Are you planning to study abroad then get ready with preparation?

If you are planning to study from an English-speaking country like Canada, the USA, UK, Australia, then you would have to take a compulsory English proficiency test.

There are generally two types of exams: IELTS or TOEFL. They both are popular and globally accepted in universities as English proficiency tests.

Often candidates are confused to determine which one they should take. Is IELTS easy or TOEFL? IELTS or TOEFL – which is better?

If you are also wondering the same question, then you have come to the right article.

In this article, we will discuss them both briefly and compare them to see which exam is easier: IELTS or TOEFL?

What is IELTS?

International English Language Testing System is an English language exam that is popularly taken by international candidates who are considering studying abroad.

Most Popular countries such as the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada accept the International English Language Testing System as a valid English proficiency exam. The exams mainly try to measure the ability of the candidate’s English skills.

The international English language testing system. It is jointly owned by British Council and IDP islands: Australia and Cambridge English language assessment.

Types of IELTS

There are two types of International English Language Testing System: you can take International English Language Testing System Academy and International English Language Testing System General Training.

IELTS Academy is for people for students who are applying for higher education

IELTS General Training is for people who are going to English speaking countries for some work-related

International English Language Testing System Format 

The International English Language Testing System is divided into four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

# Listening consists of 40 questions.

# Reading consists of 40 questions

# Writing consists of two different tasks

# Speaking it is three different tasks

Let us understand these three in detail,

Listening

In the listening section, The student will have to listen to different audio recordings. Then, they have to answer 10 questions for each recording.

The questions will be in True and False, Fill in the blanks, and complete the sentence.

Reading

For the reading section, the candidates will be given several texts including Academy textbooks, magazines, newspapers, and other University-level papers to read.

Then they will ask 40 different questions. The candidates will have to give a summary of a passage or answer any question.

This section tries to assess the candidates in English comprehension, logical reasoning, and ability to evaluate arguments.

Writing

The writing part consists of two parts:

In part one, the student has to write a 150-word essay in 20 minutes from some graphs or charts.

In the second part, the student has to write another essay, 200 to 250 words.

Speaking

The speaking section is divided into two parts.

For the first section, the student has to face, face to face interview with a test administrator on daily topics like family home schools, etc.

For part two, The instructor will provide a cue card, and then the student will have a couple of minutes to speak about them.

Time Allotted for the International English Language Testing System

The total time allotted for the IELTS examination is two hours and 45 minutes.

# Listening 30 minutes

# Reading 60 minutes

# Writing 60 minutes

# Speaking 11 to 14 minutes

Eligibility

IELTS eligibility criteria include:

# You should be above 16 years old.

# You must have a Valid Passport.

Process

You can apply for IELTS using these procedures

Online

# Visit official British Council Registration website

# Create your account on the WEbpage.

# Find your nearest Test Centre

# Complete your registration and make payment.

Offline

# Download an Application form from

# Fill it and submit it to your local test centre.

# After a successful process you will receive a confirmation.

TOEFL

TOEFL stands for the Test of English as a foreign language. It is an examinee English language examination produced by ETS.

There are several versions of the TOEFL exam but TOEFL iBT is the most widely accepted in many schools and colleges globally.

Format

TOEFL consists of four different sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.

# Reading consists of 36 to 56 questions.

# Listening consists of 34 to 51 questions.

# Speaking consists of six tasks

# Writing two task

Reading

For the Reading section, TOEFL provides its candidate, three to five different text passages. The candidate will have to read them carefully and then answer multiple-choice questions.

These questions are there to determine the student’s understanding of different words, reading comprehension and analytical skills,

Listening

For this section, the students will have to listen to three different conversations And for six lectures. After listening to the audios, this student will have to answer multiple-choice questions

The questions can be about tone, interference, or vocabulary. Moreover, the audios and lectures are in a natural tone.

Speaking

This section is divided into four parts. Students will have to record their voices.

For the first part, the students will have to express their opinions on different topics

For the other three parts. The student will receive some material to read or listen to, then they have to read the passage, or listen to the audio.

Then they will have a couple of minutes to respond to the question.

Writing

The final part of the TOEFL exam is the writing portion. This part is divided into two parts. First, they will be given a short passage to read, and then they will have to listen, a short lecture.

For the first one, you will have to write a 350 to 300 words essay.

For part two, you will have to write a short essay.

Time Allotted for TOEFL

The total time allotted for a TOEFL exam is three point five RS

# Reading 60 to 80 minutes

# Listening 60 to 90 minutes

# Speaking 20 minutes

# Writing 15 minutes

Eligibility

Anyone can take TOEFL examinations. There are no such restrictions.

Process

You can register for TOEFL through these steps:

Online

# Visit the ETS website and sign up to start registration.

# Fill in all the information and create a profile.

# Login using login credentials.

# Now click on ‘Register for a Test’ and select TOEFL Test.

# Choose a date for the test.

# After registration, you can see the test date and centre allotted.

# You can send your TOEFL scores to four different Universities.

Offline

You can also apply for TOEFL using offline methods such as Mail or Phone.

Mail

# Download the TOEFL registration form from the ETS website.

# Fill in all the details carefully.

# Send the form to the address mentioned on the application with the payment.

# You will receive a confirmation after your form is received.

Phone

# You can simply call TOEFL Registration Centers to register.

Also Read: IELTS vs TOEFL: What is the Difference? Things You Must Know

IELTS or TOEFL – Which One is Easy?

If you have to choose which one is easier, IELTS or TOEFL, we will suggest IELTS. They both are challenging tests but IELTS is easier than TOEFL.

Moreover, IELTS scores are accepted by 10,000 Different Universities Globally. So why not choose IELTS?

IELTS- Reasons Why it is Easier

Is TOEFL easier than IELTS? No, IELTS is easier than TOEFL.

But why is IELTS easier? Well, there are several reasons behind it:

IELTS are Shorter 

The IELTS exam lasts for 2 hours and 45 minutes only.

Whole Test is Split into 2 Days

The whole procedure is split into two days. This gives enough time to candidates to rest and perform well.

Listening Section is Easier

In the IELTS listening section, you will have to answer a simple question after listening to the audio. While in TOEFL you will have to listen to full audio and then answer the question. This requires you to memorize details.

# Speaking Section is more Natural 

In the Speaking section, you can easily strike a natural conversation with the person. Unlike TOEFL which requires you to answer and speak using a microphone.

Also Read: How do I know Which is more Suitable for Me IELTS or TOEFL?

Your Choice Depends on the Country You want to Apply For?

Your choice depends on the Country you want to apply for. Therefore before coming to a decision, look for the validity of the course in that country.

Also Read: IELTS Accepted Countries: How Many Countries Accept IELTS? Which Countries Require IELTS?

Conclusion

So, have you decided which one you will be with? Whether it’s IELTS or TOEFL, you need to prepare well. Better scores ensure your admission to Foreign Universities.

If you have decided to go with an easier option- IELTS. There you can find help in IELTS Ninja. IELTS Ninja assists in your IELTS preparation.

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About the Author

Shilpa

Shilpa is a professional web content writer and is in deep love with travelling. She completed her mass communication degree and is now dedicatedly playing with words to guide her readers to get the best for themselves. Developing educational content for UPSC, IELTS aspirants from breakthrough research work is her forte. Strongly driven by her zodiac sign Sagittarius, Shilpa loves to live her life on her own notes and completely agrees with the idea of ‘live and let live. Apart from writing and travelling, most of the time she can be seen in the avatar of 'hooman' mom to her pets and street dogs or else you can also catch her wearing the toque blanche and creating magic in the kitchen on weekends.

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