Fees
The cost of IELTS is approximately Rs 16,250. The cost of TOEFL is approximately Rs 13,000.

EXAM Results

IELTS Exam fees TOEFL Exam Fees
Online- Within 5 daysOffline-13 days You Get result within 3-4 days

Which Exam to Choose : IELTS VS TOEFL

Which exam helps display your strengths?

  • You may be better at reading and writing than speaking and listening. There may be certain areas that challenge you and others that you are adept at. Based on this, you must make a decision between IELTS and TOEFL.
  • If you are not particularly good at writing, then you might want to avoid the IELTS exam. You will have to write short answers for many questions on IELTS. TOEFL does have a few written answers, but they are relatively easy. You also receive prompts which you do not for the IELTS exam. Most questions are multiple choice on the TOEFL, so choose this if you written word is not strong.

Which exam is more convenient for you?

If you have good typing speed, then the TOEFL test is for you. They are computer-based. If you write faster on paper then opting for IELTS is a better idea, as they offer paper based as well as computer-based exams. You may also find that IELTS has more test locations than TOEFL. If you live in a metropolitan city, then both exams should be equally accessible to you.

Which test will be easier for you?

The TOEFL exam only uses academic texts, while the IELTS uses a combination of academic as well as exerts from magazines and newspapers. This essentially means that the text provided on the TOEFL test is more challenging to understand, and will only be easy for you if your English language proficiency is at university level.

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