Let's take a look at some of the most popular English tests and see which would be best for you. TOEFL and IELTS. TOEFL and IELTS are both tests designed for people wanting to study in an English-speaking country or taking a course with a lot of English language content ... TOEIC ... OPI and OPIC ... Cambridge Exams... Taking an English test or exam can be a great way to see what level your English is at. It can also be a useful or necessary way to prove your level of English for work, study or citizenship for some countries. There are so many different kinds of exams, and they are all suitable for slightly different purposes. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular English tests and see which would be best for you.. TOEFL and IELTS TOEFL and IELTS are both tests designed for people wanting to study in an English-speaking country or taking a course with a lot of English language content. IELTS has a non-academic version but it’s not as common as the academic version. TOEFL is the most common academic English test worldwide but in some countries, such as the UK, universities prefer people to have a good IELTS score because they think it is a more accurate test of English level. You can do the TOEFL test online or face-to-face, but you can only do IELTS in-person. TOEFL and IELTS are both valid for two years so it’s important to plan to do your test a reasonable time before you apply for your university course. If you do it too early, you might need to do it again! TOEIC TOEIC is a test of English for communication and it’s usually used for business. Companies, especially in Asia, like people to have a certain TOEIC scores to prove their English is good enough to work with and understand English-speaking clients and colleagues. TOEIC scores are usually considered valid for two years and companies may ask people to take the test once when they apply for a job or once every two years to prove their English skills are still at the same level. Start your English Learning Online with EF English Live. Sign up today and get a free 14-day trial -and-prices! Whatever your goals, our online English course guarantees your success. OPI and OPIC OPI and OPIC are tests of spoken English fluency. They are often used in business or even for English teachers to prove their level of spoken English. The OPI exam is taken with an examiner in the room and OPIC is an online test where students answer questions set by a computer. OPI and OPIC are a good way to test your spoken fluency if you don’t need to check other skills and are just interested in finding out more about your English level. OPIC is a lot cheaper than OPI because the examiner doesn’t need to come to the test centre. Cambridge Exams The Cambridge English exams are a little different to the exams above. The Cambridge exams are traditional ‘pass or fail’ exams whereas the others give you an English score on a graded scale. Because of this, it’s important to enter a Cambridge exam at the right level for you. Your teacher should be able to tell you which level would be best for you. The levels are : PET - Cambridge English: Preliminary The lowest level. This proves you have enough English to communicate and talk about simple things. FCE - Cambridge English: First Strong intermediate students can take this test. This proves your English is good enough to live in an English-speaking country and that you can communicate relatively fluently. · CAE - Cambridge English: Advanced Strong advanced students can take this test. You’ll need excellent written and spoken English to pass CPE - Cambridge English: Proficiency For students wanting to prove their level is similar to that of a native speaker of English. This is a really tough test and it’s a great achievement to pass it.