Many students get confused about which test to sit for while applying for a reputed University in an international country. To decide which of the three major tests you have to take for studying or migration to a foreign country with the guidance of the reputed foreign education consultants in Delhi, we have compared IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE below.
IELTS
International English Language Testing System or IELTS is an English language proficiency examination. It is a standard test that is designed for non-native English speakers. In this test, examiners will test the writing, speaking, reading, and listening skills. There are a total of two types of IELTS which are Academic and General Training. Any aspirant can retake this test up to 48 times in a year and four times a month. The score will remain valid for two years. It consists of four components like reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Duration
The entire test lasts for 2 hours and 40 minutes. Listening is for 30 minutes, writing for 60 minutes (20 for task 1 and 40 for task 2), reading for 60 minutes, and speaking for 11 to 15 minutes.
Score band
The student can acquire a total score of 120 that is equal to a band score of 9. The aspirants achieve their marks based on the band score of 0 to 9.
PTE
PTE or Pearson Test of English is an examination based on the computer. You can sit for the PTE test both for study and PR purposes. Some of the countries where the PTE score is valid are New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. The PTE includes a pattern, and the results vary from TOEFL and IELTS. You can get the results in 5 days only. The test is easy to score as all the modules are interconnected with each other. The PTE score also remains valid for two years. It is composed of 4 components which are listening, writing, reading, and speaking.
Duration
The total duration of the examination is 3 hours. This time also includes a break of 10 minutes. Unit 1 of writing and speaking is for 77 to 93 minutes, whereas unit 2 of reading takes 32 to 40 minutes, and listening takes 45 to 60 minutes.
Score Band
The students are judges based on the overall score, enabling, and communicative skills. The overall score might range from 10 to 90 points. The enabling skills should include
- Oral fluency
- Spelling
- Written disclosure
- Grammar
- Pronunciation
- Vocabulary
Communicative skills should consist of
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
An average of 50 to 70 score in PTE is equal to 6 to 7.5 band score in IELTS and 75 to 105 in TOEFL.
TOEFL
TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is a test of English language proficiency. It is both a paper and internet-based test where the authorities will test the English reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. You can take this examination up to 50 times a year and once after a time gap of 12 days. The score will remain valid for two years.
Duration
The total duration of TOEFL is 4 hours and 10 minutes, including the compulsory break. The reading section lasts for 60 to 80 minutes, listening for 60 to 90 minutes, writing for 50 minutes, and speaking for 20 minutes.
On the contrary, the paper-based test lasts around 2 hours and 20 minutes and 2 hours and 30 minutes. Out of this total duration, listening is for 30 to 40 minutes, written and structured expression is for 25 minutes, reading comprehension for 55 minutes, and writing is for 30 minutes.
Score Band
TOEFL is scored based on 0 to 120 points. So, for every section, the highest score will be 30. The overall score is the summation of the individual component score.
Final Thoughts
We hope after seeing this comparison, you will be able to decide which test will be perfect for you before applying to an international university. You can contact any reputed foreign education consultants in Delhi to know more about these tests individually.
