Difference Between TOEFL and TOEIC with Proper Definition and Brief Explanation

TOEIC vs TOEFL

TOEIC and TOEFL are two tests that measure people’s ability to understand and use English as a means of communication. These are standardized tests intended to help students and others show their skills to academic institutions and companies that they can take in competitive settings. There are many similarities in these two tests that confuse people who want to study or work abroad as to which of the two they should take. This article takes a closer look at them to find their differences.

TOEFL

English has become a very important language around the world with more than 2 billion speakers. This has required a standardized test to assess an individual’s abilities. TOEFL is an acronym that stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is a test conducted by Educational Testing Service, or simply ETS, as it is known around the world. Students from all over the world are required to take this exam, as most educational institutions in North America recognize and accept TOEFL scores before granting admission. If you are from an Asian country, a high TOEFL score indicates that you are proficient in English and have the necessary ability to complete higher studies at a foreign university.

TOEICO

TOEIC is an acronym that stands for Test of English for International Communication. It is a standardized test conducted by ETS that meets the requirements of government organizations and companies to employ candidates who have a good knowledge of English. The scores of this test reflect whether the candidate can communicate effectively in English or not. Organizations and companies in European and North American countries increasingly rely on test scores before recruiting candidates. TOEIC has been recognized as the standard test for assessing the communication skills of people in the workplace. Nearly 4 million people take TOEIC each year to demonstrate their communication skills to potential employers around the world.

TOEIC vs TOEFL

• TOEIC and TOEFL are tests performed by ETS to assess people’s English language skills, but they have different purposes.

• TOEFL has been traditionally used by educational institutions to determine the reading and writing skills of students eager to pursue higher education.

• TOEIC is used more by government organizations and businesses to verify workplace communication skills of prospective employees.

• TOEIC is more objective in nature, while TOEFL is more subjective in nature.

• A greater variety of skills are assessed with TOEFL than with TOEIC.

• TOEFL is more of an academic test while TOEIC is more of a work test.

• TOEFL and TOEIC scores cannot be directly compared as they test different skills.

• TOEFL lasts 4.5 hours and assesses reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, while TOEIC lasts 2.5 hours.

• TOEFL scores are provided on a scale of 0 to 120 while TOEIC scores are provided on a scale of 100 to 450.