Test Types and Formats

Comprehensive guide to all supported test types, their formats, and unique features.

🌍 IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

Test Formats

IELTS Academic - Purpose: University admissions, academic programs - Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes - Sections: Reading (60 min), Writing (60 min), Listening (40 min), Speaking (15 min) - Score Range: 0-9 band scores

IELTS General Training - Purpose: Immigration, work experience, training programs - Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes - Sections: Same timing as Academic with different content focus - Score Range: 0-9 band scores

Section Details

Reading (60 minutes): - Academic: 3 passages, 40 questions, academic texts - General: 3 sections, 40 questions, everyday/workplace texts - Question Types: Multiple choice, matching, completion, short answer

Writing (60 minutes): - Academic: Task 1 (20 min) - describe visual information, Task 2 (40 min) - essay - General: Task 1 (20 min) - letter writing, Task 2 (40 min) - essay - Assessment: Task achievement, coherence, lexical resource, grammar

Listening (40 minutes): - Format: 4 sections, 40 questions, increasing difficulty - Content: Conversations, monologues, academic discussions - Audio: Played once with time for answers

Speaking (15 minutes): - Part 1: Introduction and interview (4-5 min) - Part 2: Individual long turn (3-4 min) - Part 3: Two-way discussion (4-5 min)

🇺🇸 TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

Test Format

• Duration: 3 hours
• Score Range: 0-120 total (0-30 per section)
• Delivery: Computer-based with integrated tasks

Section Details

Reading (54-72 minutes): - Passages: 3-4 academic passages, 700 words each - Questions: 30-40 questions total - Types: Multiple choice, prose summary, fill-in-table

Listening (41-57 minutes): - Content: 4-6 lectures, 2-3 conversations - Duration: Lectures 3-5 min, conversations 2-3 min - Questions: 28-39 questions total

Speaking (17 minutes): - Tasks: 4 speaking tasks - Types: Independent (1 task), integrated (3 tasks) - Recording: 15-30 seconds preparation, 45-60 seconds response

Writing (50 minutes): - Tasks: Integrated writing (20 min), independent essay (30 min) - Integrated: Read passage, listen to lecture, write response - Independent: Essay on given topic

📊 GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

Test Format

• Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Score Range: 200-800 total
• Sections: Quantitative (45 min), Verbal (45 min), Data Insights (45 min)

Section Details

Quantitative Reasoning (45 minutes): - Questions: 21 questions - Types: Problem solving, data sufficiency - Score Range: 6-51

Verbal Reasoning (45 minutes): - Questions: 23 questions - Types: Critical reasoning, reading comprehension, sentence correction - Score Range: 6-51

Data Insights (45 minutes): - Questions: 20 questions - Types: Multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation - Score Range: 1-8

Adaptive Features

• Section-level adaptivity: Performance determines next section difficulty
• Question selection: Dynamic difficulty adjustment
• Score calculation: Computer adaptive testing algorithm

🎓 GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)

Test Format

• Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes
• Score Range: Verbal/Quantitative 130-170, Analytical Writing 0-6
• Adaptive: Section-level adaptivity

Section Details

Analytical Writing (30 minutes): - Tasks: 1 "Analyze an Issue" task - Format: Essay response to given prompt - Score Range: 0-6 in half-point increments

Verbal Reasoning (2 sections, 18 minutes each): - Questions: 12 questions per section - Types: Text completion, sentence equivalence, reading comprehension - Adaptive: Second section difficulty based on first section performance

Quantitative Reasoning (2 sections, 21 minutes each): - Questions: 12 questions per section - Types: Quantitative comparison, problem solving, data interpretation - Tools: On-screen calculator provided

Adaptive System

Section 1 Performance → Section 2 Difficulty: - High performance (75%+): Hard difficulty questions - Medium performance (50-74%): Medium difficulty questions - Low performance (<50%): Easy difficulty questions

📝 SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test)

Test Format

• Duration: 2 hours 14 minutes
• Score Range: 400-1600 total
• Sections: Reading/Writing (64 min), Math (70 min)

Section Details

Reading and Writing (64 minutes): - Modules: 2 modules, 32 minutes each - Questions: 27 questions per module - Content: Literature, history, social studies, science

Math (70 minutes): - Modules: 2 modules, 35 minutes each - Questions: 22 questions per module - Calculator: Allowed for entire Math section

Adaptive Features

• Module-level adaptivity: Second module difficulty based on first module
• Scoring: Adaptive scoring algorithm
• Question types: Multiple choice and student-produced responses

🏆 PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)

Test Format

• Duration: 2 hours
• Score Range: 10-90 overall score
• Delivery: Computer-based with AI scoring

Section Details

Speaking & Writing (54-67 minutes): - Speaking: Read aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, re-tell lecture - Writing: Summarize written text, essay writing

Reading (29-30 minutes): - Tasks: Multiple choice, fill in blanks, reorder paragraphs - Content: Academic texts

Listening (30-43 minutes): - Tasks: Summarize spoken text, fill in blanks, highlight correct summary - Content: Academic lectures and conversations

🎯 Cambridge English Tests

Available Levels

First (FCE) - B2 Level: - Duration: 3 hours 29 minutes - Score Range: 140-190 (160+ = Pass)

Advanced (CAE) - C1 Level: - Duration: 3 hours 55 minutes - Score Range: 160-210 (180+ = Pass)

Proficiency (CPE) - C2 Level: - Duration: 3 hours 56 minutes - Score Range: 180-230 (200+ = Pass)

Common Section Structure

Reading & Use of English: Grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension Writing: Essays, reports, proposals (level-dependent) Listening: Conversations, monologues, interviews Speaking: Paired format with other candidates

🤖 AI-Generated Custom Tests

Creation Options

Natural Language Commands:

"Create an IELTS test about renewable energy"
"Generate TOEFL listening with business conversations"
"Make a GMAT quantitative section focusing on statistics"

Advanced Parameter Controls: - Test Type: Select base format (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) - Topics: Choose content themes and subjects - Difficulty: Set complexity levels - Duration: Customize timing for each section - Question Types: Select specific question formats

AI Features

Content Generation: - Reading passages: Topic-specific authentic texts - Listening content: Multi-voice conversations and lectures - Questions: Appropriate question types for each section - Answer keys: Accurate scoring and explanations

Quality Assurance: - Content validation: Automatic checks for accuracy - Difficulty calibration: Appropriate challenge levels - Format compliance: Adherence to official test standards - Language authenticity: Natural, native-level content

📊 Scoring Systems

Score Conversion and Interpretation

IELTS Bands: - 9: Expert user - full operational command - 8: Very good user - fully operational with occasional inaccuracies - 7: Good user - operational command with occasional inaccuracies - 6: Competent user - generally effective command despite inaccuracies

TOEFL Scores: - Advanced (24-30): High level of English proficiency - High-Intermediate (18-23): Good English skills with some limitations - Low-Intermediate (4-17): Limited English proficiency - Below Basic (0-3): Minimal English skills

Standardized Test Percentiles: - 90th percentile+: Highly competitive scores - 75th-89th percentile: Strong performance - 50th-74th percentile: Average to above-average - Below 50th percentile: Below average performance

🎯 Choosing the Right Test

Purpose-Based Selection

University Admissions: - US Universities: TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT - UK Universities: IELTS Academic, Cambridge English - Global Programs: IELTS Academic, TOEFL

Immigration: - General: IELTS General Training - Specific Countries: Country-specific requirements

Professional Development: - Business School: GMAT - Graduate School: GRE - Professional Certification: PTE Academic

Test Preparation Timeline: - 3+ months: Comprehensive preparation for all sections - 1-3 months: Focused improvement on weak areas - Less than 1 month: Intensive practice and strategy review

Ready to choose your test? Head to the dashboard to explore available options!