IET test validity and reliability
The International English Test (IET) measures English proficiency against the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This page explains how the test is built, how it is scored, and what its results are designed to be used for. We publish it because a certificate is only as useful as the process behind it, and you should be able to check that process before you trust the result.
International Test Limited is an Associate Member of ALTE (the Association of Language Testers in Europe).
What the test measures
The main IET test is the English Level Test. It contains 60 questions across four skills:
| Skill | Questions |
|---|---|
| Grammar | 30 |
| Vocabulary | 14 |
| Reading | 8 |
| Listening | 8 |
Every question is a discrete, objectively scored item with one correct answer, defined before the test is taken. Each skill is reported separately as well as contributing to the overall result, so a candidate whose reading is stronger than their listening can see exactly that.
Speaking and Writing are assessed separately, as extended responses rather than multiple choice.
How results are scored
Scoring is fully automatic and rule-based. No human marker is involved, no question carries extra weight, and no result is adjusted after the fact.
Your score is the number of questions you answer correctly, expressed as a percentage of the full test. That percentage maps to a CEFR level using a fixed, published threshold table.
The table below applies to the English Level Test, which is the test that places you on the CEFR scale from scratch. Our single-level tests work differently: each one is set at a specific level, and passing it certifies you at that level rather than mapping your percentage across the whole scale.
| Score | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| 95–100% | C2 |
| 79–94% | C1 |
| 69–78% | B2 |
| 50–68% | B1 |
| 35–49% | A2 |
| Below 35% | A1 |
Scoring is deterministic: the same answers to the same questions always produce the same result. The thresholds do not change between candidates, between test sessions, or between countries.
How we score covers the full breakdown.
Scoring integrity
Answer keys are never sent to the browser. The questions a candidate sees and the answers used to score them are held separately. The correct answers exist only on our servers, and scoring happens there after the test is submitted.
A candidate cannot alter their own result, and nothing can score the test except our own key.
How Speaking and Writing are assessed
Speaking and Writing produce open responses, so we assess them differently from the multiple-choice sections.
We score Speaking responses on fluency, coherence, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, and Writing responses on grammar, vocabulary, content and organisation. Each criterion is scored independently, and the combined result maps to the same CEFR scale we use across the test.
Verification
Every certificate carries a unique verification ID. An employer, a school or an admissions office can check a certificate at internationalenglishtest.com without an account, without contacting us, and without the candidate's involvement.
The verification page confirms whether the certificate is genuine, who it was issued to, the level awarded, and the date of issue.
Candidates can also complete identity verification, which confirms the certificate holder's identity against a government-issued document. Where a candidate has done this, the certificate shows it.
What we store
A specialist provider handles identity verification. We receive and store three things: whether verification passed, the type of document used, and the last two characters of the document number. We never receive the document image, the full number, or the biometric data.
What this test is designed for
Most disappointment with an English test comes from using it for something it was never built to do, so we would rather be specific.
The English Level Test is built to establish and evidence your current CEFR level, whether that is for a job application, an employer's internal requirement, or your own record of progress over time. Organisations use it to screen candidates or students at scale before committing to a longer assessment.
It is not built for two situations. The first is a university admission or visa application where a particular test provider is named as a requirement, because in that case only that provider's result will be accepted. The second is anything requiring a proctored examination.
Our test is taken online and nobody invigilates it. Identity verification confirms who holds the certificate; it does not supervise the test session. An institution that needs supervised conditions should treat our result as a screening measure rather than a substitute for a proctored exam.
How we keep the test current
We review question performance using anonymised response data from completed tests. The pool now exceeds 200,000 sessions. Two things trigger a change to a question: it is answered correctly by almost everyone, so it separates nobody, or strong candidates get it wrong as often as weak ones. We rewrite or replace those questions, and the test carries on with the same threshold table.
What candidates say
Verified reviews on Trustpilot
The fact that anyone can verify the authenticity of the certificate make the company great.
Upon completion, you receive a certificate suitable for job applications or as proof of language proficiency for an employer. However, the test is likely insufficient for university applications.
Great questions that covered all the four language skills. Reasonable time set for each question and detailed results transcripts covering all sections.
The pool of questions is extensive and well-chosen, and everything is presented in a clear, easy-to-follow format. The audio quality was also excellent.
They were realistic tests, perfectly consistent with the situations we can encounter in everyday life, and the results of these tests accurately and truly reflect the candidate's English language skills.
Quick test, well structured nonetheless. I think it can correctly assess your English level. Perfectly fit for business use.
Questions
If you are an institution or employer and want to know how to interpret our results, write to hello@internationalenglishtest.com.
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Find your CEFR level with an all-skills English test — built and scored the way this page describes.
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Screen candidates on the same objective CEFR scale, at scale, with self-serve credits and no contract.
Start a free pilot →Methodology last reviewed July 2026.