If you want to prepare for a foreign university, then you will have to take a basic proficiency exam.
IELTS and PTE are two popular English proficiency exams that you can take to study from a foreign university if you are preparing for.
But if you are wondering which is easy IELTS or PTE?
In this article, we will briefly compare IELTS and PTE and find out if IELTS is easy for Indian students?
International English Language Testing System
It is a globally recognized test for English language skills. Around 10,000 different universities across 140 countries accept IELTS as a valid English proficiency exam.
This exam is administered by the British Council and the International Developmental Program (IDP) Australia and the University of Cambridge Assessment.
It is primarily an offline paper-based test but nowadays it is also being offered through an online format. The exams are conducted 4 times a month.
You can easily register for the exam from the official website. You can also choose your time slot and exam centre.
The exam format consists of four sections: Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking.
Also Read: How Many Mock Tests Before IELTS? Tips for Aspirants to Ace the IELTS Exam
Types of IELTS
IELTS exams are generally of two types: Academics and General Training.
Academics
Academics is for candidates who want to pursue Higher education and professional expertise from Foreign University.
General Training
General Training is a test for Candidates who are emigrating or visiting for work purposes in an English-speaking country.
PTE
PTE stands for Pearson Test of English. This is an English proficiency Exam that has recently gained popularity. It is owned by Pearson PLC, which is a British multinational publishing and education company.
It is a computer-based Test. The test aims to assess the Basic English skills of Foreign students. This is accepted by thousands of universities worldwide, as well as Australian and New Zealand governments.
The PTE exams consist of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The total time allotted for the exam is 3 hours.
You can easily register for the exam online from the official website of Pearson PTE Academic. The Standard Fee for the Exam is INR 13,300.
IELTS vs PTE
Here is a brief Comparison between IELTS and PTE exam.
Owners
IELTS is owned by the British Council of India and the International development program of Australia and Cambridge Assessment.
PTE (Pearson Test of English) is owned by Pearson INC.
Fees
IELTS fees structure is:
# Computer-based test INR 14,700.
# For Offline test INR 14,700.
PTE fees structure is
# PTE costs INR 13,300
# Late Booking fees are INR 13,965.
Time Allotted
IELTS
The maximum time allotted is 2 hours 45 minutes. Moreover, it is divided into two days. Listening, Reading, and Writing are conducted on the same day. The speaking part can be on the second day.
For writing 60 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Listening 30 to 36 minutes and Speaking 11 to 14 minutes is allotted to every candidate.
PTE
The maximum total test time is 190 minutes.
For part one, Speaking and Writing 77 to 93 minutes is allotted.
For part two reading 32 to 41 minutes for part three listening, 45 to 57 minutes.
Also Read: Is it Easy to Crack the PTE Exam for the IELTS Aspirants?
Scoring System
Scores of IELTS tests are given on the Band Scale System. Candidates are given a 1-9 Score, where 9 is the highest and 1 is the lowest.
Scores of PTE tests are given 10-90 marks. Here 10 is lowest and 90 is highest.
Marking System
The Scores are computed by English experts, following global marking standards. Moreover, the Reading and Listening tests are autos marked by a machine.
The scores of PTE tests, including writing, speaking, reading, listening, are scored by a machine which is a PTE Academy automated scoring system.
Results
Results usually come around two to five days.
The results of PTE academies come in five business days.
Is PTE Easier than IELTS?
PTE is relatively easier than IELTS.
Reasons?
# Reason 1: It is a computer-based exam therefore you don’t have to feel nervous to face an interviewer. This part specifically lowers the confidence of many.
# Reason 2: The number of Questions asked in the Reading section is lower and easier in PTE.
# Reason 3: The time allotted for each section is more than that of IELTS.
Also Read: What is the Difference between the PTE Academic and PTE General?
Why is the IELTS a Better Choice?
But, in comparison, IELTS is a better choice.
Why?
# It is accepted by 140 Countries and 10,000 different Universities, Organisations and Employers Worldwide.
# If you are comfortable with the paper-pen format of Exams.
# The scores are evaluated by Experts from all around the world and therefore you will be correctly evaluated. Unlike PTE, where scores are given on a set Computer Algorithm.
# If you have an Accent problem, then IELTS can help you. As an Interviewer can understand you better in a live interaction.
# If Unfortunately, you face any Technical issue during your online PTE exams, your scores can be ruined.
Is IELTS Easy for Indian Students?
According to a data survey from IELTS official website, The Average Score for an Indian Student is 6.04 which is the Average from the Global standard.
Major Challenges
Major reasons for such low scores are as follows:
# Low confidence in the English fluency in the speaking section.
# Slow reading speed highly affects performance.
# Use of informal words like slang and fillers.
# Time management.
IELTS Academic is Easy or General?
We can’t exactly tell which one is easy as they both have different purposes. Academics is for Students and General Training is for workers.
But if we have to tell one, We will say General Training. Why? Because if you score the same score in both exams, you will still get a higher band score in General Training.
Also Read: IELTS General vs Academic: Know the Difference and Difficulty
Conclusion
No matter what you choose, you will need to prepare hard. They both are popular English Test which aims to evaluate a Candidate’s Skill.
Need help with your Preparation? Visit our site IELTS Ninja and take your preparations to the next level with our experts.
I was genuinely looking for this comparative analysis. You all saved me tons of time and energy. I am so grateful!!