All about ielts. Useful information about the program "Global Education": How to enroll in a master's program abroad. Main Differences Between IELTS and TOEFL Exams

International English language exam IELTS has not lost its popularity in Russia for many years. For preparation courses IELTS in Yaroslavl, a large number of students regularly enroll in our School. What is this exam? Who needs it and why? What parts does it consist of IELTS?

IELTS(abbreviation for The International Language Testing System) is an international English language exam, the results of which are accepted in many countries of the world when enrolling in universities and applying for a job, as well as when obtaining a residence permit in an English-speaking country. Exam results in Russia IELTS many international companies, as well as universities, in which some subjects are read in English, are accepted as proof of English language proficiency.

There are two types of exam: academic module ( the Academic Module) and common module ( the General Training Module). The academic module is usually taken for admission to a university abroad or for enrollment in continuing education courses whose working language is English. Take the general module IELTS is required to enroll in a secondary school in an English-speaking country, to prove the level of language proficiency to an employer, as well as to obtain citizenship of the UK, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries.

Both modules consist of four parts: listening ( listening), reading ( Reading), letters ( Writing) and oral speech ( Speaking). The Listening and Speaking parts are the same in both modules, but the Reading and Writing sections are different.

What is the IELTS exam

As I said, the exam consists of four sections, and each section in turn is divided into four parts. What awaits us in each of the parts? Let's go in order.

Section 1. Listening

• Takes about 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes at the end of the test to transfer answers to the exam sheet. What do you need to know about this part of IELTS?
• Listening in academic and general IELTS modules will not differ.
• The topics of sounding texts in parts 1 and 2 of listening are connected with simple situations of everyday communication (a call to a realtor, a visit to a doctor, etc.), but in parts 3 and 4 you will hear texts of academic or professional topics (a description of the device of a water mill, flora and fauna New Zealand, etc.).
• The level of difficulty increases from part 1 to part 4.
• You will hear each entry only once.
• Instructions and assignments for each part will be provided in the examination booklet you will be given.
• Before each listening there is a short pause during which you can read the task.
• Before each part, you will hear a description of the situation in which the spoken text will be presented, but this information will not be printed on the exam booklet.
• Spelling is extremely important in terms of listening. If you write a word with at least one mistake, the answer will not be counted as correct.

Types of texts and tasks in the part "Listening"

The types of tasks in the "Listening" part of IELTS are diverse: adding notes with one or more words, filling in forms, tables and gaps in sentences. Sometimes you will be asked to sign a map, plan, or diagram. Multiple choice tasks may be presented, where one or more correct answers must be selected.

Section 2. Reading

This part of the exam is divided into general and academic IELTS modules.

academic reading Can only be taken by candidates who have applied for the IELTS Academic Module. General Reading Rented by IELTS General Module candidates. The structure and format of tasks in the general and academic reading modules are the same, but the texts differ: the academic module consists of scientific texts.

Structure of the Reading section of IELTS

The following types of tasks can be encountered in reading IELTS: multiple choice, choice of “yes-no-does not say in the text”, filling in tables, adding missing information to the summary of the text, etc.

Section 3 Letter

Writing in academic and general modules is different.

Structure and Content of the Writing Section in the IELTS Academic Module

Structure and content of the Writing section in the IELTS General Module

Section 4. Speaking

This section of IELTS is the same for both modules and is an interview with an examiner. "Speaking" usually takes place on the day before or after the written exam, which includes listening, reading and writing.

Structure and content of the Speaking part of the IELTS exam

Want to see how the oral part of the IELTS exam goes? Click here!

Level system of the IELTS exam

The IELTS score is given on a scale of 1 to 9. Candidates who score 9 speak English perfectly, fluently and without errors, use a wide variety of lexical units and grammatical structures and, as a result, can communicate in English without problems in professional and academic situations. IELTS 7 scorers are also fluent in English and use complex language constructs with very few minor errors that do not interfere with communication. A score of 5 or less means that the candidate has limited ability to use English: there are communicatively significant speech, grammar, pronunciation and other errors in his speech.

Before taking the IELTS exam, it is good to find out what score is required by the organization that asks you for a certificate. This is usually public information posted on company websites.

IELTS grading system

• In the Listening Part of the exam, you will be offered 40 tasks. One correctly completed task - one point.
• In the "Reading Test" section, it is also proposed to complete 40 tasks, one point for each correctly done. Both the academic module and the general module are evaluated in this way. However, when converting scores (from 0 to 40) to an IELTS score (from 1 to 9) for the same number of correct answers, candidates will receive a higher score for the academic module, since academic reading contains more complex texts.
• The section "Writing" (Writing Test) both in general and in the academic modules is evaluated according to the following criteria: solution of the set communicative task (Task Achievement and Task Response); the logical connection of the text (Coherence and Cohesion), the lexical and grammatical diversity of speech (Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range) and the absence of errors in speech (Accuracy). For each of the criteria, you can get an equal number of points, which are set by the expert after reading the work.
• During the Speaking Test, candidates are evaluated based on the following criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range, and Pronunciation.
• After you have passed the exam, your scores (up to a maximum of 40 for each of the four parts of the exam) are converted by a special formula into a grade from 1 to 9, which will be reflected in your certificate.

Preparation for the IELTS English exam in Yaroslavl

Dmitry Nikitin's language school is successfully preparing for the IELTS international English exam in Yaroslavl. You can find detailed information at

What is IELTS?

Dreaming of working or studying abroad?

But what is needed for this?

First of all, knowledge of the language. For example, the level of English is confirmed by such exams as IELTS, TOEFL, CAE.

By far the most popular is IELTS.

Successful passing of international exams in English is:
proof of your competence in this subject;
expanded opportunities for admission to British and American universities;
employment in these countries;

Holders of certificates of passing international exams in English:
always in the first place are considered as candidates for top managers of branches of foreign companies in Russia;
enjoy the loyal attitude of the immigration services of Great Britain and America.

is an international exam in English, an assessment system designed to confirm the level of language proficiency.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) are taken for work or study abroad, for emigration, or simply to accurately assess their level of language proficiency.

IELTS testing is conducted and administered jointly by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia.

IELTS appeared in 1989. And now, for 20 years, it can be taken in more than 120 countries around the world.

Its results are accepted as proof of English language proficiency in most educational institutions in Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and in many educational institutions in the United States.

Also, the IELTS certificate can be useful when applying for a job in many countries of the world, it is recognized by employers in Denmark, Italy, Brazil, Turkey and almost all countries of Eastern Europe.

IELTS Certificate valid for two years. After this period, the level of language proficiency will again have to be confirmed. It is very important to know that many institutions set their own certificate validity periods shorter than two years. For example, Citizenship and Immigration Canada accepts IELTS certificates no older than 1 year for immigration applications.

IELTS can be taken twice a month. The results come in 2 weeks.

The IELTS test consists of four parts:

• listening - checking the understanding of oral speech by ear (Listening);
• reading (Reading);
• letter (Writing);
• interview, interview (Speaking).

There are two versions of IELTS, often referred to as "modules":

1. Academic (Academic) the module is required if you want to study abroad. It should be noted that the tasks for reading and writing use topics from school courses in physics, chemistry, and biology. For example, you may be asked to describe the water cycle in nature or the process of photosynthesis.

2. General module (General Training) suitable for those who plan to live and work in other countries, including Australia, New Zealand or Canada.

IELTS INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
IELTS test evaluation is done on a nine-point system, ranging from one point (Zero Proficiency) to nine points (Professional Language Proficiency).

The IELTS grading scale ranges from 1 to 9(0 is given to the candidate if he did not appear at the exam).

IELTS score can be whole and half - for example, 6.0 and 6.5.
The IELTS certificate will contain scores in 4 aspects:
1. Listening
2 Reading
3. Writing
4. Speaking
and overall grade point average.

listening and colloquial speech are the same in form for the general and academic modules of the test.

The tasks of the Reading and Writing parts for the academic and general modules are essential differ.

Exam duration 2 hours 45 minutes.

Listening module is the same for academic and general formats and lasts 30 minutes.

Listen to the voice recording only once. In the process of listening, you simultaneously read the questions (40 questions) and answer them in writing. During the test, the questions gradually become more difficult. After the end of listening to the recording, an additional 10 minutes are provided for entering answers into the examination sheet.

Reading module contains three parts of small texts on general topics, given 60 minutes.

Academic and general formats have different texts in this module.

Academic Reading contains three parts, each of which is a text of 650-1000 words, taken from specialized newspapers and magazines. General Training Reading contains three parts of short texts on general topics.

Writing module includes 2 tasks, it is given 60 minutes.

For Academic Writing, this is an analysis-description of a graph, graphic or table (150 words) and an essay (250 words).

For General Training Writing, letter writing (150 words) and composition (250 words).

Module Speaking 11-14 minutes long is an interview with a teacher, consisting of three parts.

The first part is an introduction to the examiner and a conversation on general topics.

In the second part, you receive a card with a specific topic that you need to talk about (monologue) for at least one minute.

In the third part, you receive another card and talk to the examiner about the topic indicated on the card.

During the entire Speaking module, your speech is audio-recorded.

The first three modules (Listening, Reading and Writing) are always held on the same day.

Speaking module can be held on the same day or rescheduled for any other day within seven days before or after the day of delivery of the other three modules.

The result of the IELTS test in each of the four modules is assessed on a 9-point scale, after which the arithmetic mean is displayed, which is the final grade. As a rule, studying at foreign universities requires 6-7 points.

Levels of language proficiency and the assignment of grades to them occurs in accordance with the following scale:

0. Did not attempt the test: the examinee did not start the test, it is impossible to assess the level of knowledge.

1. None user: Has no ability to use language other than some isolated words.

2. Intermittent user: no real communication other than the most basic, using single words or short phrases in familiar situations and necessities, is possible. Serious difficulty in understanding spoken and written language.

3. Extremely limited user: expresses and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent communication failures

4. Limited user: Ownership is limited to familiar situations. Frequent problems in understanding and expression. Unable to use complex language.

5. Modest user: partially fluent in the language, general understanding of the meaning in most situations, despite many errors. Can maintain communication in familiar situations.

6. Competent user: Generally effective language skills despite inaccuracies, inconsistencies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, especially in familiar situations.

7. Good user: speaks the language despite occasional inaccuracies, inconsistencies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally good command of complex language and understands detailed explanations.

8. Very good user: full command of the language, only occasional non-systematic inaccuracies and inconsistencies. In unusual situations, misunderstandings may arise. Supports complex, detailed arguments well.

9. Expert user: full language proficiency: adequate, accurate, fast and complete understanding.

Where can I take IELTS?

Online www.ielts-moscow.ru You can see a search engine for cities and dates, where and when you can take this exam, as well as the cost for each city.

The site provides a map, divided into three zones, illustrating the regional distribution between the three official IELTS organizers in Russia:

How to register for the exam?

Please note that registration for any exam date you choose (24 dates per year in total, i.e. twice a month) closes 5 weeks before the exam date. However, it is very common for IELTS-accepting Centers to renew registration after it has closed.

To clarify the availability of places on a particular exam date, as well as to register for the exam, you must contact the center of your choice.

How to prepare for IELTS?

First of all, you need to understand the specifics of the exam: find out the requirements, the grading scale for each aspect, stock up on materials and work with enthusiasm.

(International English Language Testing System) is a topical issue for those who would like to live, study or work in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. There is such an incredible amount of information about this test that you can get lost in it. Let's take a look at the main points and try to "put everything on the shelves."

First of all, you need to remember: IELTS is a test, NOT an exam that checks the level of English language proficiency. This means that in two or three weeks after the date of delivery, you will receive your certificate ANYWAYS. While when it comes to English language exams - such as FCE (upper-intermediate), CAE (advanced English) or CPE (proficiency English), which are sometimes required by some companies and educational institutions abroad - you risk them just do not pass and do not receive the coveted document. In this regard, the IELTS test is not bad at all, and it is he who comes first on the list of required documents for testing language skills.

However, there are some points to keep in mind:

1. As soon as you receive your IELTS certificate, start the paperwork process right away: the certificate is only valid for two years, after which you will have to take the test again.

2. The following, in my opinion, is the most important. You need to start preparing for one module - Academic Module or General Training Module. You will need the IELTS Academic Module if your goal is to enter an educational institution or work, which is loosely called "work that requires high levels of language proficiency'. What does the last phrase mean? You can answer this question yourself, because you probably know more than others about the nature of your work.For example, you occupy a high position in a company, and you need to know all the intricacies of the English language, plus you can be sent to study.In this case, the IELTS Academic Module is definitely for you.IELTS General Training Module is designed for immigration and work.

This is not to say that one IELTS test module is harder or easier than another. They just test different areas of language usage. The parts of IELTS Listening and IELTS Speaking are the same, only IELTS Reading and IELTS Writing differ. Academic Reading and Writing contain tasks to test specific English vocabulary and academic genres. For example, you need to write a report or essay on the topic "environment", "price development trends in the country", etc. Reading texts will be in the same vein. IELTS General Training Writing and Reading focuses on the everyday use of the language. Here you may be asked to write a letter to a friend, read the table of contents of a book and match page numbers with paragraph descriptions, etc.

3. IELTS is assessed by levels, or "bands" - from 1.0 to 9.0. Their detailed description can be found at www.ielts.org. Good result - Band 6.0 and above, in all parts (Listening, Writing, Reading, Speaking) or total score. If you focus on this result, then the level of your English should not be lower than the "solid" intermediate. Therefore, if your level is insufficient, it makes sense to find intensive English courses that are convenient for you in order to improve your general knowledge of English. Some schools accept a lower IELTS test score, so it would be wise to clarify the requirements first.

As far as work visas and immigration go, the higher the 6.0 your "band" is, the better. It all depends on the country you are going to, here you will also need to make inquiries. I would like to immediately warn that the highest score of 9.0 can only be obtained for individual parts. Such an average score is very rare. Nevertheless, you should always strive for the best, and Skype-Language teachers are always ready to help.

In future editions, we will tell you about each part of the IELTS test and give you advice on how to prepare for them.

Good luck with your preparation!

This exam was developed in 1990. It tests a person's mastery of all possible language skills, namely: reading, listening, speaking and writing. The exam lasts 2 hours 45 minutes and consists of 4 parts.

IELTS comes in General Training Module and Academic Module. The first type is taken by people who are going to emigrate to New Zealand, Australia, or those who want to be a cook, manager, etc. Then the Reading and Writing General Training Module offers tests that do not contain specific and academic vocabulary. The second one is handed over by people who want to study, work in their specialty, so the requirements are very high. Therefore, the results of this exam are recognized by all universities in New Zealand and the United States, and some universities in Denmark, Canada, and Germany. There are approximately 100 universities in America that accept IELTS results. This exam is becoming more and more popular, because all kinds of fraud are excluded, and the form of the exam is very successful. In addition, the translation of TOEFL into a computerized form has led to some inconvenience for people from countries where computers are not very common, so IELTS is becoming even more popular.

About 80% of people take the Academic Module. As for Russia, here, in most cases, people who are going to emigrate pass the test.

Grading system

When passing IELTS, there is a nine-point scale for assessing a candidate's knowledge. Each section is assigned a certain number of points, then they are summed up, and you get a point for the exam as a whole. At the same time, Writing and Speaking are evaluated up to 1 point, and Reading and Listening - up to 0.5 points.

It is difficult to say how many points you need to take, because each university determines for itself the required number of points for admission. But in general, we can say that if you enter a faculty that requires a good knowledge of the language, then you need to score at least 6.5 points, if not, then 6 points will be enough.

Listening section

The first section of the test lasts 30 minutes and you have to answer 40 questions. The questions are divided into 4 blocks, while the first two are monologue and dialogue, they are aimed at discussing various everyday problems and situations, and the third and fourth relate to learning. For example, you will be offered a conversation with students about how to do this or that work correctly.

All tasks are contained on a cassette, which you can listen to only once, so you should concentrate as much as possible and not be distracted by anything else. After listening to the tape, you will have only 10 minutes, during which you will need to figure out what you wrote and transfer the answers to a special form.

No special knowledge is required to successfully pass the tests. The complexity grows with each new part.

Academic Reading Section

There are also 40 questions in this section, but the time limit for them is already 60 minutes. You will be given 3 texts of about 2000 words, one of them may contain diagrams, graphs, pictures, it happens that they contain special terms, a special dictionary is issued for them.

For example, you will come across a text about the use of wind energy in Argentina. Then you will need to select words from the list and paste them into the summary and complete the sentences while choosing the desired statement from the list. At the same time, there is no additional time to transfer your answers to the form.

Academic Writing Section

In this section, you must write two texts, while the volume of the first text must be at least 150 words, the second - at least 250. Time is given an hour.

In the first part, you need to summarize the information that is given in the table or chart in your own words. By doing this, you must show your ability to organize and compare data, describe objects, and various events.

In the second task, you are given a specific topic, and on it you must write a report, a clear justification or criticism. The ability to make the right decision, to prove one's opinion, to compare evidence and proposals will be assessed. As for the first part, no special skills are needed here either. The second task has more weight than the first.

Speaking section

This section consists of a conversation with the examiner, it consists of 5 parts. The first part is the introduction to the examiner, i.e. the candidate and the examiner introduce themselves to each other. After the examiner asks a few standard questions about the life of the candidate, his hobbies, family. This is necessary in order to relieve stress from the candidate.

In the second part, the examiner asks the candidate to talk about something that is interesting to him, during this he pays attention to his vocabulary, looks at how the person can explain.

Then comes the "receiving information", while the candidate receives a card with a task, after which he must ask various questions to the examiner in order to obtain the information he needs to solve the problem.

Then comes "thinking". Its meaning is that the candidate must write about his plans for studying abroad.

The last part is the “conclusion”, which sums up the results.

Your entire interview will be taped, so take it easy and don't be shy.

How long does it take to prepare for IELTS?

Teachers believe that for a good preparation from the Intermediate level, you need from 3 months to 1 year, it all depends on the number of classes and their effectiveness.

If a person has very poor knowledge of English, then it takes several years to prepare for IELTS, but if you have a great desire and good abilities, then 2-3 years will be enough for you.

Course preparation

Prepare yourself, in courses or with a tutor - it's up to you. Everyone has their own way, depending on your abilities, financial capabilities and desires. Regardless of which solution you choose, the first thing you need to do is get the official test booklet that gives sample questions and practice on them.

If you have the opportunity, it is best to go to the courses. First, you will be asked to take a test that will show your level of knowledge, based on this, you will be assigned to a group where people with approximately your level of English knowledge will study. On average, there are up to 15 people in a group. You may need to wait until a certain number of people have been reached.

During the class, you will go through each part of the exam in detail. A lot of time is devoted to communication and writing an essay, because the ability to perceive speech by ear and easily and competently express your thoughts is very important. You will complete tasks not only in the classroom, but also on your own at home, the main thing is not to neglect, do everything that is required of you.

Both native speakers can teach on courses, and not, but as for oral practice, it is better to take it with native speakers, because these are the most important points in the exam.

Of course, classes at the British Council training center will be the best and most effective, because it is he who takes the test and knows how best to prepare for it. Here you can study in a group, then individually with a teacher - it all depends on your desire and capabilities. But it is worth noting that such courses will cost you dearly.

Various schools also present their developments. The Polyglot Language Academy has compiled programs for students with a level of knowledge not lower than Upper Intermediate. The group for such classes consists of 3-5 people, 30 hours are allotted for group classes, while individual lessons are 10 hours. Classes 2 times a week for 1.5 hours. After such preparation, people generally pass the exam with 6.5-7 points, and such a result is enough to enter any institution.

Preparing for IELTS on your own

In order to prepare as best as possible for the delivery of this test, you need to solve all the tasks. You can buy special textbooks like Insight into IELTS or Passport to IELTS. You can get an IELTS preparation kit at the British Council offices, this kit includes cassettes, textbooks, as well as tasks that were given in previous years, they are called IELTS Specimen Materials.

Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase these materials, so people can look them up at the British Council Library for free. You can also watch movies and listen to cassettes there.

There are tasks that will be elementary for native speakers, but will be difficult for you. For example, you will need to write down your last name, first name, prices, home phones under dictation. The data speaks pretty fast, so you need to literally memorize the numbers and letters, and for this you need someone to dictate random numbers and letters to you, or you yourself need to dictate it into a recorder.

Take the Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS collection, find some complete tests there and solve them, while not forgetting that you are given a certain time to solve them. Then look at your results, and if you have more than 60%, then this is a good result, but do not forget that you did it at home, and as you know, houses and walls help.

Where and how to take IELTS?

If you live in Russia, then you can take IELTS at the British Council centers located in Moscow. IELTS can also be taken in Ukraine, Poland and other countries. IELTS is accepted in 106 countries, with 224 reception centers.

As for the cost of passing, IELTS will cost you more than TOEFL, namely, it will be 70 pounds sterling. At the same time, you will not have to pay in dollars through Holland, you will pay in rubles at Sberbank. There are competitive programs of the British Council, according to which you will study and train in the UK. And if you have been selected to participate in these programs, then you do not pay for the delivery of IELTS.

Registration for the test

IELTS is accepted by the British Council, the Examination Board of the University of Cambridge and the Australian public organization IDP Education Australia. There are no clear dates for passing exams, they are held when the required number of applicants is recruited in the second half of the calendar month. To register for the exam, you need to go to any of these organizations from the 2nd to the 11th of each month. Living in Moscow, you need to come to the office of the British Council from 14.00 to 17.00 on a weekday, you will receive bank details, fill out the form. You need to bring two photos 3x4 cm. If you live in another city, then you can sign up for the exam by phone.

IELTS test procedure

The exam time will be 7.5 hours, taking into account the time it takes to change tasks and two breaks. The first and second sections go in a row, after them there will be a break, it is 20 minutes. Then comes Writing, followed by Speaking.

Eating and drinking is allowed, so if you didn’t have time to have breakfast at home, you shouldn’t despair, but it’s still recommended to eat at home so that you don’t get distracted by food during the exam.

You need to arrive early for the exam, because there are many formalities that take time. And if you have extra time, it’s even good, look around the place, get used to it a little, then it won’t be so exciting.

When all the candidates come, you will be launched into the audience, where they will check the documents. In the British Council, it is mandatory to present 2 documents that prove your identity, in addition, you must have a general passport with you.

Although all these formalities are tedious and, at first glance, seem like a waste of time, experience shows that it is precisely because of these formalities that many institutions rely on exam results.

Then you will receive Listening booklets and answer sheets, you need to note that you are choosing an Academic Module and sign.

If suddenly for some reason you decide to refuse to take the test, but at the same time you have already paid the required amount for passing it, you can take it in the next two months on any day or return 50% of the cost. But if you were unable to come to the exam due to illness, and you have a sick leave certificate that confirms this fact, then you will be refunded 100% of the cost.

How to behave on the test?

The most important thing is that you need to carefully read the tasks with concentration. Many people skim through assignments without reading them completely and end up answering them incorrectly. Also get ready for the fact that you will have to write down very quickly, you can shorten words, draw what you hear, the main thing is quickly.

In preparation for Listening, you need to listen to as many audio recordings as possible, watch films, most importantly with pure English speech.

When taking this test in Reading, you can choose the easiest tasks and do them first. After all, all tasks are evaluated equally, so do from the easiest to the most difficult.

Also, during the time given before listening to the cassette in the Listening section, usually 2-3 minutes, you can look through the questions and try to guess the answers to them.

If you are guided by the rule "the more the better", then this is not for this exam. You should not write a lot, it is better to write less, but better.

If you suddenly have a desire to peep answers from a neighbor, immediately forget about it, because if you are suspected of cheating, your results will not be counted. Is such an attempt worth the money that you paid for passing the exam ?!

Perhaps you didn’t have time somewhere or don’t know something, in which case you shouldn’t get lost and panic, it’s better to decide something else during this time or just try to guess what you don’t know.

As for the Speaking section, your grammar, speech speed, vocabulary and looseness are assessed here. Therefore, you should not be nervous, worried, afraid, it is better to just relax, and then it will be easier for you to talk with the examiner. Jokes will help you, and if you can’t joke, just show that you are a polite and confident person. At the same time, you should not turn away, look at the ceiling and somewhere else, no, you need to look the person in the eye. If you feel very nervous, take a few deep breaths and think that you will succeed.

When will the results be?

Your results will be known in about two weeks, they will be sent to you by mail. Once the results are known, you can ask the British Council to send your results to any institution.

In case your results disappoint you, do not despair, because you can take the exams as many times as you want, but only after three months. And remember that IELTS scores are valid for two years.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are international exams that test knowledge of English as a foreign language. It would seem that choosing one of the two exams is not difficult, because both test knowledge of the English language. But the first impression is deceptive, and they are completely different. The question arises "What to take: IELTS or TOEFL?". In this article, we looked at the features of TOEFL and IELTS, which will help you understand which exam you need to take.

Why do I need IELTS and TOEFL

If you want to move to an English-speaking country, find a permanent job there, or get a higher education, then a certificate from one of these exams is a must for you. In addition, it will be a good plus when obtaining a visa at a foreign embassy. Most countries in the world recognize IELTS and TOEFL certificates as a document confirming your knowledge of the English language.

What is the difference between TOEFL and IELTS

Why are both of these exams needed, we figured it out. Now let's see how they differ. There are two main differences that should be considered first when choosing an exam:

1. Language and country

IELTS tests knowledge of British English. That is, you will need IELTS if you want to move to the UK, Australia or New Zealand. TOEFL tests knowledge of American English. TOEFL is required for those who want to move to the United States of America or Canada.

In addition to England and America, over 130 countries accept TOEFL scores and over 145 countries accept IELTS scores. If you are going to study abroad, then with a TOEFL or IELTS certificate, the doors of 9,000 educational institutions are open to you. In addition, many American universities accept IELTS results, and many British universities accept TOEFL. Therefore, be sure to check which exam is preferable at the university of your choice.

2. Format

There are two versions of the exam: General IELTS - a test for general knowledge of the English language; Academic IELTS is an academic English proficiency test. In order to live and work in any English-speaking country, it is enough to have a General IELTS certificate.

TOEFL exists only in an academic version, therefore, in terms of complexity, it is equivalent to Academic IELTS. The TOEFL certificate is a must for those who want to get higher education in the US or Canada. Academic IELTS is for those who want to study or work at a university in the UK or Australia.

IELTS exists only in a "paper" version, while TOEFL can be taken in two formats: Paper-based Test (TOEFL PBT) - a written version of the test and Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) - a computer-based version. The structure of the two formats is different. In the article "" you can find out what is their difference.

Which is easier: IELTS or TOEFL

Now we have come to the question that interests everyone - "Which exam is easier: IELTS or TOEFL?". It is impossible to answer unambiguously, because there are too many parameters to take into account. We have tried to cover this issue from different angles.

TOEFL and IELTS exams are taken differently. We suggest you use the tables where we compared all the similarities and differences between the formats. This way you can determine which exam is best for you. We will consider only TOEFL iBT, since it is more popular, the "paper" version is rarely given. In addition, there are very few TOEFL PBT test centers in Russia.

You may have noticed that TOEFL Reading is less predictable. It is impossible to predict how many texts you will get and what their number depends on. The texts are taken from scientific articles, lectures, etc. The vocabulary in them is quite complex, but understandable to a person without special education.

The General IELTS module contains texts about the everyday life of the English. They are taken from popular newspapers and magazines, the vocabulary in them is general colloquial. In the Academic IELTS module, as the name suggests, academic texts taken from scientific or pseudo-scientific publications. The vocabulary in these texts is more complex, but understandable to a non-specialist in a particular field.

And again, it’s impossible to say exactly how many tasks you will get, you will find out about this only at the exam. But there is good news: the more texts you get to read, the fewer notes you get to listen to and vice versa. The difficulty of TOEFL Listening is that you first listen to an audio recording and only then get questions. And this means that you need to remember the content of the text well and have time to make notes. After listening to each audio recording, you are given 10 minutes to answer questions.

The advantage of IELTS Listetning is that you get the questions right away, meaning you can listen and answer in parallel. After listening to all the audio recordings, you are given another 10 minutes to transfer the answers to a clean copy.

As you can see, the Writing section is different in the two exams. However, the main difference between TOEFL and IELTS Writing is the way it is taken. For the IELTS exam, you write your essay by hand; for the TOEFL exam, you type it on a computer.

Again, the sections are very different. In TOEFL Speaking, you "talk" to the computer: speak your answers into a microphone and the computer records them. In IELTS Speaking, you take the exam to a real person - you talk with the examiner.

Other features of TOEFL and IELTS

• TOEFL lasts 4 hours, IELTS - 2 hours 45 minutes. Less does not mean easier. But physically it can be harder to think, listen, read, write for four hours.
• All tasks in TOEFL are multiple choice, that is, you need to choose the correct answer from several proposed ones. There are different types of tasks in IELTS: fill in the blanks, indicate the statement is true or false, etc. That is, if the spelling is lame, then in IELTS this will be visible and the mark for this may be lowered.
• The exam also reflects the fact that IELTS tests British English, and TOEFL - American. This means that the variant of the English language in the two exams will also be different. Words, expressions, idioms will meet those used by native speakers in the respective country.
• The TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency certificate is valid for two years. After two years, information about the person who passed the exam is deleted from the database. Therefore, if necessary, the exam is taken again. The validity period is not infinite because your level of knowledge may change over time.

Which is better to take TOEFL or IELTS?

To understand which exam to take you need to decide on a few things.

1. Find out which exam is preferred in the country you are going to

If only IELTS or only TOEFL is required of you, then further reading of this list is pointless. If there is not much difference which exam to take, then we move further down the list.

2. Decide on the format

If you are going to live and work in an English-speaking country, then the General IELTS certificate will be enough for you even in America or Canada. For admission to the university, you need academic options for exams.

3. Use tables

Familiarize yourself with how each of the exams is taken, and you will be able to understand where you will feel more comfortable. Maybe you don't type very fast or, conversely, you forgot the last time you held a pen in your hands. You may not like talking into a microphone: you would like to talk to a person, not to technology. Or maybe you will be worried and nervous during a conversation with a "real" carrier. All these factors are purely individual, and you need to decide what suits your personality.

TOEFL and IELTS are two tickets to the English speaking world. If you want to get into this world, then a certificate from one of the exams will make it easier for you. No matter how well you speak English, an honest word is not enough in a foreign embassy - you need to confirm your knowledge. For this, TOEFL and IELTS exams are needed, because they objectively assess knowledge of the English language as objectively as possible. And what exam to take and what world to go to - North America, exotic Australia, conservative England - you decide.