Students across India who want to study abroad or build a career in any English-speaking country need to appear for the IELTS test. Thus, this test has a crucial role to play in their lives. Knowing the same, the British Council offers 2 modes to attempt this – IELTS online tests and offline exams. Moreover, you can appear for whichever feels more comfortable to you. But, how to choose one? Read this article to know more!
What Is IELTS Test?
Firstly, anybody who wants to study in any English-speaking country needs to give proof that he is good at this language. Thus, IELTS or the International English Language Testing System is used to check the proficiency of a person in this. Moreover, it tests a person across four sections-
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
- Listening
Now, let’s talk about the type of IELTS exam that one can appear to get entry into their dream country.
Types of IELTS Test
There are basically two types of IELTS exams based on who is appearing for the test and the purpose behind it. Here are they:
IELTS Academic Test:
Firstly, the IELTS academic test. This exam is for students who want to study overseas and complete any short-term or long-term course. Moreover, the questions and topics in this test are academic-based to make it easy for the students to understand and answer.
IELTS General Test:
Secondly, IELTS General test. This exam is for candidates who want to build a career, find a job, or permanently move to a new country. Moreover, the questions and topics in this test are non-academic and based on general topics and current affairs so that anybody can have knowledge about them.
Thus, these are the 2 different types of IELTS tests. Now, let’s look into the main part of the article- the mode of the IELTS exam.
Modes of IELTS Test
There are two different modes to appear for the IELTS test. Let us understand them in detail before differentiating them:
IELTS Online Tests
Firstly, the IELTS online tests- As the name suggests, this is an online test taken on a computer. So, the applicants need to appear for the test online either at the test center or in the comfort of their home. The reading, writing, and listening test questions appear on the screen and you’ve to answer them by typing the answers. But, for the speaking section, you have to connect with the interviewer on a video call. The best part of IELTS online tests is, you can get your results within 6-8 days of time from the date of the exam.
Here are a few things to note when appearing for the online IELTS exam:
- Need a private space, with good lighting and a clear desk for comfort.
- Have your ID handy as you need it during the test.
- Use a computer or laptop with a single screen only.
- Have a stable internet connection, microphone, speakers, and webcam.
- You cannot pause the test and it will be timed like an offline test only.
- You have 30 minutes for listening, and 60 minutes for reading and writing each.
- You get 11-14 minutes for the speaking test over a video call with the interviewer.
- IELTS uses human and AI proctoring to monitor/invigilate your test online.
- Take down notes only online not with pen and paper.
- Should not access any other tabs or browsers during the test.
These are some important pointers to note about the IELTS online tests. Now, let’s take a quick view of the offline exams.
IELTS Offline Tests
There is another mode to appear for the IELTS test-offline also known as pen and paper mode. In this type, you’ve to go to a designated test center that you can pick of your choice from the available list. There you’ve to take the exam in front of the invigilators and write answers to your questions in a paper. This is the same for the reading, writing, and listening section. But, for speaking, you’ll be called in for a face-to-face interview with the interviewer. Moving ahead, let’s get to know the differences between both the modes in detail.
IELTS Online vs Offline: Which One to Choose?
Here, let’s take a quick look at the ways IELTS online and offline can be differentiated or their impact on the performance of the applicant:
|
IELTS Online Exam |
IELTS Offline Exam |
|
It gives the comfort of home but needs technical knowledge to deal with internet issues or use online tools. |
It needs traveling to the test centre and appearing the test but it has no challenges in this approach. |
|
Finding the right space and distraction-free environment can be difficult. |
It provides an environment of traditional testing including controlled settings and no distractions. |
|
You need to be good at typing and using online tabs and tools for better performance. |
You need to be good at writing with hand and in a good style for better performance. |
|
It gets you faster results and less crowded test centers. |
Results take a bit longer and the test centres get crowded. |
|
It has comparatively fewer practice tests available. |
It has numerous practice tests available for revision. |
|
Typing errors can be common and screen fatigue might cause trouble |
Poor handwriting may impact the results but cannot copy-paste anything to save time. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can say that IELTS online tests and offline exams have their own pros and cons. It completely depends on the candidate to know his comfort and choose the right option. Moreover, applicants can anytime check out offline or online listening practice test, reading, speaking, or writing questions. Moreover, you can always reach out to professional help like experts at gradding.com for the right assistance.
