Who says you can only prepare for the IELTS exam in school? Many online platforms help you prepare for the IELTS Test for Academic English (including its four mandatory stages – Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing), and provide ways to test your English skills and your familiarity with the testing process at a fraction of the cost of attending a specialised language school location.
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Studyportals has reviewed three top online platforms providing IELTS test training, to help you choose the perfect option, and get admitted to an international university in no time:
- IELTS Test Online is a division of Impact Learning Services, New Zealand
- IELTS Academic Test Preparation by EdX, United States
- IELTS Magoosh, United States
- E2Language, Australia
By assessing these online IELTS preparation platforms we can share our insights about who would best benefit from using these platforms.
The training platforms will be reviewed on the following points:
- Usability and page design
- Preparation materials included
- The simulation experience
- The speaking test
- Test evaluation and keeping track of results
- Fees and subscription duration
- Conclusions
Each topic section includes observations about each of the four platforms.
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1. Platform usability & page design
IELTS Test Online
- At first, it is not very clear how to get started. The busy look of the page can create confusion.
- Some graphic elements look outdated.
- Including better links to previous pages may help with navigation.
- Sometimes it may be difficult to remember how you landed on a specific page.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- Clean, modern look.
- Includes student support section and useful information page.
- Also includes an FAQ with forum answers.
- Easy to get started, to use and navigate.
- Videos have subtitles.
- You can easily tell what you will do on the page based on specific icons.
- Good overview of all steps and available exercises.
IELTS Magoosh
- Easy to navigate and to know your location on the site.
- Simple, modern and straightforward platform.
- Easy to mark and track progress with a list of completed courses and percentage pie charts.
- No intro before getting started, but the platform is intuitive enough. You can take notes during the video and review them when you need to.
- You can also leave feedback for each video lesson, to follow what the teacher is saying more easily. Option to speed up video without affecting quality.
- During the tests, you have to fill in the answer in a separate box and press the submit button, which is located further down on the page - not very user-friendly.
E2Language
- Good website structuring with a useful tutorial to get started fast.
- Users have control over what they want to start with.
- They can get a customized study plan based on a short questionnaire.
- Students can do short exercises while they watch free lesson videos.
- The platform has a modern look and it is easy to use and intuitive.
- You can only track progress if you upgrade to a higher package.
- Tests are easy to take. Unfortunately, once the timer starts, you may not have an option to pause it.
- Includes video tutorial explaining how to use the platform and easy to find FAQ section
2. Included IELTS preparation materials
IELTS Test Online
- Includes over 80 interactive lessons and 350 tutorial videos.
- A vocabulary introduction is available before each lesson.
- There is an initial quiz before each lesson to test your starting knowledge.
- You'll find a lot of instructional videos included in the lessons.
- The platform includes preparation for a wide range of test takers: 5.0 to 9.0 score band.
- You'll find a study plan to help you with the learning rhythm.
- You can download audio files for further use after the subscription expires.
- Free 800-page e-book including all lessons.
- There are games for relaxing but also practising your English level.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- Includes a lot of videos with the option of downloading them if you want.
- Interesting exercises included.
- You only get access to a significant portion of the materials if you pay extra.
- 160 extra activities for premium students.
- A progress bar keeps track of your completed tests.
IELTS Magoosh
- 700 hours of video material.
- Video materials covering all four test sections, and IELTS skills as well as extensive grammar lessons.
- In addition to offering language training for the parts of IELTS, it includes also lessons on English grammar.
- Lessons and test simulations are split into individual sections.
E2Language
- The free version provides practice exercises, video lessons and live classes.
- Teachers evaluate student progress if they have picked the paid course options.
- Also, for paid options, students can schedule calls with teachers to plan a learning track, have a pre-test meeting to refresh their knowledge and get answers to any last-minute questions.
- Users have the option to select a preferred level for the grammar exercises, so they get more relevant lessons based on their current level. They can watch 1-hour long recorded classes, and also have the option to register for online live lessons held regularly.
3. Test simulation experience
IELTS Test Online
- 15 preparation tests for each IELTS section for a total of 60 tests, regardless of the subscription you choose.
- Each test has a band score estimator included.
- You can take the tests as many times as you want.
- The tests loads in a pop-up page.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- All lessons integrate exercises naturally.
- Well structured lesson plan: first explanatory videos, then written text with steps for taking the test, followed by section-specific exercises.
- Lessons are intuitive and diverse.
- Exercises show students how to fill in answers in the official IELTS test.
- Not a lot of practice tests available for the unpaid account.
IELTS Magoosh
- Videos look a bit generic, with just text on a white background.
- During the test simulations, you cannot skip exercises.
- Answers and explanations are at the bottom of the page, in written and video format.
- You cannot fill in the answers directly in the text, but in a separate box.
- The test is timed and provides a realistic simulation.
E2Language
- Students get points for completed assignments and there is also a leaderboard with the biggest scores.
- You can unlock more if you choose a better package.
- The lessons are structured into an overview lesson, a method lesson and practice tests.
- Students can do short exercises while they watch free lesson videos.
- For the paid option, they can have a discussion with a teacher, if they failed the test. This way, they can find out what went wrong and prepare better for next time.
4. The Speaking Test
The speaking test assessment requires the use of a computer microphone, and your answers will be recorded.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- You can record yourself and playback your answers and compare with example recordings.
- The tests are split into parts, simulating the exam.
IELTS Magoosh
- Magoosh does not give feedback to the Speaking Test.
- You can record it, and you get the video answer of what you should say during the test, but you don’t have your unique answer reviewed.
- Once you start the recording you can only stop after the testing time expires.
E2Language
- The student gets practice tests made up of a text, with some questions. On the right, they can fill in the correct letters for the answers. It’s clean and easy to use. They can choose between a good variety of practice tests and mock tests,
5. Test results, evaluation and keeping track of progress
IELTS Test Online
- Each lesson includes a test at the end to evaluate your acquired knowledge.
- There is a test score report summary showing your overall grade and percentage of complete lessons.
- It's easy to keep track of your test results and you can always try to beat your previous score.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- The platform keeps track of the progress of lessons and tests very well.
- Useful test score breakdown.
- Modern and intuitive look to the answers provided for the tests.
- Shows you which answers you got right, which ones you didn't and what the correct answers were.
IELTS Magoosh
- Answers and explanations for tests are presented at the bottom of the test page.
You can mark your lesson finished after you went through it and understood it. This is also how the system keeps track of student progress.
E2Language
- For paid options, students can schedule calls with teachers to plan a learning track, have a pre-test meeting to refresh their knowledge and get answers to any last-minute questions.
- For the paid option, they can have a discussion with a teacher, if they failed the test. This way, they can find out what went wrong and prepare better for next time.
6. Fees and subscription duration
IELTS Test Online
- 45 USD - access for 45 days
- 90 USD - access for 90 days
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- The course duration is 8 weeks.
- The courses are offered for free.
- If you want a certificate after completing it and access to extra practice tests this will cost 99 USD.
IELTS Magoosh
- 59 USD – 1-month access.
- 69 USD – 3-months access.
- 99 USD – 6-months access.
E2Language
- Express - 3 months - 69 USD.
- Bronze - 5 months - 139 USD.
- Silver - 6 months - 199 USD.
- Gold - 9 months - 259 USD.
- Platinum - 12 months - 379 USD.
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7. Overall conclusions
IELTS Test Online
- It's great if you want to practice a lot before your actual IELTS test – 60 practice tests and free e-book included with any subscription.
- You'll get a lot of resources for learning and test your knowledge.
- It's very useful if you can overlook some navigation and outdated platform graphics.
IELTS Academic Test Preparation
- The clarity of the user interface helps get you started with learning fast.
- A modern learning platform that is easy to use.
- Intuitive and clear evaluation of tests.
- A limited number of practice tests, especially if using the free version.
- The fact that videos have subtitles also offer an alternative way of practising reading while you learn.
IELTS Magoosh
- More pricey than other options, but guarantees you will get a high IELTS score for your exam.
- A good amount of materials to go through.
- Could use some improvements to make the test simulation experience easier for students.
E2Language
- Tests are easy to take. Unfortunately, once the timer starts, you may not have the option to pause it.
- Includes video tutorial explaining how to use the platform and easy to find FAQ section.
- The free version provides practice exercises, video lessons and live classes.
- Teachers evaluate student progress if they have picked the paid course options.
What are you waiting for? Advance your English skills, pick an online IELTS training platform and get ready for your IELTS Academic English Exam!