The IELTS and TOEFL exams are known by English language students worldwide. Both exams are used by universities to assess the English language ability of applicants.
The IELTS test is jointly owned by The British Council, IELTS Australia and University of Cambridge. That is to say, it is associated with the British government and traditionally was used by British universities, as well as New Zealand and Australian universities to determine the language capability of foreign students. TOEFL is administered by ETS, a US-based non-profit and is used widely by American and Canadian universities. However, these days, in order to make it easy on international students, universities all over the world take both TOEFL and IELTS.
These test have four sections
1. Reading measures the ability to understand academic reading matter.
2. Listening measures the ability to understand English as it is used in colleges and universities.
3. Speaking measures the ability to speak English.
4. Writing measures the ability to write in a way that is appropriate for college and university course work.
The TOEFL Internet-based test emphasizes integrated skills and measures all four language skills, including speaking. The content on the test is authentic, and the language is consistent with that used in everyday, real academic settings.
A computerized version of IELTS called (CB IELTS) is now also available (currently in Delhi only). All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules. There is a choice of Reading and Writing Modules, where a candidate can either opt for Academic or General Training Module.The first three Modules- Listening, Reading and Writing- must be completed in one day. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test centre, either seven days before or after the other three modules.
British versus American English
If you are more comfortable with US English, the TOEFL is a good bet but if you are used to British English and accents, you’ll do better on the IELTS.
Multiple choice versus Copying Down
For the reading and listening sections, TOEFL gives you multiple-choice questions. The good thing about multiple-choice is that it is easy to pick out wrong answers, whereas the good thing about copying down is that the answer is sitting there in the text. You just have to find it and repeat it.
Predictable or Different Every Time
TOEFL is also more predictable than the IELTS. The IELTS throws lots of different question types at you, and the instructions are often slightly different every time. That makes it harder to prepare for. The TOEFL, on the other hand, is pretty much the same test every time–pick A, B, C, D, or E.
Speaking to a Person or a Computer?
In TOEFL spoken part carried out by talking to a mic and having your speech recorded for them to assess, while IELTS is a face-to-face interview. People who feel more comfortable with interviews may score higher on IELTS, people who feel better talking to a screen may get along better with TOEFL.
Typically, universities decide which test candidates for admission must take.