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Are my reading and writing skills good enough?

You don’t have to take an English language test before registering to study with us. However, you’ll need to be a competent user of English to be a successful student. This is vital so that you can

  • make best use of the study materials that we provide, which may include printed books, video and audio
  • communicate effectively with your tutor or fellow students
  • seek help from other OU staff (e.g. our technical support desk).

The statements below summarise the level of language you’ll need to study with us. They are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) which describes language ability on a scale of A1 (beginners) to C2 (fluent speakers).

Reading
  • I can understand texts on topics related to my everyday life, my job or something I am interested in.
  • I can read basic articles and reports about contemporary problems and I can identify the attitudes or points of view of the writer.

Writing
  • I can write a clearly-organised text on topics related to my everyday life, my job or something I am interested in.
  • I am ready to start writing essays or reports that present information and give formal reasons to support my point of view.

Speaking
  • I can take part in discussions about topics related to my everyday life, my job or something I am interested in.
  • I can briefly give reasons and explanations for my opinions and plans.
  • I can tell a story or the plot of a book or film and describe my reactions.

Listening
  • I can understand the main ideas of a speech or a lecture and can follow even a complex argument, as long as the topic is reasonably familiar.
  • I can understand most films, TV news and current affairs programmes.

These statements reflect a level of language ability between B1 and B2, which is the minimum you’ll need in order to study with us. This is equivalent to a GCSE Grade A to C, an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of about 5.0-5.5 or a Skills for Life Level 1.

Whether English is your first language or not, try the following activities to check your general English language skills. You’ll also find out about academic English, which you’ll need for study, and how it differs from everyday English.