What is BULATS?

BULATS stands for Business Language Testing Service.  It is a relatively new exam aimed specifically at testing language abilities for business purposes.  

The language involved includes descriptions of jobs, companies and products, travel, management and marketing, customer service, planning, reports, phone messages, business correspondence and presentations. The tasks in the test are generally practical ones, e.g. taking a phone message, checking a letter, giving a presentation, understanding an article, writing a report.
As such, it is different from any other exam currently available on the market.

Who is BULATS for?

BULATS is aimed at companies whose employees need to use a foreign language in their work, and at students doing language or professional courses where foreign language ability is an important element of the course.

How is the exam structured?

The test is in three parts.  There is a speaking test, a writing test and a test on listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary.

The listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary test can be done on a computer, or on paper if a computer is not available.  The paper (or “standard”) version takes 110 minutes: 50 minutes for listening and 60 minutes for reading and language knowledge.  There are four listening comprehension exercises, then ten grammar, vocabulary and reading exercises.  

The computer version is slightly different.  An easy-to-use computer programme uses 'adaptive' testing techniques - as a candidate progresses through the test the computer selects each question on the basis of the previous answer. As a result, the test becomes progressively easier or more difficult until a consistent level of ability is achieved, usually in about 60 minutes.

The writing test, which lasts 45 minutes, is in two parts.

• Firstly, candidates are given a short text (a letter, memo or advert, for example), then asked to write a follow-up or response of about 50 or 60 words.
• Secondly, candidates are asked to write a short report or letter based on given instructions.  There is a choice of two topics, and the answer should be around 200 words.

The speaking test is in three parts.

• The first part is an interview.  The examiner asks candidates questions about themselves, their work or their studies, and their interests.
• The second part is a presentation. The candidate is given a choice of three topics and has one minute to prepare a short presentation on one of the topics. This is followed by some questions on the presentation.  This also lasts around four minutes.
• Part three is called a simulated situation or role play in which the candidate and examiner both take on roles to carry out a task.  The task is followed by a short discussion on a related topic.

Each part lasts four minutes.

Do candidates get a score at the end of the test?

Candidates are given their score on a scale of 0-100, their score on each individual part of the test, then an ALTE level (0-5).