英语演讲比赛托福PK雅思：考官谈两大王牌考试的异同

2021年1月14日发(作者：窦镇)

托福PK雅思：考官谈两大王牌考试的异同

Which test is more difficult?
For most people this question is irrelevant, as most people know many Universities
or colleges will specify which test you must take. Most institutions will accept one
but not the other, although the number of schools which accept both seems to be
increasing gradually.
If you are one of the people faced with the choice, there are a few differences which
you might consider before making your decision.
Overall the two tests are actually quite similar. They both involve a long and
exhausting test session. For many people these two tests will be the longest
sitting
Obviously both tests now include the same 4 modules (Speaking, Writing, Listening
and Reading) although these are broken down into sub-tests quite differently, TOEFL
preferring a larger number of smaller test modules (e.g. 6 separate speaking
sub-tests).
Another clear similarity is that for both the speaking and writing tests these two
testing systems use very detailed and precise marking systems. This is where the real
differences exist, in the actual way that the scores are given.
The Speaking Test
When you analyze the marking criteria for the two tests it starts to become clear
that these tests are quite different.
If you consider the scoring system overall, the key difference is the band scores.
TOEFL Speaking awards scores on a scale of 1 to 4 whereas as IELTS uses 1 to 9.
The important thing to realize here is that the differences between the scores or
the boundarieswill be quite different. Because TOEFL only awards scores from
1 to 4, candidates in the score region of 3 for example can actually have quite
different levels of ability. In contrast, for IELTS candidates, people in the band
level of 6 will have very similar overall Speaking abilities.
How do the scores relate to each other? A commonly asked question is whether a TOEFL
Speaking Level 4 is the same as an IELTS Speaking Band 9. The answer is that the scores
are not parallel. It is not easy to calculate but an intelligent estimation would
be that a TOEFL Level 4 is approximately the same level as an IELTS 6.5.
However, as I explained the TOEFL score is wider, so in fact any IELTS Speaking
candidate with a score of 6 - 9 would most likely be awarded Level 4 in TOEFL.
What does this mean for the candidate? One way that this could be relevant is for
very high level candidates. A candidate with excellent Spoken English would really
be given the recognition that he or she deserves, for example a Band Score 8 or 9.
If that same candidate took the TOEFL test they would only be able to score Level
4 in each question, putting them in the same category as some one who is only an IELTS
Band 6.
I witnessed this situation recently. A student from one of my TOEFL classes scored
very high in the TOEFL Speaking Test and then two months later took the IELTS test
and scored 6.0 for Speaking.


From this point of view it can be said that it is easier to achieve high scores in
TOEFL Speaking than it is in IELTS Speaking.
What are differences in the marking systems?
One thing that we must remember is that both systems are testing your ability to use
spoken English in an academic context. This means that on a fundamental level they
are both testing the basic elements of speaking: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation,
fluency, error frequency, consistent mistakes and expression.
However, one distinction in the marking systems is that the focus is not the same.
If we take a very simple view, it could be said that TOEFL Speaking works in this
way; if you take a non-native English Speaker and put them into an English Speaking
Academic Environment (e.g. a university lecture on economics) how well would the
candidate be able to interact with other students and the lecturer.
The TOEFL Speaking test is much more focused on your ability to use English in relation
to academic tasks and to express your ideas clearly.
So really TOEFL Speaking takes the approach that candidates do not need to be
users
in academic discussion.
IELTS does not follow the same pattern. The scores for IELTS Speaking focus much more
on colloquial language ability. IELTS does not put your speaking ability into the

The higher scores for IELTS are testing your ability to produce certain features of
spoken English that are typical of native-speakers.
This means that IELTS Speaking is actually less academically focused that TOEFL. To
achieve a high IELTS score candidates must demonstrate the ability to use
style languagethis includes things like slang, uncommon
vocabulary and conversational devices (spoken linking words).
To summarize this we can say that IELTS is about speaking English in a natural
native- speaker style and TOEFL is about using English in relation to academic tasks.
Are the tasks similar?
TOEFL Speaking Questions 1 and 2 are very similar to IELTS Speaking questions. Many
of the topics used are identical and it is difficult to say who is copying who, many
of the newer topics in both IELTS and TOEFL are exactly the same.
Questions 3-6 in TOEFL are Task-based so they require the candidate to have some
ability to read and listen. This is another difference, a student with terrible
listening and reading skills would still be able to achieve a high score in IELTS
speaking but this student would have problems with TOEFL questions 3-6.
Will my accent make a difference?
This is one of the most common pronunciation questions. Quite simply the answer is
that accent is not actually marked in either test.
Of course if you have a British, American or Australian accent your pronunciation
will be much clearer and easier to understand (regardless of where your examiner comes
from). Some students believe that they will lose marks if they use an American accent
or in IELTS or a British accent in TOEFL, this is not true.
If we return to the marking system, in IELTS the highest pronunciation score is Band