Testing English as a foreign language facts for kids
This page is about different ways to test your English skills if English is not your first language. It's for anyone who wants to know more about these tests, like students or teachers. These tests help show how well you can read, write, listen, and speak in English.
Contents
Types of English Tests
There are many different English exams you can take. Each one checks your English in slightly different ways.
Cambridge English Exams
The Cambridge English exams are very popular, especially in Europe. The University of Cambridge creates these tests. There are five main exams for general English. Many students take these exams in schools around the world.
These exams usually test:
- Reading
- Grammar (how you use words and sentences)
- Speaking
- Listening
The easiest Cambridge exam is the KET. KET stands for Key English Test. It checks your basic English skills.
The PET is a bit harder. PET means Preliminary English Test. If you pass the PET, you can handle many everyday and work situations in English. You might still find some things difficult or make mistakes.
The FCE is the most popular Cambridge English exam. FCE means First Certificate in English. This test is good for many jobs. People with an FCE can use English well. They usually don't have big problems, but they might still make some mistakes.
The CAE is a difficult exam. CAE means Certificate in Advanced English. This exam is helpful for getting into many universities or for working in English-speaking countries. If you have a CAE, you can usually work or study in places like England or the United States without problems.
The CPE is the hardest Cambridge exam. CPE stands for Certificate of Proficiency in English. People who pass the CPE are very good at English. Their English is almost as good as someone who grew up speaking English. This exam is great for universities and businesses. Many universities that teach in English want students to have a CPE or CAE.
There are also Cambridge English exams for business. The Business English Certificate (BEC) comes in three levels. These are similar to the PET, FCE, and CAE. The BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) is another exam. It helps companies or people check their current English level for business.
IELTS Exam
The IELTS is called the International English Language Testing System. It was created by the University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education in Australia. There are two types of IELTS exams. One is for students or professionals. The other is for people who want to live in an English-speaking country.
Many universities in places like Britain, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand often ask for an IELTS score. It's also becoming popular in North America. The IELTS tests your speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills.
TOEFL Exam
The TOEFL is a very popular English exam. It's especially useful if you want to study in the United States of America. TOEFL means Test of English as a Foreign Language. This is an academic exam. Many universities in America want students to take the TOEFL.
In 2005, a new TOEFL exam was created. It uses the internet and is called the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT). Older versions, like the Computer-Based TOEFL (CBT) and Paper-Based TOEFL, are not available in all countries anymore.
TOEIC Exam
The TOEIC is a general English exam. TOEIC means Test of English for International Communication. This exam has 200 questions. All the questions are multiple-choice. This means you choose the correct answer from a few options, like a, b, c, or d.
Your TOEIC result is a number between 10 and 990. A score of 990 is the best. Companies often use the TOEIC score for jobs. Many jobs need a score higher than 600. Managers often need a score higher than 800.
| TOEIC number | Level |
|---|---|
| 10 - 400 | Beginner |
| 400-600 | Medium (Intermediate) |
| 600-700 | Good (High Intermediate) |
| 800-990 | Very good (Advanced) |
Other English Tests
There are other important English tests too, often used for business or specific purposes.
LCCIEB Exams
LCCIEB stands for London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board. This group creates many English exams. Many businesses like LCCIEB exams.
The EFB (English for Business) is a business English exam. It tests both basic general English and more difficult business English.
The EFC (English for Commerce) is another business English exam. It checks your business writing and business skills. Business skills are ideas about how to manage a business. The EFC is harder than the EFB.
The PBE (Practical Business English) tests business speaking and listening. It's for basic English. If you have a PBE, you can have a simple business conversation.
The SEFIC (Spoken English for Industry and Commerce) is a harder business speaking and listening exam. It tests more difficult business conversations.
The WEFT (Written English for Tourism) is an English business exam for tourism. It tests speaking and listening skills needed in hotels and other parts of tourism.
Pitman Exams
Pitman exams are made by the City and Guilds Group. They have two main English exams.
The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tests English at many levels. It's good for getting into many colleges. The Spoken ESOL is similar, but it only tests speaking and listening.
The EBC (English for Business Communications) is a business English exam with three levels.
CELS Exams
The CELS exams are for people who want to study in England. CELS means "Certificates in Communicative Skills in English". These exams used to be called ARELS and Oxford exams, but now they are part of Cambridge ESOL exams. The ARELS exam tested speaking and listening. The Oxford exam tested writing and reading. Now, CELS combines them.
There are three levels in the CELS exam: Preliminary (easiest), Vantage (medium), and Higher (most difficult). People who pass CELS are usually very good at speaking English. These exams are good for universities.
One special thing about CELS is that you get a separate certificate for each part of the exam. So, you could have a high score in speaking but a lower score in writing.
Comparing English Tests
It can be hard to compare different English exams because they are all a little different.
How Exams Are Compared
In Europe, an organization called ALTE helps compare different exams. ALTE stands for the Association of Language Testers in Europe. It has 28 exam makers and compares their exams in 24 languages. ALTE describes what learners "can do" at each step of learning a language. They call this a "can-do" list. This list is a simple way to understand the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF), which comes from the Council of Europe.
What You Can Do at Each Level
This table shows what learners "can do" in everyday English (not for work or studying) at the ALTE levels:
| ALTE level | Writing | Reading | Listening and speaking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | You can write letters about anything. You can also take notes at meetings in good, correct English. | You can understand documents, letters, and reports, even difficult ones. | You can explain complicated things to people. You can understand slang and answer hard questions. |
| Level 4 | You can write letters for work, but someone might need to check them. You can take good notes in a meeting. You can write an essay that others can easily read. | You can read fast enough for a university course. You can read newspapers and magazines for information. You can also understand complicated letters. | You can talk well in meetings and seminars about your work. You can have a fast, informal conversation, even about ideas. |
| Level 3 | You can take notes when someone is talking. You can also write a letter, even if it has some unusual things in it. | You can look through texts to find the information you need. You can also understand specific instructions or advice. | You can understand people when they talk about things you know. You can give a talk about things you know well. You can also have a conversation about many different things. |
| Level 2 | You can write letters or take notes about usual things. | You can understand everyday information and newspapers. You can also understand the main idea of unusual information if you know the topic. | You can simply say what you think about ideas or culture. You can give information about things you know. You can also understand instructions or public announcements. |
| Level 1 | You can fill in forms. You can also write short, simple letters or postcards about simple things. | You can understand simple information you know about. This includes information on products, signs, or in simple textbooks or reports. | You can simply say what you think or what you need about things you know well. |
| Breakthrough level | You can fill in simple forms. You can also write notes with times, dates, and places. | You can understand simple notices, instructions, or information. | You can understand simple instructions. You can also have a simple conversation about things you know well. |
Comparing Different Exams
This table shows how different exams compare to the ALTE levels:
| ALTE level | CEF level | IELTS exam | BEC exam and CELS exam | Cambridge exam | Pitman ESOL | TOEIC | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | C2 | 7.5+ | - | CPE | Advanced | 910+ | 276+ |
| Level 4 | C1 | 6.5 - 7 | Higher | CAE | Upper-Intermediate | 701 - 910 | 236 - 275 |
| Level 3 | B2 | 5 - 6 | Vantage | FCE | Intermediate | 541 - 700 | 176 - 235 |
| Level 2 | B1 | 3.5 - 4.5 | Preliminary | PET | Pre-Intermediate | 381 - 540 | 126 - 175 |
| Level 1 | A2 | 3 | - | KET | Elementary | 246 - 380 | 96 - 125 |
| Breakthrough level | A1 | 1-2 | - | - | Basic | - | - |
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