Cambridge English Skills Test General
Cambridge English Skills Test General
The Cambridge English Skills Test General offers a fast and flexible way to assess everyday English skills for adult learners aged 16+. Institutions benefit from CEFR-aligned results within 48 hours and a fully remote, online test that can be taken anywhere, making it ideal for the internal testing needs of higher education institutions, training providers, and employers.
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How to quickly and accurately check the English skills of your learners
The Cambridge English Skills Test General assesses all four skills – Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening – and covers CEFR levels A1–C1.
How institutions use the Cambridge English Skills Test General
The Cambridge English Skills Test General supports a range of internal assessment needs across different learning and professional environments.
For higher education institutions
Higher education institutions use the test to measure English skills at any point in a course or learning pathway and to check learner progress. It also helps identify when learners are ready to progress to further English certificates, such as Linguaskill General or IELTS.
For employers and workplace training
Employers use the test for recruitment in everyday workplace contexts to ensure employees have the English skills needed for their role. It can also be used to place staff into appropriate English language courses.
Why trust the Cambridge English Skills Test General
- Designed for adult learners aged 16+: Suitable for higher education, professional training, and everyday English in workplace contexts.
- Adaptive and flexible: One online test works for learners at different English levels.
- Remote online test: Secure and easy to set up, from anywhere.
- Fast results: Get results within just 48 hours.
- Reliable, CEFR-aligned results: Institutions gain a clear view of learners’ strengths and areas for improvement across all skills.
Interested in implementing the Cambridge English Skills Test General?
Swiss Exams provides full administrative support to help institutions reserve seats, register candidates, and coordinate testing for groups of any size.
How to prepare your learners for the Cambridge English Skills Test General
Sample tests
Assessment criteria
Sample writing responses
From progress tracking to certification: How the Skills Test compares to other Cambridge exams
Cambridge English exams are in-depth qualifications and formal certifications for academic and professional use, while the Cambridge English Skills Test General is used for internal purposes, offering quick results (within 48 hours) in a skills-based report format. It offers institutions a fast and accurate way to track the progress of learners’ English skills and assess readiness for higher-level Cambridge English Certificates, such as Linguaskill General.
To learn how the Skills Test compares to the full range of Cambridge exams and where it stands in the overall learning journey, visit our guide to Cambridge assessment solutions.
CEFR levels explained: Understanding Skills Test results
The Cambridge English Skills Test General assesses everyday English skills across levels A1–C1 on the CEFR, providing accurate, skills-based results that reflect candidates’ current language skills. Results are reported using the Cambridge English Scale, allowing institutions to clearly understand and interpret performance.
The diagram below shows how Skills Test results align with CEFR levels and Cambridge English Scale scores.
