學習英文固然有很多方法，但是如果要知道自己或孩子的英語水平，最客觀的方法想當然就是英語檢定考試啦～不論是升學還是就業，總會有機會要考英檢來証明自己英文有多好
但是問題來了。隨便估狗一下就跑出一堆名字：雅思（IELTS），多益（TOEIC），托福（TOEFL）…到底要考哪個才對啊，媽好亂啊！的確，雖然最重要大概就是你要報名的機構要求你拿出哪種英檢的成績，但是人家沒有特別要求的話真的會有選擇困難的…（至於全民英檢嘛，不是不行但是認受性沒剛才的那麼好倒是事實）
那麼這時候我們大概要看看三種考試的分別了！
先說IELTS吧？（畢竟我比較有經驗）IELTS跟另外兩個不同，是由英國文化協會跟劍橋大學設計的。（TOEFL跟TOEIC都是由美國一間叫Educational Testing Service的機構設計的）所以如果要移民到英國或者在那邊留學，最好當然是挑選英國人弄的IELTS囉（廢話
至於考試模式呢？IELTS有分Academic跟General Training兩種，前者的題材比較學術性質所以要到英國留學的話就挑這個吧。後者則比較廣泛，不是特別要去留學的話可以挑這個～讀寫聽說都會有der，當中說話部分會跟真人對答喔（人家會給你一個主題然後要你在短時間內就主題演講，沒有經驗的話這裡會壓力很大的）
不過就算是選擇Academic版本，考試內容也不會特別專門所以不用擔心需不需要惡補一些知識，英文理解能力足夠就可以了
TOEFL跟IELTS一樣都是比較偏學術的英檢，但是前者比後者更加學術（無誤）。IELTS考試內容的環境比較貼近日常生活，但是TOEFL的就是學校裡面的環境，聆聽測驗的題材很多都是學校教授的講座跟課堂。所以如果你想知道自己有沒有能力應付這樣的學習環境，TOEFL比IELTS更有針對性。但是同時間，TOEFL比較不能夠模擬學校以外的環境，通用程度自然沒IELTS那麼高
TOEFL的說話部分跟IELTS十分不同，因為前者不是真人對答而是向著電腦就題目給答案，電腦會錄音然後送去評審員評核成績這樣。雖然對一些人來講向電腦說話沒那麼大壓力，但是同時間也沒了跟真人談話那種自然感覺吧？我個人比較喜歡真人對答，但是你不喜歡的話TOEFL大概會輕鬆一點
閱讀理解方面，TOEFL基本上全部都是選擇題（全電腦化了嘛）所以題目的多樣化程度也是沒IELTS那麼大的樣子
TOEIC跟剛才兩種英檢的最大分別，就是它是設計給打算到外國工作的人，所以題目都是圍繞著工作環境會碰到的英文，要求的也是職場上要用的英文技能。例如閱讀理解的文章很多都是公文，就算是普通文章也會跟商業有關。還在求學階段的話，TOEIC現在考還有點早；但是如果你要到外國就業或者公幹，TOEIC還是得考一次！
還有喔，TOEIC只有閱讀跟聆聽兩個部分，所以要理解自己的寫作跟說話能力的話就要考別的英檢才行
簡單點來說，TOEFL考的是學校的英文，TOEIC考的是職場的英文，而IELTS考的是一般場合的英文。哪種英檢最適合，自然就要看你打算拿成績來幹嘛囉
Even though there are many different ways to learn English, when it comes to finding out how much you’ve learnt the best way to do so would be to take an English language test. Whether you’re going to study or work, chances are those places would want to to give evidence on how good you are in English.
There’s a problem though. Just a quick google would give you a face full of names: IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC…Which one are we supposed to pick? This is confusing! Sure, things will be a lot easier if the institution asking for your scores already specified which test to take. But what if they said anything goes? (As for the GERT…it’s one of the options, but frankly speaking it won’t be as widely-accepted as the Big Three I just mentioned)
Well then, time for some comparisions shall we?
Let’s start with IELTS first. (since I have more experience with that) Unlike the other two tests (which are designed by the US-based Educational Testing Service), IELTS is created by the British Council and the University of Cambridge. Naturally, if you want to study in or immigrate to the UK, IELTS would be your best bet.
As for the exam itself, there are two different types: Academic and General Studies. The content used for Academic will be, you guessed it, more academic in nature, so those who want to study in the UK should probably pick this one. The latter type is of course more general, so if you’re not planning to study overseas then it’s fine to pick this one. The exam includes reading, writing, listening and speaking.
In particular, the speaking part requires you to actually talk to a person in real life. It doesn’t sound like much, but it can be stressing at times (especially when you’re supposed to do a small presentation about a given subject with little preparation time-it can reduce you into a nervous wreck if you’re not used to this sort of thing)
Anyways, despite how it’s called Academic, the test doesn’t really require any specific knowledge. There’s no need to worry about that, as long as you have the ability to understand the passages then it’s all good!
TOEFL, like IELTS, are designed to be academic tests. However, TOEFL managed to be even more academic than the latter. How so? Well, most of the test contents revolve around a university environment, unlike IELTS which is relatively more varied. For example, the listening test materials tend to be based on school lessons or lectures. Basically, if you want to know if you can handle studying in an all-English environment, TOEFL will be more geared towards that than IELTS. But at the same time, it also makes TOEFL not as flexible as IELTS.
Another big difference between the two lies in the speaking tests. In TOEFL’s speaking test, you don’t get to have a real conversation. Rather you are given different situations, then record your answers on a computer. Although some might find this less stressful, at the same time it loses that feeling of speaking naturally to somebody. I personally prefer having real conversations, but if you don’t then this is probably a more relaxing alternative.
Even the reading test questions are less varied than IELTS, as TOEFL only requires multiple choice answers (but then that’s expected, as TOEFL runs on a fully-computerized system)
Finally there’s the TOEIC. While the previous two tests are academic in nature, TOEIC is designed for those who have to work overseas. As a result, the test involves English you’d find in the workplace, and tests your English skills in such a context. For instance, the reading test passages tend to be formal letters and other texts used in work, and even regular passages are themed around business. If you’re still studying at school, then it’s probably a bit too early to take the TOEIC. But if you’re about to work overseas, then the TOEIC would be a must.
However, the TOEIC only includes reading and listening tests. If you want to access your writing and speaking skills, then you will need to take a different test.
To put it simply, TOEFL is about English at school, TOEIC is about English at work, and IELTS is about English in general. Which one is the most suitable? That depends on how you’re going to use the scores in the first place.
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