TOEFL or IELTS? Which exam should you take?

Not sure whether to take the TOEFL or the IELTS? Want to know which of these English proficiency exams is easier? In this video, I explain the key differences between the two exams and make recommendations based on your strengths and weaknesses.

Please leave a response below.

104 Responses to “TOEFL or IELTS? Which exam should you take?”

  1. tuan_kkt :

    What about TOEIC ?
    Please give me more details ?
    Thanks !


    • RebeccaESL :

      TOEIC is quite a different exam. It does not test academic English at all, but rather general and business English used in the workplace.

      It is much easier than any of the TOEFL or IELTS exams, in terms of level of difficulty in English.

      TOIEC is used more as a pre-employment screening test so employers can be assured that a candidate has at least a functional understanding of English required in the business world.

      You could learn more about the TOEIC through my website:

      http://www.goodlucktoeic.com

      All the best to you!

      • tuan_kkt :

        Your answer is very clear.
        Your web is very useful.
        Thank you very much !

      • lamtn_1986 :

        Your answer is very clear —> Your answer is very clearly — Right?^^

  2. Miriam Sena de Santana :

    Your English is so perfect!!!!!
    Congratulations!


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks. Miriam. I have been speaking English all my life and that certainly helps!

  3. mohd :

    Thank you for all the lessons
    Your lessons are great so they hlep us to improve our English,but I have some problems.
    1/ In my country people don’t speak English so what I learn every day I Always forget because I don’t use it .
    What should I do ?
    please answer my question.


    • RebeccaESL :

      I understand your difficulty. Actually, that’s why thousands of students travel to English-speaking countries to improve their English. In that environment, they can make quick progress and save years of English learning.

      In the meantime, you need to find a teacher or friend with whom you can practice speaking. That is the only way to make a breakthrough.

      You can also listen to English news channels, movies, songs, etc. That will improve your comprehension and vocabulary.

      All the best to you. If you decide to come to Canada to improve your English, we would be happy to have you.

  4. 0000000000000 :

    Thank you

    Thank you

  5. fercega :

    Hi Rebecca

    Thank you very much for your acurate lessons……………….if you let make a request, I’d like a lesson about gerunds or the use of ing in differents situations not only when we are talking in the progressive form………..again thank you and I hope you could answer my request


    • RebeccaESL :

      I will certainly try to do a lesson on gerunds in the near future. In the meantime, please do check the video lessons of our other teachers. They cover a lot of important grammar points.

      Glad you’re enjoying the lessons. Please tell your friends, so we can continue to grow.

  6. robert :

    thanks

  7. ashutosh :

    its excellent. to sort out confusion between toefl and ielts this introductory lecture was really very much helpful for me.
    thanks Rebbeca.


    • RebeccaESL :

      It’s not easy to know which exam to choose. Glad I could help. Wish you all the best, Ashutosh.

  8. Nasser :

    Thnks for good lesson


    • RebeccaESL :

      You’re very welcome. Good luck with your English.

  9. Karthik :

    Excellent comparison, thank you so much !


    • RebeccaESL :

      Glad you understood the differences. All the best.

  10. sandino berutu :

    Hi Rebecca,
    Can you give me some IELTS lesson or books or video.
    Thank you

  11. AhmedKhairy :

    hi rebecca
    just thank u
    greets from egypt


    • RebeccaESL :

      Greetings to you from Canada and thanks for your feedback!

  12. Arvish :

    nice one,that was the usfulest(or most usful or whatever hahaha)video about TOFEL and IELTS,thanks


    • RebeccaESL :

      The most useful actually.

      Glad it helped you.

  13. chilinhks :

    Can you post some videos of speaking test of IELTS? I wanna have a real look about this part!!!
    P/S: Thanks a lot! Your site is wonderful!


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks. Yes, I’ll put together a lesson on that for you. Okay?

  14. bonghongthuytinh_lunglinhnangmai :

    oh!wonderful! thanks you very much!


    • RebeccaESL :

      Welcome and good luck with your English.

  15. Ngoc Anh :

    I want to study English.


    • RebeccaESL :

      It’s all around you so just get started…joining a class or working with a private teacher is best.

  16. Alena :

    Hi! I am from Russia and I want that English will become my second language! It’s great that I found free English lessons in the Internet. so I can learn English and enjoy it. This website is a great idea, thank you


    • RebeccaESL :

      Privyet to you!

      Thanks for your feedback and glad to hear the lessons help you. Please do tell your friends so we can continue to add new lessons.

  17. M :

    From japan. Your web is very very useful. Thanks a lot. I want to study English more and more. Good luck for your Job. thank you guys.


    • RebeccaESL :

      Greetings to you in Japan from all of us here in Canada. All the best with your English. If you’re determined, I’m sure you will master it.

  18. Riva :

    It was very useful for me.
    Thank you very much!!!


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks and all the best with your English learning!

  19. liban :

    real i like it…
    thank you Rebecca

  20. Eeng :

    I’m so happy in this site

    I thank u sooooo much

    all the best to you

    :)

    Eeng from Saudi Arabia ..


    • RebeccaESL :

      My best to you from Canada.

      So glad you find the lessons helpful.

      • Eeng :

        Mrs. Rebbeca ,,

        Hello

        I hope you’re in best case .

        How can I email you ?

        becuase I wana something from you

        best wishes madam,,

  21. sacura1224 :

    wow!! it’s awesome. i have never seen like your lecture.. it’s perfect
    and u always try to do your best. so no matter how difficult something is,it’s very easy understand for me. thanks..
    while i study english, if i have got a question, can i ask that to you?


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thank you for your kind comments. It’s always encouraging to get such feedback from students.

      I wish you the best with your English. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask and I would be happy to help you.

  22. applequinto :

    that helped me a lot. thank you so much!

  23. Anonymous :

    [...] [...]

  24. Mathew :

    Greetings from India,

    I have been searching the internet for hours to find a solution.

    Your Lecture really helped me . Your English accent is simply Superb


    • RebeccaESL :

      Hello to you in India. Thanks for your feedback. So glad I could shed some light on the issue. I wish you the best with whichever exam you decide to take.

  25. junaid :

    hi mam who are you mam i am going to applie student visa for england mam i am having problum with listning problum please reply me on my id junaid_mukhtar2002@hotmail.com

  26. jude002 :

    hi Rebecca,

    many thanks for this lesson..

    im looking for an english scholarship in canada. can you help me?


    • RebeccaESL :

      What subject are you interested in studying and where?

  27. Petty :

    Dear Teacher,I’m very great to have a english lesson with you here..

    Best wish :))

  28. Surendra :

    I am curently doing job in Dubai and i would like to come canada to study english course. kindly assist me


    • RebeccaESL :

      Please write to us at info@diplomatschool.com and let us know what you need and when you would like to come to Canada.

      We would be pleased to help you. Please mention that you came through the engVid website so I can assist you personally.

      Looking forward to hearing from you, Surendra.

  29. Jamshed :

    Hello Dear Rebecca
    I am not a native Speaker of English Language.Through to watching your videos I lave Learnt a lot of new things.Now i wish to appear in IELTS exam: plz help me in this connection and send me your Precious advises
    I am waiting your reply.I remain thankful to you.


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks so much for your feedback.

      Please check my IELTS website for detailed information on how to do well on this exam.

      All the best to you, Jamshed.

  30. mike :

    Hi your video is very useful. As I found you very expert, I would like to ask a question . I dont want to take any of these tests. I just want to speak english fluently in my workplace and I would like to have a vocabulary skill needed for this purpose. there are lots of vocabulary books but I dont know which to read to master simple vocabulary needed for speaking english fluently.I cant read all of the books and I want tow to three books to read and revise constantly
    Thanks in advance


  31. RebeccaESL :

    I understand your situation. You may find the following books useful:

    For general business English:

    Business Vocabulary in Use

    For specialized areas of business:

    http://www.eflbooks.co.uk/book.php?isbn=0582451639

    These resources should help. Of course, there are also many websites which can help you improve your command of business English.

    Another approach is to look for books which offer TOEIC vocabulary , as the TOEIC is an exam of English used in the workplace.

    I wish you the best with your English studies and your career. From your message, it is clear that your level of English is already high. All the best as you progress to even higher levels.

  32. mike :

    Hi rebecca Thank you for your guidance.
    The last word I want to say is that I am highly interested in American english. The books you suggested to me are written in British( except TOEIC). furthermore, I would like to use informal english not formal.
    Could you please introduce some books for this purpose and tell me the name of the most comprehensive books in TOEIC vocab.
    Thank you very much for all your useful help.

  33. mhaq :

    Hello Mam.
    Your BEAUTIFUL and so your English is & the way you explain thing to the students like us. I want to appear in IELTS test. I am from Pakistan. How should I improve my english. Please tell me

    waiting for your Prompt reply

    Mohsin ul haq


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks for your comments. You can improve your English in many ways on your own. However, if you want to appear for the IELTS, it’s best to join a good exam preparation class so you can learn a variety of exam strategies.

      Please take a look at my website http://www.goodluckielts.com for some useful information, tips, writing samples and so on.

      All the best to you.

  34. ai025ag :

    I love this website very much,it is really useful!

  35. takeonene :

    Many thanks!

  36. quocphuctran@yahoo.com :

    useful lesson for anyone who intend to learn TOEFL or IELTS. However, from my experiences, I think that IELTS is easier than TOEFL at all. Taking IELTS will be familiar with your work or your life. whereas TOEFL need you to get an academic level which I think quite difficult compared to IELTS.


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks for passing on your opinion. Actually, there are two IELTS exams – the academic version and the general version. The academic is more challenging, in the reading and writing aspects.

      I agree that the TOEFL helps to prepare you for university-level academic life more effectively, because it forces you to use a variety of skills that you will need once you are there.

      Which exam is easier really depends on each individual’s background. Which exam is better depends on each person’s future goals.

  37. lamtn_1986 :

    Hi Rebecca!, I am from Vietnam and now I want to learn to take an IELTS test. My pre-test score was 4.5 and my goal is 6.0. Please give me some advises and guides so that I can perform my plan?!! Thanks you so much!


    • RebeccaESL :

      Please visit my website, goodluckielts.com , for helpful hints, strategies and suggestions.

      All the best with your exam!

  38. tommy ng :

    hi rebecca!, I am from indonesia.
    I took the ielts test 4 days ago when in speaking section, I had short spoken with an english man. He asked me a question but at that time I couldnt answer the question as well. I guess, I might not pass the ielts exams.actually the reason why I took the test was to use it to submit to a university because the university requires me to have ielts at least 6.5. could you tell me how to deal and how to improve the speaking and my writing?


    • RebeccaESL :

      You do really need to prepare and practice to do well on each section of the exam. Could you join an exam preparation class there? You can prepare alone for the listening and reading sections, but you really need the feedback of a teacher for the writing and speaking sections. That’s the best advice I can give you.

      Other than that, there are specific books aimed at helping you improve your IELTS speaking and writing skills, such as those produced by Cambridge University Press.

      Please watch my video on How to Structure Your TOEFL Essay, on this website. It will help you write a great IELTS essay as well.

      You can also visit my website, http://www.goodluckielts.com for sample essays, essay topics, speaking hints and more.

      You can definitely improve so keep at it! All the best to you.

  39. Saifrocky :

    Dear Ms..
    thanks for your practical endeavor. Please tell me how can i give a free ielts test online for practice.
    Thanks again.


    • RebeccaESL :

      You could type “free online IELTS test” into google or any other search engine and see what shows up.

      Alternatively, you could get hold a good IELTS exam preparation book, such as those produced by Cambridge Univ Press, which have actual exam papers from previous exams. I would trust them more, for you can rehearse with actual exam samples.

      Thanks for your comments and all the best to you.

  40. giacquang1990 :

    hi!teacher!I am a student at university in vietnam.My major is english.you know now i want to get a scholarships because i want to make my parent a pleasure.But my writing skill is’t good so much and I feel very tired when i study it.I should how to do to overcom this subject?!can you give me some advice?thank so much teacher.I hope that I will soon receive from you.


    • RebeccaESL :

      There are many many ways to improve your English writing. Don’t be afraid. Start small.

      Try to make writing a part of your daily life, by keeping a small diary, or summarizing the news of the day, or writing about a hobby of yours – anything that interests you. You do need to have a teacher who can correct your work and guide you.

      There are also many resources, online and in books, which can help you improve.

      For essays, please watch my video on How to Structure Your TOEFL Essay. It will give you some easy strategies to improve your writing quickly.

      You can also read through some sample essays on my websites, goodlucktoefl.com and goodluckielts.com.

      Make better writing your goal for the year and do lots of practice. In academic life, our grades are based mainly on written assignments and papers so it is worth the effort to improve in this area.

      All the best to you.

  41. Olesea :

    Thanks a lot:)!

  42. paranthaman thangaraju :

    hai, how r u? realy very useful ur lesson. difference between toefl and ielts, acually i can’t understand. but ur voice is clear. i think ,i’ll see the ur vedio two or three times after i can clear my doubt.

    relavent any vedios is there? or pl tell me how to clarify my doubts. other wise u will guide me.

    ur voice is clear and good pronunciation. thanks to ur team.

    bye………..


    • RebeccaESL :

      Thanks. Yes. it takes some time to develop our vocabulary and listening skills.

      My best to you.

  43. Boy72 :

    We had four videographers present. ,

  44. guyl3 :

    Hello Rebecca ,

    First I would like to say – Thank you !

    mainly because you helped us (the student) to solve this important question about TOFEL vs IELTS, this is a hot topic for International students.I myself tried to search for an answer and this video help me a lot.
    Second since I picked IELTS already (As you said some was asked to) – I was wonder if you can refer me or “Link” me with detail about “test prep” website.I plan to study in Canada and I must MASTER the English as a “tool’ of my success.

    best regards
    guy

  45. Munkhuu :

    Hello Rebecca. I would like take a IELTS exam. so i want to prepare IELTS exam in your course. Can you help me. How to connect for your course.

  46. RDK :

    which exam is mandatory for studying M.S in canada with GRE score…..IELTS or TOEFL?????

  47. erika :

    Hello Rebeca!!!

    Thank you very much for all your lessons, your speaking is very clear, I like when teachers explain in that way, so we (students) can understand everything. Thanks!!!

    The lessons really helped me to take an overview about the exams and to know all the skills I should have if I want to take one of them.

    I’m from México and I would like to travel to Canada and take one of those programs where you can live with a family. If you have a chance, could you please help me to know more about it???

    Again, thank you so much! =)

  48. hello :

    I would to learn IELTS ..i want to know which sites can i get ILETS (free books)

    I’m hoping your reply
    with thanks

  49. Rohit :

    Hi Rebecca

    Your video is really helpful. I want to know which version of IELTS i.e (academic or general ) is required to do MS in USA ? OR is it better to take TOEFL ?

  50. eleuterio :

    hello PROFESSOR rebecca i’m eleuterio from colombia i jus’t discover this webpage and i’m gratefull for all those wonderfull lessons you’re teaching. i love the one about the uses of money,

    i want to take the TOEFL exam and thanks to you now i really know what’s the exam is all about.

    i enjoy teaching english and i’m getting a lot of tools to use in my classes from all this lessons so once again thank you

    ELEUTERIO

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