BEC & BULATS
by Angel Phu & Zita Yip
Examinations Services Officer
Outline of the seminar
• About British Council
• Introduction to Cambridge ESOL and
Business English Certificate BEC
• Why take BEC exams?
• Levels and papers
• Grades and Results
Outline of the seminar
• Introduction to BUsiness LAnguage Testing
Service BULATS
• Why take BULATS?
• Contents of BULATS
• Levels, grades and papers
• Support materials/questions
and answers
About British Council
• Founded in 1934
• United Kingdom’s international cultural
relations organisation
• Around 7,500 people in 109 countries
• Hong Kong office started in 1948
Work of British Council
• Teaching English
• Providing the latest information about
the United Kingdom
• Promoting British education and
training
Work of British Council
• Working closely with governments on
reform and good governance
• Demonstrating the innovation, creativity
and excellence of British science, arts,
literature and design
About Examinations Services
• Running examinations since 1989
• Covering academic, entrance, vocational
and professional subjects
• Offers English language examinations
from Cambridge ESOL for children
through to adults
Introduction to Cambridge ESOL
• largest testing agency for British English
• full range of examinations taken worldwide
• recognition of Cambridge ESOL
certificates
• department of the university
• exams for learners of English since 1913
Business English Certificate - BEC
• internationally recognised, certificated exams
• three levels
• tests English language in four skills
• no specialist business knowledge
Business English Certificate - BEC
• set in context of international business
• working/preparing to work in international
business
• ability to communicate for essential
business needs
Why take BEC exams?
international recognition for work and study
 certificated exams
 wide business context
 value for study and business career
Why take BEC exams?
 Used by hundreds of employers
- as staff development programme
- as a qualification when recruiting
staff
 Used by many universities
- as a entry requirement to businessrelated courses in English
Levels
Cambridge ESOL Levels
Council of Europe Levels
CPE
C2
Mastery
BEC Higher
CAE
C1
Effective Proficiency
BEC Vantage
FCE
B2
Vantage
BEC Preliminary
PET
B1
Threshold
KET
A2
Waystage
Papers
Preliminary
Reading
Writing
1 hr
30 mins*
Vantage
Higher
1 hr
1 hr
45 mins
1 hr 10 mins
Listening
40 mins
40 mins
40 mins
Speaking
12 mins**
14 mins**
16 mins**
* combined Reading and Writing Test
** (2 candidates)
Reading
• variety of ‘input’ and ‘output’
• tests different types of reading
Writing
Part 1
• Internal company communication
Part 2
• Piece of business correspondence (Preliminary)
• Piece of business correspondence, report or
proposal (Vantage)
• Report or proposal or correspondence
(Higher)
Listening
• all texts heard twice
• 30 minutes listening
Speaking
• Part 1
Conversation with interlocutor
• Part 2
Mini-presentation
• Part 3
i) Two-way conversation
ii) Further prompting from
interlocutor
Grades & Results
BEC Preliminary
Passing Grades
Pass with Merit
80% and above
Pass
65% to 79%
Failing Grades
Narrow Fail
60% to 64%
Fail
59% and below
Grades & Results
BEC Vantage & Higher
Passing Grades
Failing Grades
Grade A
80% and above
Grade B
75% to 79%
Grade C
60% to 74%
Grade D
55% to 59%
Grade E
54% and below
Passing candidates will receive a certificate
approximately 3 months after the exam
Statement of Results
Downloadable from our website approx 6 weeks after the exam
Business English Certificates
ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Statement of results
Session March 2002
Candidate Name
Reference No
To be quoted on all
correspondence
Place of entry
Qualification
Business English Certificate - Vantage
PAPER PROFILE
Result
Exceptional
Good
Borderline
Weak
B
Pass
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Grade Statistics (International)
BEC Preliminary
Fail
15%
Pass with Merit
24%
Narrow Fail
9%
Pass with Merit
Pass
Pass
52%
Narrow Fail
Fail
Grade Statistics (International)
BEC Vantage
Grade A
10%
Grade E
16%
Grade D
9%
Grade B
21%
Grade A
Grade B
Grade C
Grade D
Grade C
44%
Grade E
Grade Statistics (International)
BEC Higher
Grade E
18%
Grade A
8%
Grade D
9%
Grade B
17%
Grade A
Grade B
Grade C
Grade C
48%
Grade D
Grade E
Exam Dates & Fees
2 times a year
- in May & November
Registration
- in March & September
BEC Preliminary
HK$850
BEC Vantage
HK$1,300
BEC Higher
HK$1,350
BUsiness
LAnguage
Testing
Service
Why take BULATS?
• a multilingual assessment tool for
companies and organisations
• rapid, reliable and cost effective
• assesses language skills of
employees, trainees and job applicants
BULATS provides…
• information about language ability of staff
or job applicants
• on-demand and flexible tests
• quick results
available in 7 working days after the test
instant result for the computer test
A tool for …
• assessing job applicants
• reporting staff language skills against
international benchmarks
• placing learners on suitable language
courses
• evaluating language training
The four BULATS tests
and test fees
• Standard test:
HK$385
• Computer test: HK$365
• Writing test:HK$385
• Speaking test:
HK$495
The Standard test
• Two parts (110 minutes)
1) Listening
2) Reading & Language knowledge
• Test format: Multiple choice & Gap-fill
The Computer test
• Two parts (75 minutes)
1) Listening
2) Reading & Language knowledge
• Test format: Multiple choice & Gap-fill
• Adaptive test
• Installed at your premises
Computer Adaptive Testing
?
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
..
Candidate’s level
30
40
50
60
70
80
The Writing test
• Two parts (45 minutes)
- short message / letter (50-60 words)
- report / letter (180-200 words)
• Two examiners mark separately
The Speaking test
• Three parts (12-15 minutes)
- Interview
- Presentation
- Information exchange
• Record interview
• Two examiners mark separately
Test sessions at British Council
• Open sessions at British Council
- applications open for the public
- once a month
• Closed sessions for
companies or language schools
- in house
- on demand
BULATS levels
*ALTE
Levels
BEC levels
BULATS
Scores (100)
CEF **
Ability
5
C2 Mastery
Very
Advanced
4
C1 Effective
proficiency
Advanced
BEC Higher
75-89
3
B2 Vantage
Upper
Intermediate
BEC Vantage
60-74
2
B1 Threshold
Lower
Intermediate
BEC Preliminary
40-59
1
A2 Waystage
Elementary
0
A1 Breakthrough Beginner
90-100
20-39
0-19
• ALTE level system of 0 – 5 with finer distinctions of +, - and =
• Score 0-100 is only available in standard test and computer test
* ALTE – Association of Language Testers in Europe
** CEF – Common European Framework
Any practice materials?
FREE Sample papers available on
British Council website:
www.britishcouncil.org.hk
www.bulats.org
www.CambridgeESOL.org/BEC
Specified examination
– BULATS & BEC
• Funding Scheme for
Workplace English Training
• Continuing Education Fund
Further Information
British Council
Examinations Services
Tel:
2913 5170
Fax:
2913 5172
E-mail:
examinations@britishcouncil.org.hk
Address:
3 Supreme Court Road, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Cambridge ESOL
BEC:
www.CambridgeESOL.org/BEC
BULATS:
www.bulats.org
Keep up to date with what's new via the British Council website
www.britishcouncil.org.hk