Difference between IELTS and PTE. All you need to know

In the previous article, we talked about the difference between IELTS and TOEFL In this article, we will learn about the difference between IELTS and PTE.

English proficiency exams like IELTS and PTE and the GRE and GMAT also form part of the requirements for university applications in English-speaking countries.  

In many cases, all applicants with a non-English speaking background must submit their IELTS/PTE scores to the university to which they are applying to.

Difference between IELTS and PTE

Basis of Distinction	IELTS (Academic)	PTE (Academic)
Name	International English Language Testing System	Pearson Test of English
Conducting Body	British Council and IDP Education Ltd	Pearson PLC group
Duration	2 hours 45 minutes	145 minutes to 190 minutes to finish fully
Sections	Reading, writing, listening, and speaking	Reading, writing, listening, and speaking
Medium of conduct	Computer-based and Paper-based	Computer-based
Score range	Band 0 to 9	Band 10 to 90
No. of times	Candidates can take this exam 48 times a year	Candidates can take this exam for more than 360 days a year
Country of Preference	All UK universities accept IELTS academic test scores as a certification of English language ability	Usually accepted by universities in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand
Cost (Usual)	$225	$150 – $210
Validity of scores	2 years	2 years

Let’s have a deep understanding of the difference between IELTS and PTE

Speaking  

IELTS speaking test is given face to face and lasts 10-15 minutes. Students must speak at length about a familiar topic and answer questions.  

PTE requires you to make a personal introduction, read aloud, repeat sentences, describe the visual, retell the lecture, and answer a question. 

Writing

In IELTS writing test is to explain a graph or diagram, and the second is to write an essay on a given topic or the evaluation of an argument. 

PTE, you must summarize a text in one sentence and then write an essay based on it. 

Reading

The IELTS test includes questions based on the reading of three long passages; students must answer questions in various formats such as gap fillings, short answers, and so on after reading.  

The PTE exam consists of five academic passages with questions designed to assess various skills. The student must respond to inquiries by filling in the blanks, rearranging paragraphs, and answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs). 

Listening

In the IELTS listening section, students must answer questions based on four monologues that as played for them. 

PTE, this section includes questions such as summarizing the spoken text, highlighting the correct summary, selecting a missing word, writing from dictation, etc.

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