This two are tested together and the time allocated is 77-93 minutes. The test taker is assessed on his/her ability to speak and write in an academic manner. The questions follow this format: Personal introduction, read aloud, repeat sentence, describe an image, re-tell lecture, answer the short question, summarise written text and the essay.
The personal introduction
gives the test taker an opportunity to provide his/her personal information which will be sent together with the scorecard to the institution selected by the test taker. This section is not scored. The test taker has 25 seconds of preparation and 30 seconds nning respond.
Read aloud prompts
the test taker to read up to 60 words text displayed on the screen. This area assesses speaking and reading. There is a clock countdown of 30-40 seconds and during this time the test taker has to prepare and practice answer. At the end of the timer, a soft tone will come on after which you should start recording your answer.
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The following subskills are tested in this section identifying a writer’s purpose, style, tone or attitude, reading a text under timed conditions, using correct intonation; using correct pronunciation, using correct stress, speaking under timed conditions.
Repeat the sentence
assesses the listening and speaking skills. The task is to listen to an audio of 3-9 seconds and repeat the content of the audio within 15 seconds. In this case, there is no tone to alert the test taker to start speaking, therefore, you have to figure when to start speaking on your own.
The subskills tested in this section are comprehending variations in tone and using correct intonation.
Describe image
assesses speaking. The task here is to describe the image or chart displayed on the screen. There is 25 seconds preparation and when it elapses the tone will come on giving the test taker the signal to provide his/her answer.
Re-tell lecture assesses listening and speaking skill. It can be tested by either listening to the audio or watching a video clip. The task is to retell the content of the lecture in your own words. The length of the audio/video is 90 seconds and you have 10 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to respond.
The following subskills are tested in this section style, tone or attitude, comprehending variations in tone, using correct stress, speaking under timed conditions, identifying a speaker’s purpose, following an oral sequencing of information
Answer short question assesses listening and speaking. The audio of 3-9 seconds long plays after which the test taker has to answer in just a few words in just 10 seconds.
using words and phrases appropriate to the context is a subskill tested here.
Summarizing written text assesses reading and writing. The task is to summarize 300 words written text displayed on the screen in 10 minutes.
Essay assesses writing. The test taker is required to write a 200-300 words essay in 20 minutes on a given topic/subject.
Fill in the blanks (Reading and writing) using words and phrases appropriate to the context
Subskills Tested
The following subskills are tested all sections except in multiple choice questions: section understanding academic vocabulary
The following subskills are tested all sections except in describe image inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words
Speaking for a purpose is only tested in read out aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, re-tell lecture, answer short question
Supporting an opinion with details, examples and explanations, organizing an oral presentation in a logical way, developing complex ideas within a spoken discourse, using words and phrases appropriate to the context, producing fluent speech using correct grammar; speaking at a natural rate, using correct intonation; using correct pronunciation, using correct stress, speaking under timed conditions are only tested in describe the image and re-tell the lecture.
The following subskills are tested all sections except read aloud, repeat sentence, describe image identifying the topic, theme or main ideas
Identifying supporting points or examples is tested in all other sections except in read out aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, answer short question, answer short questions and fill out the blanks
Classifying and categorizing information are only tested in retell the lecture and reorder paragraph
Comprehending variations in tone are tested in speed and accent repeat sentence and retell a lecture
Following a logical or chronological sequence of events, identifying the relationships between sentences and paragraphs is only tested in fill in the blanks and re-order paragraphs.
The following subskills are tested in multiple choice questions; Any of the following dependent on the item: Identifying the topic, theme or main ideas; identifying the relationships between sentences and paragraphs; evaluating the quality and usefulness of texts; identifying a writer’s purpose, style, tone or attitude; identifying supporting points or examples; reading for overall organization and connections between pieces of information; reading for information to infer meanings or find relationships; identifying specific details, facts, opinions, definitions or sequences of events; inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Understanding the difference between connotation and denotation is tested in fill in the blanks and reorder paragraphs
Scoring in this section is a bit comprehensive enabling skills are scored from 0-5. The score is awarded on the basis of how good the test taker is. The lowest mark which is zero is a awarded in case of disfluent, and a pronunciation that sound like non English. 5 is the highest mark and is awarded when the test taker shows native-like English skills
In repeat all the words the highest score is 3 and it is awarded when the test taker repeats all the words in the sequence while marks such as 2 and 1 are partial scores. Zero is awarded if there was nothing from the prompt.