Two modes, two different questions
Practice Mode is untimed study with guidance: you can move at your own pace, think about each question and use review to understand what happened. Exam Mode is a timed, exam-realistic run of the same materials: the clock, the pacing and the pressure are part of the measurement.
These answer different questions. Practice Mode asks 'can I do this at all?'. Exam Mode asks 'can I do this under real conditions?'. A strong practice score with a weak exam score usually points at pacing, not knowledge.
Why your dashboard never merges them
Your ScoreProMax dashboard shows Practice and Exam progress as two separate cards — completed runs, scored questions, accuracy and last activity for each. Merging them into one percentage would hide exactly the difference that matters.
The Score Predictor also weighs them differently: a completed timed Exam Mode test is stronger evidence of real performance than an untimed practice run, and the projection reflects that.
Which mode to use when
Early preparation is Practice Mode territory: learn the format, build accuracy, review every mistake. As your target date approaches, shift weight toward full Exam Mode tests — they are what make your score projection reliable. That applies across every family, from TOEFL practice tests to IELTS mock tests.
A simple rhythm that works: several practice sessions per week, plus one full Exam Mode test when you want an honest checkpoint. After each full test, use the review workflow to turn wrong answers into your next practice plan. If you want to feel the difference first, the test experience demo runs a short Practice Mode slice without an account.