The standardized tests: IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC
IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC are the tests of English language proficiently. They are also the standardized tests using around the world. As I have done three of them, in this paper, I am going to break down the differences and similarities of the structure between the IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC. I also describe my thought while doing the tests and discuss how practical each of the tests is and how realistic each test measures.
IELTS
The IELTS contains 4 sections which are Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing but the format is very different comparing to TOEFL test.
Reading
The reading section of the IELTS gives students 3 texts, which may be from academic textbooks or from a newspaper or magazine but all at the level of a university student. One will always be an opinion piece such as, a text arguing for one point of view. The variety of questions on the IELTS is quite broad, and not every text will have every question type. One question type asks students to match headings to paragraphs in the text. They may be asked to complete a summary of the passage using words from the text. Or they may have to fill in a table or chart or picture with words from the text. There may be multiple-choice questions that ask students about key details. One of the hardest question types presents statements and asks them whether these statements are true, false or not included in the text. Students may also be asked to match words and ideas. Finally, some questions are short-answer but the answers will be taken directly from the text itself (Clapham and Alderson, 1997).
Listening
The IELTS has four listening sections. The first is a "transactional conversation" in which someone may be applying for something or asking for information (Clapham and Alderson, 1997). The second section is an informational lecture of some kind, possibly a dean explaining the rules of the university. Third is a conversation in an academic...