PTE vs IELTS: Overview, Exam Format, Exam Details, and Comparison Between IELTS and PTE

Students from non-native English speaking countries willing to take admission in the institutions of major English-speaking countries must appear for a language eligibility test and score well. One basic requirement of the institutions and government authorities of native English-speaking nations is to ensure that the non-native speaker can cope with the linguistic environment.

Several such language tests are recognised and accepted by universities globally. IELTS and PTE are two such popular exams known to test language ability skills. A candidate may choose either of them based on various factors. Candidates are often divided in their opinion on the debate of IELTS vs PTE. To make an informed decision, let us see the exam details and formats of both.

IELTS Exam: Overview

The IELTS Exam was first launched in 1989 by the British Council and IDP. The International English Language Testing Exam (IELTS) has been recognised and widely accepted ever since.

It consists of four modules which last for two hours and 45 minutes maximum. The IELTS Score is valid for two years after its date of issue. Candidates get a band score ranging between 1 to 9. The exams are conducted four times each month throughout the year. If a student finds their score less than satisfactory, they may reappear in the test.

The IELTS exam is categorised into two types:

#1. IELTS Academic

This IELTS Exam is for students who wish to pursue higher studies in a foreign university. It is solely for educational purposes.

#2. IELTS General

This IELTS Exam is meant for anyone who wishes to settle or shift permanently for work or any other legitimate reason.

The IELTS exam is accepted in several countries such as the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, etc. It consists of four modules – Listening, Speaking, Writing, and Reading. The difficulty levels and types of topics vary slightly based on the IELTS test type.

PTE Exam: Overview

Pearson Test of English or Pearson Standard Test (PTE) was launched in the year 2009 by Pearson Language Tests. Recognised by over 6000 universities globally, PTE is now an accepted language ability test in many universities globally. It is an AI-based computer examination. The exam’s duration is three hours, and it comprises three sections: Speaking & Writing, Listening, and Reading.

The training forPTE course consists of accent practice of all major English-speaking nations. It helps in the clarity of the language. The PTE score may range from 10 to 90, with 10 being below-par and 90 being the fluent English speaker score.

Also Read: What is the Difference between PTE General and PTE Academic? PTE Test Preparation and Strategy

IELTS Result Declaration

The IELTS exam takes up to 13 days for the result declaration. It is manually checked and rated.

PTE Result Declaration

The PTE exam takes a maximum of five days for the result declaration. It is checked by AI technology, making it faster and free from manual bias.

IELTS Format

The IELTS exam consists of four main sections,

#1. Listening

#2. Reading

#3. Writing

#4. Speaking

Each candidate is given bands from 0 to 9 based on their responses. Here are the section-wise question format and details:

#1. Listening Section

The listening section comprises four recording clips; each has 10 questions. All these listening clip questions must be answered within 30 minutes duration. The following question types are asked:

#. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

#. Diagram labelling

#. Planning and mapping

#. Matching

#. Sentence completion

#. Short answer completion

#2. Speaking Section

The speaking section basically consists of a one on one interview session. Every candidate has to converse with the test-taker and the examiner to answer three sets of task questions.

#. Task 1 – The first task is introductory questions. Examiner will interrogate the candidate about topics on family, education, interests, and work. This generally goes on for a maximum of 4-5 minutes.

#. Task 2 – The second task is the cue card. The candidate is asked to pick a card with a topic on it. The candidate must speak on the topic for about 2-3 minutes after a one minute’s preparation time.

#. Task 3

The third task is a follow-up questions task. It consists of an overall summing of the cue card questions. It may take about 4-5 minutes.

The examiner assesses a candidate’s fluency, comprehension, keynote timings, and pronunciation. All these tasks are carried out to check the daily conversation ability of the individual. The pattern is the same for both Academic and General types.

#3. Reading Section

The IELTS reading has three sections. The IELTS Reading General Training Test includes excerpts from books, magazines, journals, advertisements, etc. On the other hand, the IELTS Academic test contains paragraphs from books and newspapers. The IELTS Reading test comprises the following question types:

#. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

#. Match the Headings

#. Sentence completion

#. Label the diagram

#. Short answer questions

# 4.Writing Section

The Writing module has two tasks for the candidate.

#. Task 1 – Report/Letter Writing (150 words in 20 minutes)

#. Task 2 – Essay Writing (250 words in 40 minutes)

In Task 1, the candidate must describe the graphical or figure representation with accuracy in fluent English. Examiners note and rate the report through grammatical fluency, coherence, and precision of details.

For general training, Task 1 is letter writing, whereas, in academic, Task 1 is to describe a chart, process flow diagram, or bar graph. It may be formal, semi-formal, or personal writing based on the question. Task 2, however, has to include a personal style of writing.

Also Read: How to Check PTE Exam Dates? List of Available PTE Exam Dates

PTE Exam Format

The PTE exam is divided into three sections. These sections check the overall English proficiency of a candidate.

#1. Speaking & Writing Section

The Speaking and Writing module checks a candidate’s oral and written communication skills. The question types include essay-writing, summarising the written text, and answering short questions for the writing part. The speaking part includes questions of the following types.

#. Personal introduction

#. Read the sentences aloud

#. Describe an Image

#. Re-describe a passage or speech

#. Answer short questions

The section takes about 77 to 93 minutes to complete.

#2. Reading section

For this module, the candidate is provided with passages of varying difficulty levels. Candidates are given questions to answer based on these passages. The questions range from multiple-choice questions (MCQs), fill in the blanks, true, false or not given, etc. The maximum time allotted for this section is about 41 minutes.

#3. Listening section

The said module consists of recording clips that the candidate has to listen to intently. Note-making is allowed. Based on the audio, they must answer questions like MCQs or fill in the blanks. Each clip is 1-2 minutes long. The maximum allotted time for this task is around 10 minutes.

Difference between PTE vs. IELTS

There are several differences between PTE and IELTS. For instance, the PTE vs IELTS score gradation is different. The most notable differences between IELTS computer-based vs PTE are in the duration for processing results.

Also Read: How to Apply for EOR IELTS? Checkout the EOR IELTS Facts & Questions You were Looking For

Some of the other major PTE Vs IELTS differences are as follows:

IELTS Exam	PTE Exam
Manual checking.	AI-based computerised checking.
Results in around a fortnight.	Maximum five days for result arrival.
Lasts for two hours and 45 minutes.	Lasts for three hours.
IELTS is recognised in over 10,000 universities.	PTE is recognised in over 6,000 universities.
The tests are conducted four times a month.	The tests are conducted around 360 days a year.
Measured on a band range of 1 to 9	Measured in a score range of 10 to 90.
Two Types – IELTS Academic for Education-related purposes. IELTS General for migration and work-related purposes.	Two types: PTE Academic and PTE General

Similarities Between IELTS and PTE

Apart from differences, the similarities between the two exams are several. Both the exam scorecards are valid for 2 years.

These exams take four major tasks into consideration: Listening, Writing, Reading (comprehension), and Speaking ability. Both these exams are mainly used to verify the English proficiency of a candidate to migrate abroad for work or education.

Fee Structure for IELTS Exam

The IELTS Exam registration fees amount to 14,700 INR and rise every year. Further, there are certain additional fees as well in cases of rescheduling or cancellation. The details are discussed below.

#. In case of cancellation, no refund is applicable if it is done less than five weeks before the test date. If done more than five weeks before the test date, the candidate will receive 75% of the fees, deducting the rest as administrative fees.

#. In case of medical reasons, a medical certificate, if produced before five days of the test date, allows a refund after deduction of local administrative charges.

#. For rescheduling, an amount of 3,300 INR is deducted as taxes for the transfer of the test date if done at least five weeks before the earlier test date.

Also Read: How to Pay PTE Exam Fees? An Overview of Eligibility Criteria and Registration Fees

Fee Structure for PTE Exam

The registration fee for the PTE exam is 13,300 INR. However, other optional charges are applicable if rescheduled or cancelled. The details are given below.

#. For a slot booked 48 hours before the exam date, an additional late fee of INR 695 will be applicable.

#. If the candidate places the reschedule request at least 14 working days before the test date, they do not incur additional costs.

#. If the exam is rescheduled 7 -14 days before the test date, an additional 50% of the original fee is applicable.

#. If the candidate reschedules seven days before the test date, they will not be eligible for any refunds. The full fee has to be paid again.

#. The same goes for cancelling the PTE exam. Full refund on at least 14 days prior cancellation, 50% refund for 7-14 days prior cancellation, and no refund for seven days prior cancellation.

Conclusion

The better opportunities and career prospects have been the major attraction for going abroad. With every year, the number of migrations is increasing exponentially. To get admission to a foreign university, meeting the criteria of a specific score in a language eligibility assessment test is mandatory.

The PTE and IELTS are both held in great regard for language ability assessment. To prepare for these exams, a good strategy and guidance are an absolute necessity. To ensure proper preparation for the language ability tests, it is necessary to have the right guidance. At IELTS Ninja, we guide students through one on one sessions. It helps to focus on each candidate and also helps in assessment. To track the progress, doubt solving sessions are conducted, which gives insights into the candidate’s weak and strong areas. For more information on the courses, visit our website.

Also Read: How to Clear the PTE Academic Test? Format, Registration, Fees, Tips for Preparation

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