General English
KET (Key English Test)
An elementary level exam, testing your ability to deal with basic written and spoken communications.
PET (Preliminary English Test)
An intermediate level exam, testing your ability to cope with everyday written and spoken communications.
FCE (First Certificate in English)
An upper intermediate level exam - ideal if you can deal confidently with a range of written and spoken communications.
CAE (Certificate in Advanced English)
The Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English is a much more recent exam than the Proficiency (CAE was introduced in 1991) and it is a much more modern exam in its approach. CAE tests your ability to use English in practical and varied tasks, and you are marked as much on your ability to complete the task as you are on your use of English. CAE is accepted by many universities as fulfilling the English language requirement, but you may need to get a certain grade (eg B or above) depending on the university / course in question.
There are 5 papers in the exam (which takes place every June and December). These are: Reading, Writing, English In Use, Speaking and Listening. Each paper carries 20% of the total marks.
NB The more practical bias in CAE doesn't make it easy - to get a good pass at this level you will definitely need a good advanced level of English! If you are thinking of taking CAE you are strongly advised to follow an exam preparation course first.
CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
The Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency (CPE) is the highest level general English exam offered by the University of Cambridge. It has been around for a long time and is still regarded by many as the benchmark level for advanced English.
A CPE pass (C or above) is also widely accepted as the English language requirement by British and many international universities. Proficiency takes place in June and December only each year.
There are 5 papers (Reading Comprehension, Composition, Use of English, Listening Comprehension and Interview). The Listening paper carries 12% of the marks; the others carry 22% each.
Proficiency is quite a popular exam - over 60,000 people sit it each year. Be warned however! It is the sort of exam that some native English speakers could never pass. It demands a precise, academic and analytical approach to language and is probably best suited to those who want to use English academically - for example as teachers, lecturers or translators. If you want to use English at work, the Certificate of Advanced English is probably more appropriate. It also tests your English at a very high level but it focuses on practical, real-life tasks. If you are thinking of taking Proficiency you are strongly advised to follow an exam preparation course first.
Academic English
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
IELTS is different from most of the other exams we talk about here. It is not an exam that you pass or fail; it is a test of your current level of English, and your result will be expressed as a score of between 1 and 9. (If you get a 1 then your English is obviously a lot less advanced than you think it is!) It is also an exam that you can take at any time - most centres offer the test regularly throughout the year.
IELTS tests your listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. The listening and speaking modules are the same for all candidates. However you can choose which reading and writing modules to take - the Academic modules are suitable if you are thinking of taking a university course. The General modules are suitable if you are going for secondary education in an English-speaking country, or for example for work experience or immigration purposes.
IELTS is very widely recognised by universities in Britain and many other English-speaking countries. It is definitely the first test to think about if you want to study at a British university.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The Test of English as a Foreign Language evaluates general English proficiency and is required for admission to over 2400 American and Canadian colleges and universities. It s now also widely accepted by institutions in other countries where English is the language of instruction, including most UK universities and colleges.
The TOEFL Test, like The TOEIC Test, is different from exams like the First Certificate or the LCCI exams in that you do not pass or fail it. Instead you get a score which reflects your overall ability in English. The higher your score, the beter your level. An employer or university for example may insist on a minimum score before confirming your apointment to a job or your place on a course of study.
The TOEFL Test also takes place much more frequently than the Cambridge exams - at Churchill House for example, we run TOEFL tests six times a year. It is therefore a useful option if you need a test quickly and economically.
Business English
LCCI EFB (London Chamber of Commerce and Industry - English for Business)
The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), though its Examinations Board (LCCIEB) offers business qualifications that are recognised by employers worldwide. It is probably true to say that LCCI is not so well known (or well-promoted!) as English exam specialists such as UCLES and The TOEFL? Test.
On the other hand the LCCI has direct links with the international Chamber of Commerce movement, giving it unique access and insights into the needs of modern businesses. The LCCI's English for Business exam (EFB) is a communicative written examination offered (4 times per year) at 4 levels. It is designed to test communication in business with tasks based on real business activity.
There are 3 main parts to the exam: 1. An extended writing task (eg a memo, article or report) 2. A letter writing task 3. A reformulation task (you must expand, reduce or selectively rewrite a text in English) A 3rd level pass is accepted as the EFL requirement for entry into many universities in the UK and worldwide. The exam can also be taken in conjunction with the oral test - Spoken English for Industry and Commerce (SEFIC).
The Advanced level of this test (confusingly known as the 4th level!) consists of a 40-minute one-to-one interview with an assessor during which you must display a high degree of fluency in discussing a wide range of business topics. The LCCI English for Business exams are offered three times a year. If you are thinking of taking an LCCI exam we would recommend that you follow a suitable exam preparation course first.
BEC (Business English Certificate)
There are three levels for this exam. Level 3 of the Cambridge Business English Certificates is an advanced level test of your English within the context of international business. It would be unwise to attempt this exam without prior business experience or study of the commercial world.
The exam is divided into 4 parts - Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking - and you will get two grades, one for Speaking and the other for Listening, Reading and Writing. Tasks are eminently practical - you will need to show, for example, that you can understand a range of business texts, engage in discussions on work-related topics and produce quite complex memos, letters and reports.
The BEC exam takes place in February, April, May, July, September and November.
Comparing Levels
One of the most common questions from students is how exams in the different categories compare to each other. Is the FCE equivalent to one of the BEC exams? If I have the CAE, what TOEFL score can I expect?
Luckily, we have a reference guide to help us here, called the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" (CEF). The CEF divides language learners into six levels, and enables us to compare all the ESL exams according to these levels.
The six levels are:
A1 (Breakthrough), A2 (Waystage), B1 (Threshold), B2 (Vantage), C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency), and C2 (Mastery).
Here's a quick comparison of exams at the different levels. Bear in mind that this is a general guide only -- students' scores in different exams will of course depend on many factors, such as preparation time and motivation!
A1: YLE Movers, Pitman ESOL Basic, IELTS score 1-2.
A2: KET, YLE Flyers, Pitman ESOL Elementary, TOEIC score 246-380, TOEFL iBT score 32-42, IELTS score 3.
B1: PET, TOEIC score 381-540, BEC Preliminary, TOEFL iBT score 43-61, IELTS score 3.5-4.5.
B2: FCE, Pitman ESOL Intermediate, TOEIC score 541-700, BEC Vantage, TOEFL iBT score 62-91, IELTS score 5-6.
C1: CAE, Pitman ESOL Higher Intermediate, TOEIC score 701-910, BEC Higher, TOEFL iBT score 92-112, IELTS score 6.5-7.
C2: CPE, Pitman ESOL Advanced, TOEIC score 911-990, TOEFL iBT score 113-120, IELTS score 7.5-9.
You can find more information about these exams on the Cambridge ESOL, TOEFL and LCCI websites:
http://www.ets.org/toefl/
http://www.cambridgeesol.org
http://www.ielts.org
http://www.lccieb.com
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