Which English Proficiency Tests in Canada should you take?
If you’ve been on the “international students” section of a university website lately, you’ve probably seen information about English Proficiency Tests in Canada which are mainly: TOEFL and IELTS. But if you’ve been paying attention, you may have noticed a third option: the Duolingo English Test.
Each test has its own advantages and disadvantages and the level of difficulty varies from person to person. However, its important to know the major differences between all the tests. In this article we’ll discuss the major differences between each of the tests.
Different English Proficiency Tests in Canada
International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) is an internationally available English proficiency test. We usually recommend our clients take the IELTS for their immigration file, and provide them with IELTS training, because there are many testing centers around the world. There are two categories of IELTS: General Training and Academic. For studying in Canada, you should take the IELTS – Academic. IELTS results provide a score for each language ability, as well as an overall band score that averages your results in each ability. Book your IELTS test here: https://ielts.ca/register-for-ielts/
TOEFL
TOEFL is an acronym of the Test of English as a Foreign Language, which is the official name for the test. It assesses your ability to both speak and understand English by analysing your English ability in terms of reading, speaking, listening and writing. More than 80% of graduate programs in Canada accept TOEFL scores as a pre-requisite to enrol for the program. Book your TOEFL test today: https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/take/register
Duolingo
The Duolingo English Test is an online exam that you take on your personal computer. Like the TOEFL and IELTS, it tests all four language skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The test is adaptive, which has some significant consequences for test-takers. However its more advanced than other English proficiency tests as its an adaptive test. So if you answer a question correctly, the next one gets harder whereas if you answer a question wrong, the next one gets easier. This means that, with relatively few questions, the exam can pinpoint your ability level quickly—that’s why it only takes around an hour to complete! Book your Duolingo test today: https://englishtest.duolingo.com/register
PTE
PTE Academic is accepted for study at a range of institutions in Canada. You can take your test at one of the centers in Canada, or at one of the Pearson VUE locations overseas, to send your scores to your chosen institution. PTE Academic typically delivers results in five days, so you don’t need to worry about your English scores. Book your PTE test today: https://pearsonpte.com/book-now/
English Proficiency Test requirements for Canada
Major Differences between English Proficiency Tests in Canada
English Proficiency Tests differ significantly from each other. The following are the major differences between each of these tests:
| IELTS | TOEFL | Duolingo | PTE | |
| Cost | $309.00 (Kitchener, Ontario only) $319.00 (all locations outside of Kitchener, Ontario) | Fees is between $165-$300 | $49 USD | Fees is between $350-$380 |
| Length | 2 hours and 45 minutes | 4 hours | 1 hour | 3 hours |
| Test sections | Listening: 30 minutes Reading: 60 minutes Writing: 60 minutes Speaking: 11-14 minutes (section can also be taken before the other three sections) | Reading: 60-80 minutes Listening: 60-90 minutes Speaking: 20 minutes Writing: 50 minutes | Listening to spoken words Reviewing written words Completing missing letters Describing an image Recording yourself Verbally answering Responding in writing to a written question Typing out a statement that you hear | Speaking and writing Listening Reading |
| How frequently is the test offered? | 48 test dates per year | More than 50 test dates per year | Unlimited | Held multiple times a month |
| Scoring scale | Zero to 9 | Zero to 10 | 10 to 160 | 10 to 90 |
Duolingo and equivalence charts
The Duolingo test is the newest English proficiency test in Canada which has got accepted by educational institutes in Canada. We’ve prepared the following equivalence chart comparing Duolingo to other English proficiency tests:
Duolingo and IELTS
Duolingo and TOEFL
Want to know more about the Duolingo test? Get in touch with Admission Hub today!
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