With all the challenges that newcomers face, I can understand why they would want to find the "easiest" English proficiency test. Time is of the essence. Learners want to take the test once - pass it - and then get on with their lives. When they hear my response to the popular question, most individuals become quite upset. The truth is that I'm not in a position to answer the question as soon as I meet a student, either online or in class. I’m not trying to be facetious, and I’m not trying to avoid the question. I am simply trying to say that the answer to the question depends on two things which only the learner can answer: (1) admission requirements; (2) individual strengths and weaknesses. Admission Requirements Some colleges and universities prefer one test over the other. If you are applying to an American university, for example, the TOEFLiBT might be a wise choice because the test is developed in the United States. Some universities prefer the IELTS (Academic) which is developed in the U.K. Some universities or colleges have their own independent English proficiency exams. This means that you don’t have to take the more challenging TOEFL iBT, the IELTS or the CAEL. Please speak to the admission offices in the colleges and universities that you are interested in attending. They can provide you with more information about this. Personal strengths and weaknesses Let me be a little more specific for the foreign-trained professionals who need to achieve a particular score on either the IELTS (Academic) or the TOEFL iBT. Many foreign-trained doctors or foreign-trained lawyers, for example, need to take the IELTS exam and pass with a specific score. As far as personal abilities go, I usually advise learners to “follow the path of least resistance”. What does this mean? It means that students must have a good understanding of their strengths and make the most of them. For example, if you are a detailed, problem-solving kind of person, perhaps you won’t mind answering the TASK 1 writing assignment on the IELTS. On the other hand, if graphs, charts, numerical tables and diagrams are not your strong suit, perhaps the integrated writing task on the TOEFL might be a better choice. In this question you listen to a piece of audio and read a related passage. Your task is to answer the question by integrating both the audio and the reading. If you don’t mind speaking face-to-face with someone, then perhaps you will excel at the speaking section of the IELTS where you sit with an examiner and answer several questions divided into three separate sections. If the prospect of eye contact scares you or perhaps embarrasses you, then perhaps the TOEFL is a better option. On the TOEFL, everyone is given a headset with a microphone and answers are recorded. The downside to this is that when your allotted time to speak is up – it’s up. There is no flexibility. So, if you cannot generate ideas quickly or if you don’t understand the question that you’ve been given, then you cannot ask for an explanation. As for the readings sections on the TOEFL and IELTS, both tests ask you to answer 40 questions. On the TOEFL, you are given 40 multiple-choice questions and usually three (sometimes four) readings. The IELTS is similar insofar as a test-taker is required to read three readings, but learners have to be prepared to answer 10 different types of questions, including: fill in the blank, labelling diagrams, matching headings, identifying writer’s views and multiple choice. There is no question that the reading section of both exams is challenging. Knowledge of academic vocabulary and advanced sentence structure is key. The CAEL (CE-Computer Edition) is developed in Canada, and it is accepted by more than 190 academic institutions. It is a topic-based test which is approximately 3.5 hours long, and it has five sections which tend to integrate the language skills more than the TOEFL or the IELTS. The five sections are: Speaking stand alone (7-10 mins.) Speaking + reading (35-50 mins.) Speaking + listening (25-35 mins.) Long reading + long listening (60-70 mins.) Long reading + long listening + short writing (40-45 mins.) Like the TOEFL, the speaking section of the CAEL is done with a headset and microphone. As far as the major writing component of all the exams, the raters are not looking for perfection. However, they do expect a solid first draft of an essay. This means good control of grammar and sentence structure. It means being able to stay on topic and being able to paraphrase properly and develop your argument. Final Words Although I may not have given you the answer you were looking for, I hope that I’ve given you enough information to get you started. If I had to take an English proficiency test this is what I would do: (1) make a list of my strengths; (2) speak to a qualified English-language instructor; (3) make a decision that matches my requirements. The best decision may not be the easiest one.
