Which test should you take: TOEIC or TOEFL?

TOEIC sounds very similar to TOEFL in pronouncing and to a new foreign aspirant. There are however several differences in the two. One similarity before we take up the differences is that both the tests are developed and are administered by ETS (English Testing Service). While TOEIC stands for Test of English for International Communication and TOEFL is Test of English as Foreign Language. StudyPlaces.com brings forth all the major differences in the two exams. Read on...
PURPOSE
The biggest difference is the purpose for which both the exams are written. While TOEFL evaluates English proficiency for those pursuing academic studies, TOEIC evaluates English proficiency for the working professionals in global workplace.


PRIMARY USERS
TOEIC is used primarily by corporations to:

Decide about recruiting, promoting, and deploying employees overseas
Determine readiness to participate in trainings conducted in English
Demonstrate learning progress in corporate training


TOEFL on the other hand is used in by English language programs, foreign universities, colleges and institute to admit students from non-English speaking countries (like India). Following are some more purposes of a TOEFL test:


Placement test
Assessment of progress from beginning to end of course
Measurement of program effectiveness

Exit test and measurement of readiness for academic programs
For institutions of higher education

To fulfill language requirement or graduation requirement
To screen for scholarship and exchange programs


WHO WRITES THE TEST?
TOEIC is written by employees in international corporations; Job applicants; Students in business, vocational, and trade schools, community colleges and by Students in the business track of English language programs/schools.

TOEFL is taken by students in the academic track of English language programs/schools; Students in colleges or universities that have a language requirement; Applicants to scholarship and exchange programs.
WHO USES THE RESULT?
The result of TOEIC is used by Training managers, Human resources managers, Recruiters, Employees and sometimes by English language programs/schools. The stakeholders of a TOEIC exam are English language programs/schools, College and university administrators, Directors of scholarship and exchange programs and of course, Students! TOEIC
FORMATS AND PROFICIENCY LEVEL
TOEIC has two formats TOEIC TOEIC Bridge - high beginning to intermediate and TOEIC IP or Institutional Program. While TOEIC Bridge evaluates proficiency level from high beginning to intermediate, the TOEIC IP evaluates low intermediate to advance English level. TOEFL has two proficiency levels. They are as follows:


Pre-TOEFL ITP (Institutional Testing Program)- From high beginning to intermediate level
TOEFL ITP - From low intermediate to advanced level



TEST FORMAT AND SCORES
TOEIC has 200 MCQs or Multiple Choice Questions to be solved in 120 minutes and TOEFL has 140 MCQs to be attempted in 115 minutes. The total score scale for TOEIC is between 10-990 where equal allocation of 5-495 is towards Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension. In case of TOEFL, the total scare varies between 310 and 677. The breakup of 3 major sections of TOEFL is as follows:


Listening Comprehension : 30 - 68
Structure and Written Expression (grammar) : 30 - 68
Reading Comprehension : 30 - 67


SCORE REPORTS
Both the tests contains Individual score reports and roosters. TOEFL also has an additional institutional score report. The score report of both TOEIC and TOEFL comes in 3-5 days and one can obtain a rush reporting on request by paying an additional fee. This is done by those test takers who have an urgency of submitting their exam scores.
The TOEFL exam result can be prepared.
TO CONCLUDE ...
In one word, the TOEIC takes you to office, while TOEFL takes you to School! Whichever foreign college, university or organisation you are applying to, make sure to cross check which of these English tests do they accept.


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