Which is better - Toefl or Ielts? What is easier to take and what is the difference

This article examines the differences between the international level exams: TOEFL and IELTS.

What do TOEFL or IELTS certificates give?

Successful passing of one of the tests is the best way to confirm knowledge of the language. The receipt of a certificate is a prerequisite for admission to foreign higher education institutions, and also greatly expands your opportunities in the English-speaking world. Both documents are valid for two years, after which the results of your test are deleted.

Difficulty level

All texts for listening and reading, offered for testing knowledge, are authentic. That is, they are not adapted for a certain level. But even limited knowledge will enable you to get the minimum number of points. You will certainly be able to pass one of the above tests if you know English at least at B2 (Upper-Intermediate) level - above the average.

Format of the

International exams TOEFL, IELTS differ in format. There are also a number of features that should be considered, determined by choice. There are 2 IELTS modules:

• Academic - testing at the level of academic knowledge. Tasks are made on the basis of scientific articles. This module must be handed over to those who plan to study abroad or work in scientific organizations.
• General - confirmation of English proficiency at a household level. This is quite enough for communication, secondary education or work.

TOEFL is only available in one version. And in terms of complexity, it corresponds to the academic module.

Reading

Here, too, there are differences. TOEFL: to test reading skills, 3-5 texts on different topics are given. As a rule, these are excerpts of a scientific orientation. Vocabulary is quite difficult, but not highly specialized. The volume of each article is approximately 700 words. The level of complexity of all texts is approximately the same. Each of them is given 20 minutes to study. The test is carried out in the form of a test task, in which it is suggested to choose one correct answer variant among others. The number of questions to each passage is from 12 to 14.

As part of the IELTS test, 3 reading fragments are offered, each with 20 minutes to work with. The volume of the text ranges from 650 to 1000 words. Articles of different levels of complexity. To test the understanding of the texts, it is suggested to answer 40 questions. Tasks are quite diverse: fill in the gaps, substitute the missing words or phrases, indicate whether this or that statement is correct, compare lexical units and sentences. In addition, the subject matter of the texts differs depending on the chosen format of the exam:

1. Academic. Texts of scientific subjects are offered here. Vocabulary is quite difficult, but it is quite accessible to a wide range of readers who do not have a special education.
2. General. The general format involves reading fragments from fiction, magazines and newspapers. The subjects are diverse, the vocabulary is common. As a rule, texts are offered on the culture and daily life of the British.

Written section

The TOEFL and IELTS exams differ in the way they are conducted. The first one is computerized. In the second, the composition is written by hand. There are also significant differences in the tasks. If we talk about TOEFL, then the Writing section includes two tasks. The first is to write an essay with a volume of approximately 310-350 words. The second part is integrated, that is, a mixed type. First, listen to the audio recording and read the text, and then, based on this, write a summary and conclusions. The length of the essay is about 200 words. While listening to the recording, you can make notes. Each part is given for 30 minutes. The total amount of time spent on the passage of the written section is 1 hour.

IELTS also consists of two parts. However, the structure of the tasks is somewhat different. If you chose the academic version of the exam, then you have to describe the schedule or table. Those who pass General, have to write a letter with a volume of about 150-200 words. But that is not all. In the second part, it is proposed to write an essay with a length of 210-250 words. An hour is given for execution: 40 minutes for an essay, 20 for a description of an infographic or a letter.

Listening

With regard to checking the skills of understanding foreign speech by ear and control tasks, in the exams of TOEFL and IELTS the difference is very significant. In the first case The number of audio recordings is inversely proportional to the number of texts to be read. It varies from 2 to 4. The more articles you find in the Reading section, the less audiotext will appear in Listening. After listening it is necessary to answer a number of questions - 5 or 6 to each part. The list is given after listening. Themes of the issues range from scientific lectures to informal student dialogues. The total time is about 65-90 minutes.

Within the IELTS it is proposed to listen to 4 passages. As a rule, these are monologues and dialogues. Exemplary structure:

• Conversation on everyday topics.
• Monologue on a daily theme. This part is a bit more complicated than the previous one.
• Dialog. As a rule, on the subject, concerning the educational process, examinations or scientific research.
• Monologue. Subjects are approximately the same as in the above paragraph.

After that, you have to answer 40 questions. The test takes 40 minutes to complete. This section exams not only the ability to understand foreign speech. It is also very important to draw conclusions based on what has been heard, to be able to generalize, structure information and express one's own opinion.

The essential advantage of IELTS is that the list of questions is given immediately before the audition. This greatly simplifies understanding, since there is an opportunity to respond in the process of passing the test. In addition, the preview of the tasks helps to imagine in advance what will be discussed, tune in to find the right answers. After that, another 10 minutes are given for completion and systematization.

Oral part

During TOEFL the applicant's answers are recorded on the computer. There are 6 mixed tasks. After listening to a short passage, you need to answer the questions. The total time is 20 minutes. During the IELTS, testing oral skills involves communicating with the examiner on various topics.

Approximate structure of the Speaking section:

1. A short conversation. Candidates are asked questions about his personality, activities, hobbies and surroundings. The duration of this part is about 5 minutes.
2. A monologue on a certain topic. After that, you still need to answer a few questions.
3. Dialogue with the examiner. It is not just easy to answer questions, but also participate fully in the discussion: generalize, prove your point of view, draw conclusions, ask clarifying questions. It is also very important to demonstrate good knowledge in many areas, as various issues are touched: from your personal beliefs to the political situation in English-speaking countries.

The duration of this part of the exam is 10-15 minutes.

Scale of assessments

There are various systems for assessing the level of possession of any foreign language. Below is a table of the correlation of English levels by different standards, as well as the TOEFL scale, IELTS (points):

To emigrate, it is enough to have a level of B1.

Scoring system

Within the framework of IELTS Each section (reading, listening, speaking, writing) is evaluated separately on a scale from 0 to 9 points. The result is calculated by finding the arithmetic mean of the sum of the results.

The approximate number of points required for admission to a particular university:

• Admission to the magistracy: a minimum of 6.5, not less than 5.5 in each module.
• Undergraduate: the minimum average grade is 6.0.
• Training program for admission to a foreign university: 5.5.

However, many schools have their own requirements. In some, you need to dial at least 7.0.

As for TOEFL, there is another assessment system here. For the passage of each module points are awarded from 0 to 30.

The maximum number of points is 120.

TOEFL or IELTS: what is better for you?

To finally determine, it is important to take into account not only the level of English, but also some psychological characteristics of the individual. Here are a few nuances that will help you make a choice in favor of this or that exam:

1. How communicative are you? Is it easy for you to communicate with native speakers of a foreign language? If you answered positively, then you can choose IELTS. In this case, you will not just answer the questions, but also participate in the dialogue, lead the discussion. In case of controversial points, you can ask the examiner clarifying questions. In addition, there are chances to make a pleasant impression due to good non-verbal communication skills . After all during live communication you read and transmit information not only at the expense of words. Intonation shades, manners, facial expressions and gestures are no less important.
2. If you are psychologically comfortable working with a computer, and when communicating with foreigners there are difficulties, it is preferable to choose TOEFL. Here the skill of oral speech is checked differently. You pronounce the answers while sitting in front of the computer. And they are recorded through a microphone. In this section, several tasks of a mixed type are given. It is necessary to listen to the texts and express your point of view. This method avoids the fear of communication with native English speakers.
3. Do you like to improvise or feel more confident when everything is going according to a pre-planned plan? TOEFL has a more precise structure. To verify the understanding of the material, it is suggested to choose the correct answer from several points. In the IELTS exam, the tasks are quite diverse: fill in the gaps, determine whether a statement is true or not, match or enter words.
4. The speed of computer printing is another important factor. TOEFL - computerized exam. For the successful writing of the essay, you do not just need to be fluent in written English, but also quickly type the text. IELTS assignments are handwritten.
5. In what English-speaking environment are you going to communicate? If you do not study at a university or work in research institutions, General IELTS will suffice. For those who have to face academic English, it is important to get a TOEFL or IELTS (Academic) certificate.
6. Which dialect do you prefer? The British and American options are significantly different. Despite the general grammatical rules, there are a number of inconsistencies. Many lexical units, idiomatic expressions and verbal constructions are inherent only in one of the above variants of English. While the carriers of another may have difficulty understanding the various turns. In addition, almost every dialect has a number of features of pronunciation. If you studied primarily on American books, magazines and films, then TOEFL will seem much easier to you than IELTS.
7. Before deciding which exam to confirm your English (TOEFL, IELTS or any other), determine which option will be more in demand in your case. For example, if you set a goal to enter a specific educational institution, you should specify in advance which certificate of the test is accepted in this or that university.
8. The duration of testing is another point that will help determine what to prefer: TOEFL or IELTS. The first exam takes about 4 hours, the second - 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The Internet is freely available, there are many test tests. Samples will help you to understand which exam was more difficult. In addition, it will allow you to determine your own level of proficiency in various skills: listening, writing, reading.

English in different countries

As mentioned above, before determining which exam to take (TOEFL, IELTS or some other), you need to consider the following:

• IELTS is required in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and 140 other countries.
• TOEFL is needed in the US, Canada and 130 countries.
• The presence of one of the certificates allows you to enroll in 9 thousand higher education institutions around the world.

Good tests are needed to successfully pass the tests. TOEFL, IELTS and other international examinations require knowledge of certain speech structures and grammatical structures. Of course, with the help of the Internet and textbooks, you can prepare well. But each exam has a number of features. Therefore, it is best to contact a certified specialist who will tell you what to look for.