IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System and CD-IELTS stands for Computer Delivered – International English Language Testing System. Although both the exams are same, however, the medium of exam delivery is different as IELTS is taken on a paper and CD-IELTS is conducted via Computer.
Since, CD-IELTS exam involves the usage of computer for its execution so students must be efficient in using computers. For instance, they should have a good typing speed and accuracy for the writing section of CD-IELTS. Moreover, they should be comfortable in reading passages and questions over the computer screen and marking the answers on the same.
The detailed comparison between IELTS and CD-IELTS is as follows:
- Speaking section of both IELTS and CD-IELTS follows the same pattern, so it is conducted in an interview format on a separate day.
- Listening, Reading and Writing are done in a single sitting.
- Type of questions.
- Time allotted for each module.
- Complexity level of tasks.
- Scoring pattern.
- Both IELTS and CD-IELTS have academic and general versions.
- Validity and acceptance.
- Result availability and TRF.
- In IELTS, students use pen/pencil for marking/writing answers on the answer sheet whereas in CD-IELTS, all answers are marked/typed on a computer
- For Reading section, in IELTS, candidates have to answer the questions of the passages on the given paper and in CD-IELTS, candidates have to read the passage from a computer screen and mark the answers there.
- For the Writing module, students have to write their thoughts about the given topics on paper in IELTS whereas in CD-IELTS, students have to type their thoughts on the computer using a keyboard.
- For the Listening section, as questions are to be answered while the audio is being played, so candidates have to read the questions from a question booklet and mention their answers on the given answer sheets in IELTS and in CD-IELTS questions are displayed on the computer and students need to mark the answers on the computer.
- Evaluation of the results of IELTS exam is done manually whereas in case of CD-IELTS, answer sheets are checked by the computer software/system.