Powell English Testing

Section 1: Reading

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This section assesses your reading comprehension skills across two genres: informative and narrative texts. Your responses will be evaluated based on your ability to interpret key ideas, analyze details, and support your answers with evidence from the texts.

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You have 30 minutes to complete the reading section.

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The total score for this section is 25 marks, divided as follows:

• Part 1: Informative Text – 15 marks

• Part 2: Narrative Text – 10 marks

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Part 1: Informative Text
In this part of the test, you will read a non-fiction passage and answer a combination of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.

Your short-answer responses will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Content & Relevance: The response fully addresses the question and includes all key ideas.
Clarity & Use of Evidence: The response is clear, logically structured, and includes specific evidence from the text.
It is recommended that you spend approximately 20 minutes on this section.

Marks: 15

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Part 2: Narrative Text
In this part of the test, you will read a short narrative passage and answer sentence-sequencing and fill-in-the-blank questions to assess your understanding of story structure and key details.

It is recommended that you spend approximately 10 minutes on this section.

Marks: 10

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Section 2: Writing

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This section assesses your writing skills across two key areas: descriptive writing and professional communication. Your responses will be evaluated based on clarity, organization, vocabulary, grammar, and task fulfillment.

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You have 30 minutes to complete the writing section.

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The total score for this section is 25 marks, divided as follows:

Part 1: Descriptive Paragraph – 10 marks
Part 2: Professional Email Response – 15 marks

Be sure to read each prompt carefully and ensure your responses are well-structured, relevant, and clear.

 

Part 1 Descriptive Paragraph

 

In this part of the test, you will write one descriptive paragraph based on a given photograph.

Your paragraph should be well-organized, clear, and relevant to the image.

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Your response will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Sentence Quality & Variety – Effective use of diverse sentence structures.

• Grammar – Accurate and appropriate use of grammar.

• Vocabulary Use – Strong word choice and appropriate descriptive language.

• Task Fulfillment – The paragraph accurately describes the image and meets the requirements.

• Organization – Logical flow and coherence of ideas.

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It is recommended that you spend approximately 10 minutes planning, organizing, and writing your paragraph.

Word count: Minimum 100 words
Marks: 10

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Part 2: Professional Email Response

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In this part of the test, you will write one response to a professional email.

Your reply should be well-organized, clear, and relevant to the context of the message.

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Your response will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Structure & Coherence – Logical flow and clarity of ideas.

• Grammar – Accurate and appropriate use of grammar.

• Vocabulary – Appropriate word choice and tone for professional communication.

• Task Fulfillment – The response effectively addresses the email’s purpose.

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It is recommended that you spend approximately 20 minutes reading the email, planning, organizing, and writing your reply.

Word count: Minimum 150 words
Marks: 15

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​Section 3: Speaking     ​

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This section assesses your speaking skills. All tasks are administered via Speakpipe (recorded or written prompts) with no live interaction.

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Your responses will be evaluated based on:

• Fluency & Coherence – Smooth and logical speech flow.

• Vocabulary – Appropriate and varied word choice.

• Pronunciation – Clarity and accuracy of speech sounds.

• Overall Communicative Effectiveness – Ability to convey meaning clearly and naturally.

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You have 20 minutes to complete the speaking section.

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The total score for this section is 25 marks, divided as follows:

• Part 1: Picture Description – 5 marks

• Part 2: Open-Ended Discussion – 15 marks

• Part 3: Problem-Solving Scenario – 5 marks

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Part 1 Picture Description

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You will see an image and record yourself describing it in detail. You will also answer a follow-up question related to the image.

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It is recommended that you spend approximately 5 minutes on this task.

Marks: 5

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Part 2 Open-Ended Discussion

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You will answer three open-ended questions on a given topic. Your responses should be clear, structured, and well-developed.

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It is recommended that you spend approximately 10 minutes on this task.

Marks: 15

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Part 3 Problem-Solving/Scenario-Based Question 

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You will read a short scenario and answer related questions, explaining your reasoning and potential solutions.

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It is recommended that you spend approximately 5 minutes on this task.

Marks: 5

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Section 4: Listening

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This section assesses your ability to understand spoken English through dictation and two audio-based short-answer tasks.

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You have 25 minutes to complete the listening section.

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The total score for this section is 25 marks, divided as follows:

• Part 1: Audio Comprehension – 15 marks

• Part 2: Dictation – 10 marks

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Part 1: Audio Comprehension

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You will listen to two audio recordings: A dialogue and a non-fiction article.​ After listening, you will answer short-answer questions based on the content.

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• The audio clips can be paused and replayed.

• Minor grammar or spelling errors will not result in mark deductions unless they impede meaning.

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Marks: 15

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Part 2: Dictation

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You will listen to very short audio clips and write down exactly what you hear.

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Your response will be evaluated based on:

• Grammar – Proper sentence structure and word forms.

• Punctuation – Correct use of commas, periods, and other punctuation marks.

• Spelling – Accurate reproduction of words as spoken.

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Marks: 10​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​