What is CAEL?

CAEL is a test designed to measure the English language proficiency of students planning to study in Canadian post-secondary institutions.

CAEL is one of the best tools for identifying students with the right English skills for academic success. It provides an authentic representation of language use in a Canadian academic context. Test takers read articles, listen to a lecture, answer questions, and write a short essay, as they would be expected to do in a first-year Canadian university or college classroom.

Why Take CAEL?

CAEL represents language use in an academic context, and CAEL test takers are able to demonstrate their language skills with this integrated test.

Test Scores

Test takers receive individual English proficiency scores for the Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking components, as well as an overall score. CAEL scores are reported on a scale from 10 – 90 with accompanying descriptors of what performance represents. The overall score will now be calculated as an equally weighted average of the four component scores rounded to the nearest ten-point interval. The table below presents descriptions of test taker proficiency at each full band level.

CAEL Band Descriptor

CAEL Score

80-90: Expert: Demonstrates a high level of competence, accuracy, and effectiveness in academic/professional settings

70: Adept: Uses generally accurate language in most settings; some limitations in flexibility are evident

60: Advanced: Displays competence in academic or professional settings

50: High Intermediate: Exhibits some competence in academic or professional settings; communication may break down in places

40: Intermediate: Demonstrates some ability to comprehend and articulate complex ideas and arguments typical of academic or professional settings

30: High Beginner: Expresses basic ideas about familiar topics in routine settings

10-20: Low Beginner: Communicates with limited ability

Integrated Listening

Time allotted: 25-35 minutes

Number of Questions:14-25

One or two short listening passages with comprehension questions

One or two long listening passages with comprehension questions

Number of Questions:1 One speaking question, answered using material from a long listening passage

Integrated Reading

Time allotted: 35-50 minutes

No of Questions: 14-25

One or two short reading passages with comprehension questions One or two long reading passages with comprehension questions

No of Questions: 1

One speaking question, answered using material from a long reading passage

Academic Unit A

Time allotted: 60-70 minutes

Number of Questions: 11-15

One long reading passage with comprehension questions

Number of Questions: 11-15

One long listening passage on the same topic, with comprehension questions

Number of Questions: 1

One writing question requiring an extended response, using material from both the long reading passage and the long listening passage

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Academic Unit B

Time allotted: 40-45 minutes

Number of Questions: 11-15

One long reading passage with comprehension questions

Number of Questions: 11-15

One long listening passage on the same topic, with comprehension questions

Number of Questions:1

One writing question requiring a short response, using material from both the long reading passage or the long listening passage

Speaking

Time allotted: 7-10 minutes

Number of Tasks Component Sections

3 Two speaking tasks, each based on short question

One speaking task based on a graph/diagram/chart