Before you start
- Find a quiet room. Background noise makes speech harder to hear clearly.
- Use headphones with a microphone if you have them. They usually work better than a laptop’s built-in mic and speakers.
- Check your internet connection. Your answers are saved as you go.
- Set aside uninterrupted time. Each part takes between 5 and 16 minutes, and your invitation says how long yours is.
Choose your language
The buttons and instructions appear in the language of your browser. If that is not the one you read best, change it on the welcome screen before you begin. This does not change the language you are being tested in.What to expect
Speaking. You test your microphone first. Each section begins with a short introduction. That catches people out on the first question, so be ready to start speaking when the countdown ends. If you are ready early, choose Start Recording Now. Writing. Each task has a countdown timer. Pasting text is turned off, so type your answer yourself. Reading and listening. Multiple-choice questions on short texts and recordings. You test your speakers first. Each recording plays twice. Once you press Next, you cannot go back. Questions appear one at a time. You will not see later questions in advance.Doing your best
- Just start talking. An imperfect answer scores better than silence while you search for the perfect word.
- Keep going if you make a mistake. Correcting yourself naturally is normal and does not hurt your score.
- Use the thinking time to plan, not to rehearse word for word.
- For writing, spend the first minute planning. Structure counts as much as vocabulary.
- Answer the whole question. Covering every part matters more than length.
Some assessments record how the test was taken, for example if you leave the page. If yours does, the welcome screen lists exactly what is recorded before you start.