Cambridge English: 7 Answers About World-Opening Tests

Every year, more than five and a half million people in one hundred and thirty countries make up Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). How is this test different from other exams and why should it be preferred?

What is the Cambridge English certificate for?

The world has become open: studying, working, living abroad is already a common practice. And without leaving the country, without good English, it is impossible to get a job not only in an international company: this knowledge has become one of the basic necessary working competencies.

A pass to the English-speaking world is one of the certificates confirming language proficiency at a certain level. We will consider the differences between their types further, and first in more detail about the most popular, developed by specialists from the University of Cambridge.

What if such a document is not needed this year?

Yes, we are accustomed to the fact that every "piece of paper" is needed to be presented to the relevant institutions. But here it is a completely different story: it is important not to pass, but to know.

Exam preparation systems according to the Cambridge system are focused not on "training" the applicant for one-time indicators, but on really improving language skills.

The result obtained is not only for someone, but above all for yourself: it gives an objective understanding of your level, gives you a goal and motivation to improve your achievements further. And the testimony, even if you do not submit it anywhere right away, will not "deteriorate": the Cambridge certificate has no expiration date.

Who is it for? Who can be folded?

For anyone. Regardless of age, gender, native language, level of proficiency. Cambridge offers a wide variety of tests and levels: the ability to confirm from the Beginner Pre A1 Starters to the Advanced C2 Proficiency or the specialized C1 Business Higher. There are also special Cambridge exams for children – Young Learners (levels from Pre A1 to A2).

And how do Cambridge exams correlate with school exams?
If a student has received an international certificate, he/she does not need to pass the EIT in English. Successful completion of PET (B1), FCE (B2) or CAE (C1) levels is counted as 12 points for the GIA.

What are the main advantages of this system?

The test results are recognized by more than 25,000 higher education institutions, employers, and government organizations. Among them are such reputable ones as Microsoft and IBM.
Exams are designed and developed on the basis of extensive scientific research based on the practice of applying tests. They are tested, then improved and implemented again.
No unnecessary knowledge and similar "dead weight" that will not be needed in life. All preparatory materials concentrate primarily on the live use of the language, based on a variety of practical situations. 
Cambridge Assessment English exams examine all the important skills equally closely: speaking, writing, reading and listening comprehension.
There is no risk of being cut off by discrepancies with a single template chosen once and for all by the examiners. The presence of different language variants (British, American) and accents (up to Australian) is taken into account.

Cambridge vs. TOEFL & IELTS: Which Is Better?

The IELTS and TOEFL test systems, developed by American educators, also check the level of English proficiency, and also in the same four components: listening, reading, writing, speaking. In the Cambridge system, at levels B2, C1 and C2, another component has been added: Use of English – it demonstrates a broader skill: general language proficiency.
Cambridge exams have been held for more than a century – since 1913 (while constantly evolving, as we have already said). Other systems are younger – they were introduced in 1964 and 1980. 
The results of each of the American tests are recognized by about ten thousand universities (Cambridge – 2.5 times more).Both IELTS and TOEFL certificates are valid for two years. That is, if you do not need to confirm your knowledge in the near future, there is no particular point in obtaining such certificates here and now: they are usually needed for a certain occasion (for example, admission to a specific educational institution). Therefore, preparation is often aimed at achieving a certain specific bar (remember from the exams once passed, that the brain then forgets the irrelevant).
The Cambridge option is focused on long-term development.
There are also some differences in the process of taking tests. For example, in Cambridge, you can listen to the text twice while listening. And speaking takes place in a live dialogue with another candidate (your skills are evaluated by two examiners).

What are the benefits of a bilingual school here?

Thus, the Cambridge-style testing system is focused on acquiring practical language skills. Actually, language training at the NSS International School is focused on the same goals. After all, knowledge of the language is, of course, not to ram "Landan from the capital from Great Britain". It is to understand what you read and hear, to formulate and express your point of view, to communicate with the interlocutor and to achieve understanding. This is primarily the goal of the practice of bilingual education introduced in our country, thanks to which children learn educational material and communicate informally in English.

Testing according to the Cambridge English system is one of the tools not only to confirm your knowledge, but also to better understand it and therefore control it. Therefore, for us, this is not a bar to which the student needs to be adjusted – it is a system that helps to make English a useful and interesting part of our own world.