IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a globally recognized standardized test designed to assess the English language proficiency of non-native speakers. IELTS evaluates the four essential language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and it is accepted by over 10,000 organizations worldwide, including universities, immigration authorities, and employers. Your performance in each section of the IELTS exam is marked on a scale of 1-9. The overall band score for your IELTS test is calculated by averaging your band scores from each section.
Many students choose IELTS to meet language requirements for higher education in English-speaking countries. Universities and colleges often require applicants to submit their IELTS scores as evidence of their English language proficiency. IELTS serves as a reliable and widely accepted measure of English proficiency, offering numerous academic, professional, and immigration opportunities for individuals worldwide.
The Speaking section tests your ability to communicate in English. It lasts for approximately 11-14 minutes. You will have a conversation with an examiner. The conversation will cover a variety of topics, such as your work, studies, and interests. You will also be asked to give a short presentation on a topic of your choice.
The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English. It lasts for approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes transfer time). You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions. The recordings cover a variety of topics, such as social interaction, education, and training.
The Reading section tests your ability to understand written English. It lasts for approximately 60 minutes. You will read three texts on a variety of topics, such as academic, general, and social issues. The texts are of different lengths and types, and you will be asked a variety of questions about them, such as multiple choice, matching, and summary completion.
The Writing section tests your ability to write in English. It lasts for approximately 60 minutes. You will be asked to complete two tasks. The four criteria for assessing IELTS Writing are task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.
| Test Parameters | Duolingo | IELTS | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mode of examination | Computer-based | Computer-based Paper-based |
Computer-based Paper-based |
| Exam Fees (USD) | 4,092 | 15,500 | 15,262 |
| Duration (Total) | 48 hours or 2 days | 3–5 days (Computer-based) 13 days (Paper-based) |
8 days |
| Number of sections | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Sections | Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
| Scoring Range & Methods | Score (10–160) | Bands (0–9) | Score (0–120) |
| IELTS Band (0–9) | TOEFL IBT (0–120) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 118 |
| 8.5 | 115 |
| 8 | 110 |
| 7.5 | 102 |
| 7 | 94 |
| 6.5 | 79 |
| 6 | 60 |
| 5.5 | 46 |
| 5 | 35 |
| 4.5 | 32 |
| IELTS Band (0–9) | PTE (10–90) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 90 |
| 8.5 | 85 |
| 8 | 80 |
| 7.5 | 76 |
| 7 | 72 |
| 6.5 | 65 |
| 6 | 58 |
| 5.5 | 50 |
| 5 | 42 |
| 4.5 | 35 |
| IELTS Band (0–9) | DET (10–160) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 160 |
| 8.5 | 155 |
| 8 | 150 |
| 7.5 | 140 |
| 7 | 130 |
| 6.5 | 120 |
| 6 | 110 |
| 5.5 | 100 |
| 5 | 90 |
| 4.5 | 80 |