IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge English: how to pass international English exams in 2023

Why take international English exams

Previously, many people took these tests to confirm their level of language proficiency and become more in demand when looking for work in Russia.

However, today everything has become much more complicated, and only a narrow circle of Russians may need international certificates. Among them:

• Those who plan to study at a foreign university or school.
• Those who want to work abroad or in an international company whose official language of communication is English.
• Those who are going to move to an English-speaking country and cannot get a visa without a certificate.
• Those preparing to apply for citizenship in an English-speaking country.

Which exam to choose

There are many English proficiency assessment systems, but three are highly valued in the international market: IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge English. All these tests are aimed at testing your skills in four sections: Reading (reading), Listening (listening), Speaking (speaking) and Writing (writing). However, there are significant differences between exams.

TOEFL

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an international exam in English as a foreign language. That is, its main goal is to assess the level of training of people for whom this language is not native.

If you are planning move to the United States or Canada on a work or family visa, or to enroll in higher education institutions in these countries, then you will need this particular test. The fact is that it is based on the American version of the English language, which is used there.

There are several variants of TOEFL. The most popular of these is the academic level exam. However, there are also tests for students and schoolchildren of different ages: 8+ (TOEFL Primary), 11+ (TOEFL Junior), 16+ (TOEFL ITP).

The exam can be taken both offline and online. The score is given in points - from 0 to 120. The certificate is valid for 2 years.

IELTS

IELTS is another international test to determine the level of English proficiency for those for whom it is not native. However, this exam tests knowledge of the British version of the language. IELTS results are suitable not only for the UK, but also for EU countries.

The exam also has several options:

• Academic - for those who plan to enter a university.
• General - useful when applying for a job in a foreign company.
• Life Skills - can be useful for obtaining tourist visas.

The difference between the academic version and the regular (General) version lies in the reading and writing parts of the exam. Instead of a newspaper article offered to test takers in the general version of the test, you will be given the text of a scientific study. In the writing part, you will need to analyze the data and prepare an essay in a more formal, academic style - instead of an essay on an everyday topic.

General IELTS is suitable for working in an international company in the European Union. And IELTS Life Skills is for those who need to prove their speaking and listening in English at level A1, A2 or B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). For example, for migrants who wish to obtain a visa to live in the UK and extend their stay in the country after its expiration.

You can take the exam in offline and online format, but the second option is currently not available in Russia. The score for the exam is set in points - from 1 to 9. The certificate is valid for 2 years.

Cambridge English

Cambridge English is the oldest of the international tests, also based on the British version of English. It is often undeservedly forgotten about, but in the meantime, the exam has many advantages if you are not yet a Native Speaker - a person who speaks the language at the native level.

Unlike IELTS and TOEFL, Cambridge exams are initially clearly divided into categories:

• Young Learners (Pre A1 - A2) - for children 7-12 years old.
• Schools (A2 - B2) - for teenagers of school age.
• General (not lower than B2) - for applicants.
• Business (B1 - C1) - for those who get a job.

Thus, you do not have to deal with unfamiliar material. And this is an obvious plus: the level of stress is reduced when you do not see something unnecessarily complicated in front of you.

You can take the exam only offline and only in accredited centers. Its results are usually used in order to apply to summary, portfolio or a package of documents for obtaining a visa. However, they can also be accepted by educational institutions and international companies.

Some of the obvious benefits are that the Cambridge English certificate does not expire and the fact that the cost of testing varies depending on the level you need.

The choice of the latter will depend on the specific situation. To know exactly which of the exams you need to take, you need to carefully read the requirements on the university website, clarify this point with the HR employee of the company in which employment is planned, or search for the desired item in the list of documents for a visa.

Appreciate each aspect of the language separately and then calculate the total number of points, on the basis of which they give a grade - A, B or C.

• A - means that the person passed the exam at a level higher than planned. The certificate in this case will also be one step higher.
• B - shows the full compliance of the knowledge of the tested with the level of the exam.
• C - indicates that the exam has been passed, but only the minimum number of points has been scored. If it does not reach the required level, a person will be issued a certificate one step lower. There are also cases when it is not issued - if the level of knowledge of the examinee is very low.

Where and how to take exams

Unfortunately, the ways to pass international exams in English language not so much today. But you can still get certified.

Online testing

Now only TOEFL can be passed in this way: this exam has an available for the Russian Federation online version. The cost of testing is $270.

True, it was not without limitations: it is impossible to pay with a Russian card, you will have to look for other ways. But if you have a close person abroad who is ready to help, or you are concerned about opening a card of one of the Central Asian banks, then the issue can be considered resolved.

Independent travel to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia

If you need to take one of the British English-based exams or are unable to pay the TOEFL fee remotely, traveling abroad is the solution.
To pass the exams, you should choose countries where Russian bank cards still work. For example, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia.

At the same time, money will be needed not only to pay for the exam, but also for flights and accommodation. In the table below we have collected the lowest prices for tickets and hotels, as well as for testing itself.

Kazakhstan

Armenia

Uzbekistan

The sums turned out to be rather big, but everything is not so scary. Specialists of language centers and schools can help you with the trip. They will select the best country for taking the exam, taking into account your conditions and the cheapest tickets for the flight, as well as ensure the registration for the exam.

Participation in special tours

Such tours are offered by language schools and centers. The standard package includes registration for the exam at a partner authorized center, booking a hotel and air tickets. You will also be accompanied by a teacher.

A tour can cost much more than an independent trip, its average price is 65-70 thousand rubles. But at the same time, you do not have to organize anything yourself.

How to prepare to pass the exam

Given the dramatically changed conditions for passing international exams, the cost of failing to test is becoming too high. The following tips will help you prepare well.

Get the right textbooks

If you have a standard test - a non-academic version of the exam - and you decide to prepare yourself, then you should purchase the appropriate manuals and study on them. For example, for IELTS, The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, Official IELTS Practice, Complete IELTS is suitable. And for TOEFL - The Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT® Test, Official TOEFL iBT® Tests.

If you need to pass an academic version of the exam, for example, IELTS Academic, then you will need special textbooks to pull up special vocabulary. For example, Academic Vocabulary in Use by Michael McCarthy, Cambridge Academic English, English for Academic Study, Cambridge English IELTS Trainer Academic. It is not necessary to use many benefits at once, any of the above is enough.

With the Cambridge exams, the situation is different: for each level - its own testing and, accordingly, its own separate textbook. For example, for the C1 level exam, Complete Advanced by Cambridge English is suitable.

If a person is going work abroad and take exams in Business English, he needs to master business English. There are textbooks for this: Business Vocabulary in Use, Cambridge English Business, Market Leader.

In general, finding all these manuals is not difficult - it is only important to pay attention to the official logo on the cover, corresponding to the exam you are preparing for: Cambridge, IELTS or TOEFL is a kind of quality mark benefits.

Immerse yourself in the language environment

Try to do it in all available ways:

• See movies and series in original.
• Watch the video on YouTube. There you can also find specialized channels for preparing for the exam - for example, Fasttrack IELTS.
• Listen to podcasts on any topic that interests you. Noteworthy are both educational options (Espresso English, All Ears English), and entertaining (You're wrong about that). To seamlessly integrate these activities into your day, you can do it while eating or on the road.
• Subscribe on social networks to English learning channels from different language schools and read them every day in your free time.
• Install apps that teach language in a playful way. For example, Duolingo And Quizlet.
• Attend conversation clubs and English roundtables in your city, many of which are free or inexpensive.
• Participate in forum discussions such as Reddit. This will help improve your speaking skills.
• Read books in English. It is better to start with modern American authors - the language will be simpler there. Gradually, you can move on to classical works. If reading books in the original is still difficult, buy adapted versions. Some of them even have exercises that will help you learn new vocabulary and consolidate grammar.
• Read English-language newspapers and magazines. For example: the Guardian, the NY Times, Huffington Post, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and others. All of them now have sites where free content is published. Often this is news, but not only. Look for what interests you and read articles on a regular basis.

Make time for grammar and writing

Here's what to do:

• liquidate spaces in grammar. Do this regularly. You will find all the necessary materials on the above resources and in manuals like English Grammar in Use, Oxford English Grammar Course.
• Write academic essaysif you are going to take the academic version of the exam. It is important to understand that such works have a special style. It is characterized by more formal and typical constructions and turns, more complex sentences. You can find out more details by looking at the work of scientists in the right field - they can be easily found through Google Scholar. It is also worth studying other people's dissertations in English - they are usually freely available. All this will give an understanding of what vocabulary should be used when writing text in the Writing section.
• Solve test variants of the exam. This will help you track your progress and notice weaknesses.
  If self-training does not give results, you should sign up for specialized courses or find a tutor. This will solve the problem with motivation and finding materials.

It is also useful to pre-pass trial testing in Russia - analogues of international exams developed in our country will help with this.