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TOEFL vs.

IELTS
OVERVIEW AND TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS

Welcome!

Introducing myself: Amy Geraghty

What is Grad School Guru?

Where can you find more information about us?


www.gradschoolguru.com or www.facebook.com/gradschoolguru

Further questions: amy@gradschoolguru.com

What is my relationship with Hult?

What can you expect from todays Webinar?

TOEFL EXAM

About four hours long

Computer-based

Pros (no writing by hand, harder to make a mistake while copying)

Cons (other people speaking, eyes may get tired, cannot interact with paper exam)

Four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing (in that order)

Each section is worth 30 points for a total of 120

Common minimum scores for various institutions range between 80-105, with
the average being around 90 points

Score valid for two years

TOEFL
Format
*Some
questions may
be
experimental
and thus do not
count towards
your score. You
will not know
which are
which!

Section

Time Limit

Questions

Tasks

Reading

60-80 minutes

36-56 questions

Read 3 or 4 passages
from academic texts
and answer
questions

Listening

60-90 minutes

34-51 questions

Listen to lectures,
classroom
discussions and
conversations and
then answer
questions

Break

10 minutes

Get some water and


have a snack!

Speaking

20 minutes

6 tasks (2
independent, 4
integrated)

Speak about familiar


topics, speak based
on reading and
listening tasks

Writing

50 minutes

2 tasks (1
independent, 1
integrated)

Write based on
listening and reading
tasks, express
opinion about a topic
in writing

TOEFL READING

3-4 passages about academic


topics (humanities or science)

Between 12-14 questions per


passage

Average of 20 minutes per


passage

You can skip around within the


passage and come back to
questions later

TOEFL Reading Question Types 1-5


Question type

Frequency

Difficulty level

Tips

1) Factual Information 3-6 per set

Low-medium

Rephrase into a
question, scan for
answer

2) Negative Factual
Information

0-2 per set

Medium-high

Use answer choices


as checklist

3) Inference

1-3 per set

High

Make sure the answer


you choose is 100%
supported by text

4) Rhetorical Purpose

1-2 per set

Medium

Memorize purpose
vocab and phrases

5)Vocabulary

3-5 per set

Low

Answer in head first


with alternate word

TOEFL Reading Question Types 6-10


Question type

Frequency

Difficulty level

Tips

6) Reference

0-2 per set

Low

Find the pronoun and


answer in head first

7) Sentence
Simplification

0-1 per set

Medium

Cut out unnecessary


words and watch for
meaning

8) Insert Text

1 per set

High

Read the sentence


before and after

9) Prose Summary

0 or 1 per set

High

Eliminate answers
that are either wrong
or too specific

10) Fill in a Table

0 or 1 per set

High

Use process of
elimination

Tips for
TOEFL
Reading

1.

Do not read the entire passage. Spend only


three minutes maximum reading.

2.

Answer low difficulty questions first, then


medium and save hard difficulty level
questions for last.

3.

When possible, answer the question in your


head first in order to avoid trick answer
choices.

4.

Watch the time and spend no more than 20


minutes on each section.

5.

If you have extra time at the end, go back


and check your answers or look over any
unanswered questions.

6.

If you really dont know an answer, eliminate


some options and make a guess. Do not
leave any answers blank because there is no
penalty for wrong answers.

TOEFL LISTENIN
G

Conversations including office hours and


service encounters

Lectures from any university class (can have


interruptions from students in class)

At least one general question per lecture or


conversation

Specific questions will never be too specific

Practice both taking notes and not taking


notes and see which strategy works best for
you.

Dont bother with small details such as


dates and names; look for big picture
concepts and understanding.

TOEFL LISTENIN
G
Why does the student go to see the
professor?
a.

To prepare for her graduate


school interview

b.

To get advice about her


graduate school application

c.

To give the professor her


graduate school application

d.

To find out if she was accepted


to graduate school

TOEFL - SPEAKING
Task #

Question

Prep time

Speaking
time

Talk about a familiar topic.

15 seconds

45 seconds

Give your opinion or preference.

15 seconds

45 seconds

Read a paragraph then listen to two people


discussing the topic. Summarize their opinion.

30 seconds

60 seconds

Read a paragraph then listen to a professor


talking about the topic. Summarize the topic.

30 seconds

60 seconds

Listen to a conversation and then summarize the


situation and give your opinion.

20 seconds

60 seconds

Listen to a lecture and then summarize the


lecture.

20 seconds

60 seconds

Tips for
TOEFL
Speakin
g

1.

Use the time where the computer reads the


question to start preparing.

2.

Speak naturally, not too fast or too


mechanical.

3.

Develop your topic with relevant examples;


avoid repetition.

4.

Practice with time. There are good free apps


for your phone.

5.

Practice pronunciation so that the evaluator


doesnt have to strain to understand you.

6.

Be aware of grammar but do not get caught


up if you realize you made a mistake. They
grade on overall performance, not error by
error.

TOEFL - WRITING
Integrated Task

Respond to a question in essay form.

Example: Do you agree or disagree with the


following statement? Always telling the
truth is the most important consideration
in any relationship. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.

There is no right or wrong answer. What


matters is how you express yourself.

30 minutes

Aim for 300 words

Read a passage about an academic topic for 3 minutes.

Independent Task

Listen to a lecture about the same topic.

Write and essay that summarizes the points in the lecture and
explain how they relate to specific points in the reading passage.

20 minutes

Aim for 150-225 words

Tips for
TOEFL
Writing

1.

Develop the topic with details and


examples.

2.

Spend 5 minutes organizing and


brainstorming before writing.

3.

Use transitions (therefore, first of all, next,


etc.)

4.

Make sure your organization is clear.

5.

Leave two minutes at the end to proofread


although they understand there will be
minor errors.

6.

Be straightforward and avoid redundancies


and flowery language.

IELTS EXAM

About two and a half hours

Written, paper-based exam

Be careful when copying answers to answer sheet

Four sections: Listening, Reading and Writing (in that order). Speaking is a
private interview that takes place either in the week before or after your
written exam.

You receive a score out of 9 for each section (half point increments) and then
an overall average score out of 9.

A good solid score on the IELTS is a 6.5.

IELTS
Format

Section

Time Limit

Questions

Tasks

Listening

Approximately 30
minutes

40 questions

Listen to 4
conversations or
monologues and
answer questions
while listening.

Reading

60 minutes

40 questions

Read 3 passages
from academic
texts and answer
questions about
them.

Writing

60 minutes

2 essays

Describe a chart
or graph, express
opinion about a
topic

Speaking

11-14 minutes

3 parts in private
interview

Speak about
familiar topics with
the interviewer.

IELTS LISTENIN
G

4 listening items, mix of conversations and monologues.

2 academic and 2 service or lifestyle items.

You have the questions in front of you and must answer as you go.

You have a few seconds to look at the questions before you hear the track. You should use
this time to predict answers.

If you miss one question, let it go and keep on track because it can ruin the other questions
for you.

Be careful of British and Australian accents, especially how they pronounce numbers and
letters.

Spelling counts.

IELTS LISTENIN
G

IELTS LISTENIN
G
Answers:

Tips for tricky accents:


-Watch BBC
-Listen to talk shows from the UK and Australia
-Watch YouTube videos about the difference in
vowel pronunciation across different English
accents (American, Canadian, British, Australian,
Irish)

6) 17th October

7)12:30

8) Thomson

9) AC936

10) 3303 8450 2045 6837

IELTS READING

Passages are similar in difficulty level to TOEFL

Questions are less predictable in TOEFL. There are about 20 question types
and you do not know which ones you will see.

Skim questions first to help you predict what is coming so you know what to
look for while reading.

Write and underline words and phrases in the text to help predict answers.

All other TOEFL reading tips apply to the IELTS.

IELTS - WRITING
Task 1

Task 2

Summarize information from a graph, picture or chart by selecting


and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where
relevant.

Respond to a question in essay form.

Task 2 is worth 2/3 of your writing score so


spend more time.

Similar to TOEFL independent task.

Budget about 40 minutes

At least 250 words

Dont elaborate or add your opinion.


Use transitions and comparison words.

Budget about 20 minutes.

At least 150 words

IELTS WRITING - EXAMPLES


Task 1

Summarize the information by selecting and


reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.

Task 2

In some countries the average


weight of people is increasing and
their levels of health and fitness are
decreasing.

What do you think are the causes of


these problems and what measures
could be taken to solve them?

Give reasons for your answer and


include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

IELTS - SPEAKING
The examiner
will ask some
follow-up
questions
about your Part
2 answer. Then
you will discuss
topics that are
more in-depth
and less
familiar.

Part 3

You will receive


a card with a
topic. You will
have to talk
about a topic
for 1-2 minutes
without
stopping. You
have one
minute to
prepare.

Part 2

Part 1

Familiar topics
such as
yourself, your
home, work or
studies and
other familiar
topics related
to yourself or
your country.

Tips for
IELTS
Speakin
g

1.

Speak in a friendly, familiar manner.

2.

Watch the examiners body language to see


if your response may have been too short.

3.

Answer the questions honestly. Draw on


personal experience to make it easier to talk
about.

4.

If you dont know what to say, try saying


things like good question, let me think
about that instead of um.

5.

If you didnt understand the question, ask


for the examiner to repeat it or rephrase it;
it wont affect your score.

Conclusion and Q&A

Take a diagnostic exam to see which


exam is best for you.

Download free materials at


www.toefl.org and www.ielts.org.

Know what to expect before going


into either exam.

Good luck!

If you would like more


information about my
classes and services, feel
free to e-mail me at
amy@gradschoolguru.com
!

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