English Exams: Which One & How to Prepare

Level: B1. There is no single “English exam”. The three families most learners meet — IELTS, TOEFL iBT and the Cambridge English qualifications — all test the same four skills (reading, listening, writing, speaking), but they package and score them differently. This page helps you pick the right one and points you to the course pages that build the skills it tests.

By the end of this page you can…

…tell the three main exam families apart, understand how each is scored, see how the levels map onto this course, and start a preparation plan.

The shared yardstick: CEFR

All of these exams relate to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), an international six-point scale from A1 (beginner) up to C2 (mastery), with A2, B1, B2 and C1 in between (Council of Europe; Cambridge English). Every lesson on this site carries a CEFR level badge, so the framework is the bridge between your study here and any exam you take.

IELTS at a glance

IELTS comes in two main formats — Academic (for study and professional registration) and General Training (for migration, work and training); the Speaking and Listening parts are the same, while Reading and Writing differ (IELTS). It has four sections:

Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day with no breaks; Speaking may be the same day or up to a week before or after. Results are reported on a 9-band scale from 0 to 9, in whole and half bands, with a score for each section and an overall band that is the average of the four. There is no pass or fail (IELTS). IELTS is available on paper or computer, with the same scoring.

TOEFL iBT at a glance

The TOEFL iBT test is taken on a computer, either at a test centre or at home with a live proctor (Home Edition). It has four sections (ETS):

Plan for about two hours in total. You receive four section scores and an overall score on a 1–6 scale; the overall is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. For a two-year transition period after January 2026, ETS also reports a comparable overall score on the older 0–120 scale (ETS).

Cambridge English at a glance

Cambridge English is a ladder of qualifications, each aimed at one CEFR level, so you take the exam that matches where you are (Cambridge English):

(There are also young-learner and “for Schools” versions.) Each exam has four components — Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. As a worked example, B2 First runs about 3½ hours in total: Reading and Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes, 7 parts), Writing (1 hour 20 minutes, two tasks of 140–190 words), Listening (about 40 minutes, heard twice) and a Speaking test of 14 minutes taken with a partner and two examiners (Cambridge English). Results are reported on the Cambridge English Scale, with a score for each skill plus an overall score, designed to align with the CEFR and with IELTS (Cambridge English).

How to choose

Quick recap of the three families.

How to prepare with this course

Whichever exam you choose, the skills are the same, and this course is organised to build them:

• Grammar: work through the grammar lessons at and just above your CEFR level — accuracy lifts your Writing and Speaking marks most.
• Vocabulary: the vocabulary sets give you the everyday and topic words examiners expect; this hub’s companion page English Numbers, Dates & Money covers a point every exam tests.
• Writing: Writing Business Emails in English and Formal Writing & Emails train the structure and register that writing tasks reward.
• Practice: the practice pages help you rehearse under time pressure, which is half the battle in any exam.

Detailed, exam-by-exam guides — an IELTS overview, a TOEFL iBT overview and Cambridge exam pages — are coming soon and will be linked here when they are published.

Practice

Practice

Choosing an English exam

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 What should decide which English exam you take?

Which is cheapest Which your university, employer or visa route accepts Which your friend took Which has the shortest name

Check

Show answer

Which your university, employer or visa route accepts — Always match the test and score to the requirement of the place you are applying to.

2 Which scale do all three exam families relate to?

The Richter scale The CEFR (A1–C2) A percentage out of 100 School grades A–F

Check

Show answer

The CEFR (A1–C2) — IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge all relate to the CEFR six-level scale.

3 IELTS reports results on a ____-band scale from 0 to 9. (one word/number)

Check

Hint: the number of bands

Show answer

9 — IELTS uses a 9-band scale with whole and half bands.

4 Match each Cambridge qualification to its CEFR level.

• A2 Key Match for A2 Key — choose — A2B1B2C1
• B1 Preliminary Match for B1 Preliminary — choose — A2B1B2C1
• B2 First Match for B2 First — choose — A2B1B2C1
• C1 Advanced Match for C1 Advanced — choose — A2B1B2C1

Check

Show answer

• A2 Key → A2
• B1 Preliminary → B1
• B2 First → B2
• C1 Advanced → C1

Each Cambridge exam targets one CEFR level.

5 Put the four skills every exam tests in the usual order.

WritingReadingSpeakingListening

CheckReset

Show answer

Reading Listening Writing Speaking — All three families assess reading, listening, writing and speaking.

6 How is the TOEFL iBT taken?

Only on paper On a computer, at a test centre or at home with a proctor By phone Face to face only

Check

Show answer

On a computer, at a test centre or at home with a proctor — TOEFL iBT is computer-based, at a centre or at home via the Home Edition.

Quiz

Check yourself

English exams quiz

10 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/10 0 answered

1. 1What is the first thing to check before booking an exam?

   A The weather B That your target institution accepts that test and score C The test's logo D How long the name is
   Show answer

   That your target institution accepts that test and score — Choose by acceptance: use the exact test the institution requires.

2. 2The CEFR scale runs from…

   A 1 to 10 B A1 to C2 C A to F D 0 to 120
   Show answer

   A1 to C2 — The CEFR has six levels, A1 up to C2.

3. 3How many main sections does IELTS have?

   A Two B Three C Four D Five
   Show answer

   Four — IELTS tests Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

4. 4How is an overall IELTS band score worked out?

   A The highest section B The average of the four sections C Reading only D A pass/fail decision
   Show answer

   The average of the four sections — The overall band is the average of the four section scores; there is no pass or fail.

5. 5The two main IELTS formats are…

   A Easy and Hard B Academic and General Training C Written and Spoken D Junior and Senior
   Show answer

   Academic and General Training — IELTS offers Academic and General Training; Speaking and Listening are the same in both.

6. 6Where can the TOEFL iBT be taken?

   A Only abroad B At a test centre or at home with a live proctor C Only on paper at school D Anywhere, with no supervision
   Show answer

   At a test centre or at home with a live proctor — TOEFL iBT is computer-based at a centre or via the Home Edition with a proctor.

7. 7Which Cambridge qualification targets CEFR level B2?

   A A2 Key B B1 Preliminary C B2 First D C2 Proficiency
   Show answer

   B2 First — B2 First is aimed at CEFR level B2.

8. 8Cambridge English exams report results on…

   A the IELTS band scale B the Cambridge English Scale C a percentage D school grades
   Show answer

   the Cambridge English Scale — Cambridge uses its own Cambridge English Scale, aligned to the CEFR and IELTS.

9. 9Can you read an IELTS band directly as a TOEFL score?

   A Yes, they are identical B No — use the official comparison tools C Only for Reading D Only above band 7
   Show answer

   No — use the official comparison tools — The scales differ; use the exam bodies' official converters, with CEFR as the shared reference.

10. 10What is the smartest way to prepare for any of these exams?

    A Only memorise grammar rules B Build all four skills, with timed practice C Skip speaking and listening D Book the test tomorrow
    Show answer

    Build all four skills, with timed practice — Every exam tests four skills, so a balanced, timed plan works best.

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Build accuracy: English Grammar lessons
• Build range: English Vocabulary sets
• Rehearse under time: English Practice pages
• Previous in this set: Writing Business Emails in English
• New here? Start with Start Learning English Here