Information for Candidates

What is BULATS? 2
Contents
What level is BULATS? 2

Who is BULATS suitable for? 2

Why take a Cambridge ESOL exam? 3

Develop effective communication skills 3

Worldwide recognition 3

Quality you can trust 3

BULATS educational mission 3

How to use this booklet 4

Glossary of BULATS task types 4

The BULATS Standard test 5

What does the BULATS Standard test involve? 5

Listening 6

Reading and Language Knowledge 8

The BULATS Computer-based test 14

What does the BULATS Computer-based test involve? 14

Reading and Language Knowledge 15

Listening 18

The BULATS Writing test 20

What does the BULATS Writing test involve? 20

Writing 20

The BULATS Online Writing test 21

What does the Online Writing test involve? 21

The BULATS Speaking test 22

What does the BULATS Speaking test involve? 22

Speaking 22

The BULATS Online Speaking test 23

What does the Online Speaking test involve? 23

Preparing for BULATS 26

Next steps 28

Companies who use BULATS 28

Notes 29

BULATS information for candidates 1

 The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) is designed to evaluate the level of
What is language skills of candidates who need to use a foreign language (English, French, German

BULATS? or Spanish) in their work.

It is also suitable for students and employees on language courses or on professional/

business courses where foreign language ability is an important part of the course.
BULATS is designed and delivered by Cambridge ESOL in collaboration with leading experts
in the assessment of French, German and Spanish:

‡ Alliance Française (French)

‡ Goethe-Institut (German)
‡ Universidad de Salamanca (Spanish).

QWhat level is BULATS?

BULATS provides tests at all levels for learners. There is no ‘pass’ mark. Instead, your
BULATS score will tell you and your employer, which of six levels you have reached. The
table below explains the different levels. They are expressed as ALTE (Association of
Language Testers in Europe) levels, which are linked to the Council of Europe’s Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Cambridge ESOL
Council of Europe BULATS certificated examinations
ALTE levels (CEFR) levels scores Level description at these levels
Level 5 C2 90–100 Upper advanced CPE
Level 4 C1 75–89 Advanced CAE/BEC Higher
Level 3 B2 60–74 Upper-intermediate FCE/BEC Vantage
Level 2 B1 40–59 Intermediate PET/BEC Preliminary
Level 1 A2 20–39 Elementary KET
Level 0 A1 10–19 Beginner —

QWho is BULATS suitable for?

BULATS is carefully designed to be suitable for a wide range of people at work or students
studying business courses. It does not require any previous business experience.

BULATS information for candidates 2

 University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) offers the world’s leading
Why take a range of qualifications for learners and teachers of English. Its exams are taken by more

Cambridge than 3 million people in 130 countries each year.

ESOL exam? QDevelop effective communication skills

The Cambridge ESOL examinations cover all four language skills – listening, speaking,
reading and writing. They include a range of tasks which assess your ability to use English,
so that you develop the full range of skills you need to communicate effectively in a variety
of contexts.

QWorldwide recognition
Universities and employers all over the world recognise Cambridge ESOL exams, so a
Cambridge ESOL examination is a valuable qualification.

QQuality you can trust

We do extensive research and trialling to make sure that you get the fairest, most accurate
assessment of your ability and that our exams are most relevant to the range of uses for
which you need English.

QBULATS educational mission

BULATS forms an integral part of Cambridge ESOL’s educational mission, supporting
effective language learning for and in business contexts as a key tool for economic, social
and personal development.

To support this ethos, Cambridge ESOL provides extensive support to help learners
to prepare for the BULATS tests, and participates in numerous international projects
where BULATS is used as a tool for benchmarking and monitoring language skills in
the commercial, educational and public sectors. This provides a basis for programmes
designed to raise standards of language and communication skills.

Through its link to the Common European Framework of Reference for Language: learning,
teaching and assessment, BULATS also provides support for the Council of Europe’s work in
implementing consistent levels for language learning.

For more information please visit: www.BULATS.org

BULATS information for candidates 3

 The BULATS Information for Candidates booklet helps your examination preparation by
How to use giving you examples of the type of questions you will encounter when you take the

this booklet BULATS test. There is also an overview of the test sections covering Listening, Reading and
Language Knowledge, Speaking and Writing.

BULATS tests are offered in both paper-based (Standard test) and computer-based (Online
or CD-ROM) formats. There are separate sections for both these formats detailing examples
of the Listening test and the Reading and Language Knowledge test.

The Writing and Speaking tests are delivered as Online and Paper-based versions.
Information on these tests can be found in their own sections on pages 20 and 22.

QGlossary of BULATS task types

Multiple choice – You read a text or listen to a recording and then answer questions. Each
question has three or four options, only one of which is correct.

Cloze – You are given a text with gaps, where words or phrases are missing. There are two
types of ‘cloze’; multiple-choice cloze, where you choose from the four options given and
open cloze, where you have to think of the right word for the gap.

Gapped sentences – You are given individual sentences each with one word missing. You
choose the correct word to fill the gap from the four options given.

BULATS information for candidates 4

The BULATS What does the BULATS Standard test involve?
Standard test This section is a brief introduction to the BULATS Standard test. We show examples from
each part of the exam, but in some cases we do not show the full text or all the questions.
If you would like to see a full sample paper for BULATS you can download one, together
with mp3 files of the listening material, from our website at: www.bulats.org

The BULATS Standard test lasts 110 minutes: 50 minutes for Listening and 60 minutes for
Reading and Language Knowledge. It tests listening and reading skills, and knowledge of
grammar and vocabulary.

The Reading and Language Knowledge paper is divided into two parts. Part 1 contains four
sections. Part 2 consists of six sections and the tasks are at a higher level than in Part 1.

Listening

Number of
Content Type of task questions
Part 1 Understanding short conversations or monologues. 10
Part 2 Taking down phone messages orders, notes, etc. 12
Listening for gist, identifying topic, context or function. Short monologues/
Part 3 10
dialogues.
Part 4 Listening to extend speech for detail and inference. Monologue/dialogue. 18

Reading and Language Knowledge

Part 1
Number of
Content Type of task questions
Understanding notices, messages, timetables, adverts, leaflets, graphs, etc.
Section 1 7
Multiple-choice task.
Section 2 Grammar and vocabulary. Gapped sentences with multiple-choice task. 6
Newspaper or magazine article, advert, leaflet, etc. Long text with multiple-
Section 3 6
choice task.
Section 4 Grammar. Medium-length text, open cloze. 5

Part 2
Number of
Content Type of task questions
Section 1 Reading for specific information. Four short texts with matching text. 7
Section 2 Grammar and vocabulary. Medium-length text with multiple-choice cloze. 5
Section 3 Grammar. Medium-length text, open-cloze. 5
Section 4 Grammar and vocabulary. Gapped sentence with multiple-choice task. 6
Reading for gist and specific information. Newspaper or magazine article,
Section 5 6
report, etc. Long text with multiple-choice task.
Section 6 Error correction task. Medium-length text. 7

BULATS information for candidates 5

Listening
Part 1: Understanding short extracts (10 questions)

You listen to 10 short recordings (each about 20 seconds long) and try to understand what
the people are talking about, or who is talking or what they are trying to say in each one.
You have to choose the correct answer from three options (A, B or C). For the first five
questions the three options are pictures. You will hear the recordings twice.

In the example below, you have to listen and decide which graph the speaker is talking
about.

Part 2: Taking down messages, notes, etc. (12 questions)

In Part 2 you listen to three recordings. For each one, you have a form, a note or notes to
complete, using the information you hear. You need to listen carefully, as you will hear
each recording only once.

In the example below, you hear a man telephoning to place an order. You have to listen for
the name of the customer, his account number, the address for the delivery and the title of
the book. In the real test, there will be two more tasks like this one.

BULATS information for candidates 6

Part 3: Understanding short extracts (10 questions)

Part 3 consists of two recordings and there are five questions in each one. Each question is
about 20 seconds long. The whole recording is 2 minutes long. You have to listen and try to
understand what the people are talking about, or who is talking or what they are trying to
say in each one.

In the example below, you hear five people talking about a recent situation they were
involved in at work. There are nine different options to choose from (A-I). You have to
listen to each person talking and decide which situation they were involved in. You need to
listen carefully as you will hear the five pieces once only. In the real test, there is a second
task like this one.

Part 4: Understanding a longer recording (18 questions)

Part 4 consists of three sections. In each one, you listen to a longer conversation or
presentation and you have to answer detailed questions about what the people are saying.
There are six questions for each recording, and for each question you choose from three
options (A, B or C). You hear the recordings for Part 4 twice.

In the example below, a web designer called Paul Doherty is giving advice about creating
a website to a group of people who own a small business. Here are the first three questions
for this recording. Remember that there will be three more questions to answer for this
section and two more recordings to listen to, each with six questions which you have
to answer.

BULATS information for candidates 7

Reading and Language Knowledge
Part 1

Section 1: Understanding notices and short extracts (7 questions)

You read some common notices or extracts from letters, forms, adverts, leaflets, etc. You
answer one question about each one.

In the example below, you have to match the correct explanation (A, B or C) to the
sentence.

Section 2: Sentences with a gap (6 questions)

You have to complete each sentence using only one of the four choices (A, B, C or D).

In the examples below, you have to choose the word which best completes each sentence.

BULATS information for candidates 8

Section 3: Longer text with multiple-choice questions (6 questions)

In this part of the test, you have to read a longer text and answer six multiple-choice
questions. The questions test your general understanding of the text and your ability to
find specific information.

The example below is about ‘Financing Business Start-ups’. Read the text and see if you
can answer the two questions. In the real test the text will be longer and you will have four
more questions to answer.

Section 4: Filling gaps in a text (5 questions)

In this section, you have to read a text in which there are some missing words (gaps). For
each gap, you have to write the correct word to complete the sentence. You must write
only one word in each space. This section tests your grammatical knowledge of English.
You have to decide what part of speech is needed and in which form to complete the text.

In the example below, the text is about a company which can provide mobile and
broadband services to companies.

BULATS information for candidates 9

Part 2

Section 1: Finding information in short texts (7 questions)

You read four short texts, such as adverts, product descriptions, etc. Then you match
different sentences with each of those texts. There are seven sentences and four texts (A,
B, C or D), so you may have to use each text more than once.

In the example below, you have to read the sentences and match each one to one of the
texts. In the real exam, there will be two more texts and four more sentences.

BULATS information for candidates 10

Section 2: Filling gaps in a text (5 questions)

This section tests your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. You have to read a text with
five words missing. There is a choice of four words (A, B, C or D) for each gap and you have
to choose the best one.

The example below is part of an extract giving details about a marketing course and three
of the five questions. Choose the best word to fill each space from the four choices given
for each gap.

Section 3: Filling gaps in a text (5 questions)

Sections 3 and 4 are similar task types to Part 1, Sections 2 and 4 but at a higher level.

You have to read a text in which five words are missing and think of a word to fill each gap.

The example below shows you a text about the future needs of companies. Read the text
and try to think of the right word to fill each of the gaps.

BULATS information for candidates 11

Section 4: Sentences with a gap (6 questions)

In this section, you have to choose the right word or phrase to fill a gap in a sentence.
There are four choices (A, B, C or D) for each question.

Have a look at the two questions below and see if you can decide which word you need to
complete each sentence. In the real exam, there will be four more questions like these for
you to answer.

Section 5: Understanding a longer text (6 questions)

You read a longer text, such as part of a business report, a newspaper article, etc. Then you
answer some detailed questions on it. You have to choose from four options (A, B, C or D)
for each question.

The example below shows you part of an article about mergers and two of the six
questions. Remember that there will be four more questions like these in the real exam.

BULATS information for candidates 12

Section 6: Correcting errors in a text (7 questions)

In this section, you have to read a text which is at least seven lines long. Some lines have
errors in them. If the line is correct, you put a tick (3) on your answer sheet. If there is a
wrong word in the line, you write the correct word on your answer sheet.

The example below shows you the first part of a job advertisement which you have to
check for a colleague. See if you can find any errors in lines 104–106. Remember that there
will be four more lines to check in the real exam.

BULATS information for candidates 13

The BULATS What does the BULATS Computer-based
Computer- test involve?
based test This section is a brief introduction to the BULATS Computer-based test (available Online
and on CD–ROM).

The test that the candidate sees is the same for both Online and CD–ROM but delivered in
different ways. We show examples from each of the exercise types in the test, but in some
cases we do not show the full text or all the questions. If you would like to try the full
demo for BULATS Computer-based, please visit the BULATS website at: www.bulats.org

Reading and Language Knowledge Listening

Read and select
Listen and select
Gapped sentences
Listen and select (Graphic)
Multiple-choice gap-fill
Extended listening
Open gap-fill
Extended reading

There is a short demo at the beginning of the test to explain what you should do. If you
start a new type of exercise and you don’t understand what you have to do on a particular
screen, click on the question mark button at the top of the screen to get help.

Questions appear on a screen and you answer them by clicking on a particular answer or
by typing in words or phrases. There are eight different types of question and they assess
listening, reading and grammar/vocabulary skills.

The BULATS Computer-based test is an adaptive test: depending on your answer to each
question, the software decides whether to offer you a more difficult question of the same
type or to give you a different type of question. It does this until it has enough data to
decide which level you have reached. Alternatively, your employer will set a time limit
and you work through the different questions until the time is up. As the test is adaptive
the length of the test will depend on the candidate’s level of ability but it is usually
approximately 60 minutes long.

BULATS information for candidates 14

Reading and Language Knowledge
Read and select

In this type of question, you have to read a notice, diagram, label, memo or letter
containing a short text. You then choose from three possible answers, the sentence or
phrase which most closely matches the meaning of the text.

In the example below, the text is part of a letter from a furniture company to a customer.
Read the letter and decide which of the three sentences has the same meaning.

Gapped sentences

You have to read a sentence in which there is a gap (missing word) and choose the correct
word from a choice of four to fill it.

BULATS information for candidates 15

Multiple-choice gap-fill

You have to read a text in which there are some gaps. There are four choices for each gap
and you have to choose the right one.

In the example below, Jim Blakeney is writing to a customer (Mr Maddox) to apologise
about the difficulties Mr Maddox has been having in contacting him.

Open gap-fill

You have to read a short text in which there are some gaps and fill in the missing word for
each gap.

In the example below, you have to read a short text about Eurocheques and find the correct
missing word for each gap.

BULATS information for candidates 16

Extended reading

In this part of the test, you have to read a longer text and answer a series of multiple-
choice questions based on it. The questions are in the same order as the information in
the text.

The text below is about the work of a translator. Read this part of the text and try to
decide which of the four options for completing the sentence (‘The source language should
be …’) is the correct one. There are three more questions for this text and you scroll down
the screen to read the rest of the text.

BULATS information for candidates 17

Listening

Listen and select

You have to listen to a short recording and answer a multiple-choice question. You choose
the correct answer from three options.

In this example, you are waiting to see Mrs Browning about a job. Unfortunately Mrs
Browning can’t see you now and her assistant comes to explain why. In the test you listen
to the recording of Mrs Browning’s assistant talking to you and decide which, of the three
options is the correct reason why Mrs Browning can’t see you now.

Listen and select (Graphic)

In this type of listening task you choose the correct answer from a choice of three pictures
or images.

In the example below, the recording is about a man who is choosing a watch. In the test
you listen to the recording and decide which watch he chooses to buy.

BULATS information for candidates 18

Extended listening

For this part of the test, you have to listen to a longer recording and answer a series
of multiple-choice questions based on it. The questions are in the same order as the
information you hear in the recording.

BULATS information for candidates 19

The BULATS What does the BULATS Writing test involve?
Writing test You may decide to assess your writing using the BULATS Writing test. The table below
shows you what the Writing test involves:

Content Writing Time

Part 1 Short message/fax/letter/email (50–60 words) 15 minutes
Part 2 Report or letter (180–200 words) 30 minutes

The Writing test lasts for 45 minutes. It is suggested that you spend 15 minutes on Part 1
and 30 minutes on Part 2.

Part 1

In Part 1 of the test you have to write a short message, fax, letter or email using the
information given. It is important to cover all the points given in the instructions. You
should write 50–60 words for your answer.

In the Part 1 example below, you have received a letter from a local business college. In the
test you have to write a reply to Sam Williams.

BULATS information for candidates 20

 Part 2

A letter or a report format may be required for either task. Again, you need to cover all the
points given in the instructions, but this time the answer should be longer (180–200 words)
and needs to be written in an appropriate style.

Have a look at the two tasks below and think about the answers you could write.

The BULATS What does the BULATS Online Writing test

Online Writing involve?
BULATS Online Writing is a computer-based test. Writing tasks are presented to you on the
test computer screen. You type your answers on-screen and the computer saves your answers.

There is a tutorial which you can watch before you take the Online Writing test. The
tutorial gives you instructions of how to do the test.

The content of the Online Writing test is similar to the paper-based Writing test.

Content Online Writing Time

Part 1 Short message/fax/letter/email (50–60 words) 15 minutes
Part 2 Report or letter (180–200 words) 30 minutes

The Online Writing test lasts for 45 minutes. It is suggested that you spend 15 minutes on
Part 1 and 30 minutes on Part 2.

The Online Writing test is available in English only.

BULATS information for candidates 21

The BULATS What does the BULATS Speaking test involve?
Speaking test You may also decide to assess your speaking using the BULATS Speaking test. The table
below shows you what the Speaking test involves:

Content Speaking Time

Part 1 Interview about 4 minutes
Part 2 Presentation about 4 minutes
Part 3 Information Exchange and Discussion about 4 minutes

Part 1

For Part 1, you need to be able to talk about your background, education, job, studies, career
plans and personal interests.

Part 2

In Part 2, you have to give a short presentation about a work-related topic. You have to
choose one of three topics which the examiner will give you and talk for 1 minute. You
have 1 minute to read the three topics, choose one and make some notes about what you
want to say. The examiner will ask you a question after you have finished speaking.

Below are some examples of the kind of topics you might get in Part 2.

BULATS information for candidates 22

 Part 3

In Part 3, you have to role-play a situation with the examiner and then participate in a
discussion on a similar topic. The examiner will give you some instructions about the
task and you have 1 minute to read them. If you don’t know so much about the topic, you
should remember that the important thing is to demonstrate your English ability in Part 3.

Look at the example of a Part 3 task below and think about how you would ask the
Conference Organiser for the information you need.

The BULATS What does the BULATS Online Speaking test

Online involve?
Speaking test You may decide to assess your speaking using the BULATS Online Speaking test. The test
is computer based and all questions are presented to you or heard by you through the
computer or computer screen. You wear a headset for the test and the microphone records
your answers to the questions. There is a timer on screen which shows how long you have
to give your answers.

There is a tutorial which you can watch before you do the Online Speaking test. The
tutorial gives you instructions of how to do the test.

The table below shows you what the Online Speaking test involves:

Content Online Speaking

Part 1 Interview
Part 2 Reading Aloud
Part 3 Presentation
Part 4 Presentation with Graphics
Part 5 Communication Activity

The Online Speaking Test is available in English only.

Part 1

In Part 1, you need to be able to answer questions about your background, education, job,
studies, career plans and personal interests.

BULATS information for candidates 23

Part 2

In Part 2, you have to read aloud eight sentences or questions which appear on the screen.
Below is an example of Part 2.

Question 1 This is the latest version of the plan.

Question 2 These are the minutes of the last committee meeting.
Question 3 Sales have risen faster than expected over the last quarter.
Question 4 I will give you a summary of the figures at the end of my talk.
Question 5 Mr Bond apologises for not being able to attend the reception.
Question 6 Permission to develop the land must be gained in advance.
Question 7 Dr Clark would like you to phone her back before 3 o’clock.
Question 8 The design should follow the guidelines set out in the tender
specifications.

Part 3
In Part 3, you have to give a short presentation about a work-related topic which appears
on screen. There is no choice of topic. You have 40 seconds to read the topic and think
about what you are going to say. You then have one minute to speak about the topic. Below
is an example of Part 3.

Talk about your idea of the perfect office to work in. You should say:
‡ where this office should be
‡ what the office should look like
‡ what facilities this office should have.

Part 4
In Part 4, you have to talk about some visual information which appears on screen. You
have one minute to look at the visual and think about what you are going to say. You then
have one minute to speak about the visual. Below is an example of Part 4.

BULATS information for candidates 24

Part 5
In Part 5, you read information on screen about a situation. You have 40 seconds to think
about what is described. You then hear five questions about the situation on which you
have to give your opinion.
Below is an example of Part 5.

BULATS information for candidates 25

 BULATS tests reading, listening, speaking and writing skills that are required for most
Preparing for purposes – not only in business. So exam preparation is valuable, even for someone not

BULATS taking the exam, as it will help you to improve the English you need to use at work.

If you are following a general English course or preparing on your own to take BULATS,
have a look at the following list of topics and situations which could be covered. Try to read
or listen to material on these topics, as this will help you to prepare more effectively, so
that you can feel confident when you take the test.

QWhat topics and situations are covered?

Personal information

s Asking for and giving personal details (name, occupation, etc.)

s Asking about and describing jobs and responsibilities

s Asking about and describing a company and its organisation

The office, general business environment and routine

s Arranging appointments/meetings

s Planning future events and tasks

s Asking for and giving permission

s Giving and receiving instructions

s Predicting and describing future possibilities

s Asking for and giving opinions

s Agreeing and disagreeing

s Making, accepting and rejecting suggestions

s Expressing needs and wants

s Discussing problems

s Making recommendations

s Justifying decisions and past actions

Entertainment of clients, free time, relationships with colleagues and

clients

s Discussing interests and leisure activities

s Inviting, accepting and refusing offers and invitations

s Thanking and expressing appreciation

s Apologising and accepting apologies

Travel

s Making enquiries, reservations, requests and complaints

BULATS information for candidates 26

Health

s Health and safety rules in the workplace

s Leisure activities, interests and sports

Buying and selling

s Understanding and discussing prices and delivery dates, offers and agreements

Products and services

s Asking for and giving information about a product or service

s Making comparisons, expressing opinions, preferences, etc.

s Making and receiving complaints

Results and achievements

s Descriptions and explanations of company performance and results, trends, events and
changes

Other topic areas

s A number of other topics in areas of general interest, such as food and drink, education
(training, courses), consumer goods, shopping and prices, etc. may be included.

BULATS information for candidates 27

 We wish you every success in taking BULATS and we hope that you will take other
Next steps Cambridge ESOL exams in future.

More than ever, a good knowledge of English is needed to succeed in international

Companies business and commerce. If you can show you have relevant language skills, you’ll have

who use a great advantage in the jobs market and much greater flexibility if you want to work or
study abroad.

BULATS Recognition of BULATS is increasing rapidly as a growing number of companies are using
the examination as a focus for in-company training courses.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company IBM

(ADNOC) Italia Lavoro
Adidas Johnson & Johnson
Alcatel Kodak
BP KPMG
British American Tobacco L’Oréal
Cadbury Lloyds Bank
China Personnel Testing Authority Motorola
Citibank Nestlé
Colgate-Palmolive Nokia
Compaq Pfizer
Deloitte & Touche Philips
DHL PricewaterhouseCoopers
Disney Procter & Gamble
Dow AgroSciences RASCO Ras Lanuf Oil and Gas
EADS/Airbus Renault
Emirates Group Reuters
Esso Roche
General Electric Shanghai Professional Testing Authority
General Motors Shell
GlaxoSmithKline Vodafone
Guinness Volvo
Heinz Wrigley
HSBC Wyeth

You can find a full list of companies that use the BULATS examinations for a variety of
purposes including recruitment at: www.bulats.org

BULATS information for candidates 28

Notes

BULATS information for candidates 29

University of Cambridge
ESOL Examinations
1 Hills Road
Cambridge
CB1 2EU
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 1223 553997

g
Email: ESOLhelpdesk@CambridgeESOL.org
www.bulats.org

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