Cambridge English Skills Test
The Cambridge English Skills Test is an online, on-demand, modular test of all four English skills (Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening).
It helps institutions make confident decisions about learners quickly. Results are reported from A1 to C1 on the CEFR (80-180 on the Cambridge English Scale) and there are three versions of the test: for schools, general English and workplace English.
Why choose the test?
Results you can trust
Accurate results you can trust to make decisions confidently
Adaptive
One test for all abilities from A1–C1 makes the test ideal for mixed-ability groups
Quick and easy
Simple set-up and automarking save you time and resource
Convenient and flexible
Online, on-demand, modular testing-in control of when, where, what you test
Fast results
AI-powered for results within 48 hours
Cambridge English Skills Test
Learn more about the three versions. All three test variations are adaptive, meaning the difficulty level automatically adjusts to each student's ability. They test all four language skills in modules that can be taken together or separately. Also, they are quick and easy to set up. Thanks to advanced AI automarking technology, results are ready within 48 hours. Results are accurate, easy to read, allowing students and teachers to see the progress of individuals and groups of learners
Getting your students ready for the test
Help your students to familiarise themselves with the test by using our free preparation resources.
Click below to download your chosen free resources.
Our new Cambridge English Skills Test meets the everyday assessment needs of schools, empowering you to make confident decisions about your students. You can set an end of course test, highlight areas for improvement or check if your students are on track to take a further Cambridge exam. The Cambridge English Skills Test is an online, on-demand assessment, with content suitable for secondary school learners.
Our new Cambridge English Skills Test General empowers you to make confident decisions on your learners through an online, on-demand assessment of everyday English ability. Whether you're a higher education institution using the test for placement, course testing, or checking readiness for Linguaskill, or an employer screening candidates and identifying training needs, this versatile test provides comprehensive insights into English language proficiency.
The Cambridge English Skills Test Business offers a precise, flexible solution for evaluating professional English language competence across various contexts. Designed to meet the diverse needs of both educational institutions and employers, this online, on-demand assessment provides comprehensive insights into workplace communication skills. Higher education programs can leverage the test for academic placement and progression tracking, while employers can utilize it for recruitment screening and targeted training development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Teachers and academic managers will have access to a powerful results dashboard to monitor the performance of groups of candidates, for example, a class or a school. It will allow the comparison of one class with another class, or one class over time, and it can be done by overall CEFR level or by language skill.
Candidates will receive a Results Report showing the scores they have achieved in each module and overall. The Report features can-do statements, which describe what the learner could be expected to do at their ability level.
The test is divided into four language skills modules of differing length:
Reading – 30-40 mins* (approx.)
Listening – 30-40 mins* (approx.)
Writing - 45 mins
Speaking - 16 mins
*The Reading and Listening modules are adaptive, which means they end when the algorithm establishes the test-takers level. Maximum test length is 59 mins.
Reading and Listening modules are automarked for immediate results. Writing and Speaking are marked by AI and human examiners for results within 48 hours.
Computer adaptive testing is the process by which the test adapts to the performance of the candidate. Future questions become harder or easier depending on whether the candidate answers a question correctly or incorrectly. The test continues until the algorithm is confident that it has determined the candidate’s ability level. Adaptive testing means that one test is suitable for candidates of all levels, making it ideal for mixed-ability groups. It also means that the test is completely personalised for a more motivating test experience, and as each test is unique, malpractice is less likely.
Support is available via our Support Site, where we have interactive articles that cover all administrative functionality and give advice on the use of hardware such as headphones and webcams. There is also a 24/7 Helpdesk
No, as well as the four skills package, you can choose one or two skills packages (plus a 3-skills package for the Schools version).
The Cambridge English Skills Test is for internal use only and does not have any external recognition. For recognised English proficiency certification, we offer IELTS, Cambridge English Qualifications and Linguaskill.
Could the test help your institution?
If your institution needs a flexible, accurate English language test to quickly find out the English language level of your learners, contact us to start making decisions confidently.
