Speaking sections compared

PTE vs IELTS vs TOEFL iBT® Speaking

The three speaking sections work very differently. In PTE Academic you speak to a computer at a test centre across seven scored task types, scored by AI with human review of some Content scores, on a 10–90 scale. In IELTS you have an 11–14 minute face-to-face interview with an examiner, scored in bands from 0 to 9. In the TOEFL iBT test (format since 21 January 2026) you answer 11 recorded items in about 8 minutes with no preparation time, AI scored on a 1–6 band scale.

Which one to take depends first on acceptance: universities set their own requirements, Australian visas accept PTE Academic and IELTS with clear minimums but TOEFL iBT only under conditions, and Canada's Express Entry accepts neither PTE Academic, IELTS Academic nor TOEFL iBT (it takes PTE Core, IELTS General Training or CELPIP-General).

Last reviewed 7 October 2026 against the official sources listed below.

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The three speaking sections side by side

PTE Academic, IELTS and TOEFL iBT speaking sections, as of 7 October 2026
	PTE Academic	IELTS (Academic and General Training)	TOEFL iBT (from 21 January 2026)
How you speak	Into a microphone at a computer, at a test centre. No human examiner.	Face-to-face interview with an examiner. The test is recorded.	Into a microphone; the interview is a prerecorded interviewer. At home or at a test centre.
Length	Speaking shares Part 1 with Writing: about 76–84 minutes in total	11–14 minutes	About 8 minutes
Tasks	7 scored task types (Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation) plus an unscored introduction	3 parts: introduction and interview (4–5 min), long turn: 1 minute to prepare, then talk for 2 minutes (3–4 min in all), discussion (4–5 min)	2 tasks, 11 items: Listen and Repeat (7 sentences) and Take an Interview (4 questions, 45 seconds each)
Preparation time	Varies by task: none (Repeat Sentence) to 40 seconds (Read Aloud)	1 minute before the Part 2 long turn	None
Who scores you	AI; a human expert also reviews Content on Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation	The examiner, on four criteria: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, pronunciation	AI, according to ETS's 2026 test specifications; each answer 0–5
Speaking score	10–90	Band 0–9, in whole and half bands	Band 1–6, in half bands, aligned to CEFR levels
Overall score	10–90; not an average of the four skills	Average of the four bands, rounded to the nearest half band	Average of the four bands, rounded to the nearest half band

PTE Academic Speaking also includes listening-based tasks (Repeat Sentence, Retell Lecture, Summarize Group Discussion) that count toward Listening as well.
IELTS Speaking is described the same way, 11–14 minutes face-to-face, on IELTS's Academic and General Training format pages.

Sources: Pearson: PTE Academic test format, Speaking & Writing · Pearson: PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide (PDF) · Pearson: PTE scoring explained · IELTS: Academic test format, Speaking · IELTS: Scoring in detail · ETS: Updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview (PDF) · ETS: TOEFL iBT 2026 Test Blueprint and Specifications (PDF) · ETS: Understanding TOEFL iBT scores

Where each test is accepted for migration

For study, each university or organization sets its own requirement for each test: ETS says it sets no passing score, and Pearson says institutions set their own minimum scores. For migration, the government body decides, and the three tests are treated differently.

Acceptance for Australian visas and Canada's Express Entry, as of 7 October 2026
	PTE Academic	IELTS	TOEFL iBT
Australian visas (Home Affairs)	Accepted, with minimums for each skill (for tests from 7 August 2025, Proficient English needs Speaking 76)	IELTS Academic or General Training accepted (Proficient English: 7 in each component). IELTS Online is not accepted.	Listed with minimums on the old 0–30 scale only, and you must register as "Taking TOEFL for Australia". ETS says only tests taken before 21 January 2026 and TOEFL iBT Australia are currently approved. The Home Edition is not accepted.
Canada, Express Entry (IRCC)	Not accepted: IRCC asks for PTE Core	IELTS General Training only	Not accepted

Home Affairs does not accept English tests delivered completely online (remote-proctored or at-home), such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Home Edition.
Home Affairs has not published minimums on the TOEFL iBT 1–6 band scale. Check both Home Affairs and ETS before booking TOEFL iBT for an Australian visa.

Every Home Affairs minimum, by English level and test: English points for Australian PR

Sources: Home Affairs: English language · Home Affairs: Proficient English · ETS: 2026–2027 TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin (PDF) · ETS: TOEFL for Australia · IRCC: Express Entry language test results

What the formats reward

PTE Academic mixes short, accuracy-focused tasks (reading a text aloud, repeating sentences, one-word answers) with longer ones where you describe an image, retell a lecture, summarize a discussion or respond to a situation, each on a strict timer with no chance to re-record. Content, Pronunciation and Oral fluency are scored separately.

IELTS is a conversation with a person who asks follow-up questions and can rephrase them. The examiner scores the whole performance on four criteria, including how you develop and connect ideas.

TOEFL iBT Speaking is short and has no preparation time: you repeat seven sentences of growing length, then answer four interview questions for 45 seconds each, moving from personal experience to opinions on broader issues.

Sources: Pearson: PTE Academic test format, Speaking & Writing · IELTS: Academic test format, Speaking · ETS: Updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview (PDF)

How to choose

Official facts can narrow the choice; the rest is which format suits you.

1
Check acceptance first
Find out which tests your university, employer or visa accepts, for which version (Academic, General Training, Core) and with which skill minimums. That often decides it.
2
Check the score you need in each skill
Visa programs check every skill. Compare the Speaking minimum on each test's own scale, not a converted number.
3
Think about how you speak best
If a person asking follow-up questions helps you, IELTS's interview may suit you. If you prefer fixed tasks and a timer, PTE or TOEFL may. This is a preference, not an official comparison.
4
Try each format under timed conditions
A timed attempt at each format shows quickly where you are comfortable: interview, computer tasks with short timers, or no preparation time.
5
Plan for the date and validity
Home Affairs, IRCC and universities set their own rules on how recent a result must be. Check them before you book.

Common mistakes

Booking TOEFL iBT for an Australian visa without checking
Home Affairs lists only 0–30 minimums, and ETS says only pre-21-January-2026 tests and TOEFL iBT Australia are currently approved.
Taking PTE Academic or IELTS Academic for Express Entry
IRCC accepts PTE Core, IELTS General Training and CELPIP-General.
Taking IELTS Online or TOEFL iBT Home Edition for an Australian visa
Home Affairs does not accept tests delivered completely online.
Comparing overall scores only
Visa minimums apply to each skill. For PTE Academic, Speaking has the highest Home Affairs minimum at every level.
Converting scores with an unofficial chart
Use each test owner's own concordance, and the requirement-setter's own minimums for decisions.

Worked example

A situation we made up, worked through with the official rules only.

Our original example, not a real test item

Proficient English for Australian PR, with a Canada back-up plan

The situation

A candidate needs Proficient English for Australian skilled migration and may later apply through Express Entry.

Australia (Home Affairs, tests from 7 August 2025)

PTE Academic: Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76.

IELTS (Academic or General Training): 7 in each component.

TOEFL iBT: minimums published only on the 0–30 scale; ETS says only pre-21-January-2026 tests and TOEFL iBT Australia are currently approved.

Canada (IRCC, Express Entry)

Accepted English tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core.

Why it works

IELTS General Training is the only one of these options accepted by both Home Affairs and IRCC Express Entry.
A PTE Academic result would serve Australia only; Express Entry would need PTE Core instead.
This is an illustration with today's official rules, not advice for a specific application.

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PTE, IELTS and TOEFL Speaking questions

Which speaking test has a human examiner?

IELTS: the Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with an examiner. PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT Speaking are recorded and AI scored; PTE adds a human review of Content on four task types.

How long is each speaking section?

IELTS Speaking takes 11–14 minutes. TOEFL iBT Speaking takes about 8 minutes. PTE Academic Speaking shares Part 1 with Writing, about 76–84 minutes in total; Pearson does not give a separate speaking time.

Is TOEFL iBT accepted for Australian PR?

Home Affairs lists TOEFL iBT with minimums on the 0–30 scale only, and you must register as "Taking TOEFL for Australia". ETS's 2026–27 Bulletin says only tests taken before 21 January 2026 and TOEFL iBT Australia are currently approved for Australian visa purposes.

Which test does Canada accept for Express Entry?

For English, IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core. PTE Academic, IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT are not on the list.

Is there an official PTE, IELTS and TOEFL conversion table?

Each owner publishes its own: Pearson aligns PTE Academic with IELTS Academic, and ETS compares the TOEFL iBT 1–6 scale with IELTS. There is no official three-way table, and the separate studies should not be chained.

Which speaking test is easiest?

None of the test owners makes that comparison, and neither do we. The formats differ (interview, computer tasks, no-preparation answers), so try each under timed conditions and check which tests your goal accepts.

Sources

Every timing, count and scoring fact on this page comes from these official pages. Last reviewed 7 October 2026. Test owners change their tests: check the official pages before you book.