Is correct spelling important in my IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC test?

ScottsEnglish

Q. Is spelling important in my test?

A. Yes, it is important.  The good news is IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC will accept either UK or US spelling.  But in the IELTS Listening and Reading, if you make a mistake, even a 'small' mistake, you will be marked wrong.

On the TOEFL and the TOEIC Listening and Reading sections, there is nothing to write, so spelling does not matter. However, it is important in the Written test

Q. In IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC writing if you make a spelling mistake will you lose marks?

A. In the IELTS Writing you can make a few spelling mistakes and still score high.  You will lose marks however, if your meaning is affected. In other words, if the examiner cannot understand what you are trying to convey, you will lose marks. In the TOEIC and TOEFL, the examiners are reading for content, and not specifically spelling mistakes. Your score will be lower if you misspell a word that is written in the question, or if you misspell the same word in different ways. As on the IELTS, your meaning must be clear.

Key Point: Try not to make any spelling mistakes in your test!