Preparing for Exams
(DipHE) EFL Teacher, Writer, Editor
adrian@apartridge.co.za | +27 82 920 9816
Feeling nervous about your English exam? You’re not alone – and you don’t have to go it alone either.
Whether you’re aiming for IELTS, TOEFL, DET, PET, CAE, CPE, CELPIP, or another English proficiency test, I’m here to help you prepare with clarity, confidence, and a touch of calm. With 15+ years of experience in language, writing, and exam-focused teaching, I’ll guide you through the skills, strategies, and mindset you need to walk into your test ready to shine.
Here are just some of the exams I help you to prepare for:
FCE (Cambridge B2 First)
Getting ready for the Cambridge B2 First exam? I’ll help you build the skills and confidence to tackle reading, writing, listening, and speaking with ease. We’ll focus on structure, timing, and sounding natural, so you’re fully prepared for the test and ready to use English in real life, too.
IELTS
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is seen as a gateway qualification because it allows entry into universities in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada, and New Zealand. In addition, it also enables access to certain types of visa.
TOEFL
This is a standardised test which measures your English language proficiency. It is quite similar to the IELTS exam and is a question of choice on your part.
TOEIC
The Test of English for International Communication is a standardised test which measures the English proficiency of non-native speakers in a workplace context.
DET
The Duolingo English Test is an affordable, fast, and online English proficiency exam. It is accepted by over 5500 programs worldwide, including some top universities.
PET
The Preliminary English Test is the Cambridge B1, a test for intermediate English proficiency which assesses reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
OET
The Occupational English Test is an international language exam, specifically designed for healthcare professionals. It assesses a person’s proficiency in reading, listening, writing, and speaking.
ISE
The Integrated Skills in English test is an international English proficiency test offered by Trinity College London. It tests all four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
CAEL
The Canadian Academic English Language test measures the English proficiency of students planning to study at Canadian universities and colleges.
CELPIP
The Canadian Language Proficiency Index Program is an exam used for immigration and citizenship purposes in Canada.
Why take an exam anyway?
Reason 1
Proficiency in English is highly valued in many countries. A lot of students may not have a specific requirement for a particular level of English but will feel that it will improve their chances in employment or education to have evidence of their English level.
Reason 2
Many professions will require their employees to be able to operate in English, and companies may specify that individuals must have certain English language qualifications in order to be employed or be promoted.
Reason 3
In order to ensure everyone leaves school able to speak English, some countries, such as Spain, have started to move towards a ‘bilingual’ or ‘English medium’ education system (children learn all or most subjects in English). In those countries, all teachers need an English qualification.
The Spanish government has also decided that workers in many public services must have a certain level of English (usually B2), and that students cannot graduate from university unless they have passed an English exam at this level.
Reason 4
UK and Australian colleges and universities usually ask prospective international students to gain an IELTS score of between 5.5 and 7, depending on the course they want to do (and the status and reputation of the university). Universities often specify what grade students need in the individual skills, rather than accepting an average mark across all four skills.
An IELTS score only lasts for two years; after that, students have to take the exam again if they have not already taken up a university place.
The equivalent US qualification is the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), which scores students on a range of 0 -120. Some British universities also accept CAE and CPE as evidences of having reached a level of English high enough to study in English.
Reason 5
Most people applying for citizenship or ‘indefinite leave to remain’ in the UK now have to pass an approved English language test. Cambridge English and Trinity College London are currently the only providers of approved tests.
As the list of reasons for needing to take exams in English shows, for a lot of people these exams are very ‘high stakes’. Often they literally cannot move on to the next planned stage in their lives until they have successfully completed an exam at a particular level.
You can contact me at:
adrian@apartridge.co.za
partridge.adrian@gmail.com
+27829209816 (tap for WhatsApp)