FOR LEARNERS, TEACHERS & SCHOOLS
About the SmarTEST diagnostic.
A short starting-point assessment for a connected learning pathway.12 questions. Three skill areas.
Each attempt selects four reading, four listening and four sentence-writing tasks from 100 original SmarTEST questions. The question bank contains 20 tasks in each intended band from A1 to C1. Listening uses an English synthetic voice; writing checks sentence construction and transformations.
| Area | Question bank | Per attempt | Feedback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 40 | 4 | Percentage correct |
| Listening | 40 | 4 | Percentage correct |
| Writing | 20 | 4 | Sentence accuracy |
Understanding the estimate
A1, A2 and C1 contribute two tasks each; B1 and B2 contribute three each. The reported level is the highest consecutive band with at least half of its tasks correct and at least 70% correct across the easier bands. Below the A1 threshold, the estimate is Pre-A1 and the learning pathway starts with A1 materials.
Each skill percentage is the number of correct answers divided by four. The overall percentage is the mean of the three skill percentages. Percentages are scores on these selected tasks, not official CEFR cut scores.
Content and scope
The tasks are original SmarTEST content informed by CEFR skill descriptors and public language-assessment task formats. They are not copied from, or endorsed as, official Cambridge English exam questions. The short form supports initial orientation; it is not a standardised or independently validated placement examination. Teachers should confirm placement through broader evidence, including extended writing and speaking. C2 is not assessed.
Sentence writing is checked against accepted answers, ignoring punctuation and case. A valid alternative formulation may need teacher review.