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60-467: The ICSE is known for its comprehensive syllabus and primary focus on the English language and variety of subjects that it offers, which involve language, arts, commerce and science. The ICSE is taught in English only, and as a result, ICSE students gain great command over English and literature from kindergarten. This helps the students acquire the art of writing compactly in English, which makes it easy for

120-496: A Phonetics paper was included as it was thought to be useful in the teaching of pronunciation. The paper required candidates to make phonetic transcriptions of long pieces of continuous text; describe the articulation of particular sounds; explain phonetic terms, and suggest ways of teaching certain sounds. Here are two example questions: explain the terms: "glide", "narrow vowel", "semi-vowel" and give two examples of each in both phonetic and ordinary spelling and how would you teach

180-472: A Secure English Language Test for visa applicants only inside the UK. It also meets requirements for immigration to Australia , where Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Pearson Test of English Academic are also accepted, and New Zealand. In Canada, IELTS, TEF , or CELPIP are accepted by the immigration authority. No minimum score is required to pass the test. An IELTS result or Test Report Form

240-570: A general rule, the top ranked universities in the United States tend to require a higher IELTS band (typically 7.0). Most universities accept scores between 6–7 as being suitable for undergraduate study in English. Full details about the organizations which accept IELTS and the scores they require can be found on the IELTS Global Recognition System website. A number of Commonwealth countries use IELTS scores as

300-747: A large proportion of the candidature. In 1943, over a third of all LCE Certificates were awarded to candidates from the Polish army and air force. This pattern continued throughout the war and into the post-war period. On one single day in 1948, no fewer than 2,500 Polish men and women of the Polish Resettlement Corps took the LCE. UCLES tests were made available for prisoners of war in Britain and in Germany. In Britain, 1,500 prisoners of war took

360-594: A noble cause, he contrived to steer through life, unsullied by its meanness, unsubdued by any of its difficulties or allurements ... In the English Essay paper, candidates were asked to write an essay for two hours, on one of the following subjects: the effect of political movements upon nineteenth-century literature in England; English Pre-Raphaelitism; Elizabethan travel and discovery; the Indian Mutiny;

420-737: A partnership between Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Teaching (ELT) business of Cambridge University Press , develops official Cambridge preparation materials for Cambridge English and IELTS exams. In 2013 Cambridge Assessment English formed a joint venture with the Box Hill Institute to deliver the Occupational English Test , known as OET. In 2019 Cambridge Assessment English acquired English Language iTutoring (ELiT), an artificial intelligence developed off technology from

480-581: A proof of prospective immigrants' competence in English. Australia's immigration authorities have used IELTS to assess English proficiency of prospective migrants since May 1998, when this test replaced the 'access:' test that had been previously used. There are different IELTS score requirements for different types of visa. New Zealand has used the IELTS t est since 1995. There are different IELTS score requirements for different types of visa and type of applicant. Originally, applicants who could not achieve

540-462: A pupil the correct pronunciation of the vowel sounds in: fare, fate, fat, fall, far? The 1913 CPE exam was taken by just three candidates. The candidates "were able to converse fluently, expressing themselves on the whole, with remarkable ease and accuracy." However, all three candidates failed the exam and none of them was awarded a CPE certificate. In its second year (1914), CPE gained in popularity, with 18 candidates and four passing. However, for

600-404: A score for each test component – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The individual scores are then averaged and rounded to produce an Overall Band Score. There is no pass or fail. IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest half band. The following rounding convention applies: if

660-412: A single 12-month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular English language test for higher education and immigration. In 2019, over 508,000 international students came to study in the UK, making it the world's most popular UK ELT (English Language Test) destination. Over half (54%) of those students were under 18 years old. The English Language Testing Service (ELTS), as IELTS

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720-697: A summary using words taken from the text and matching information/headings/features in the text/sentence endings. Test takers should be careful when writing down their answers as they will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar. Texts in IELTS Academic Texts in IELTS General Training IELTS Academic IELTS General Training The speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an examiner. The speaking test contains three sections. Test takers receive

780-517: A test of writing proficiency rather than a test of knowledge about British culture. Questions such as "The best month of the year" were preferred to the more culture-bound topics set in 1913, such as "Elizabethan travel and discovery." The target candidature was broadened beyond teachers, to "all foreign students who desire to obtain evidence of their practical knowledge of the languages, both written and spoken, as of their ability to read with comprehension standard works of English literature." In 1932 it

840-463: A test taker to retake any one section (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) of the test. IELTS is accepted by most Australian , British , Canadian , European , Irish and New Zealand academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States , and by various professional organisations across the world. IELTS is approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as

900-509: Is an example question: explain fully and comment on the following passages, stating the connexions in which they occur and any difficulties of reading, phraseology or allusion: " Wert thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg'd progency, Thou should'st not 'scrape me here. " It was not until 1930 that a Literature paper was designed specifically for CPE candidates. The grammar section contained questions about grammar and lexis, e.g. give

960-503: Is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council , IDP and Cambridge English , and was established in 1989. IELTS is one of the major English-language tests in the world. The IELTS test has two modules: Academic and General Training. IELTS One Skill Retake was introduced for computer-delivered tests in 2023, which allows

1020-555: Is available on all 48 dates per year and the General Training version is available on 24 dates. There used to be a minimum time limit of 90 days before a person was allowed to retake the test. However this restriction has been withdrawn and currently there is no limit for applicants to retake the test. Just over half (51%) of test takers take IELTS to enter higher education in a foreign country. The IELTS minimum scores required by academic institutions and by course vary. As

1080-461: Is for test takers who want to work, train, study at a secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country. The difference between the Academic and General Training versions is the content, context, and purpose of the tasks. All other features, such as timing allocation, length of written responses, and reporting of scores, are the same. IELTS Academic and General Training both incorporate

1140-592: Is issued to all test takers with a score from "Band 1" ("non-user") to "Band 9" ("expert user") and each institution sets a different threshold. There is also a "Band 0" score for those who did not attempt the test. Institutions are advised not to consider a report older than two years to be valid, unless the user proves that they have worked to maintain their level. In 2017, over 3 million tests were taken in more than 140 countries, up from 2 million tests in 2012, 1.7 million tests in 2011 and 1.4 million tests in 2009. In 2007, IELTS administered more than one million tests in

1200-779: Is the subject in which the student has scored the lowest marks. There are three groups of subjects. Group I - English, Second Language (Hindi, Indian regional languages (Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, etc.), modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)), Geography and History-Civics as compulsory subjects. Group II - Choose any two subjects from Science, Mathematics, Economics, Commercial Studies, etc. Group III - Choose any one subject from Home Science, Fashion Designing, Computer Applications, Environmental Applications, French, Greek, Mandarin Chinese, Sanskrit, Physical Education, etc. IELTS International English Language Testing System ( IELTS / ˈ aɪ . ɛ l t s / )

1260-456: The CEFR in one test. Cambridge Exams Publishing, a joint venture with Cambridge University Press , produces Cambridge-branded IELTS resources and materials to help learners prepare and practise for their tests. Qualifications and courses for teachers of all levels of experience. In alphabetical order: In the 1980s Cambridge Assessment English, the British Council and IDP Education formed

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1320-466: The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) or UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) who receive two copies. Test Report Forms are valid for two years. Test takers can take IELTS in more than 140 countries and in over 4,000 locations. There are up to 48 test dates available per year. Each test centre offers tests up to four times a month depending on local demand. The Academic version

1380-669: The University of Cambridge which merged with Cambridge University Press to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment in August 2021. Each Cambridge English Qualifications focuses on a level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). These English qualifications are to help school-age children and young people improve their English language skills. These qualifications are designed for adult learners. A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First have

1440-451: The University of Cambridge and University of Oxford decided to accept CPE as representing the standard in English required of all students, British or foreign, before the entrance to their university. To this day, CPE still serves as a qualification for entry to higher education. Following these changes CPE candidate numbers instantly began to rise, reaching 752 by the outbreak of World War II. From 1939 onwards, thousands of refugees from

1500-628: The 1980s, test taker numbers were low (4,000 in 1981 rising to 10,000 in 1985) and there were practical difficulties administering the test. As a result, the IELTS Revision Project was set up to oversee the redesign of the test. In order to have international participation in the redesign, the International Development Program of Australian Universities and Colleges ( IDP ), now known as IDP: IELTS Australia , joined Cambridge English Language Assessment and

1560-569: The British Council to form the international IELTS partnership which delivers the test to this day. This international partnership was reflected in the new name for the test: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). IELTS went live in 1989. Test takers took two non-specialised modules, Listening and Speaking, and two specialised modules, Reading and Writing. Test taker numbers rose by approximately 15% per year and by 1995 there were 43,000 test takers in 210 test centres around

1620-682: The ICSE-qualified student to score well in language exams like the IELTS and TOEFL . The ICSE has always been regarded as one of the best educational boards in India because of their rigorous syllabus, tough marking scheme for examinations, progressive evaluation and promotion criteria. Students taking the ICSE must write examinations in any six, seven or eight subjects. Of these, five subjects will be included in their final grade — out of these five, one will compulsorily be English, even if it

1680-508: The International English Language Testing System ( IELTS ). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language skills, and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels. Cambridge Assessment English is part of Cambridge Assessment , a non-teaching department of

1740-582: The Reading and Writing tests differ depending on whether the test taker is taking the Academic or General Training versions of the test. Note 3: The 10 minutes transfer time is for the paper-based option of the test. For the computer-delivered option, candidates will be given 2 minutes (at the end of the test) to re-check their answers. The module comprises four sections, with ten questions in each section. It takes around 40 (paper-based) or 32 (computer-delivered) minutes: 30 for testing, plus 10 for transferring

1800-632: The Spanish Civil War and occupied Europe started arriving in the UK and began taking UCLES exams while stationed in the UK. UCLES launched the Lower Certificate in English (LCE) to meet the demand for certification at a lower level than CPE. A Preliminary exam, at a lower level than LCE, was also offered in 1944 as a special test to meet the contingencies of war. These were the first steps toward developing language assessments at different levels. Polish servicemen and women made up

1860-544: The University of Cambridge, to support new English language assessment products. Cambridge Assessment English was involved in the early development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and all Cambridge English qualifications and tests are aligned with the levels described by the CEFR. Each Cambridge English Qualification targets specific CEFR levels but the exam also contains test material at

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1920-524: The University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE). UODLE and its partner, the Association of Recognised English Language Schools, merged with UCLES in 1995. The first UCLES examinations took place on 14 December 1858. The exams were designed to test for university selection and were taken by 370 candidates in British schools, churches and village halls. Candidates were required to "satisfy

1980-483: The ability to communicate in the language). In 1913, the first requirement for CPE candidates was to translate texts. Translation remained prominent in foreign language teaching up until the 1960s. It was a core part of CPE until 1975 and an optional part until 1989. However, CPE was also influenced by Henry Sweet and his book published in 1900: A Practical Study of Languages: A Guide for Teachers and Learners, which argued that "the most natural method of teaching languages

2040-401: The adjacent levels. For example, B2 First is aimed at B2, but there are also test items that cover B1 and C1. This allows for inferences to be drawn about candidates' abilities if they are a level below or above the one targeted. Candidates are encouraged to take the exam most suitable to their needs and level of ability. The Cambridge English EFL Evaluation Unit was established in 1989 and was

2100-410: The answers to an answer sheet (paper-based) or 2 for re-checking the answers (computer-delivered). Sections 1 and 2 are about everyday, social situations. Sections 3 and 4 are about educational and training situations Each section begins with a short introduction telling the test taker about the situation and the speakers. Then they have some time to look through the questions. The questions are in

2160-557: The average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band. The nine bands are described as follows: English is appropriate, accurate, fluent, and shows complete understanding. For a computer-delivered test, results are released between 3–5 days. For a paper-based test, a Test Report Form will be sent to test takers 13 days after their test. It shows: Test takers receive one copy of their Test Report Form, apart from test takers who are applying to

2220-527: The development of local self-government; or Matthew Arnold. The exam board provided little or no formal structure. Concepts such as audience and purpose, and the length of the essay, were left for the candidate to decide. The questions in the English Literature section were borrowed from the university's Language and Literature matriculation exams for native speakers and included questions on Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Milton's Paradise Lost. Here

2280-425: The end of the test of course) to re-check the answers (if they do so computer-delivered). Test takers will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar. The Reading paper has three sections and texts totalling approximately 2,150–3,250 words. There will be a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short-answer questions, identifying information, identifying writer's views, labelling diagrams, completing

2340-577: The examination period." One report noted that the candidates had been spending "most of each day in the air-raid shelter"; that candidate 5224, a probationer nurse, had been showing strain caused by helping with "rescue work"; and that the house of candidate 5222 had been bombed, whilst she was at school, with fatalities. Such were the circumstances of wartime exam takers and administrators. Exams were also maintained clandestinely in continental European exam centres, which frequently meant unusual measures, including acts of determination and courage. However, UCLES

2400-464: The examiners" in the analysis and parsing of a Shakespeare text; reading aloud; dictation; and composition (on either the recently deceased Duke of Wellington; a well-known book or a letter of application). Female candidates were accepted by UCLES on a trial basis in 1864 and on a permanent basis from 1867. Cambridge University itself did not examine female students until 1882 and it was not until 1948 that women were allowed to graduate as full members of

2460-575: The exams, almost 900 of them Italians. In Germany, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem made arrangements for UCLES examinations to be offered at prisoner-of-war camps with many Indian prisoners of war, in particular, taking LCE or School Certificate exams. Examiners were asked to report on "disturbance, loss of sleep, etc., caused by air raids, and on any exceptional difficulties ... during

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2520-655: The first dedicated research unit of its kind. This unit is now called the Research and Validation Group and is the largest dedicated research team of any English language assessment body. Research is published in the Studies in Language Testing (SiLT) series. In 2015, Cambridge Assessment English was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the 'international trade' category. The first Cambridge English exam

2580-474: The first exam for non-native speakers of English – the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE – now known as C2 Proficiency). This may have been prompted by the development of English exams "for foreigners" by other universities. CPE was originally a qualification for teachers: "the Certificate of Proficiency in English is designed for Foreign Students who desire satisfactory proof of their knowledge of

2640-517: The following features: There are two modules of the IELTS: There is also a separate test offered by the IELTS test partners, called IELTS Life Skills : Note 1: Listening, Reading and Writing are completed in one sitting. The Speaking test may be taken on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests. Note 2: All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests, while

2700-501: The international IELTS partnership which delivers the IELTS tests. In 2010 Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Institute Testing and Certificate Division of the University of Michigan agreed to form a not-for-profit collaboration known as CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments). Cambridge Assessment English owns 65% of the venture. Since 2011 Cambridge Exams Publishing,

2760-482: The language with a view to teaching it in foreign schools." The exam was only available for candidates aged 20 or over. In 1913 the exam could be taken in Cambridge or London, for a fee of £3 (approximately £293 in 2012 prices ). The exam lasted 12 hours and included: The main influence behind the design of the exam was the grammar-translation teaching approach, which aims to establish reading knowledge (rather than

2820-487: The next 15 years candidature remained static. Italian and Spanish were added as languages for the translation paper in 1926. In 1928, CPE had only 14 candidates and by 1929 it was in danger of being discontinued. Jack Roach, Assistant Secretary to the Syndicate from 1925 to 1945, decided to "save it from the scrapheap" and introduced a number of changes. The Phonetics paper was dropped and the essay questions became more

2880-479: The past tense and past participle of each of the following verbs, dividing them into strong and weak ... , and questions about grammar and lexis usage, e.g. embody each of the following words into a sentence in such a way as to show that you clearly apprehend its meaning: commence, comment, commend ... At the time, this mirrored the approach to learning grammar in Latin and Greek (as well as modern languages). Finally,

2940-584: The required score could pay a NZ$ 20,000 fee instead, which would be fully or partially refunded later if the migrant were able to successfully take the test within a certain period (3 to 12 months) after his or her arrival to the country. A few years later, the policy was changed: the fee was reduced, and, instead of being potentially refundable, it became treated as a "pre-purchase" of post-arrival ESL tuition. Cambridge English Language Assessment Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and

3000-435: The same exam format (e.g. number of papers, number of questions, time allowance) as the schools' versions of these qualifications, but use different topics and content suited to adult learners. These qualifications are designed for adult learners learning English for use in a business context. Multilevel tests are used to find out which English learning programme or exam is right for a student. These cover multiple levels of

3060-449: The same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on. The first three sections have a break in the middle allowing test takers to look at the remaining questions. Each section is heard only once. At the end of the test, candidates are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an answer sheet (if they take their test paper-based) or 2 minutes (at

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3120-678: The size of CPE. Exam centres had been set up in Europe (17), Latin America (9), the Middle East (8), Africa (4) and the USA (1). Candidate numbers continued to grow, reaching over 20,000 by 1955, 44,000 by 1965, and over 66,000 by 1975. However, by the 1970s demand was growing for exams at more clearly defined levels of proficiency. This set the scene for the Council of Europe and the development of

3180-481: The university. In the mid to late 19th century, UCLES exams were taken by candidates based overseas – in Trinidad and Tobago (from 1863), South Africa (from 1869), Guyana and New Zealand (from 1874), Jamaica (from 1882) and Malaysia (from 1891). Many of these candidates were children of officers of the British colonial service and exams were not yet designed for non-native speakers of English. In 1913 UCLES created

3240-559: The world. IELTS was revised again in 1995, with three main changes: Further revisions went live in 2001 (revised Speaking Test) and 2005 (new assessment criteria for the Writing test). IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are designed to cover the full range of abilities from non-user or middle user to expert user. The Academic version is for test takers who want to study at the tertiary level in an English-speaking country or seek professional registration. The General Training version

3300-791: Was decided to establish overseas exam centres. The first overseas centres were set up in Hamburg, Paris and San Remo (1933), followed by further centres in Italy (Rome and Naples), the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Latin America also became an exam area in the 1930s, with centres in Argentina and Uruguay. In 1935 CPE started providing alternatives to the Literature paper, with an Economic and Commercial Knowledge paper – an early forerunner of English for Specific Purposes. Then, in 1937–38,

3360-562: Was produced in 1913 by UCLES ( University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate ). UCLES had been set up in 1858 to provide exams to students who were not members of a university. There was a growing concern in Britain with standards of school education and the transition from secondary to tertiary-level education. A number of schools "petitioned the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge [to provide] means of comparing achievements of pupils across schools." The secondary education sector

3420-444: Was still voluntary in nature. Without support from the state, it was logical to seek help from universities that were long established and widely admired. The University of Oxford and University of Cambridge , in particular, were "regarded as viable sources of supervision." UCLES was invited to set exams and inspect schools with the aim of raising educational standards. The University of Oxford also created its own examination board:

3480-407: Was then known, was launched in 1980 by Cambridge English Language Assessment (then known as "UCLES") and the British Council . It had an innovative format, which reflected changes in language learning and teaching, including the growth in 'communicative' language learning and 'English for specific purposes'. Test tasks were intended to reflect the use of English language in the 'real world'. During

3540-571: Was through conversation." Due to this influence, speaking was part of Cambridge English exams from the very beginning. Candidates were required to translate from English into French/German and translate from French/German into English. Here is a short segment from one of the passages candidates were asked to translate from English into German: The sentiments which animated Schiller's poetry were converted into principles of conduct; his actions were as blameless as his writings were pure. With his simple and high predilections, with his strong devotedness to

3600-510: Was unable to fund and support the growing international network of English language examination centres around the world. Meanwhile, the British Council had a brief to disseminate British culture and educational links. In March 1941 a formal 'Joint Agreement' was signed between the two organisations to collaborate on the distribution of UCLES exams around the world. This started a long-lasting relationship, which continues to this day. By 1947, there were over 6,000 UCLES candidates, with LCE double

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