Providing a straightforward response to this question is not simple. Individuals who have taken both exams suggest that the difficulty of these tests is a subjective matter. Notable variations are primarily observed in the reading section: TOEFL reading passages are from academic textbooks and scholarly journals, whereas IELTS reading materials encompass content from magazines, books, journals and newspapers.
How can one prepare for these tests to attain a desirable score? Initially, the test taker should assess their language skills by taking a diagnostic test. Numerous free online tests are available to assist individuals in evaluating their competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Before beginning practice on each skill, it's good to determine whether one struggles with any grammar issues. Writing without grammatical errors is crucial for achieving high scores in the writing section.
Numerous English learners face challenges when attempting to write error-free content. The ability to identify and correct grammatical mistakes in any written piece is essential. For instance, consider the sentence: "John went to the library on the campus he borrowed a book suggested by his professor." This sentence is grammatically incorrect due to being a run-on sentence, which occurs when two or more independent clauses are improperly combined into one.
It can be corrected using various approaches: John went to the library on the campus; he borrowed a book suggested by his professor. John went to the library on the campus; and he borrowed a book suggested by his professor. John went to the library on the campus; consequently, he borrowed a book suggested by his professor. John went to the library on the campus. He borrowed a book suggested by his professor. Learning grammar in context is beneficial. Several online resources are available for it.
Beyond studies – Looking at IELTS for employment
Do IELTS scores play a role in securing employment opportunities as well? If yes, how? We take a look…
While much has been extrapolated on IELTS for education, EdexLive breaks down how this exam can also improve the employment prospects of those who ace the test.
IELTS for Employment
IELTS - All you need to know
The IELTS is one of the biggest and most popular English language proficiency tests in the world, with over 3 billion takers every year.
Here, we address some of the most commonly asked questions about the test:
There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can attempt IELTS. One can attempt the examination numerous times.
Yes, a candidate can reschedule or cancel the IELTS exam, and even get a refund for the latter. However, requests for transfer or cancellation must be placed at least five weeks ahead of the test date via email or in person.
The request for cancellation or transfer can be placed only once, and the test can be postponed for a maximum of three months.
If the request is placed less than five weeks before the exam, or the candidate does not turn up for the exam, they are marked absent unless a valid reason is presented along with documentation as evidence.
Yes, but only if they place the cancellation request five weeks ahead of the exam. If they place the request later than that, they will not get a refund. However, they would get a 75 per cent refund if they provided a valid reason for their cancellation.
A candidate’s English Proficiency in the IELTS exam is measured in “bands”, that is, a score from 0 to 9. Each band score represents a certain degree of competence in the specific English language ability of the test.
The overall IELTS score is calculated as an average of the band scores of all four modules. If the average is not a whole or a half-whole number, it is rounded off to the next .25 mark.
For example, if your total average score is 6.25 on the test, the final score would be rounded off to 6.5. Similarly, if your total average is 6.75, your final score will be rounded
off to 7.0.
A candidate’s IELTS score is valid for a period of 24 months. However, for Skilled Migration applications, the scores are valid for a period of three years.