Are you preparing to take an exam? Do you need some advice and guidance on how to prepare yourself, how to make sure that on the day of the exam you perform your best?
Below you will find three sections that will help you choose the right exam, get to know our exams better, prepare yourself with more confidence.
Disclaimer: The British Council does not endorse any of the websites and is not responsible for the content of the web pages linked from this site.
Making the right choice of the correct exam for your needs is sometimes difficult. In the following section we give you guidance on choosing the right examination. It is suggested that you look at the steps carefully in order to make the best decision.
Please note that the steps given below and information provided are for guidance only and ultimately it is the candidate who needs to make the right decision.
Step 1. What is your language level?
To be able to make the right choice a good starting point is to find out your approximate level of English. The majority of Examinations offered by the British Council are set at different levels of English.
British Council LearnEnglish Test your Level
This useful tool helps you to find your general level in a fun and informal way. The test will help you understand your general level from Beginner to Upper Intermediate.
DIALANG is a free downloadable self-assessment tool designed to indicate your level to the Common European Framework and is endorsed by the Council of Europe.
The Common European Framework (CEF) is used world-wide to provide information on levels competency in European languages. You can refer to the Global Scale and Self-assessment checklists to see what you can do in English and help this guide you to choose the right exam (all the Exams the British Council offers are linked to the CEF).
Council of Europe/Common European Framework Global Scale & Self-Assessment (PDF Document 130 KB)
Step 2. What are your needs?
After thinking about your level of English it is then important to think about why you need to take an English exam. You should think about the following areas:
Do you need to take an exam to
Even if it is for another reason it is important to think where you are with your English and why you want or need to take an exam.
Step 3. Matching your level and needs to an examination offered by the British Council
Now that you have thought about your current level and needs we have provided an easy-to-consult chart with all of the examining options available at the British Council Colombia. All you need to do is to match your level and needs and click on the specific Exam name in the document to access further information.
Exams Overview (PDF Document 167 KB)
Preparing well for taking an examination is extremely important if you want to get the score you need. One of the first starting points is to work on improving general test taking techniques. Below you will find some useful links to help you build and improve these skills:
BBC Learning English Exams Skills pages (in English only)
These pages offer easy to follow instructions on improving general skills in test taking as well as focussing on specific skills areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking).
BBC Learning English Exam Study Skills
A more general approach to exam preparation is offered on these pages, including planning your study programme for an exam, study skills tips and hints as well as mentally preparing yourself for the examination.
Still want to find out more? Don’t forget that, in many cases, the best source of knowledge about preparing for your exams are your own teachers or the institute where you are studying English.
Furthermore at the British Council we offer IELTS exam preparation courses and a Learning Centre with plenty of exams resources to help you get the best score.
Although we all have different ways of preparing for an examination, the following steps may help you focus your specific study:
Step 1: Get to know the exam
It is very important that when you are preparing for a specific examination the first step you should take is to understand the content and what is expected of you. In our section of downloads you will find all Cambridge ESOL and IELTS Information for candidates brochures.
Step 2: Prepare online or with your institution
Once you have a better idea about the test content you will need to begin preparing. If you are studying at a school, university of language institute, ask them if they offer test preparation. If this is not possible or you want to study further, the following website links may help you begin:
Step 3: Take a practice test
During or after preparation for the exam it is worth taking a practice test before you do the real thing! There are a number of ways you can do this:
Access online tests - there are many free or paid online tests available, however you need to be careful what test site you use as many do not necessarily reflect the true level or content of an exam.
Join our Learning Centre - in our Learning Centrewe have hundreds of examples of practice tests that you can use to prepare for all exams.
Buy practice materials - using this list from Cambridge ESOL you can find out who publishes books for the exam you are taking.
Here you can download the Cambridge ESOL and IELTS information for candidates brochures:
Young Learners
Main Suite
World of Work
IELTS
Cambridge ESOL Exams are the world's leading range of certificates for learners of English. Each year they are taken by over 3 million people, in 130 countries. They can help you gain entrance to a university or college, improve your job prospects and measure your progress in English.
The Cambridge ESOL examinations are recognised by thousands of employers, universities and colleges, professional bodies and ministry and government organisations throughout the world.
In Colombia over 100 bilingual, international and non-bilingual schools use our examinations. Universities and companies also trust the examinations offered by the British Council to give accurate evidence of a candidate’s language ability at different levels. The following universities and companies are some of the institutions who use our examinations.
For further information on national and global recognition of Cambridge ESOL examinations please consult the Cambridge ESOL Recognition index.
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