To study abroad in any international institute, or for the purpose of immigration or even occupational purposes, speakers with a different native language must undergo screening to test their knowledge of the English language.
IELTS and TOEFL are two such international English examinations.
Key Takeaways
- IELTS is commonly used in the UK, Australia, and Canada, while TOEFL is more popular in the US.
- IELTS has a speaking section with a live examiner, while TOEFL has a speaking section recorded on a computer.
- IELTS measures proficiency in British English and includes more British accents, while TOEFL measures proficiency in American English.
IELTS vs TOEFL
IELTS means International English Language Test System and is an exam that assesses English knowledge. It is conducted globally by the British Council and IDP Cambridge Education. TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is a global exam conducted by a US Council that tests the knowledge of English.
IELTS is the abbreviation of the International English Language Test System, which is an internationally accepted examination for the understanding and knowledge of the language of English as a speaker, reader, and writer.
For education, immigration, and occupation, people take this test.
TOEFL is the abbreviation of Test of English as a Foreign Language, which is also an internationally accepted examination for the understanding and knowledge of the language of English as a speaker, reader, and writer.
It is taken mainly for education pursued abroad.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | IELTS | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Form | International English Language Test System is the full form of IELTS. | Test of English as a Foreign Language is the full form of TOEFL. |
| Examination for | IELTS is taken for educational, occupational as well as immigration purposes. | TOEFL is taken for mostly educational purposes. |
| Accepted In | IELTS is approved in 140 countries around the world. | TOEFL is approved in 130 countries around the world. |
| Conducted By | IELTS is conducted jointly by British Council and IDP Cambridge Education. | The US-based American Council conducts TOEFL. |
| Type of English Approved | Both UK and US English is approved. | Only US English is approved. |
What is IELTS?
International English Language Test System or the IELTS is an internationally conducted examination for the assessment of the knowledge of the language English as a speaker, reader, and writer.
This test result is approved internationally in most educational institutions, occupational areas, and offices for settlement purposes as a measure of knowing the English language fluently.
A person versed in any other language from any country can appear in this examination.
The advantage of appearing for the IELTS is that the examination is approved as a measure of English knowledge in 140 countries around the world. It is also accepted in over 10,000 educational institutions around the world.
The British Council and IDP, Cambridge Assessment, conduct the examination jointly.
This is the reason why the examination approved the knowledge of both UK and US languages, and both the spelling can be used in the written examination.
There are two types of papers in this examination, one is the Academic paper, and the other is the General paper.
The examination itself is short and is handwritten. It is scored out of 9 and also has face-to-face speaking tests with an examiner. Different types of questions of various lengths.
What is TOEFL?
Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is also an internationally conducted examination for the assessment of the knowledge of the language English as a speaker, reader, and writer.
This test result is approved internationally in most educational institutions as an assessment of the knowledge of English.
It is mostly judged in educational institutions for scholars or students pursuing education abroad in countries where English is regarded as one of the main languages.
A person versed in any other language from any country can also appear for this examination.
The advantage of appearing for the TOEFL is that the examination is approved as a measure of English knowledge in 130 countries around the world. It is also accepted in over 8,500 educational institutions around the world.
The examination is conducted by a US-based council that tests the knowledge of only American or US English and does not approve any UK spellings.
There is only one type of paper that is meant only for admission to educational institutions abroad. Usually, this examination is longer than the IELTS.
The examination takes place as multiple choice questions and answers that are solved on a computer rather than a written examination.
The test is recorded from a total of 120, and the speaking test is recorded in a microphone, and no face-to-face test is conducted. It also has a reading test that is similar to the IELTS.
Main Differences Between IELTS and TOEFL
- IELTS is approved as a measure of the knowledge of English as a language in more educational institutions than TOEFL.
- The examination time for the IELTS is 2 hours 40 minutes, while the TOEFL examination is conducted for a time of 4 hours.
- IELTS is a written examination, while TOEFL is solved on a computer.
- IELTS has various types of questions like short answers, fill-in-blanks, multiple choices, and even short essays, while the TOEFL examination consists of only multiple-choice questions.
- IELTS is taken for all purposes, while TOEFL is taken for mostly educational purposes.
- IELTS approves the knowledge of both the US and UK versions of English spellings and pronunciation, while TOEFL approves only the American version.
- https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/sites/default/files/ielts-brochure-online.pdf
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/026553229601300304
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
It’s interesting to note how IELTS has an oral examination with a live examiner while TOEFL has a computerized speaking section. There seems to be quite a difference in how these two tests assess speaking proficiency.
The article provides a detailed comparison between IELTS and TOEFL, the two internationally accepted examinations for measuring English language proficiency. A deeper understanding of the structure and purpose of each test is necessary for those planning to study or work abroad.
IELTS and TOEFL are the two most commonly used international English proficiency examinations. It is essential to know the similarities and differences between them, especially the countries in which they are most popular as well as the make-up of the respective exams.