TOEFL Vs PTE? While applying for a Visa or educational institutes abroad, you will come across so many terms that have great potential to confuse you. What letter to give to universities, how to frame yourself so that you get into your desired organization, and what is the right and suitable way for you? What exams should you take? Well, in this article, we are tackling one of those questions and that is, which exam should you take among the two: TOEFL and PTE
Both are exams to measure your calibre in the English language and how well you will be able to articulate the information thrown at you if you are to be in an English-speaking environment. But what is their difficulty level, how relevant can they be for you and how much, which one of them is easier and more affordable? Let’s find out.
What is TOEFL?
TOEFL or TOEFL iBT stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language, conducted by Educational Testing Service. This test can be taken fully at home via computer. It is recognised across over 1200 universities and more than 160 countries in the world. It is well sorted after the English proficiency test and is majorly famous in the US, Canada and Europe.
What is PTE?
Pearson Test of English, which is conducted by Pearson PLC Group, is accepted across 74 countries and above 3000 universities. Countries like the US, Canada, and New Zealand accept PTE tests for admission and visas. PTE is conducted entirely online through computers.
How are PTE and TOEFL Different?
| Structure of TOEFL | Structure of PTE |
| Reading 3-4 passages (mainly fact-based, non-fiction) will be given under which you will get 10 questions and you will have to answer them. Duration is usually from 54-72 mins. | Reading This section is 32-40 minutes long in which passage comprehension, fill-ups, and jumbled sentences will be given and you will have to choose a single answer for the answer through MCQs |
Listening Here, 3-4 audio clips of lectures will be played. And you will have to listen and answer 6 questions for each clip. Daily routine conversations of different accents are played, each 3 min long and 6 questions per conversation will be asked. This portion usually lasts 41-57 minutes in total. | Listening: 45-47 minutes long this part of PTE will involve you identifying missing words, mistakes, fill-ups etc. |
Speaking This portion lasts for 17 minutes in which you have to do four tasks. One of the tasks will involve you giving your opinion on a familiar topic. You will get 30 secs to get ready to speak. The other 3 tasks will be based on listening and reading Writing Here you will have 50 minutes to complete this part. Two tasks will be given. In task 1, you will be listening and reading and based on that you will have to do the task. 20 minutes will be given here. In task 2, where you will be giving your opinion on a topic. 30 minutes will be allotted here. | Speaking and Writing This part is 77-93 mins long. Here, you will have to give an introduction of yourself, read out sentences and summarise lectures alongside answering Q/A based on the lectures. You will also have to write a 200-300 word essay |
Scoring
The TOEFL has a very simple layout if we talk about the marking scheme since each portion is of 30 marks. In PTE the marking is based on the band score of 0-90. If you have scored 65 out of 90, you have passed the test.
Duration of exam
TOEFL is a is 3 hours, however, it can depend on what category of TOEFL you are taking. On the other hand, PTE is less than 3 hours long.
Pricing
PTE is a bit cheaper than TOEFL. The TOEFL exam costs INR 16,900 and PTE costs INR 15,900.
Format
TOEFL consists of MCQ questions and short questions and answers. On the other hand, PTE has only MCQ-type questions. TOEFL has fact-based, non-fiction paragraphs and PTE has quite simple and interesting paragraphs to comprehend.
In PTE, there are three categories: PTE Academic, PTE General and PTE Academic Online.
In TOEFL, there are 5 categories:
- TOEFL iBT: This test can be conducted either online or offline (paper mode)
- TOEFL Essentials: This test is a shorter version and is 90 minutes long only. It covers very basic English and has daily routine-ish essays. However, this is not too popular among universities.
- TOEFL ITP Assessment Series: This test is useful if you are looking to get into an extensive English course. This is accepted by around 1500+ universities and across all types of English-speaking environments.
- TOEFL Junior: This is another test, which has two different sections. One section has English comprehension, meaning and reading is graded and is 2 hours long. The 2nd part consists of a speaking task, which usually lasts 18 minutes. This helps teachers to understand what the understanding level of a student is in English and based on that they suggest books to them.
- TOEFL Primary: This test is for children 8 or above. This test is to evaluate their listening, reading, writing and speaking skills so that teachers can deal with them accordingly.
Registration and Result Announcement
Registration of PTE lasts much longer and you will quickly know the result soon after you take the exam while TOEFL has a much shorter registration time and the result also takes quite a a bit of time.
How are PTE and TOEFL similar?
Both are computer-based exams. You can speak to the computer to deliver your answers and viva is taken online through AI technology only. PTE checks the papers through AI, which means no bias crosses the evaluation process.
Conclusion
While TOEFL vs PTE can be a long debate, the article simplifies your options. If you want simple and quick results and easier essay formats and are comfortable with a computer-based examination, delivered purely online, then PTE can be the right choice for you, given that the university or the country that you want to get into accepts PTE tests for Visa and admission. PTE’s English is not too difficult. If you have a grasp of English web series and movies, it can be a cakewalk for you to pass the test. All in all, when in doubt regarding TOEFL vs PTE, ensure that you are clear about all their features and requirements.
If you are into informative and fact-based essays, if you are not comfortable with computer-based test taking and want to give a paper-based examination, TOEFL can be a great alternative for you. However, it totally depends on how and what exam you want to take and how it benefits you in the long run.
At Admissify we provide all such information and much more. We understand that moving and settling abroad can be a cumbersome task given so many rules and regulations that are to be followed. But if you have the right guidance, you can land your dream university or job without any obstacles. Because information is what makes you more confident in your decisions and leads to a better future for you.
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FAQs
How to crack exams like TOEFL and PTE?
Cracking English proficiency exams as a non-native person can seem like a daunting issue to tackle. To ensure that you are on the right path, you can take coaching classes and take guidance from people who have gone through this procedure before you. If you have a grasp of the English language but are confused as to what kind of questions the exam will contain, then you can refer to some question papers and handbooks to understand the format, scoring and how the papers are structured.
Is TOEFL more popular than PTE?
TOEFL is considered in over 1200 universities and more than 150 countries. So in that comparison, yes, PTE is more popular than TOEFL but it is gaining popularity pretty quickly. Many countries like New Zealand, the US, and Canada do accept the PTE result.
How long before should you start preparing for TOEFL or PTE?
The ideal time will be at least 3-4 months before your university’s registration starts. This will give you plenty of time to research and practice your English to get ready for the test.
Is the PTE a paper-based test?
PTE is not a paper-based test. It is conducted online via computer, so if you don’t have a stable internet connection or no way to get a computer, you can switch to TOEFL as it provides a paper-based test-taking method as well.
Do I need to take an English Proficiency test if English has been part of my curriculum in courses?
Yes, these tests are important as they will give you a green flag in regard to your competency in the English language. This will help you not only Visa but it is a requirement in educational institutes. These tests are taken to make sure you will be able to function in an English-speaking majority population. There are many tests, IELTS, PTE or TOEFL. Among these tests, you can choose which one suits your needs. These tests are taken even when you want an extension of your Visa or you want a permanent settlement in a country where English tends to be the dominant language.
Gaurav Kandari is a seasoned study abroad consultant with over 5 years of experience, specializing in guiding students to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. An avid traveler, he draws on his global adventures to enrich his consulting, providing invaluable insights to aspiring scholars.
