Product

Content of RATEr

Radboud Academic Test of English (RATEr) consists of four components: reading skills, writing skills, speaking skills and listening skills. This page provides more information and sample questions for each component.

Reading skills

Duration: 90 minutes max.

This component consists of approximately 40 multiple choice questions about authentic, well-known academic texts and is divided across 3 sections:

  • Reading comprehension questions about short articles dealing with contemporary issues, in which the writers present arguments for certain positions.
  • Reading comprehension questions about longer academic and popular science articles.
  • Putting paragraphs in the right place in a short, academic or semi-academic text.

Writing skills

Duration: 80 minutes max.

This test component consists of 5 writing assignments. The writing assignments reflect the daily practice of students. The following are some examples of the writing assignments:

  • Writing a report based on provided data;
  • Providing motivated opinion on a particular topic;
  • Write an formal or informal email.

The writing assignments are assessed by trained evaluators using a detailed assessment model that awards points for content, structure, consistency, grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.

Speaking skills

Duration: 20 minutes max.

This test component consists of 10 speaking assignments. The speaking assignments reflect the daily practice of students. The following are some examples of the speaking assignments:

  • Describing and explaining a table or graph;
  • Describing study performance to a student counsellor;
  • Presenting an opinion and providing arguments.

Candidates hear the instructions and read along on the screen. Each assignment starts with a situation description, a question and supporting visual material. Each assignment is followed by a beep, after which the candidates provide their response.

Trained evaluators assess the answers using a detailed assessment model that awards points for content, grammar, vocabulary, consistency, tempo and pronunciation.

Listening skills

Duration: approx. 50 minutes

The exam comprises 40 questions, divided into 3 blocks.

  • Multiple choice questions about (semi) scientific lectures, interviews and conversations;
  • Summaries of (semi) scientific lectures, which some words have been omitted from, and
  • A verbatim transcript of a text in which missing words have to be filled in.

Sample questions

Download RATEr practice tasks