Popular English Proficiency Tests

Are you planning to study abroad? If Yes, then just applying to universities of your choice does not complete the process. There are many requirements that have to be fulfilled to secure a place in abroad universities. One such requirement is to have a minimum score in the English language to prove that you can understand the lectures and participate in seminars and more. This is a mandatory requirement is a valid score of an accepted English language Test.

To apply at major foreign universities for Indian students in UK, USA, Australia, Canada and many other countries having a good score in the English proficiency test is essential. The international universities accept one, two, and sometimes 3 English language tests. Here are the popular English proficiency tests.

-IELTS

-TOEFL

-PTE

-CAE

IELTS

IELTS is an International English Language Testing System which is taken by people who are willing to study or to work abroad where English being the language of communication. There is no minimum score to pass the test this measures the candidate level of English from A1-C2.

It consists of four parts:

Listening (30 minutes)

Academic Reading (60 minutes)

Academic Writing (60 minutes)

Speaking (11-14 minutes with an examiner)

TOEFL

TOEFL® (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a popular English test that was started to resolve the problem of ensuring English Language Proficiency for non-native speakers who intend to study at US universities. It is offered as an internet-based test but paper-based is also provided in specialized test centers. The test consists of 4 parts with each part graded up to 30 points adding to a maximum score of 120 points.

Reading

Listening

Speaking

Writing

In the first two parts, you must read texts and listen to recordings about different topics and answer the multiple-choice questions. Answers are recorded and sent online for the speaking part which is then evaluated by examiners.

PTE Academic

PTE [Pearson English Language Test] has got a lot of popularity and many universities accept this as proof of English Knowledge from students aspiring to study overseas. PTE is divided into 3 sections:

Speaking and Writing

Reading

Listening

PTE Academic test takes 3 hours to complete and is only available in a computer-based format. The advantage with PTE is that the results are out in 5 days. Currently, PTE Academic is widely accepted in New Zealand and Australia for study/work/immigration/PR. Most universities and colleges have minimum scores of 50–60 out of 90. The PTE certificate is valid for two years.

CAE

C1 Advanced known formally as CAE – Cambridge English Advanced is an advanced in-dept, high-level qualification that proves that you have language skills that universities are looking for. Thousands of educational institutes and other departments across the globe accept CAE as an achievement proof in English proficiency.

The examination includes four parts:

Reading and Use of English (1 hour 30 minutes)

Writing (1 hour and 30 minutes)

Listening (40 minutes)

Speaking (15 minutes)