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PTE General

Who Else Wants To Switch From IELTS To PTE?

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If you want to secure your desired score at one of the English tests, how would you go about it?

Chances are you are either going to take the IELTS Test or the PTE test.

But the IELTS test is hard - especially when you aim for a perfect 8-8-8-8.

I haven’t met many students able to get this score, even a lot of my friends who have an excellent level of English couldn’t get the last 8, and yes this is what it takes to boost your immigration score by 20 points.

So what if there was another way to achieve your desired score? A way that is easier and doesn't take as long to prepare.

It took me over six months for an overall score of 7 at the IELTS test, whereas one of my friends got 79 at the PTE test in less than two months, both having the same English level...

If you just need to get5 or 6, you probably can succeed at both; however, if you need to get seven upwards, I would suggest to switch over to the PTE Test. It will make your life easier.

Need 6 or less? Consider both otherwise pick the PTE Test!

So why make a move from IELTS to PTE? Let's cover all the differences in this article.


Difference between IELTS and PTE

IELTS stands for International English Language Test System, and PTE stands for the Pearson Test of English Academics.

Both of these tests were created to testify the proficiency of non-native English speakers. IELTS has been around since 1989 and was created by the British Council and Cambridge English Language Assessment, whereas PTE was built in 2009 by Pearson.

Both of these tests have completely different tasks to determine the test-takers and their skills regarding the English language. Still, the modules are respectively the same, which are speaking, writing, reading, and listening.

A lot of people want to know whether IELTS is the right choice for them to go with or PTE. But to make a decision, you must know the differences between both the tests and then decide what suits you best. Let's talk about the differences between IELTS and PTE tests module-wise.


Difference between PTE speaking & IELTS speaking:

The PTE test used to be the only one that you take on a computer, but as of last year, IELTS also introduced a computer version of their test.

It is important to note that in the IELTS test, you still have to complete the speaking part in front of an examiner as they take your interview, which is far more intimidating as compared to the PTE test.

examiner vs computer

In this article, we'll just talk briefly about each type of exercise. We have special articles dedicated to each section which you can find in our PTE guide introduction page.

Let's now compare the sections of speaking modules for both tests.

In PTE

  • read aloud
  • repeat a sentence
  • describe an image
  • retell lecture
  • answer short question

In IELTS

  • personal Intro
  • give an opinion on a subject
  • discussion with an examiner

Is PTE or IELTS easier?

It depends on what kind of person you are, do you prefer to improvise on the spot and talking to a person or do you prefer to prepare for a specified type of questions.

The nervousness you feel in front of your examiner in IELTS might impact the way you perform. You may freeze and start panicking, which is likely to make you fail the speaking section.

On the contrary, with the PTE Test, you'll have to answer various questions, you can nail some, fail some and still be successful by the end of the section.

To be honest, only describe image and retell lecture are challenging. You should be able to score high for the other type of questions if you practice beforehand.

Naturally chatty and comfortable with people? IELTS might be easier for the speaking part.


Difference between PTE writing & IELTS writing

examiner vs computer

In the PTE writing module, you have to:

  • summarize a long text into only one sentence.
  • summarize a text that is spoken to you into 70 words.
  • write an essay containing between 200 and 300 words in 20 minutes

In the IELTS writing module, you have to:

  • describe a graph or a chart or a map.
  • write an essay containing 250 words in 40 minutes.

In PTE you need to write your essay in 20 minutes, in IELTS 40 minutes.

Which one is easier?

For the writing module, IELTS is a bit trickier to complete even though you have an hour, but PTE writing is a lot easier and quicker as the essay is always the same prompt, an argumentative essay.

In IELTS writing, the essay prompt changes a lot so you cannot be fully prepared, but for PTE essay, it is very predictable, which gains PTE writing more points when it comes to easiness level of comparison.

PTE

  • More Predictable
  • You can master essays with a template
  • Easier to score more points.

IELTS

  • More time (40 mins compared to 20)

Difference between PTE reading & IELTS reading

For the reading module, PTE is more straightforward and a lot easier to get better at. You only need to get comfortable with a few types of exercise, whereas the IELTS test offers many types of exercise.

You will also notice that the texts are a lot longer in the IELTS Test. It might be challenging to answer all the questions before the time limit.

read aloud pte

Try a practice sample of Multiple answer - PTE

Exercise to be familiar with in PTE

  • Single answer
  • Multiple answer
  • Re-order paragraph
  • Fill in blank
  • Read/Write Fill in blank

Exercise to be familiar with in IELTS

  • Matching headings questions
  • True False Not Given / Yes No Not Given Questions
  • Matching paragraph information questions
  • Summary completion question
  • Sentence completion questions
  • Multiple choice questions
  • List selection
  • Choosing a title
  • Categorisation questions
  • Matching sentence endings
  • Table completion
  • Flow chart completion questions
  • Diagram completion questions
  • Short answer questions

ielts reading vs pte reading - long list

Which one is easier?

The reading part is not the most challenging in either of the tests. You should be able to clear it either on the IELTS or PTE test. However, as you can see, there is an exhaustive list of exercises to master in IELTS. I'd give the advantage to the PTE test for its simplicity when it comes to preparing for it (5 exercises type versus 14).


Difference between PTE listening & IELTS listening:

It is now time to compare the last section for both tests.

In PTE

  • Single answer
  • Multiple answers
  • Write from dictation
  • Highlight correct summary
  • Highligh incorrect words
  • Fill in blank
  • Summarize spoken text
  • Select missing word

In IELTS

You have to listen to 4 recordings and answer to a variety of exercises similar to the reading module.

Which one is easier?

For IELTS listening, you get 30 minutes, but for PTE listening, you have approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

However, if you practice and are good at listening, you can clear both of the tests with ease. The practice is all that matters, after all.


Is PTE cheaper than IELTS?

No, prices are relatively similar at about $340 per test. It is important to note that the fees for the PTE test increase if you book within the last 48 hours before the test.

pte price comparison


Are both the test available in all the countries?

IELTS test is known to be available in more than 10,000 institutions worldwide as it is very popular among non-native English speakers, however PTE test is available in approximately in 719 institutions located in over 50 countries worldwide.


Which one you should choose for Australian, Canadian, U.S., & England immigration?

For immigration purposes, if you are looking to move to Australia, PTE is a great option. For other countries, however, you will have to opt in for the IELTS test.


IELTS and PTE scoring explained

In IELTS: The marking system for the ielts test ranges from 1 to 9. A score of 8 or 9 is considered the expert level which is quite difficult to gain as a non-native English speaker.

In PTE: The marking system for the pte test ranges from 1 to 90. The score is a summation of all exercises. Some are marked on partial credit, and sometimes the tasks of the test are marked as straight-up correct or incorrect. In PTE, a score of 79 (the equivalent to IELTS 8) is considered as a great result for PTE.


Convertir IELTS score to PTE score

Check the table below if you need to convert your IELTS score to the PTE equivalent:

pte price comparison

Find the IELTS to PTE conversion table here.

PTE vs IELTS table

I have summed up important points to help you in your final decision.

OrganizationPTEIELTS
Academic PurposeRecognized by 1800 programs in 719 institutionsAccepted by 10,000+ institutions in 140+ countries.
ImmigrationAccepted in Australia onlyAccepted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK
Exam Duration3 hours2 hours 45 min
DifficultyHardVery hard
Result Waiting Time2 to 5 daysComputer based: 2 to 5 days / Paper based: 14 days
Fees (varies depending on countries)~ AUD330 in Australia~ AUD340 in Australia

Conclusion

Maybe you've been working hard on the IELTS test to get your desired score, but haven't been successful yet. I think if your situation justifies it (you want to immigrate to Australia, or one of the institutes you wish to join recognizes the PTE test), then you should give PTE a shot. You might be surprised at how easy it is to get a higher score.

I hope this article has been somewhat useful 😅. If I missed anything, please leave your comment below. If you've taken both, let us know what your experience was. We'll be interested to hear!


Need help for your PTE preparation ?

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pte success teacher

Radhesh Patel

Radhesh arrived in Sydney in 2014 from India and graduated with a Masters of Professional Accounting. He enters the tech world to bring his business expertise to startup companies. After achieving his desired score at the PTE test, he recently received his permanent residency in Australia where he now lives.

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