Differences between IELTS, TOEFL and gre

Students who are going to study abroad often have questions about the differences between TOEFL, IELTS and GRE. Today, Bian Xiao sorted out the differences between them. Bian Xiao will explain the differences among TOEFL, IELTS and GRE from the following three aspects, hoping to help the students.

1. The nature of the exam

2. Examination mode

3. Use of grades

What's the difference between TOEFL, IELTS and GRE? Figure 1

1. The nature of the exam is different.

1) TOEFL and IELTS are English language proficiency tests, which "examine the ability of candidates whose mother tongue is not English to study and communicate abroad".

This can also be confirmed by the English spelling of TOEFL and IELTS.

TOEFL (English as a Foreign Language Test)

International English Language Testing System

GRE test, the full name of Graduate Achievement Test, is a logical analysis test based on English, which focuses on logical level and academic ability. English is only used as a tool language for the test.

That is to say: you are from China, and your mother tongue is Chinese, but you want to study and live in an English-speaking country, so the other party needs to judge whether you have English language strength through your TOEFL or IELTS score, so that you can communicate normally and smoothly in your daily study.

GRE is like the "postgraduate entrance examination" for our American undergraduates. Undergraduate students in the United States who want to study for a master's degree must take this exam and accept the examination of their academic level by the graduate school. At this time, they don't care that the language used in the exam is English, because that is their mother tongue, just as we don't care that the test paper is Chinese characters when we take the postgraduate entrance examination. But as a native of China, if you want to go to the United States to study for a master's degree, you must prove to each other that you have language skills, logical analysis and academic ability. Therefore, both TOEFL and GRE should be tested.

2. The examination method and difficulty are different.

1) Different exam subjects:

The contents of TOEFL and IELTS are: listening, speaking, reading and writing;

GRE test contents are: Chinese (verbal reasoning), mathematics (quantitative reasoning) and analytical writing;

2) Different inspection modes:

1 IELTS: At present, the paper-and-pencil test is adopted; The perfect score of each of the four courses is 9, and the total score is weighted to give 9 points.

* I remember my roommate came back from the IELTS test and held up a fluorescent green "egg pencil" (issued by the examination room) and said, "If I don't pass the exam, I will spend 1850 yuan to buy a pen. . . "

② TOEFL: There are three kinds of TOEFL tests, namely: TOEFL PBT-paper test, TOEFL CBT-computer test and TOEFL IBT-online test.

At present, the TOEFL online test is implemented all over the world, with a full score of 30 points for each of the four courses, with a total score of120;

Only the TOEFL paper test stayed in the United States, with a perfect score of 677.

The picture below shows the TOEFL score requirements of Columbia University for graduate program applicants. We can see that the requirement of paper test is 600 points, and the requirement of online test is 100 points.

What's the difference between TOEFL, IELTS and GRE? Figure 2

The picture comes from the internet.

③ GRE: Most countries and regions in the world (including China) are computer-based exams, and only some countries, such as Cambodia, are paper-and-pencil exams; The full marks of three subjects are 170, mathematics 170, writing 6, and the total score is 340+6.

3) The test difficulty is different:

From the module of composition, the difference between them is that IELTS and TOEFL composition is "Do you agree that the advice of elders is more valuable than that of peers", while GRE composition is "Implementing women's college education will improve students' moral level and ensure alumni to give financial support to the college"

So generally speaking, if a student needs to prepare for GRE and TOEFL, we will advise him to take the GRE before taking the TOEFL. On the one hand, because the GRE score is valid for five years, on the other hand, when you get the GRE score, your English level and logic level have been greatly improved, and it will be easier to come back and take the TOEFL test.

3. The purpose of grades is different.

1) study abroad

GRE, TOEFL and IELTS are all grades that must be submitted when applying for foreign graduate programs. And the difference between them lies in different countries.

Applicants for postgraduate programs in Commonwealth countries, such as Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. , or universities in China and Hongkong, need to submit IELTS scores as language scores.

Under normal circumstances, if IELTS really fails, British universities will allow you to take language classes for a few weeks before the normal start of school, that is, learn English first. Of course, this is also an income of the school.

(2) To apply for American graduate programs, you need to submit TOEFL scores and GRE scores. Moreover, these two grades are the hard criteria for colleges and universities to admit students. If you don't get enough GRE and TOEFL scores, other institutions will think that you can't complete your study tasks during your graduate studies and will be eliminated.

2) Work

Now many foreign companies will have TOEFL and IELTS scores in their application forms.

Some foreign-related business positions in foreign companies, such as auditors of the Big Four, traders of investment banks and consultants of consulting companies, all need TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Companies that make a lot of money, such as McKinsey and Morgan Stanley, will have optional scores such as GRE/GMAT scores.