Toefl or Ielts?

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Anonymous

#308162 Thu, 28 Dec 06 04:26 PM

Hi everybody!

Next summer I’ll be going to attend some English courses in UK or Ireland. Looking on the internet, I’ve seen that the most required English certificate worldwide is Toefl, so I was going to try it. Unfortunately, there are no Toefl courses on summer in UK/Eire. On the other hand, there are many Ielts courses.

I need your advice: is the preparation of these two exams that different, so I’ll not able to take the Toefl after a Ielts course? Actually, I don’t need the Toefl necessarily, since I’m not going to apply for a US University within two years. But I think that I’ll need to take it later. So, if the two exams are totally different, I think that the sooner I get used to the Toefl examination, the better it is. Do you think I’m right?

Thanks!

Anonymous

IELTS, Universities, TOEFL

Mister Micawber

#308419 Fri, 29 Dec 06 09:54 AM

The designs, format and weighting are different, but the skills being tested are the same.

I would recommend taking the same preparatory program as the test you intend, especially if you are unused to language proficiency tests, because much of the success in test-taking comes from being familiar and comfortable with the test format.

On the other hand, if an IELTS program is inexpensive and convenient for you now, why not take it, just for the experience of a language proficiency test? Many of the strategies of reading and selecting answers will be the same.

Otherwise, I would wait a while until you can take a TOEFL preparatory course-- don't wait too long, though!

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (21,223)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

IELTS, TOEFL

julielai

#308622 Sat, 30 Dec 06 02:21 AM

I suggest IELTS. It's more popular than TOEFL and is almost universally accepted (except American Us, as you mentioned).

julielai

Joined on Sun, Oct 24 2004

Planet earth

Senior Member (3,570)

Just another blogger (http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/julie-lai)

IELTS, TOEFL

Mister Micawber

#308678 Sat, 30 Dec 06 09:17 AM

I still think it depends on which specific institution you are applying to:

IELTS: Over 3800 educational institutions, government agencies and professional organisations across 120 countries around the world recognise IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English. Over 500,000 tests taken every year.

TOEFL: The TOEFL test is offered in 180 countries around the world. More than 6,000 colleges, universities, and licensing agencies in 110 countries accept TOEFL scores. 554, 942 took the computer-based TOEFL between July 2004 and June 2005.

Mister Micawber

IELTS, Universities, TOEFL

Woodward

#309727 Tue, 02 Jan 07 05:52 PM

Check to see the type of Toefl they are doing. The new iBT Toefl is on a par (in quality) with the IELTS whereas the older (computer based) version was never good putting emphasis on grammar knowledge and vocabulary instead of use.

Personally I still prefer the IELTS over any of the Toefl versions.

Woodward

Joined on Tue, Jun 24 2003

A New Zealander in Chile

Senior Member (2,807)

<hint> Don't let schooling interfere with your education.</hint> www.woodward.cl

IELTS, Grammar, Vocabulary, TOEFL

Anonymous

#323503 Sat, 03 Feb 07 08:15 AM

I'm planning to work as a nurse in the US, and 1of the requirements for visascreen is an english proficiency test..which is more appropriate, TOEFL-iBt or IELTS? Thanks.

Anonymous

IELTS, TOEFL

Mister Micawber

#323524 Sat, 03 Feb 07 10:19 AM

TOEFL is the English proficiency test of choice at US universities. The Visascreen website itself states, however:

English examinations may be given by the following organizations:

TOEFL and TOEIC applicants must take and pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE)

IELTS offers its own examinations in both spoken and written English.

Mister Micawber

IELTS, Universities, TOEFL, TSE

Sadeem

#323655 Sat, 03 Feb 07 05:25 PM

IELTS is useful forever but TOEFL is useless after two years Sad [:(]

Sadeem

Joined on Thu, Jun 29 2006

KSA

Full Member (175)

"I am bigger than anything that can happen to me. All these things, sorrow, misfortune, and suffering, are outside my door. I am in the house, and I have the key."...

IELTS, TOEFL

julielai

#323766 Sat, 03 Feb 07 10:48 PM

I don't think so. IELTS scores are good for 2 years.

julielai

IELTS, TOEFL

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