International English Tests

International English Tests
CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference

● CEFR is an international standard for describing language ability on six-point scales.
BASIC SPEAKER A1 Breakthrough
Beginner
A2 Elementary
Waystage
INDEPENDENT B1 Threshold
Intermediate
B2 Upper-intermediate
Vantage
PROFICIENT C1 Advanced
Effective Operational Proficiency
C2 Mastery
Proficiency
IELTS - International English Language Testing System (1989)

● Listening - 30m
○ Same for both Academic and General Training.
○ Section 1: Dialogue about social everyday contexts
○ Section 2: Monologue every contexts
○ Section 3: Conversation academic contexts.
○ Section 4: Monologue on an academic subject.
● Reading - 60m
○ General Training: extracts from notices, ads, newspaper, magazines,...
○ Academic: 3 long texts, all are authentic.
● Writing - 60m
○ General:
Task 1 (150 words): write letter
Task 2 (250 words): write essay but more personal in style than Academic.
○ Academic:
Task 1 (150 words): describe and explain data, stages of process
Task 2 (250 words): write essay in response to a point of view, argument
● Speaking - 11-14m
○ Part 1: General questions (4-5m)
○ Part 2: Talk about particular topic ( 1m to prepare, 2m to test)
○ Part 3: Further questions connected to topic in part 2 ( 4-5m )
● DESCRIBE BAND SCORE IN IELTS

○ Band 1-3: Limited User - fragmented understanding, only communicating in familiar
situations.
○ Band 4-5: Limited User - partial understanding and communication in survival situations
with basic needs.
○ Band 6: Competent User - generally good understanding and can communicate in a
variety of familiar situations.
○ Band 7: Good User - operational command of the language and can handle most
situations without much difficulty.
○ Band 8: Very Good User - a wide range of understanding and can express ideas fluently
and spontaneously.
○ Band 9: Expert User - full command of the language and can handle any situation with
ease and precision.
TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication (1979)

● Listening - 45m - 100 questions
○ Part 1: Photographs - 6 questions
○ Part 2: Question responses - 25 questions
○ Part 3: Short conversation - 39 questions
○ Part 4: Short talks - 30 questions
● Reading - 75m - 100 questions

○ Part 1: Incomplete sentences - 30 questions
○ Part 2: Text completion - 16 questions
○ Part 3:
. Single passage ( 10 texts and 2-4 questions per text) - 29 questions
. Multiple passage (5 sets of double passages and 5 questions for per set) - 25 questions
● Writing - 60m
○ Question 1 - 5: Write a sentence based on a picture (8m)
○ Question 6 - 7: Respond to a written request (20m)
○ Question 8: Write an opinion essay (30m)
● Speaking - 20m (computer based test)

○ Question 1,2: Read a text aloud
○ Question 3,4: Describe a picture
○ Question 5,6,7: Respond to questions
○ Question 8,9,10: Respond to questions using info provided
○ Question 11: Express opinion
TOEFL iBT - Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (2005)

Total marks: 120
● Listening - 36m
○ 3 lectures, 3-5m each, 6 questions per lecture (18 questions)
○ 2 conversations, 3m each, 5 questions per conversation (10 questions)
● Reading - 35m
○ 3 passages: 10 questions per one
● Writing - 29m
○ Task 1: Integrated writing task (20m)
○ Task 2: Writing for an academic discussion task (9m)
● Speaking - 16m
○ Task 1: Independent speaking task
○ Task 2,3,4: Integrated speaking task
FCE - First Certificate in English (1975)

● Listening - 40m
○ Part 1: Multiple choice (8 questions)
○ Part 2: Sentence complete (10 questions)
○ Part 3: Multiple matching (5 questions)
○ Part 4: Multiple choice (7 questions)
● Reading and use of English - 75m

○ Part 1: Multiple choice cloze
○ Part 2: Open cloze
○ Part 3: Word formation
○ Part 4: Keyword transformations
○ Part 5: Multiple choice questions
○ Part 6: Sentences missing
○ Part 7: Multiple matching
● Writing - 80m
○ Part 1 (140 words): Write essay based on prompts
○ Part 2 (140 words): Write from a choice of 3 questions: article/ review/ story/ letter/…
● Speaking - 14m ( 2 examiners and do test with other candidate)

○ Part 1: Interview (2m)
○ Part 2: Long turn (1m30)
○ Part 3: Collaborative task (3m)
○ Part 4: Discussion (5m)
CAE - Certificate in Advanced English

● Listening - 40m
○ Part 1: Multiple choice
○ Part 2: Sentence completion
○ Part 4 Multiple matching
● Reading and use of English - 90m

○ Part 1: Multiple choice cloze
○ Part 2: Open cloze
○ Part 3: Word formation
○ Part 4: Keyword transformations
○ Part 6: Cross-text multiple matching
○ Part 7: Gapped text
○ Part 8 Multiple matching
● Writing - 90m
○ Part 1 (220-260 words): Compulsory questions
○ Part 2 (220-226 words): Situationally based
● Speaking - 15m
○ Part 1: Interview (2m)
○ Part 2: Long turn (1m30)
○ Part 3: Collaborative task (3m)
○ Part 4: Discussion (5m)
IELTS AND TOEIC TO CEFR LEVELS
KEYWORDS ABOUT TESTS
IELTS
- Authentic
- Only the listening part provides time to transfer answers.
- Writing and reading are different between Academic and General, listening and
speaking are not.
- General training is also suitable for entering an undergraduate or postgraduate.
- IELTS Academic → features of academic language
- IELTS General → broad social and workplace contexts
TOEIC
- Question response task
- Multiple choice
TOEFL iBT
- Integrated
FCE
- Two examiners appear in a speaking test and do a test with other candidate.
CAE
- No validation time
EXERCISE
1. Filling the gap NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
The IELTS Academic test covers all 4 language skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing.
The listening and speaking tests are THE SAME for both the Academic and General. The
former test is in four sections with a total of 40 questions in order of INCREASE difficulty and
will last 30 minutes with an extra 10 minutes at the end for candidates to TRANSFER their
answer to the answer sheet. The latter test aims at assessing candidates’ use of spoken English and
consists of three parts. In part 1, each candidate is asked some SHORT-ANSWERED questions
about themselves and a range of familiar topics. In part 2, the candidate will talk about a
particular topic up to two minutes after one minute of PREPARATION. In part 3, the
examiner will ask the candidate further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These
questions give the candidates an opportunity to discuss more abstract issues and ideas.
The reading test lasts ONE HOUR with THREE READING passages and a total of 40
questions. In addition, candidates have to mark their answers while doing the test since they have
NO time to copy their answer to the answer sheet like the Listening test.
The Writing test includes 2 tasks, and candidates are given one hour to complete them. In task 1,
candidates are expected to write a DESCRIPTIVE REPORT of at least 150 WORDS on some
graphic or pictorial information. In task 2, candidates will produce an ARGUMENTATIVE
ESSAY of at least 250 WORDS in a topic of general interest. Importantly, responses to both
tasks must be written in FORMAL STYLES.
2. Write TWO WORDS AND/OR TWO NUMBERS
- You should spend about 40 MINUTES on writing task 2.

- Task 2 is worth TWICE the marks of writing task 1.
- The test takers WILL NOT get extra writing paper if they run out of space on their answer
sheet.
- In the reading IELTS test, the candidates DO NOT have extra 10 minutes to transfer answers
- In IELTS listening academic, sections 1 and 2 are based on social situations while sections 3 and 4
are ACADEMIC.
- IELTS speaking test consists of 3 main sections namely an interview, a talk and a DISCUSSION
- For IELTS listening and reading tests, test takers must not use a PEN.
- For reading the IELTS academic paper, there are 3 PASSAGES with 40 questions in total.

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International English Tests

CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference

IELTS - International English Language Testing System (1989)

● DESCRIBE BAND SCORE IN IELTS

TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication (1979)

● Reading - 75m - 100 questions

● Speaking - 20m (computer based test)

TOEFL iBT - Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (2005)

FCE - First Certificate in English (1975)

● Reading and use of English - 75m

● Speaking - 14m ( 2 examiners and do test with other candidate)

CAE - Certificate in Advanced English

● Reading and use of English - 90m

1. Filling the gap NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

2. Write TWO WORDS AND/OR TWO NUMBERS

- You should spend about 40 MINUTES on writing task 2.

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