Standalone English Speaking Test
Multi-level online assessment of spoken English skills, designed for job candidates in industries where strong speaking ability is essential.
Start the Standalone English Speaking TestThe Standalone Speaking Test assesses spoken skills only. If you need a certificate for all four skills, take our Complete Test which include Speaking & Writing.
Online test of English spoken proficiency
The Standalone English Speaking Test is an exam designed specifically to assess speaking skills.
To access this option, you need a Standalone Speaking Exam credit.
You’ll need a computer with an internal or external microphone and a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or similar).
Before starting the test, you will have the opportunity to test and adjust your microphone as well as other software and hardware settings.
After completing each exam, you will receive an English Speaking Test certificate, including your CEFR level result (Pre-A1, A1, B1, B2, C1, or C2).
Standalone Speaking Test: How It Works
The English Speaking Test takes about 15 minutes. You’ll record your answers to ten general conversational questions in English.
No special preparation is required—regular practice in everyday English conversation is enough. Your audio responses are securely recorded and evaluated by our trained assessors across four key areas: vocabulary range, accuracy, fluency, and coherence.
Your results will be available within 14 business days after completing the test, or within 48 hours if you choose Express delivery. The result includes a detailed Speaking Test Report with personalised feedback from our experienced assessors.
The Standalone Speaking test methodology:
using the CEFR Speaking grid tests from the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)
Duration of the Standalone Speaking Test as a whole: Approximately 15 minutes (preparation for each answer up to 30 seconds and answers from 15 seconds to 1 minute)
Target CEFR level of the speaking test: Multi-level from pre-A1 to C2
Channel for test delivery: Audio recording
Test content: General English language proficiency test (vocational assessment upon request)
Key test purpose: Proficiency test and placement tests
Other possible test purposes include:
- Achievement tests, sometimes called progress tests, measure what students have learned. ‘The content … is generally based on the course syllabus or the course textbook’.
- Diagnostic tests ‘seek to identify those areas in which a student needs further help’.
- Placement tests are ‘designed to assess students’ levels of language ability so that they can be placed in an appropriate group or class’.
- Proficiency tests, which ‘are not based on a particular language programme. They are designed to test the ability of students with different language training backgrounds.’
Rating method: A combination of a holistic and analytical approach.
It has been claimed that the holistic approach more closely resembles how language production is judged in real life and can be quicker than using an analytic approach. However, analytic marking can offer richer diagnostic information for L2 learners.
The Tracktest Standalone Speaking test combines a holistic approach with an analytical approach for rating. For the certificate, it uses the CEFR level as a result, where the test taker’s performance is judged as a whole.
In the accompanying Speaking test report, raters also provide the CEFR level quantitative feedback as well as qualitative feedback for the specific rating criteria: coherence, fluency, lexical and grammatical range, and lexical and grammatical accuracy. However, these are intended mainly for additional diagnostics. The total result is not calculated from these specific ratings.
Performance is rated by a combination of AI recommendation and human marking, using 1-2 raters.
Feedback: Both quantitative and qualitative feedback are provided for test-takers.
Quantitative feedback: CEFR level from Pre-A1 to C2
Qualitative feedback: General feedback and optional specific feedback based on rating criteria.
Instructions: Task instructions are provided in written and/or audio prompts. The prevailing discourse type required is in the form of questions and answers. The expected response is a short monologue (up to 1 min.) and extended interaction.
Standalone English Speaking Test
Get the English CEFR certificate for your Speaking skills