The level of difficulty varies for each of these exams. For IELTS, candidates find the writing section tough to crack, and for the PTE, it is the speaking section that cuts down your marks whereas, for TOEFL, it is the writing section again. Other factors such as the choice of the institute, their cut off percentage and your prefered choice will come into play. Here are some of the most common difference between an IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL. Mode of exam: iELTS exam is conducted on paper while Pte s computer-based. TOEFL GIVES you the option of both. Since PTE is computerized and less biased, most students feel it is more comfortable compared to the rest. Score comparison: All three tests use a different scale for measuring the scores. The IELTS uses a score band ranging from 1-9. The PTE usually grades based on a level from 10-90 and TOEFL has 30 marks for every section marks ranging from 0-120 Reading section: The IELTS reading section lasts much longer, i.e. 60 minutes, and the TOEFL exam also takes a more extended duration to say about 60-80 minutes. However, the PTE has only 30-40 minutes allotted for the reading section. Listening section: The ielts listening section is short and lasts for about 30 minutes. In a TOEFL exam, the listening is much longer, and candidates are advised to take notes during the exam. The PTE exam, however, grades both your writing and listening skills at the same time. Speaking section: This is very different from each test, in the ielts the test takers come face to face with the candidate and ask questions whereas, for TOEFL and PTE, the answers are recorded and then judged later. Writing section: The IELTS writing section is considered the roughest compared to the other two. In IELTS, the first task requires the candidate to provide a detailed summary on the topic in the form of a graph, chart or diagram and the second task is to provide their arguments in an essay format. Both TOEFL and IELTS require you to write a summary as a passage. read less