A non-native English speaker who wants to get admitted to foreign (e.g., the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) universities must take either TOEFL or IELTS.Although IELTS is a British/Australian exam and TOEFL is an American one, they’re both accepted internationally. Many students get confused about which test should they take?more commonly which one is easier?TO BE HONEST,IT TOTALLY DEPENDS ON YOU. Here are the characteristics of both the tests which you should take into consideration before deciding whether to take the TOEFL or IELTS.
TOEFL iBT
- In the speaking section,you deliver your responses to a micro-phone.They record what you say and an examiner assesses it afterwards.
- In the writing section,TOEFL requires you to TYPE (using keyboard) the essay.So you should have the skill to “Type Relatively Fast”.
- TOEFLS exam covers only multiple choice question except for writing section.
- toefl mainly accepts American spelling.
- You should be proficient at taking notes since this skill is very important in the listening section.You’ll answer the questions after listening a longer lecture or conversation.
- TOEFL lasts approximately 4 hours.
- It is graded between 0-120.
- You can expect to get your result after 10 days of the test date.
IELTS
- In speaking section,IELTS require you to take this with an examiner face to face.
- IELTS accepts both Commonwealth and American spelling.
- IELTS has a much wider range of question types including multiple choice, gap fill, matching exercises, etc.
- IELTS gives you the opportunity to answer questions as you listen to the exam.
- It is graded between 0-9.
- Speaking tests may be held a few days before or after the Test Date.
- IELTS lasts about 2 hours 45 minutes.
- You may expect to get your result 13 calender days after the test date.
Which one is easier?
The answer depends on you.If you have more experience with British English,then you should go on with IELTS.Again,if you’r more comfortable with micro-phone than face to face speaking,you should choose TOEFL.But both tests will grade you accurately according to your level of English. So considering these points,decide yourself which test will be suitable for you.As for me,I took both and it really helps.If you can,try both. For more information on the TOEFL test: TOEFL Official Site For more information on the IELTS test: IELTS Official Site
My personal suggestion on which one you should take:
If you ask me which one I found easier ,I will say IELTS. I prepared for both IELTS and TOEFL but eventually sat for IELTS.
I’m going to tell you the reasons why I choose IELTS:
- I’m more comfortable with writing in a paper. Though my typing speed is above 45 words per minute still I prefer paper-based writing.
- I found IELTS writing tasks a lot easier than TOEFL writing tasks.IELTS writing task generally asks you to describe a graph (task 1) and write an argumentative essay (task 2)
- TOEFL requires you to sit in one place for about 4 hours at a stretch which is impossible for me
- Speaking section: While you deliver your answer before a micro-phone ,the examiner can’t see you.The examiner grade you merely based on your answer. In IELTS you deliver your answer sitting face-to-face in front of the examiner.He gets the opportunity to see your expressions,method of speaking,attitude which have a great impact on your score.
I suggest you to take sample test for both the exams.Then you decide which one will be easier for you.
A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT TIP:
Although most of the US universities nowadays accept IELTS score,there are few prestigious universities which still don’t recognize IELTS as an English proficiency test.In these circumstances,you must take the test which is accepted by the university.TOEFL is accepted by all the American universities.
here is a list of universities which don’t recognize or accept IELTS :
- MIT (minimum 90 TOEFL iBT)
- Yale University (minimum 100 TOEFL iBT)
- Princeton University
- Stanford University
- California Institute of Technology
Sanju said:
Thank you so much , really helpful 🙂
Mohammad Maisam said:
thank you so much
Get English Barcelona said:
Great blog post and blog. I didn’t know that the TOEFL speaking exam isn’t face to face. That must be much harder to do considering 70-90% of communication is non-verbal!
tasnianowrin said:
Thanks..
pradip said:
Yes but it doesn’t mean that you will be graded on your non-verbal
communication…lol. Its the 10-30% part that actually matters 🙂
MHHAM said:
Off coarse after I read that I think that the ielts is much easier
ilaria said:
Thank you very much for your tips, it helped me a lot! i have been studying both ielts and toefl and I came to the same conclusion: ielts is easier! although i am more familiar with the american accent, I think i am gonna take the ielts. everybody i know that took it passed!
asmathumairy said:
Reblogged this on asmathumairy's Blog.
Sirarpi said:
Thank you for the valuable information. I’m going to take a TOEFL exam this year. Hopefully, I’ll read and make use of all of the information here.
aM said:
Very Helpful 🙂
Mike said:
Can someone give me a clue for studying ielts in eqsy way..because i took toefl and i got like 62 only..and i need to pass like 71..i hate the time preparation for each questions of toefl test…it was only like 15s..so can u guys give me an easier way for learning ielts..coz i think i’ll take ielts test for the mext..
imgracen said:
Thank you soo much. This really helps. Decided to take TOEFL this year.
Upendra said:
thanks for your inputs. really helpful 🙂 You made me decide between the two.
valuesourcer said:
Good job and thanks for this advice!
Marita said:
thank you very much, this post was very helpful.
good job guy!
Madhuravenugopal said:
Very helpfull
Safarmohammadgulistani said:
I got that ielts is better than toefl but bot of them are the same
Cnakao said:
Actually, there are two different IELTS tests, one is Academic and one is General. The General IELTs is for people who wants to imigrate, and the Academic for Universities and colleges. And the Academic one is more difficult than the General.
max said:
it was very helpful
Nooraldeen said:
Thank u so much for valuable data . I think ielts is better .i will take ielts exam next month. Godwilling i get it
nasser EGYPT said:
thanks so much really helpful
IO said:
Hey guys , I have a question . Is achieving 100 score in toefl in each easy ? I was struggling to get band 7 in writing in ielts . Also the reading is not that easy . I feel American language is more easier . So help me please
sjbunny said:
I wouldn’t say easy since I only got 98. i had problems with the speaking part and reading also. Most of my friends are taking ielts and said it’s way easier since it’s paper based and a little more than 2 hours instead of 4 like toelf.
soahambharti27 said:
Have not Yale and Princeton started accepting IELTS?
Thanos said:
And mit. Too
Stanley said:
Tnx so much I never knew toefl is difficult until I sat for it, I hate the timing and the listening part. I will go for ielts. Need study tips from anyone within abuja
Kola said:
same thing happened to me. I had bruises with listening aspect when I sat for it. Please if IELTS is simpler I dont mind
Madddy said:
hi friends, i have to study in us, but now im staying in tamilnadu(india) , i known only medium english knowledge., how could i prepare for my IELTS/TOEFL exams., please help me friends………….
cenacap said:
Hi! read books and listen to youtube videos, they are great, very helpful. Pay attention for the British accent.
Robby said:
Hi buddy, i am ielts student i can suggest u something to improve ur english skill, 1st and foremost is practice, ractice as much u can, find ur weakness and fix them, learn vocabukary as much as u can…of any query u can mail me
April said:
Very Helpful blog! I need to present one this year as soon as possible in order to aply to an university… and today I tried testing both samples of every test… and I got surprised the IELTS has been a little bit easier than TOEFL to me.. but everyone recommends me to take the TOEFL because (I’m Colombian) so I’m more familiar with american accent than british.. but I think to me is a little bit easier to understand the british one…. I don’t have to much time to take curses of preparation… but If I could.. I would take both and in case one doesn’t go well I’ll have the other… is better, since I have doubts in both ones… like I would like to convert them into one with both english and styles hahahh… mmm because I have no preferrence of english..except for listen which I would choose the british because of the lenght, pronunciation and rythm…but I’m more familiar with american vocabulary and expressions…so I don’t know.
caro said:
I think IELTS is way more difficult than TOEFL. You listen to the audio in the listening part just ONCE and the people speaking can have a wide variety of accents, from australian to british.
The speaking test is also difficult because there is no interaction with the examiner.
For the writing… well, they might be easy topics but you have to have an excellent grammar and a wide range of vocabulary, either american or british.
Reading is not difficult for me because I’m used to read all the time, got band 8.5 for this one, but I’ve seen people struggling over this.
I feel that with TOEFL you are more likely to obtain a higher level of english because that exam is easier, besides, you can be at home with a cup of coffee while responding the test
I recommend to download the mock exams for both IELTS and TOEFL, and respond them, like that you will see with which is easier for you.
Because for me, IELTS is fu%&%ing difficult exam, got 7.5 though.
Peri said:
Very helpful. Thanks. Who can help me to improve my speaking skill by chatting?
chizi said:
Thank you verymuch! It helps alot
Robby said:
As i am a ielts student, i did toefl reading and i found it far easy than ielts, may be tough in exam but i reckon its easy..writting an essay is tough for bad handwritter so its good fr then to appear in toefl exam…i have no idea about toefl listening,for me ielts listening so easy module….
Anyway it depends on the person,s skills,may someone find toefl easy than ielts…
Assile Ayoub said:
Hello, I would appreciate any advice possible. My issue that I have done the toefl ibt exam and got 88. However, the university that I want to apply for requires a score of 90 in toefl ibt or 6.5 in ielts. I am really confused whether I redo the toefl ibt exam or I try the ielts examination.
P.S. the deadline is recommended to be 28 february so I am a little bit short in time. Thanks in advance.