EF SET study guide
EF SET · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The EF SET is a free online English proficiency assessment that reports results on the CEFR scale, from A1 through C2. It is offered in two certifying versions: a 50-minute test covering reading and listening, and a 90-minute test covering reading, writing, listening and speaking. A separate 20-question practice test lets you familiarise yourself with the format before sitting a certifying exam. Because the test is delivered online and works on any desktop, tablet or mobile device, it suits students, job seekers and professionals who want a documented English level without travelling to a test centre, and organisations that need to benchmark English skills at scale - the provider reports serving thousands of companies, schools and universities. The EF SET study guide has 4 sections and about 1,414 words.
01Reading: Main Ideas, Detail, and Inference
The Reading section of the EF SET measures how well you extract meaning from short texts at different levels of difficulty. Expect a mix of formats: sentence completion, short passages with one or two questions, and longer texts asking about the writer's purpose or attitude.
378 words, about 2 min02Writing: Grammar Accuracy, Range, and Task Response
The Writing section tests whether you can produce clear, accurate English and respond appropriately to a prompt. Depending on your level, tasks range from completing sentences and reordering words to writing a short email, description, or opinion paragraph.
349 words, about 2 min03Listening: Gist, Detail, and Speaker Attitude
The Listening section plays short recordings, usually once, and asks you to identify main ideas, specific details, or the speaker's purpose and attitude. Accents vary, and speech is natural, with contractions, linking, and some background noise.
362 words, about 2 min04Speaking: Fluency, Coherence, and Clear Delivery
The Speaking section asks you to respond aloud to prompts, typically short questions about familiar topics or a picture description. Responses are recorded and scored on fluency, coherence, range, accuracy, and pronunciation.
325 words, about 2 min