What is in the BULATS Online Reading & Listening test?

The BULATS Online Reading & Listening test assesses your ability to use a foreign language by presenting questions via a computer. Questions appear on a screen and you answer them by clicking on a particular option or by typing in words or phrases.

There are eight types of question and they assess listening, reading and grammar/vocabulary skills.

Listening Tasks
(i) Listen and Select
Candidates listen to a short recording and answer a multiple choice question.

(ii) Listen and Select (Graphic)
The same as above, but the choice is between three pictures or images.

(iii) Extended Listening
Candidates listen to a longer recording and answer a series of multiple choice questions based on it. The questions are presented in the same order as the information in the text.

You can hear the listening recordings twice.

Reading and Language Knowledge Tasks
(i) Read and Select
Candidates are presented with a notice, diagram, label, memo or letter containing a short text.
They choose a phrase that most closely matches the meaning of the text.

(ii) Extended Reading
Candidates read a longer text and answer a series of multiple choice questions based on it.
The questions are presented in the same order as the information in the text.

(iii) Multiple Choice gap-fill
Candidates choose the best word or phrase to fill gaps in a text. There are four choices for each gap.

(iv) Open gap-fill
Candidates complete blanks in a text by typing in the missing word.

(v) Gapped sentences
Candidates complete gaps in a sentence by choosing the correct word or phrase. There are four choices for each gap.

The Online Reading & Listening test starts by testing a candidate’s reading proficiency before starting the second section which tests listening. The task types can come in any order within each part of the test.

The Online Reading & Listening test is adaptive. This means that it adapts to your level. If you get questions right, it will give you more difficult ones. If you get questions wrong, it will give you easier ones. Because of this, the length of the test will depend on the candidate's level of ability but it usually takes about 60 to 85 minutes.

N.B. You can change your mind and change an answer you have selected. However, once you move on to the next task, you can’t go back to a previous one.