Which is Better: the TOEFL or the IELTS? New York NY

Which is Better: the TOEFL or the IELTS?

For many years, the TOEFL has remained the exam preferred by most U.S. institutions for measuring the English language skills of potential students from non-English speaking countries. Worldwide, this hasn't been the case. Another test, the IELTS, has been the exam required by most other English-speaking countries, including Britain and Australia, and is often considered to be the only test that can compete with the TOEFL in the United States.

The appeal of the IELTS
With its live, one-on-one component, The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is viewed by many as a superior exam for evaluating the spoken English skills of potential students. Until recently, the TOEFL had no such component and many of the countries requiring the IELTS felt that a speech component to an English proficiency exam was crucial.

Whether or not the IELTS is a better exam really seems to be a matter of opinion. However, its acceptance as an assessment tool has grown in the United States in recent years. In addition to the TOEFL, more than 800 U.S. schools now accept the IELTS as well.. For the most part, the choice of which test to take is up to you.

The TOEFL catches up
So, which test is better? It depends on who you ask! Some schools remain firmly devoted to the IELTS and its interactive, personalized-speech format. On the other hand, the TOEFL gained some ground globally when it introduced its Internet-based test.

Author: Amy Ambler

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