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The primary function of the iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency) is to assess a candidate's English language proficiency. iTEP may be used for:
- university admission evaluation
- new-hire screening
- employee assignment qualification
- language course placement
- general-purpose proficiency assessment
The test will determine an overall proficiency level from Level 0 (Beginning) to Level 6 (Advanced), as well as individual proficiency levels from 0 to 6 for each of the five skills tested (Reading, Listening, Grammar, Writing, Speaking).
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Total actual test time per candidate will be approximately 80 minutes. In addition to this, administrators should allocate an additional 10 minutes for pre-test instructions and questions from candidates.
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The iTEP consists of a short "preliminary" section, and the test itself.
Test Content – An important feature of iTEP is that each test section includes content at varying levels of difficulty. This allows all candidates, whatever their current ability in English, to be measured along the full spectrum of proficiency. A candidate at the Elementary level will be able to answer a certain number of questions with confidence; an Intermediate-level candidate will be able to answer more questions yet; and the candidate with Advanced proficiency will perform well on most questions. It is because iTEP takes this "full spectrum" approach to content difficulty that the same test can identify multiple levels of proficiency among any particular group of test-takers.
Following is a brief description of iTEP's five sections:
A. Reading – 20 minutes
Two reading comprehension passages,
- one shorter and easier,
- one longer and more difficult,
both followed by multiple-choice questions
B. Listening – 20 minutes
- A number of short, relatively simple conversational exchanges each followed by a single multiple-choice question
- A three-minute conversational exchange of intermediate difficulty followed by multiple-choice questions
- A four-minute presentation or lecture of advanced difficulty followed by multiple-choice questions
C. Grammar (Structure) – 10 minutes
Twenty-five multiple-choice questions:
- each question tests a key feature of English structure
- grammatical structures range from simple to complex
- questions are presented in two format types, each illustrated with examples
D. Writing – 25 minutes
- In response to a simplified topic, the candidate writes a short note or letter
(5 minutes, 50-75 words)
- Candidate writes an essay expressing his/her thoughts on a supplied topic (20 minutes, 175-225 words)
E. Speaking – 5 minutes
- Candidate hears and reads a simplified question about some facet of daily life, then has 30 seconds to prepare a response, and 45 seconds to record that response
- Candidate hears a brief statement presenting a thought-provoking question, then has 45 seconds to prepare a response, and 60 seconds to record that response
Depending upon the reason a candidate is taking the iTEP, two content options are provided:
- Multiple-choice sections only (Reading, Listening, Grammar)
- Complete test (Reading, Listening, Grammar, Writing, Speaking)
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The entire test is delivered by computer, either over a local area network or via the internet. For the Reading, Listening, and Grammar sections, the candidate clicks on one of four answer choices for each question. The Writing samples are keyboarded directly into a text entry field. The Speaking samples are recorded with a headset/
microphone at the candidate's computer.
PLEASE NOTE: A paper-based version of the iTEP is also available.
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Each section has a fixed time allocated to it.
In the Reading and Grammar sections, candidates are free to use any extra time to review and, if they wish, revise their answers. In the Listening section, review is not possible since the listening selections play only one time. If a candidate finishes any of the three Listening sections early, he/she will be held at a "Wait" screen until it is time to begin the next section. The Writing and Speaking sections also have fixed time limits.
The directions for each section are displayed for a set amount of time. This amount varies according to the amount of text to be read, and should be adequate for most candidates. If a candidate needs more time to read a particular section's directions, he/she can always access them by clicking the "Help" button. This displays a complete menu of directions for all test sections.
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Following the Reading, Listening, Grammar, and Writing sections, candidates see a screen titled, "Beginning Next Section . . . ." These "transition screens" give the candidates a 15-second break between sections, and display which test sections have been completed and which sections remain. After the last test section (Speaking) is completed, candidates see an "End of Test" screen – this tells them to wait for further directions from the test administrator.
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The Reading, Listening, and Grammar sections are scored automatically by the computer, which generates both a numerical score from 1-100 and a corresponding level (0-6) for each section. The Writing and Speaking samples are evaluated by native speakers according to a standardized scoring rubric and assigned levels from 0 to 6.
Each test section is weighted equally. There is no penalty in the multiple-choice sections for guessing/incorrect answers.
The iTEP Official Score Report presents an individual candidate's scoring information in both tabular and graphical formats. The graphical format, referred to as the Skill Profile, is particularly useful for displaying a candidate's strengths and weaknesses in each of the five areas evaluated by the test.
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The seven proficiency levels identified by the iTEP may be expressed briefly as follows:
Level 0: Beginning
Level 1: Elementary
Level 2: Low Intermediate
Level 3: Intermediate
Level 4: High Intermediate
Level 5: Low Advanced
Level 6: Advanced
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