EmSAT English Examination
Total Time for Test: 2 hours
The EmSAT English Examination assesses the extent to which a test taker is ready to study in an English‐medium college or university. It is a computer‐based exam and has five major sections – Grammar, Vocabulary, Cloze Reading, Extended Reading, and Writing. Test sections, questions, and options are randomized for most of the test. Sections and subsections of the test are timed by the computer. Test takers can see how much time they have throughout the exam.
Section 1: Grammar
This section consists of short grammar questions. Test takers are assessed on their ability to select the correct word or words to complete a sentence. Content is primarily informed by the English Profile Project (www.englishprofile.org).
· Agreement
· Articles and determiners
· Quantifiers
· Intensifiers
· Pronouns
· Idioms
· Prepositions
· Verb forms
· Questions
· Modals
· Conditionals
· Gerunds
· Conjunctions
· Phrasal verbs
· Comparatives and superlatives
· Word order
· Parts of speech
· Discourse markers
Section 2: Vocabulary
This section consists of short vocabulary questions which assess the extent to which students know the high frequency words needed to function effectively in an English‐medium environment. Content is primarily informed by the English Profile Project (www.englishprofile.org). The list has been screened to ensure that the words are culturally appropriate and useful in an academic context. Test takers are assessed on their ability to select the correct word or words to complete a sentence.
Section 3: Cloze Reading
This section includes two texts where level‐appropriate words have been removed and replaced with blanks. The removed words are presented in a box above the text and test takers must drag the words to fill the blanks.
Section 4: Extended Reading
This section includes three reading texts. One is a non‐linear prose text (website, advertisement, etc.) and the other two texts are descriptive, narrative, expository, or a combination thereof. The texts are approximately 450 words each.
Reading skills tested include:
· Identifying the main idea
· Simple factual details
· Finding the meaning of an unfamiliar word
· Pronoun reference
· Inference (understanding what is implied)
· Sequencing (understanding the order of events)
· Textual coherence
Section 5: Writing
This section consists of a single writing task. The response is word‐processor mediated, and test takers are expected to write 200‐250 words. The prompt is given in English. The task is assessed by at least two professional markers using a holistic banding scale. The writing is included in the total score.