The Listening Exam

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• 4 parts
• 30 questions
• Approximately 35 – 40 minutes
• Recordings played twice
• Approximate track length:

Part 1 = 1.5 to 2 mins
Part 2 = 3 to 3.5 mins
Part 3 = 3.5 to 4 mins.
Part 4 = 3.5 to 4 mins.

Listening Skills Assessed

In the listening module, the questions are designed to check a variety of listening skills:

• Listening for specific information and details (e.g. names, numbers, currency, timings)
• Listening for detailed meaning
• Listening for attitude and opinion of the speaker
• Listening for gist, main idea or overall meaning

Task Types

The question paper has the following types of questions:

• Three option multiple-choice
• Gap-fill
• Table completion
• True / False

Text Sources

The listening texts are adapted from authentic or real-world materials:

• Announcements
• Dialogues
• Discussions
• Interviews
• Lectures
• Monologues
• Presentations
• Radio programs
• Talks
• Telephone conversations

The setting of the listening texts are both familiar and commonplace as well as outside the usual experience. The recordings use a variety of accents: American, Asian, Australian, British and Canadian and others.

Marking: One mark for each correct answer. No negative marking for incorrect answers.

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The Reading Exam

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• Test duration: 60 minutes
• Approximate length of reading texts

Part 1 = 250 to 300 words.

Part 2 = 200 to 250 words.

Part 3 = 400 to 450 words.

Part 4 = 500 to 550 words

Part 5 = 400 to 450 words.

Marking:

• One mark for each correct answer
• No negative marking for incorrect answers.

Reading Skills Assessed

In the Reading module, the questions are designed to test a wide range of reading skills that include:

• Reading for gist and global meaning
• Reading for specific information and details
• Reading to understand the main ideas
• Reading for detailed comprehension
• Reading to interpret information
• Understanding attitudes & opinions and writer’s purpose
• Following text organization features
• Understanding text structure
• Understanding meaning from context

Task Types

The following types of questions are included:

• Gapped text
• Multiple matching
• 3 option and 4 option multiple-choice questions
• True / False / Not given

Text Sources

The test is designed using authentic or adapted real-world materials such as:

• Advertisements
• Articles from newspapers, magazines and websites
• Brochures
• Data information sheets
• Encyclopedia entries
• Manuals
• Messages
• Notices
• Personal correspondence
• Reports

Number of questions: A total of 30 questions.

Marking: One mark for each correct answer. No negative marking for incorrect answers.

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The Writing Exam

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3 tasks. Test Duration: 60 minutes

Approximate length of reading texts:

Part 1 = 35 to 40 words

Part 2 = 90 to 120 words.

Part 3 = 180 to 200 words.

Writing assessment criteria:

Ask Fulfilment / Test Realization

Organisation & Cohesion

Language – Accuracy and Range

Marking is done by Certified Examiners

Writing Skills Assessed

In the Writing module, the questions are designed to assess the following:

Task Fulfilment or Task Realization

This basically grades whether you have answered the question fully. It marks whether you have addressed all parts of the task and covered all requirements of the task sufficiently.

Organization and Cohesion

Organizing your writing, coherence and cohesion normally go together. It basically checks how your writing fits together. Does your writing, with its ideas and content, flow logically? Coherence is how you are making yourself understood and whether the reader of your writing understands what you are saying

Language – Accuracy and Range

Academic Writing requires the use of correct language including vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction etc. and being able to appropriately use precise language to present ideas accurately. To demonstrate that you have great language skills you must use a variety of words and a range of structures.

Task Types

The test taker is expected to be writing the following:

Task 1: Write an e-mail, note or a short personal letter. You must write between 35-40 words

Task 2: Compare, contrast and summarize the key points of input data or graphical information. You must write between 90-120 words

Task 3: Present a piece of discursive writing as a summary of the arguments for and against a particular view point and one’s opinion about a topic or subject of general interest. You may be required to outline a problem, present a solution or their opinion and justify it. You must write between 180-200 words

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The Speaking Exam

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5 parts Approximately 12 – 14 minutes Test is taken on a Computer (Face to face Video based test with an Examiner can be arranged. Contact an Authorised Test Centre for details.) Marking is done by Certified Examiners Speaking assessment criteria: Task achievement, fluency & coherence, pronunciation and grammar and vocabulary Speaking Skills Assessed In the Speaking module, the questions are designed to assess the following: Task Achievement Task Achievement basically grades you on whether ‘you have answered the question’ or done what you were required to do. It marks whether you have covered all requirements of the task sufficiently and if you spoke, highlighted and illustrated the key points when speaking. Fluency and Coherence This checks your ability to talk with normal levels of continuity, rate and effort and to link ideas and language together to form coherent, connected speech. Key indicators of fluency are speech rate and speech continuity. Pronunciation Your ability to produce comprehensible speech to fulfil the speaking test requirements is marked under Pronunciation. Key indicators of Pronunciation are the amount of strain caused to the listener, the amount of speech which is unintelligible and the noticeability of L1 influence (first language influence) Grammar and Vocabulary This assesses your range and approximate use of grammatical resources. The key indicators are the length and complexity of the spoken sentences, the appropriate use of subordinate clauses and the range of sentence structures, especially to move elements around for information focus. It also covers the variety of words used and the precision with which meanings and attitudes can be expressed. This tests your ability to use appropriate words and to circumlocute. Speaking Task Types There is a variety of Speaking tasks across the five parts: Part 1: Answer questions on family, home, interests, study, work and other familiar topics. Part 2: Read aloud four sentences. Part 3: Talk on a general topic for 1 minute. You are provided verbal prompts and have 30 seconds to prepare your talk. Part 4: Make comparisons between two pictures on a related theme. You need to talk for 1-2 minutes. Part 5: Answer general questions related to the theme of the pictures in Part 4. You should express your views and feelings, expand and support ideas and provide extended responses.

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