The Differences
TOEFL
- The
TOEFL itself was first
administered in 1964 and has been taken by more than 23 million students
since then. There are two most common forms of the test, the
Internet-based Test (iBT) and paper-based (PBT).
The iBT test is comprised of four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking
& Writing. The PBT is made up of four sections, as well:
Listening, Structure & Written Expression, Reading Comprehension &
Writing. The iBT has a total of 120 points, whereas the PBT
ranges between 310-667 points. The TOEFL is often a
requirement at most colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada and
other English-speaking countries. In addition, government agencies,
licensing bodies, businesses or scholarship programs might also require
the TOEFL. At this present time, an individual’s TOEFL score is
valid for two years and then subject for re-evaluation after the two-year
period.
- The TOEFL is often a requirement at most
colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada and other English-speaking
countries. In addition, government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses
or scholarship programs might also require the TOEFL. At this present
time, an individual’s TOEFL score is valid for two years and then subject for
re-evaluation after the two-year period.
TOEIC
- The TOEIC
is an acronym for the Test of English for International
Communication. As quoted from the TOEIC website: “The TOEIC is an
English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English
skills of people working in an international environment.” The point
system ranges from 10 to 990 points and the test itself is two hours in
length, multiple choice, testing listening comprehension and reading
comprehension.
- The
TOEIC gives certificates to those who take the test, with different colors
differentiating the range of advanced skills. In 2006 a new TOEIC was
released with longer reading passages and also British, Australian and New
Zealand English-speakers, whereas the previous test only featured American
speakers.
IELTS
- Otherwise
known as the International English Language Testing System, the IELTS is
administered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British
Council & IDP Education. There are two primary versions of the
IELTS: the academic version & the general training version.
Basically, the academic version is meant for students who want to enroll
in universities and other higher education institutions, as well as for
medical professions, such as doctors or nurses who need to work or study
in an English-speaking country. The general training version is
meant for those looking to gain work experience or for purely immigration
purposes.
- Similar to the TOEFL, an IELTS score is valid
for two years. While both the academic version and the general version
differ in terms of content, their structure is the same, dividing the test into
three parts: Listening (40 minutes), Reading (60 minutes) and Writing (60
minutes). A brand is given along with a score, ranging form the high
score of an “Expert User” to the lowest score of the “Non User.” The top
three countries the test is administered in are China, India and Pakistan.
“This article is not only explain in writing, but also verbally. It ' s new
i found and enough creative
because besides learning can also
obtain information how to pronounce
english words right”.
The importance of
TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS
How should TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS be used?
These commonly used tests of English
are probably sufficiently objective to be useful as a minimum or qualifying
standard when trying to evaluate the English language skills of a large number
of people, such as employees in a large firm or potential students. An employer
or university admissions officer should still do additional tests to determine
whether English language communication skills meet their specific needs. It is
not reasonable to expect these test results to fully reflect the ability to
function in English at work or in an academic environment. There are simply too
many other factors that come into play, including each applicant's full range
of personal skills and the ability to continue to improve in English.
The widespread requirement for these
tests serves as a catalyst for many people to apply themselves to the study of
English. However the usefulness of this stimulus is reduced if the focus of
English language study is on learning the techniques of taking the test.
Studies have shown that the higher the level of the learner, the less benefit
is obtained by "studying for the test". It would appear that some
familiarity with the nature of these tests is useful, but beyond that the
benefit of more and more "studying for the tests" is questionable.
The test-taker is usually better off
trying to improve overall language competence. "Studying for the
exam" often represents an inefficient use of time in terms of the eventual
objective, English language fluency. People with good English skills will do
well on standard tests. People with poor English skills, the greatest
beneficiaries of "studying for the tests", probably should not be
taking these tests in the first place.
What is the best way to prepare for
TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS?
The best way to prepare for these
tests is to concentrate on learning activities which: Increase English reading
and listening speed. Increase English listening comprehension. Increase English
vocabulary. Create familiarity with English phrases. This will lead to improved
results in TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS. Not only will these input skills improve,
but output skills will also improve.
Led by the pioneering work of
Stephen Krashen there is a greater realization today that intensive practice in
listening to and reading comprehensible and interesting English input has a
powerful effect on increasing overall language competence. As pointed out by Yukio
Noguchi in his best-seller, Choo Eigo Hoo (Super English Method) anyone who can
easily comprehend English spoken at normal speed, will learn to speak well.
Listening, reading and vocabulary
practice are mutually reinforcing. Reading English is an effective way to
increase vocabulary. Listening to English audio material helps improve reading
speed, if the learner practices reading the same content as he or she is
listening to. Audio books are already used to increase literacy and reading
speed even amongst English native speakers. See "A Bridge to Literacy"
by Denise Marchionda.
Reading and listening speed is
critical to success on these tests. Test takers complain that time constraints
were their greatest challenge. For the listening questions, they are usually
only given one chance to hear each excerpt. The written questions need to be
read several times. Speed is of the essence. To improve reading and listening
ability, learners should regularly read and listen to content that they largely
understand, thereby developing fluency and confidence. They should read and
listen often to the same content, focusing at times on meaning, and at other
times on the construction of key phrases.
In addition to training reading and
listening skills by focusing on content with few unknown words, it is also
necessary to study content which contains key academic and specialized
vocabulary. As is pointed out below, vocabulary level is a good indicator of
success in these standard tests. New vocabulary is best learned from
interesting and comprehensible content, especially on the computer and with the
help of an efficient online dictionary and vocabulary acquisition system like
The Linguist (www.thelinguist.com). The person wanting to take TOEIC or TOEFL
or IELTS needs to do a lot of reading and listening on a wide variety of
subject matter, including, in the case of TOEFL and IELTS candidates, academic
content.
Who should take the TOEIC, TOEFL or
IELTS exams?
Often an employer or university
requires a learner to take one of these tests. However, many test takers simply
want to have a high TOEIC or TOEFL score on their resume. It is not useful to
take these tests if a poor result is anticipated. Anyone taking these tests
should have a minimum goal in mind, and should only take the test if he or she
is confident of achieving the desired level. Many learners in Japan and Korea
take TOEIC more than 4 times according to the 2004 Report on TOEIC Test Takes
Worldwide. This is wasteful of time and money and a distraction from the main
task of improving basic English skills.
Results in TOEIC, TOEFL, and other
tests correlate closely to vocabulary levels, see Measuring Vocabulary Levels
of English Textbooks and Tests by Kiyomi Chujo. This correlation holds
especially true if the vocabulary has been acquired through a sufficient volume
of listening and reading, rather than just by cramming.
A system like LingQ is ideally
suited to improve the skills required for success on these standard tests.
There are hundreds of hours of listening and reading content. All content is
available in both audio and text so that learners can read along as they listen
and thus work on increasing reading speed. A statistical record is kept of
vocabulary levels and this can be a good indicator of when a learner is ready
to take a test like TOEIC or TOEFL with success. Learners can then just focus
their energies on the most effective language learning activities and monitor
the growth of their vocabulary and language skills. They can then proceed to
take these standard tests with confidence, since they will know that the level
of their language skills will assure them of a good result.
“ This article explains
not only in writing but also verbally. so that the
reader not only information
but also gain
by learning English
pronunciation, and this article not
only describes what is TOEFL, TOEIC, and
IELTS but tell
how to do it”.
