When choosing which English exam to take, you may have a few doubts about which is the right one for you. To help you make the right choice, British Council assessment experts offer their guidance on the important points to consider, and review some of the more popular English exams to choose from, including IELTS and Aptis ESOL.
What to consider when choosing an exam
When deciding what test to take, we recommend considering the following:
Firstly, the exam itself. You will need to know what skills it assesses, how long it takes to complete, and where, when and how you take the exam.
You should also check how the exam evaluates your level, how your results are reported and how reliable those results are. When and how you receive your results is also important to bear in mind.
Finally, your reason for taking an exam should be carefully considered when making your choice. If you need to prove your level for study or work, at home or abroad, for international mobility or migration, the exam you choose needs to be accepted or recognised for that purpose.
The exams
Now let’s have a look at the exams themselves.
IELTS, the world’s most popular test for assessing English language proficiency, focuses on assessing the language ability of people whose goal is to study or work in English-speaking environments. IELTS is recognised by more than 12,500 organisations worldwide and accepted by immigration authorities who require proof of English skills.
You take four papers when you take IELTS: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. If you need to certify your level for academic study, IELTS Academic is what you will need. If you are planning to live or work in an English-speaking country, you will need to take IELTS General Training, with its focus on everyday practical English. If you want to live, work, or study in the United Kingdom, IELTS for UKVI is the test to take.
IELTS also offers you a choice of ways to take your test; on computer or on paper at a test venue with regular test dates to choose from. You can also take IELTS from home with IELTS Online. Whichever option you choose, your IELTS speaking test is always taken with an examiner, either in-person or via video call, on your test day or a different day up to a week before or after your test date.
IELTS results are published on a test report form between 1 and 13 days after the test date. IELTS test scores are graded from 0 - 9 to reflect English level in each skill, and an overall band score is awarded, along with a corresponding CEFR level.
If you need to certify your English with a qualification that is locally recognised Aptis ESOL may be the best choice for you. Like IELTS, Aptis ESOL is regulated and recognised by the UK Government Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and is also widely accepted by official bodies and entities in numerous countries, including Italy, Spain, Greece, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom.
Aptis ESOL assesses ability in the four language skills; listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as grammar and vocabulary knowledge, with CEFR aligned tasks to test all levels. There are three variants that you can take: Aptis ESOL General, which assesses up to B2, although you can be awarded a C1 if you demonstrate a level above B2, Aptis ESOL Advanced, which assesses up to C2, and Aptis ESOL for Teachers, with content that relates to teachers and their educational context.
Aptis ESOL is always taken in supervised face-to-face sessions at a test centre, with regular exam dates to choose from. All parts of Aptis ESOL are taken on a computer, including the speaking. Your speaking and writing are assessed by human raters before results are released 48-72 hours after your test date.
Aptis ESOL results include a numerical score from 0-50 and a CEFR level for each skill as well as a final scale score from 0-200 and an overall CEFR level. After your results are released electronically, you receive an Aptis ESOL Certificate, released within 10 days of the test date.
TOEFL iBT is designed to certify English primarily for university study, as well as immigration, with the focus on assessing the four skills; listening, reading, speaking and writing, as they are used in a classroom. TOEFL iBT is recognised worldwide, with over 7,400 institutions accepting TOEFL in North America.
You can take TOEFL iBT on a computer at an authorised test centre or at home, and the test takes just under two hours to complete. TOEFL iBT results include a score from 0-30 and a proficiency level for each skill along with an overall score of 0-120. Results are available 4-8 days after the test date and are published in a TOEFL iBT test taker score report.
Finally, the Cambridge English suite of exams is designed to assess specific levels rather than across levels, and are widely accepted and used by companies, universities and government bodies around the world.
Each level-based exam, from A2 Key to C2 Proficiency, assesses the four language skills; listening, reading, speaking and writing. Knowledge and use of grammar and vocabulary is also tested from B2 First upwards.
All Cambridge English exams can be taken as paper-based tests or digitally on computers in supervised exam sessions. Speaking exams are always conducted face to face with one or two other test takers and two examiners. Results are available from one to six weeks, depending on how you take the exam, and include a numerical scale score for each skill, an overall scale score, a grade and the corresponding CEFR level.
As you can see, there are different exam options open to you when it comes to certifying your level of English. When making your final decision, make sure the exam you choose is valid for the purpose for which you want to use it.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at the British Council, if you have any further questions or doubts you need to ask. We are here to help you find the exam that best suits your needs.