LANGUAGE proficiency tests have gained popularity over the years and are widely used now by university admission centres, employers and even immigration officers to test an individual’s competency in a language. Examples of such tests include the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik), Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and Chinese Proficiency Test (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi).
One of the most widely taken language tests is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a globally recognised test used to assess non-native speakers’ proficiency in the English language. The test assesses language proficiency based on four key skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. A person is given a score of between 0 and 9 (0 being a non-user and 9 being an expert user).