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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is BULATS?
What level of English is required to understand the test?
What sorts of materials are used in the test?
How useful is exam preparation for improving students’ language ability?
What accents are used in the listening test?
In the listening test, is it necessary for candidates to understand every word?
What is BULATS?
BULATS stands for the Business Language Testing Service. There are
tests in 4 languages: English, French, German and Spanish. The
Standard Test and the Computer Test include questions on listening,
reading
and language knowledge. The Writing and Speaking Tests are separate
and stand alone.
What level of English is required to understand the test?
The Standard Test contains a range of items at all levels. In general,
the more difficult Reading and Language Knowledge questions are
in Part 2 of the test. The Computer Test is adaptive and selects
questions
based
on
the
previous
answers a candidate gives.There is no ‘pass mark’:
candidates are placed in one of six levels based on their score.
What sorts of materials are used in the test?
All materials are adapted from authentic business materials, such as articles from business magazines, company literature, business correspondence, presentations, discussions, etc. The recordings for the Listening Test are scripted and nearly all have one or two speakers.
How useful is exam preparation for improving students’ language ability?
BULATS tests reading and listening skills that are required for most purposes – not only in business. So exam preparation is valuable, even for someone not taking the exam. However, explanations and examples are included here, for candidates who haven’t had specific exam preparation.
What accents are used in the listening test?
A variety of native English accents including British English and
American English. Proficient non-native speakers are also occasionally
used.
In the listening test, is it necessary for candidates to understand every word?
No, they just need to pick out the information which is being tested.
If you have any other questions about BULATS, please contact us and we'll answer the most frequently asked questions here.
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