TEST FORMAT
The Oxford Test of English is a multi-level, general English proficiency test which assesses the ability to understand and communicate effectively in English, reporting at three CEFR levels: B2, B1, and A2.
The test covers all four skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.
The Reading and Listening modules are computer adaptive, which means that the test adjusts the difficulty of questions based on the test taker’s responses, making the test more motivating, shorter, and giving a more precise measurement than traditional proficiency tests.
The Speaking and Writing modules use task randomization, making each test an individualized experience.
| Module | Parts | Tasks | Items | Timing (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4 | 6 | 15 | Approximately 15 |
| Listening | 4 | 12 | 20 | Approximately 30 |
| Reading | 4 | 9 | 22 | 35 |
| Writing | 2 | 2 | 2 | 45 |
| TOTAL | 14 | 29 | 59 | Approximately 2 hours |
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
Speaking |
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| Interview Eight questions on everyday topics | Voicemails Two voicemails in response to two different situations | Talk Short talk on an issue or scenario | Follow-up questions Six follow-up questions on the theme of the Part 3 talk |
Listening |
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| Multiple choice – picture options Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question with picture options | Note-completion A longer monologue with five 3-option multiple-choice note-completion questions | Matching opinions with people who say them A longer dialogue with five 3-option multiple-choice questions focussing on identifying opinion | Multiple choice Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question |
Reading |
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| Multiple-choice questions on short texts Six short texts from a variety of sources, each with one 3-option multiple-choice question | Multiple matching Six profiles of people to match with four longer text descriptions | Gapped sentences Six extracted sentences are inserted into a longer text | Multiple-choice questions on a longer text Four 3-option multiple-choice questions |
Writing |
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| Email Written response to an input email 80 – 130 words 20 minutes | Essay or article/review Essay OR article/review on a topic typical of classroom discussion 100 – 160 words 25 minutes | - | - |
Speaking
The Speaking module tests:
- responding appropriately to questions
- giving factual information
- organizing extended discourse
- describing, comparing, contrasting, speculating, and suggesting.
- Top bar shows progress through the module.
- Test takers can read and hear instructions.
- Test takers see the remaining time.
- Test takers can adjust the volume for each task.
Listening
The Listening module tests:
- identifying main meaning
- global and local meaning
- identifying opinion and attitude
- understanding implied meaning, interaction, and pragmatics.
- Top bar shows progress through the module and remaining time for each task. Test takers can change their responses within the time allowed.
- Test takers can listen to the recording twice.
- Test takers can adjust the volume for each task.
- The ‘Next’ button takes the test taker to the next question. There is no option to go back to the previous question. The test will move automatically to the next task when the time allowed has elapsed.
Reading
The Reading module tests:
- careful reading
- expeditious search reading
- local and global meaning
- inference
- understanding attitude, opinion, and writer purpose
- understanding reference and meaning in context.
- Top bar shows progress through the module and remaining time for each task.
- ‘Answered’ shows the status of a question. Test takers can change their answers within the allowed time per task.
- The ‘Next’ button takes the test taker to the next question. There is no option to go back to the previous question. The test will move automatically to the next task when the time allowed has elapsed.
Writing
The Writing module tests:
- giving information
- expressing and responding to opinions and feelings
- inviting, requesting, and suggesting
- writing to develop and argument
- narrating and describing
- writing to persuade or suggest.
- Top bar shows progress through the module and remaining time for each task.
- Test takers type in their response.
- Automatic word counter.
- The ‘Next’ button takes the test taker to the next question. There is no option to go back to the previous question. The test will move automatically to the next task when the time allowed has elapsed.