Frequently Asked Questions

Before the test

What do I need to take the test?

A computer with an internet connection, a supported browser, and a microphone. A microphone is required because the Speaking section records your voice.

A camera is optional. You can take the test with the camera off. If you turn it on, video of the session is recorded and the report notes that a camera was used.

Can I take the test on a device without a microphone?

No. The Speaking section needs one. Use a device with a built-in microphone, or connect an external one.

If no microphone is found, the environment check tells you before the test starts.

How long does the test take?

Each section has its own time limit.

Add the environment check and the per-section instructions and sample questions on top of that. Allow about 45 minutes in total.

A section's clock starts when you press the button to begin it — not while you are reading the instructions or working through the sample question.

Can I practise first?

Yes. Before each section you get one sample question that is not scored, using the same screen as the real test, so you can check the controls and your volume.

During the test

What happens if my connection drops?

You can resume within 24 hours of the interruption. Resume from the dashboard. Resuming does not cost an additional credit.

After 24 hours, the session may no longer be resumable.

How many times can I play each audio clip?

It depends on the Listening task type.

The number of plays available is shown on screen. Take care with one-play items.

Why does one audio clip have several questions?

Conversation and discussion tasks carry several questions for a single recording. The screen tells you how many questions belong to the clip, so you know what is coming before you start listening.

Why does the difficulty change during the test?

PCAT is adaptive: the questions you get depend on how you answer. Correct answers lead to harder items; incorrect ones lead to easier items.

Speech rate also varies with item level. Audio may feel faster later on, or the format may change — this is normal.

Can I go back to a previous question?

No. An adaptive test chooses each question based on your previous answers, so once an answer is submitted you cannot return to it.

Are any actions blocked during the test?

To keep the measurement fair, the following are blocked and the number of attempts is recorded:

• copy and paste
• printing
• right-click
• in-page search

The counts appear in your score report. **A recorded attempt does not by itself mean misconduct.**

The number of times you switch away from the test window, and for how long, is also recorded.

Scoring and results

How long does scoring take?

Usually a few minutes. Alongside AI scoring, we transcribe your speech and translate the feedback, which takes a little time.

Can I close the browser while scoring runs?

Yes. Scoring continues on our servers. Your result appears on the report page when it is ready.

If you have notifications enabled, we will let you know when scoring finishes.

How do I read my score?

Your report shows both a CEFR level (A1 to C2) and a PCAT Score.

The CEFR level is the primary result — it describes what you can do in practice. The PCAT Score tells you where you sit within that level.

You also get a level and a score for each skill. It is normal for skills to differ, so look at the per-skill results as well as the overall one.

Is the score a percentage of correct answers?

No. Because the test adapts to your answers, the score reflects **how difficult the questions you answered correctly were**, not simply how many you got right. The same score means the same ability regardless of which questions you saw.

Why does a skill show "—"?

Either you did not attempt that skill, or there were too few responses to score it. This is not the same as a score of zero.

Can I compare my score with other English tests?

A rough comparison through CEFR is possible, but scores cannot be converted.

PCAT uses its own scale based on CEFR. The report includes a CEFR-based comparison with other tests for reference. That tells you the tests place you in the same CEFR band — it does not guarantee that you would achieve any particular score on another test.

We have not carried out an equating study linking PCAT scores to other tests.

Can I share my result with my employer?

You can download the report as a PDF.

If you took the test through an organization, your result may be shared with them under their agreement. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Can I take the test again?

Yes. Each attempt uses one credit.

Credits and payment

What is a credit?

A prepaid right to take the test. One attempt normally uses one credit. It is not a monthly subscription.

How can I pay?

By credit card, processed through Stripe.

What happens to my credit if the environment check fails?

If you could not start the test because the environment check did not pass, the credit is returned to your account.

See the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions disclosure for details.

Are my answers and audio used to train AI?

They are not used to train general-purpose AI models (foundation models such as those behind ChatGPT or Claude), and we do not supply them to third parties for training. Azure OpenAI Service and the Claude API, which we use for scoring, both state that API data is not used to train foundation models by default, and we use them with those default settings.

**We may, however, use responses, audio and scoring results internally to improve PCAT's scoring accuracy and item quality** — for example, tuning scoring criteria and developing and evaluating scoring models built specifically for PCAT. Where identifying an individual is not necessary, we anonymize or pseudonymize the data as far as practicable.

Video recorded during a test is not used for this. It is used only for integrity review and related purposes.

See Article 5 of the Privacy Policy for details.

Anything else

What if this does not answer my question?

Please contact us.