When it comes to showing your proficiency in languages like English and French on an international basis, you have to tender any of the most popular test results for any of these tests: IELTS, TOEFL, TEF, TCF or DELF-DALF. However, do you know how the tests are structured? And how well you get graded based on your level of language competences? That is basically the essence of this article today. Let’s dive in!…
When it comes to showing your proficiency in languages like English and French on an international basis, you have to tender any of the most popular test results for any of these tests: IELTS, TOEFL, TEF, TCF or DELF-DALF. However, do you know how the tests are structured? And how well you get graded based on your level of language competences? That is basically the essence of this article today. Let’s dive in!
IELTS
The International English Language Testing System or IELTS is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English and was established in 1989.IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and by various professional organisations across the world.IELTS is the only Secure English Language Test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa customers applying both outside and inside the UK. It also meets requirements for immigration to Australia, where TOEFL and Pearson Test of English Academic are also accepted, and New Zealand. In Canada, IELTS, TEF, or CELPIP are accepted by the immigration authority.
IELTS Test Structure (Modules)
There are two modules of the IELTS: Academic Module and General Training ModuleIELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user. The Academic version is for test takers who want to study at tertiary level in an English-speaking country or seek professional registration. The General Training version is for test takers who want to work, train, study at a secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country.The difference between the Academic and General Training versions is the content, context and purpose of the tasks. All other features, such as timing allocation, length of written responses and reporting of scores, are the same.An IELTS result or Test Report Form is issued to all test takers with a score from “band 1” (“non-user”) to “band 9” (“expert us[r”) and each institution sets a different threshold. There is also a “band 0” score for those who did not attempt the test. Institutions are advised not to consider a report older than two years to be valid, unless the user proves that they have worked to maintain their level.The four parts of the IELTS test
Listening: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes’ transfer time)
Reading: 60 minutes
Writing: 60 minutes
Speaking: 11–14 minutes
The test total time is: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Listening, Reading and Writing are completed in one sitting. The Speaking test may be taken on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language® (TOEFL) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS.TOEFL iBT Test Scores – The TOEFL iBT test is scored on a scale of 0 to 120 points.
Each of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) receives a scaled score from 0 to 30. The scaled scores from the four sections are added together to determine the total score.
Test Format
The reading and listening sections are tested first, followed by a ten-minute break. The speaking and writing sections are then completed following the break. A maximum amount of 250 minutes is allowed to complete the whole exam process.The four-hour test consists of four sections, each measuring one of the basic language skills (while some tasks require integrating multiple skills), and all tasks focus on language used in an academic, higher-education environment. Note-taking is allowed during the TOEFL iBT test. The test cannot be taken more than once every 12 days.Each speaking question is initially given a score of 0 to 4, and each writing question is initially given a score of 0 to 5. These scores are converted to scaled scores of 0 to 30.DELF-DALF
DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française) and DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) are official qualifications delivered by the French Ministry of Education to certify competencies of international standard in the French language. They were designed to accompany the teaching and learning of French, by proposing the validation and certification of an internationally recognized level of competence, at the end of training. DELF and DALF are lifetime certificates.
Test Structure
DELF and DALF are composed of 6 levels, each independently recognized as a diploma. Candidates can take the examination of their choice, according to their level. These diplomas are awarded by the French Ministry of Education in 154 countries. For adults, professionals, teenagers and kids!At each level, 4 skills are evaluated: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Each part is on 25 points (the total mark is on 100 points). A mark of at least 50/100 is required in order to be awarded the certificate.TEF Canada
The Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada (TEF Canada) is a test of general French which assesses the level of proficiency in French of francophones and non-francophones alike.The TEF Canada is recognised as official proof of language proficiency by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) as well as the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés Culturelles du Québec (MICC) for permanent residency applications, certificat de sélection du Québec applications and Canadian citizenship applications. TEF is used to gain admittance to French Universities or for Canadian Immigration, or for work. TCF is administered by the CCIP (Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
Level of Proficiency
The TEF Canada assesses the candidate’s proficiency in French using a 7 level scale based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) and the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).The TEF Canada consists of 4 modules: listening, speaking, reading and/or writing.
Compréhension écrite (reading): 60 minutes – 50 questions – 300 points
Compréhension orale (listening): 40 minutes – 60 questions – 360 points
Expression écrite (writing): 60 minutes – 2 topics – 450 points
Expression orale (speaking): 15 minutes – 2 topics – 450 points
Results
An official certificate of results will be delivered to each candidate. Each certificate is detailed and personalised. For each module, the certificate will show the score obtained, the level of proficiency reached as well as a commentary of the skills in general French.The results will be sent 6 to 8 weeks after the exam date. Academic degrees are not required to take the TEF Canada. Candidates may take the test several times, allowing a minimum of 60 days between two exam sessions.TCF
The Test de connaissance du français (TCF) is a language placement test for non-native speakers of French. It is administered by the Centre international d’études pédagogiques (CIEP) for the French Ministry of Education. It fulfils French language entry requirements, can be used to demonstrate language ability for job applications or for personal use, and is used by Québec for immigration procedures.The TCF follows the European standards for language tests as set forward in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and is equal to DALF, also offered by the CIEP.
Test scores
Lowest level is A1 indicating beginner, top fluency levels are C1 and C2.
Level C1 and C2 indicate advanced mastery of French. French university Sciences-Po uses TCF level C1 as the primary language prerequisite for evaluating the abilities of non-native speakers to follow academic discussions and carry out academic research in the French language.The test is made up of compulsory and optional sections. The reading, listening and language structures sections are mandatory while the writing and speaking sections are optional.TCF scores are ranked on 6 levels, ranging from A1 to C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.Our Preparation Classes
We can prepare you online for any or all these language tests. This month of September 2021, we collborated with PrepMyFuture – the leading exam preparation platform to help candidates with study materials and past questions for all these tests at a discounted price. To learn more about our prep classes, click on this link and enroll yourself for any or combination of our programs immediately.