Content of RATEr
Reading skills
Duration: 90 minutes max.
This component consists of approximately 40 multiple choice questions about authentic, well-known academic texts and is divided across 3 sections:
- Reading comprehension questions about short articles dealing with contemporary issues, in which the writers present arguments for certain positions.
- Reading comprehension questions about longer academic and popular science articles.
- Putting paragraphs in the right place in a short, academic or semi-academic text.
Writing skills
Duration: 80 minutes max.
This test component consists of 5 writing assignments. The writing assignments reflect the daily practice of students. The following are some examples of the writing assignments:
- Writing a report based on provided data;
- Providing motivated opinion on a particular topic;
- write an formal or informal email;
The writing assignments are assessed by trained evaluators using a detailed assessment model that awards points for content, structure, consistency, grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.
Speaking skills
Duration: 20 minutes max.
This test component consists of 10 speaking assignments. The speaking assignments reflect the daily practice of students. The following are some examples of the speaking assignments:
- Describing and explaining a table or graph;
- Describing study performance to a student counsellor;
- Presenting an opinion and providing arguments;
Candidates hear the instructions and read along on the screen. Each assignment starts with a situation description, a question and supporting visual material. Each assignment is followed by a beep, after which the candidates provide their response.
Trained evaluators assess the answers using a detailed assessment model that awards points for content, grammar, vocabulary, consistency, tempo and pronunciation.
Listening skills
Duration: aprrox. 50 minutes
The exam comprises 40 questions, divided into 3 blocks.
- multiple choice questions about (semi) scientific lectures, interviews and conversations,
- summaries of (semi) scientific lectures, which some words have been omitted from, and
- a verbatim transcript of a text in which missing words have to be filled in.