Introduction
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. It uses a nine-band scale to clearly identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9).
IELTS is available in: Academic – for people applying for higher education or professional registration, and General Training for those migrating to Australia, Canada and the UK, or applying for secondary education, training programmes and work experience in an English-speaking environment. Both versions provide a valid and accurate assessment of the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
In General IELTS is divided in the following structure and Question Types for the four sections of language.
Test Format -Listening
30 Minutes
You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.
- Recording 1 – a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.
- Recording 2 – a monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.
- Recording 3 – a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.
- Recording 4 – a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.
Assessors will be looking for evidence of your ability to understand the main ideas and detailed factual information, the opinions and attitudes of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and evidence of your ability to follow the development of ideas.
Learn More… https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-format
Test Format -Reading
60 Minutes
The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument and recognising writers’ opinions, attitudes and purpose.
IELTS Academic test – this includes three long texts which range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. These are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been selected for a non-specialist audience but are appropriate for people entering university courses or seeking professional registration.
Learn More… https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-format
Introduction
PTE Academic is the first entirely computer-based English language test for international study and immigration that is accepted across the world. Powered by AI technology, PTE Academic provides a fast and convenient testing solution without human bias.
The test assesses the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. It lasts approximately 3 hours and provides a score based on the GSE (Global Scale of English). PTE Academic scores are accepted by thousands of institutions and approved for all UK, Australian and New Zealand visa and immigration categories.
To complete a PTE Academic test, you will need to attend a secure Pearson test center. You will use a computer and headset to listen to, read and respond to questions.
During the three-hour test session, there are three main parts to the test: speaking and writing (together), listening and reading. There is also an optional 10-minute break between the reading and listening parts.
PTE Academic assesses real-life, academic English, so you will hear excerpts from lectures and view graphs and charts. You will hear a range of accents in the test, from British and American to non-native speakers, so you will be exposed to the type of accents you will encounter in everyday life.
Test Format
Part 1: Speaking & Writing
(77-93 minutes)
- Personal introduction
- Read aloud
- Repeat sentence
- Describe image
- Re-tell lecture
- Answer short question
- Summarize written text
- Essay (20 mins)
Learn more https://www.pearsonpte.com/preparationpath/
Part 2: Reading
(32 – 40 minutes)
- Reading & writing: Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice, choose multiple answers
- Re-order paragraphs
- Reading: Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice, choose single answer
Learn more https://pearsonpte.com/the-test/format/english-reading/
Part 3: Listening
(45 – 57 minutes)
- Summarize spoken text
- Multiple choice, choose multiple answer
- Fill in the blanks
- Highlight correct summary
- Multiple choice, choose single answer
- Select missing word
- Highlight incorrect words
- Write from dictation
Learn more https://pearsonpte.com/the-test/format/english-listening/
Introduction
OET is an international English language test that assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals who seek to register and practise in an English-speaking environment.
Who is OET for ?
Do you need to take an English test to work or study in healthcare in the UK, the US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine, Dubai, Singapore or Namibia?
Then OET is the test for you!
By taking OET you will prove you have the right level of English plus you’ll be learning the kind of language you will need every day at work.
And, that’s not all – healthcare professionals choose OET because:
- OET uses real healthcare scenarios so you’ll feel more confident on test day.
- OET is widely recognisedas proof of English proficiency for registration, study and work in the healthcare sector, as well as for visas in some countries.
- OET helps you develop language skills for success in your career – see stories about people like you.
- It’s easy to prepare for the test using the OET Preparation Portal– check it out now!
Test Structure
Listening
The Listening sub-test consists of three parts, and a total of 42 question items. The topics are of generic healthcare interest and accessible to candidates across all professions. The total length of the Listening audio is about 40 minutes, including recorded speech and pauses to allow you time to write your answers. You will hear each recording once and are expected to write your answers while listening.
The Listening sub-test structure
Part A – consultation extracts (about 5 minutes each)
Part A assesses your ability to identify specific information during a consultation. You will listen to two recorded health professional-patient consultations and you will complete the health professional’s notes using the information you hear. Note: the health professionals may be any one of the 12 professions who can take OET.
Part B – short workplace extracts (about 1 minute each)
Part B assesses your ability to identify the detail, gist, opinion or purpose of short extracts from the healthcare workplace. You will listen to six recorded extracts (e.g. team briefings, handovers, or health professional-patient dialogues) and you will answer one multiple-choice question for each extract.
Part C – presentation extracts (about 5 minutes each)
Part C assesses your ability to follow a recorded presentation or interview on a range of accessible healthcare topics. You will listen to two different extracts and you will answer six multiple-choice questions for each extract.
Learn More : https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/test-information/listening/
Reading
The Reading sub-test consists of three parts and a total of 42 question items. All three parts take a total of 60 minutes to complete. The topics are of generic healthcare interest and are therefore accessible to candidates across all professions.
The Reading sub-test structure
Part A – expeditious reading task (15 minutes)
Part A assesses your ability to locate specific information from four short texts in a quick and efficient manner. The four short texts relate to a single healthcare topic, and you must answer 20 questions in the allocated time period. The 20 questions consist of matching, sentence completion and short answer questions.
Part B and Part C – careful reading tasks (45 minutes)
Part B assesses your ability to identify the detail, gist or main point of six short texts sourced from the healthcare workplace (100-150 words each). The texts might consist of extracts from policy documents, hospital guidelines, manuals or internal communications, such as emails or memos. For each text, there is one three-option multiple-choice question.
Part C assesses your ability to identify detailed meaning and opinion in two texts on topics of interest to healthcare professionals (800 words each). For each text, you must answer eight four-option multiple choice questions.
Learn More : https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/test-information/reading/
Writing
The Writing sub-test takes 45 minutes and is profession-specific. There is one task set for each profession based on a typical workplace situation and the demands of the profession – a nurse does the task for nursing, a dentist does the task for dentistry, and so on.
The Writing sub-test structure
- The task is to write a letter, usually a referral letter. Some alternative letter types are a letter of transfer and a letter of discharge. A letter to advise or inform a patient, carer or group is sometimes used in Pharmacy, Veterinary Science and occasionally for Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy. Another task variation, with a different focus, is a written response to a complaint (for Radiography).
- Along with the task instructions, you will receive stimulus material (case notes and/or other related documentation) which includes information to use in your response.
Learn More: https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/test-information/writing/
Speaking
The Speaking sub-test is delivered individually and takes around 20 minutes. This part of OET uses materials specifically designed for your profession. In each role-play, you take your professional role (for example, as a nurse or as a pharmacist) while the interlocutor plays a patient, a client, or a patient’s relative or carer. For veterinary science, the interlocutor is the owner or carer of the animal.
The Speaking sub-test structure
In each Speaking test, your identity and profession are checked by the interlocutor and there is a short warm-up conversation about your professional background. Then the role-plays are introduced one by one and you have three minutes to prepare for each. The role-plays take about five minutes each.
Role-plays
You receive information for each role-play on a card that you keep while you do the role-play. The card explains the situation and what you are required to do. You may write notes on the card if you want. If you have any questions about the content of the role-play or how a role-play works, you can ask them during the preparation time.
The role-plays are based on typical workplace situations and reflect the demands made on a health professional in those situations. The interlocutor follows a script so that the Speaking test structure is similar for each candidate. The interlocutor also has detailed information to use in each role-play. Different role-plays are used for different candidates at the same test administration.
Learn More: https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/test-information/speaking/