The CELP examination

What the examination is

CELP measures how well you use English in ordinary situations: reading a notice and finding what matters, following a spoken message heard once, writing clearly to somebody for a reason, and speaking without time to rehearse.

It is taken in your own browser, wherever you are, on whatever day you are ready. There is no sitting to book, no seat to reserve and no centre to travel to.

The four sections

They are taken in this order, one after another, each on its own clock. When a section’s time runs out it closes and the next opens. If you finish early you may submit and move on.

1. 1

   Reading

   5 minutes· 6 questionsMarked automatically

   Find and interpret specific information in one short authentic text — a notice, a leaflet, a set of instructions.

2. 2

   Listening

   3 minutes· 5 questionsMarked automatically

   Understand short spoken messages and announcements of the kind heard in daily life. Each is played once only.

3. 3

   Writing

   15 minutes· 1 taskMarked by an examiner

   Write at least 120 words for a stated reader and purpose — commonly an email that explains a situation and makes a request.

4. 4

   Speaking

   5 minutes· 3 promptsMarked by an examiner

   Speak on familiar topics without preparation. Each prompt allows a short thinking time, then records automatically.

How it is marked

Reading and Listening are marked against a fixed answer key the moment you submit, so there is no human judgement and no delay.

Writing and Speaking are marked by a certified examiner working from published band descriptors. A person reads what you wrote and listens to what you said. This takes longer — normally three working days — but no machine yet judges whether an email strikes the right tone.

Each section receives its own band from 0 to 9. The overall band is the mean of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. The pass mark for the certificate is an overall band of 5.5, though universities and employers commonly set a higher requirement of their own.

What each band means

What you receive

A Test Report Form showing your four section bands, your overall band, the date of the test and a verification number. It is issued electronically and can be given to an institution as it stands.

Any organisation that receives it can confirm it against our records using that number. Verification returns the bands and the test date only — never your contact details, your answers or your recordings.

Conditions of entry

These are the terms every candidate accepts before starting.

• You sit the examination alone and unaided.
• No notes, dictionaries, translation tools or other people.
• One entry per email address. A further entry needs our authorisation.
• The examination runs in fullscreen and is invigilated throughout.
• Copying and pasting are disabled during the writing task.
• Sections run on their own timers and cannot be revisited once closed.

Full terms of entry