IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Which English Test to Take?

IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Conducting Bodies     

• IELTS is one of the most recognized English proficiency tests that is widely accepted in all the universities. This test is currently being conducted by IDP Education Ltd in India. Before it, this was used to be conducted by British Council and IDP Education Ltd in partnership. IELTS was introduced back in 1989.
• TOEFL came into existence in 1964 and is now being conducted by Educational Testing Services (ETS). This is a test that is preferred when it comes to American universities. With the latest update, its registration process has become easier as well. 
• PTE is much newer as compared to the above two mentioned tests. This test was started in 2009 and acts as a legit English proficiency test for studying abroad in some universities. This test is considered to be the easiest among all the English proficiency which are available for international students from non-English speaking native countries.
• Duolingo English Test (DET) is the test that has currently gained a lot of popularity, especially during the pandemic times because of its convenience to take the test from home. This test was introduced in 2011. This test is conducted by Duolingo online learning platform and when compared for cost and duration this test costs the least and is associated with the shortest duration of the test.

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IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Mode of exam

All these tests are conducted in different modes which can be chosen by the candidate as per their convenience.

IELTS: This is conducted in two modes.

• Computer-Delivered IELTS tests - this was introduced back in 2017 in which you have to type the answers on the boxes provided. For this test, you have to go to the IELTS test centers. The 4 sections that are in this test are writing, reading, listening, and speaking. 
• Paper-based IELTS test - for this test you will have to write the answers on paper and then submit them to the invigilator.

TOEFL: The two modes in which TOEFL is conducted are

• TOEFL Paper-Based Test (PBT) - this is conducted at an offline location where there is no availability of internet. This has three sections - reading, writing, and listening.
• TOEFL Internet-Based Test (iBT) - this is an internet-based test that measures individuals against 4 criteria (sections) that are reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It is the most preferred mode of TOEFL, almost 97% of people prefer this mode.

DET: This is conducted in only online mode.

• Online DET - the Duolingo application can be downloaded to a personal computer or laptop and the candidate can take the test at the convenience of home. There are some basic requirements like having a stable internet connection, speakers, video camera, and more that needs to be fulfilled in order to take this without any interruptions.

PTE: There are two different versions of the tests but both versions are conducted via online medium. The two versions are:

• PTE Academics - PTE Academic is the major online test that you can undertake if you are planning to work or study abroad. This can be used as proof of English language proficiency.
• PTE General - PTE General is only conducted for rewarding brilliant achievements in English language learning and is not used as an English proficiency test.

IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Exam format and duration

The main motive for all these tests is to analyze your English proficiency so that you can study abroad. In a broad sense, all these tests evaluate 4 sections for understanding your English proficiency which are reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The patterns for the tests are different from each other. 

IELTS: This test has in total of 4 sections which need to be completed in 2 hours and 45 minutes in total.

• Reading - this section consists of three long essays which lead to 40 different questions in total that need to be answered in 60 minutes. 
• Writing - one needs to write 150 words based on the visual description in 20 minutes and 250 words on provided argument/problem/viewpoint in 60 minutes. 
• Listening - four recordings are played from which in total 40 questions are asked. This section has a time limit of 40 minutes.
• Speaking - this section is divided into three parts, Invigilator asks three questions that need to be answered.

TOEFL: This test also consists of the same four sections just like IELTS. The difference is the pattern in which these sections are further divided. The cumulative time limit for this test is 3 hours.

• Reading - in this, the individual has to read 2 - 3 passages and then a total of 20 questions need to be answered based on the read passages. The time limit for the test is in between 35 minutes.
• Writing - one writing for an academic discussion question will be there which needs to be answered. Approx 20 minutes is allocated for this section.
• Listening - in this section, 2 - 3 conversations and lectures are shown each and then based on it questions are asked 28 questions are asked. The total time limit for this section is approx 36 minutes. 
• Speaking - this section consists of one independent speaking test and 3 small dependent speaking tests. The time limit for the same is 15 - 20 minutes.

DET: This test can be completed in 60 minutes. This also evaluates the candidates' ability in 4 main criteria that are speaking, writing, listening, and reading. But inline IELTS and TOEFL this is an adaptive computer-based test and consists of 3 sections overall.

• Introduction section - in this the officials of Duolinog help you with the overview of the test and help to set you up with all the necessary devices.
• Adaptive Test - this is the main section that evaluates the 4 key skills of English communication. This is called adaptive because with every correct answer the next question gets difficult and with every wrong answer the next question gets easy.
• Video Interview - this is an ungraded section in which you need to provide answers to open-ended questions verbally which are recorded. 

PTE: This test is divided into 3 sections which need to be completed in 2 hours.

• Speaking and Writing section - there are in total of 28 - 36 questions in this section for which a total time of 55 - 65 minutes is given. The questions may include, self-introduction, reading aloud, repeating sentences, essay writing, summary writing, and more.
• Reading section - this section is further divided into 5 segments that need to be attempted based on the understanding of the reading material. The section are: fill in the blanks, MCQs, Re-order, MCQs with multiple answers, and fill in the blanks in another style. 
• Listening section - this section consists of 12 - 20 different types of questions that need to be attempted in 30 - 45 minutes. The question can be - summarize the spoken, fill in the blanks, MCQs, select missing words, highlight the wrong word, and more

IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Score comparison 

Each of the tests (IELTS, TOEFL, DET, and PTE) uses a different scale to measure scores. IELTS scores are measured on a 9-band scale in each section. PTE measures scores on a scale of 10 to 90 for both communicative and enabling skills, as well as individual scores. TOEFL has four sections, each with a maximum score of 30, resulting in a total score of 120. Duolingo test scored out of 160 marks in total. 

Below is the score comparison for all of these tests - 

IELTS	TOEFL	DET	PTE	Proficiency Indicator
9	118 - 120	155 - 160	89 - 90	Expert
8.5	115 - 117	145 - 150	83 - 85	Very Good
8	110 - 114	135 - 140	78 - 82	Very Good
7.5	102- 109	125 - 130	73 - 77	Good
7	94 - 101	115 - 120	64 - 72	Good
6.5	79 - 93	105 - 110	58 - 63	Competent
6	60 - 78	95 - 100	50 - 57	Competent
5.5	46 - 59	85 - 90	42 - 49	Modest
5	35 - 45	75 - 80	35 - 41	Modest
4.5	32 - 34	65 - 70	30 - 34	Limited
0 - 4	0 - 31	0 - 60	0 - 30	Extremely Limited

 

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IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Results and sending score cards

The release of test results also varies for all these English proficiency tests. Apart from the release, the student has to send these results to the university which may cost additional and require them to follow certain steps. All this will be discussed in this section.

IELTS: 

• Test Report Form (TRF) is sent to you by your IELTS test center to your postal address. In case you have given a computer-based test then you can expect the TRF in 3 - 5 days. You can also download an online copy of your result by logging into and then clicking the download result option on the left-hand side menu.
• You can send your IELTS score to 5 universities within one month of the exam date. The university will receive the scores via e-mail, regular posts, courier, or overseas postage. Beyond these 5, any Additional Test Report Forms (ATRFs) will involve an administrative charge of 250 INR per university via online medium and 1500 INR per university via a physical medium.

 

TOEFL:

• You will get to know the official test scores release date upon test completion. Also, you can get a real-time notification in case there is any change in score status. You can view your scores in your ETS account approximately 6 days after your test date. You will receive an email when your scores are available, and you can access your account online or via the official TOEFL app. PDF score reports are ready for download within 8 days after your test.
• The initial fee that is paid for TOEFL includes the cost of sending the TOEFL test cores to 4 universities that need to be selected by the candidate before. If you want to send the test results to more than 4 universities then you would need to pay an additional sum of 20 USD per university.

 

Fact: Do you know that, your TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years from the date of result declaration?

DET: 

• Once you have completed your test, you will be getting a notification from the Duolingo application within 48 hours of completion. You will also get an email notification on the registered email address that will redirect you to the result page. 
• When you view your result in the Duolingo application you can see an option on ‘send score’. You can choose up to 40 institutes to send these scores to. There are no additional fees to send the results.

 

PTE: 

• To check the PTE scores you can log in to your online account and in that, you can click on the option of check results. You will also get an email notification within 48 hours of test completion that will provide you with directions to check your result.
• Once you click on the option ‘view score reports’ you can see your scores and in this only you will find an option to ‘send score’. You can type in the name of the institutes you want to send your score. You can choose as many institutes as you like and can send them your scores for free.

 

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IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo vs PTE: Acceptance and relevance

The English proficiency tests have been compared based on their popularity in different countries. Also in the same table below few top educational institutes which accept these tests have also been shortlisted.

Test Name	Popularity in Country	Few educational institutes accept
IELTS	Canada, UK, and Australia	University of Oxford University of Toronto McGill University
TOEFL	Widely popular in USA and Canada	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Princeton University New York University (NYU)
DET	USA and Canada	Arizona State University Illinois State University University of Toronto
PTE	Australia, Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, UK, and Canada	Sydney metropolitan Institute of technology University of Auckland McMaster University

 

Note: It would be better that you know the Exam dates for TOEFL and IELTS so that you can start your preparations on time. Also, you can change the test date for TOEFL free of cost. 

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Now that you have got an extensive insight into the different kinds of English language proficiency tests and have also got a fair idea of which test suits your requirements the best, the next step is to start off with the preparations. If you have decided to take one of these English proficiency tests then you can go to student guide for popular tests to know more about their preparation tips, eligibility, test centers, and more.

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