IELTS or Toefl iBT?

[diar]

Hello,

I am an international postgraduate student in the UK. I have a Toefl iBT score of 83 (18 reading, 24 listening, 17 speaking and 24 writing). I want to take another English language examination because I will need it for the visa application. Do you recommend taking Toefl iBT again? Or it is better to take an IELTS examination because I heard the the IELTS examinations is easier than the Toefl iBT. If it is true where I can find a free sample of the IELTS exam. I need to familiarise my self with the structure of the examination. Thank you.

 

[Tdol]

The two exams are different, so a lot depends on your timing- it takes time to get to know an exam well. I wouldn't listen too much to claims that one or the other is easier- I have heard it said about both exams, and IELTS is banded so it's all about the score you get. What are the exact requirements of the visa? You can see a sample of an IELTS exam here: IELTS | Test Takers - Test Sample

 

[5jj]

If you need to take another examination, it is probably better to take one that you know already. Although most examinations are designed, in theory at least, to test objectively your ability in English, each examining board is looking for slightly different things, and there are techniques which can help you get a higher mark,

When I taught examination classes, I taught different techniques for IELTS and TOEFL.