One test, two delivery modes. The short answer: the papers and the scale are the same and Speaking is face to face in both; the differences are mechanical, and largest in Listening.
The biggest difference: ten minutes of transfer time
The paper test gives 10 minutes at the end of Listening to copy answers onto the answer sheet. The computer test has no such window — you type into the box as you listen, with roughly two minutes to review.
For candidates who write slowly or misspell under pressure, those ten minutes are a real cushion. For fast typists, typing directly is the advantage: no transfer step means no risk of copying onto the wrong line.
Writing: word count and revision
On screen the word count is displayed, so you never spend time counting and never submit short without knowing. Editing is easier too: inserting a sentence mid-paragraph does not mean rewriting the paragraph.
The trade-off is that handwriting keeps the whole response in view. On screen, earlier text scrolls out of sight, which makes repetition easier to commit.
Reading: mechanics, not skill
On paper you underline, circle and annotate margins. The screen offers highlighting and notes, but only practice makes them fluent. Text and questions appear side by side, with no page turning, which speeds up locating information.
Speaking does not change
Both modes use a face-to-face Speaking test of 11 to 14 minutes in three parts. There is no machine-marked Speaking in the official test.
How to choose
Choose on your own mechanics, not on general advice:
- Type faster than you write, or misspell when copying: choose computer.
- Need to see the whole response at once and annotate heavily: choose paper.
- Have practised entirely on screen: do not switch to paper because it sounds familiar.
More important than the choice is practising in the mode you will sit. If you will take the computer test, work on screen against a countdown, type your answers, and rehearse reviewing in two minutes. Mock platforms that reproduce these timing constraints — LinguaGrade among them — mean test day is not the first time you meet the interface.
Frequently asked questions
Is the computer test scored more leniently?
No. Same conversion, same criteria.
Do results arrive faster?
Usually considerably faster than the paper test, since the objective sections are marked automatically. Exact timing depends on the test centre.
Is scrap paper allowed on the computer test?
Yes, candidates are given paper and a pen.