CAEL - Test Dates, Full Form, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, Preparation

What is CAEL?

The CAEL exam is used to assess a student's level of English language proficiency before they enroll in a Canadian post-secondary institution. It stands for Canadian Academic English language(CAEL) test. It is one of the finest methods for determining whether a student has the required English proficiency for academic success. Other than that, CAEL test offers an accurate representation of English language use in a Canadian academic setting. Just like a student would be expected to do in a first-year Canadian university or college classroom, test takers read articles, listen to lectures, answer questions, and write brief essays in CAEL test.

What are various types of CAEL Test?

CAEL – At a Test Centre

CAEL at a test centre can be taken by a student at international levels. It is computer delivered.

CAEL - Online

CAEL Online is available to students in Canada and US and a student can sit for the test in comfort of their home. But, there are certain prerequisites a student needs to meet before he/she can take the test at home.

Why take the CAEL test?

There are various reasons and advantages of taking CAEL test. Some of these are:

1. Computer-Delivered: You can easily take this test at one of the 40+ CAEL test centres or at home. It is done on a computer and in one sitting. It has facilities like personal timer and a word counter.
2. Accepted across Canada: CAEL test results are accepted across about 180 Canadian universities and colleges. 
3. Quick Results: CAEL test results are available online in 8 business days. Moreover, the results can be sent across to 5 institutions free of charge.
4. Study Materials: CAEL test comes with convenient study preparation materials like free sample tests, pretest sittings, preparation programs, webinars and online courses.

How is CAEL test scored?

In addition to an overall result, test takers are given individual English proficiency scores for the components of Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Scores for the CAEL are given on a range from 10 to 90, along with descriptions of what each performance means. The final score is determined as an average of the four component scores which are equally weighted and rounded to the nearest ten-point interval. For each full band level, test taker proficiency is described in the table below.

Which institutes accept CAEL results?

CAEL test results are accepted by over 180 Canadian institutions including universities and colleges where language of instruction is English. For a complete list of these institutions and organisations, visit www.cael.ca.

How much does CAEL test cost?

The CAEL test costs 280 CAD (Canadian Dollars) plus taxes and it lasts for 3 hours and 30 minutes and is done in one sitting.

What is the test format for CAEL?

The CAEL test measures the ability and proficiency of the test taker in English language in an academic context. It measures the English language skills of the test taker in four components namely Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening.

Features of the CAEL test

1. Completely Computer Delivered: the CAEL test can be taken completely on computer either online at home or at a test centre in one of the 40+ test centres across the globe.
2. Total Test Time: The test lasts for about 3.5 hours in total. The final test report gives a score on four components – Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening.
3. CAEL Tests Integrated Skills in All the Four Components: Test takers are required to complete a range of tasks. Some of these tasks will require the test taker to use their skills in order to answer questions based on what they have read or listened to in speaking and writing.
4. Each Test has Unscored Items : Each of the test contains unscored items and tasks that are then used for development of tests. These unscored items can be part of anything in the test and will have same format in test as scored items. A test taker will not be able to distinguish between unscored and scored items.

The four components of Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening are organized as follows:

1. Speaking: This component requires the test taker to reply to on-screen prompts verbally in the CAEL test. This component lasts for 7 to 10 minutes. It has 3 tasks. The tasks include two speaking tasks, each based on a short question and one speaking task based on a graph/chart/diagram.
2. Integrated Reading: In this component of the CAEL test, the test taker is required to read the passages and answer questions. This component lasts for about 35 to 50 minutes. This component has two component sections. The first component section has about 14 to 25 questions. This first component section contains one or two short reading passages with comprehension questions. It further has one or two long reading passages with comprehension questions. The second component section of this has only one speaking question which is based on material from a long reading passage.
3. Integrated Listening: This component requires the test taker to listen to passages and give a reply to questions. The component lasts for 25 to 35 minutes. This component is also divided into two component sections. The first component section has 14 to 25 questions which are further either from one or two short listening passages with comprehension questions or one or two long listening passages with comprehension passages. The second component section also has one speaking question which is based on material from a long listening passage.
4. Academic Unit A: This component has comprehension questions to which a test taker is required to write a reply. This component lasts for about 60 to 70 minutes. This unit has three number of component sections. The first component section has about 11 to 15 questions based on a long reading passage. The second component again has about 11 to 15 questions and has a long listening passage on the same topic. The questions are comprehension based. The last component section has one writing question that requires the test taker to write an extended response. The material for this component section is from both the long reading passage and the long listening passage.
5. Academic Unit B: In this component, the test taker is required to answer comprehension questions and write a reply. This component is about 40 to 45 minutes long. This unit has three component sections. The first component section has one long reading passage with about 11 to 15 comprehension questions. The second component has one long listening passage on the same topic with about 11 to 15 comprehension questions. The last component question has only one writing question that requires the test taker to write a short response. The material for this last section is used from both the long reading passage or the long listening passage.

How to prepare for the CAEL test?

The test takers of CAEL test can easily prepare for the test by either using the free online sample test available on official CAEL website www.cael.ca or by attending a free CAEL Pretest Sitting. The sample questions in the free online sample test will assist the test taker to understand what type of questions can be expected in the CAEL test. While the free CAEL Pretest Sitting is for those test takers who are looking for a hands-on experience with the CAEL test. This CAEL pretest helps test takers take on questions in academic Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening in a real test kind of environment.