Hello
Fellas, what are you up to?? I know its been a month that I haven’t posted any
articles. Well, I’ve been busy accomplishing my PI (Scientific Resource). The
due date is on February. So, I have to accomplish it as soon as possible. As
usual, I have another assignment from my lecture to post about the differences between TOEFL, TOEIC,
TEFL, and the last but not least is IELTS. I bet that you’ve heard those before,
however, do you know the differences between it? Well, lemme explain it to you.
1.
TOEFL
TOEFL
otherwise known as Test of English as Foreign Language, this exam is
currently the most common for non-native English speakers. 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 the present
time, an individual’s TOEFL score is
valid for two years and then subject for re-evaluation after the two year period.
1.1.
TOEFL IBT® Test Scores
Your scores are based
on your performance on the question test.
You must answer at least one question each in the Reading
and Listening sections, write at least one essay, and complete at least
one Speaking task to receive an official score.
For the TOEFL IBT test, administered
via the internet, you will receive for scaled section scores and a total
score :
·
Reading Section (Score of : 0 – 30)
·
Listening Section (Score of : 0 – 30)
·
Speaking Section (Score of : 0 – 30)
·
Writing Section (Score of : 0 – 30)
·
Total Score ( 1 – 120)
In
addition to your scores, your test taker score report also includes
performance feedback that is a
reflection of your performance level and a description of the kinds of tasks
that test takers within the reported
score range can typically do.
There
is no passing or failing TOEFL® score; individual higher education
institutions and agencies set their own score requirements. TOEFL scores are
valid for two years after the test date and there is no limit to the number of
times you can take the test, but you cannot take it more than once in a 12-day
period. If you already have a test appointment, you cannot register for another
test within 12 days of your existing appointment.
2.
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.
2.1.
TOEIC SCORES
2.1.2.
TOEIC Listening & Reading Test
The
TOEIC Listening & Reading Test is a two-hour multiple-choice test consisting
of 200 questions evenly divided into listening comprehension and reading
comprehension. Each candidate receives independent scores for listening and
reading comprehension on a scale from 5 to 495 points. The total score adds up
to a scale from 10 to 990 points. The TOEIC certificate exists in five colors,
corresponding to achieved results:
orange (10–219)
brown (220–469)
green (470–729)
blue (730–859)
gold (860–990)
2.1.3.TOEIC Speaking & Writing
Test
The
TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test was introduced in 2006. Test takers receive
separate scores for each of the two tests, or can take the Speaking test
without taking the Writing test. The Speaking test assesses pronunciation,
vocabulary, grammar, and fluency, while the Writing test examines vocabulary,
grammar, and overall coherence and organization. The tests are designed to
reflect actual English usage in the workplace, though they do not require any
knowledge of specialized business terms. The TOEIC Speaking Test takes
approximately 20 minutes to complete; the TOEIC writing test lasts
approximately 60 minutes. Each test has a score range between 0-200, with test
takers grouped into eight proficiency levels.
3.
TEFL
TESL,
TEFL and ESL are just acronyms for “Teaching English as a Second Language” and
“Teaching English as a Foreign Language” and “English as a Second Language,”
respectively. For the layperson, they can be used more or less interchangably.
4.
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.
4.1.IELTS SCORES
The Test Report Form provides your Overall Band
Score and band scores for each of the four components: Listening, Reading,
Writing and Speaking.
Overall Band Score
The Overall Band Score
is the average of the four component scores, rounded to the nearest whole or
half band. The component scores are weighted equally.
Some examples:
|
|
Listening
|
Reading
|
Writing
|
Speaking
|
Average of four components
(total of the four individual component scores divided by four) |
Band score
|
|
Test taker A
|
6.5
|
6.5
|
5
|
7
|
6.25
|
6.5
|
|
Test taker B
|
4.0
|
3.5
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
3.875
|
4.0
|
|
Test taker C
|
6.5
|
6.5
|
5.5
|
6.0
|
6.125
|
6.0
|
If the average of the
four components ends in .25, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the next
half band, and if it ends in .75, the Overall Band Score is rounded up to the
next whole band.
Component Band Scores
Listening
The IELTS Listening test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
Reading
The IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
The Academic and General Training Reading tests are graded on the same scale. The distinction between the two tests is one of genre or text type. However, Academic Reading tests may contain texts which feature more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity of style. It is usual that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on a General Training Reading test to secure a given band score.
The tables below indicate the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in
The IELTS Listening test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
Reading
The IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS nine-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
The Academic and General Training Reading tests are graded on the same scale. The distinction between the two tests is one of genre or text type. However, Academic Reading tests may contain texts which feature more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity of style. It is usual that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on a General Training Reading test to secure a given band score.
The tables below indicate the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in
Listening, Academic
Reading and General Training Reading.
|
Listening
|
|
Academic Reading
|
|
General Training Reading
|
|||
|
Band score
|
Raw score out of 40
|
|
Band score
|
Raw score out of 40
|
|
Band score
|
Raw score out of 40
|
|
5
|
16
|
|
5
|
15
|
|
4
|
15
|
|
6
|
23
|
|
6
|
23
|
|
5
|
23
|
|
7
|
30
|
|
7
|
30
|
|
6
|
30
|
|
8
|
35
|
|
8
|
35
|
|
7
|
34
|
Writing
Examiners use
assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the four criteria:
- Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task
2)
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The criteria are
weighted equally and the score on the task is the average.
Speaking
Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the four criteria:
Speaking
Examiners use assessment criteria to award a band score for each of the four criteria:
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Pronunciation
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