Uk Spouse Visa English Test With Pearsonpte

[cernlife]

Hi, my wife has to take an English language test to get the UK spouse visa so we signed on with PearsonPTE to take the PTE Academic test.

After looking at the practice test it seems pretty hard as all the questions seemed geared towards people who want to come here as students and study for a degree in economics or bio-science or whatever.

My wife can speak English well, its no problem for her to communicate here in the UK, and in order to get a UK spouse Visa, in my view this PearsonPTE test seems totally over the top.

Does anyone have any experiences with people taking this test who just wanted to come in on a spouse visa and had no intention of going to university? I.e pass/fail stories?

Is this the only company to take a test with? Moreover is there a company in BKK that does these tests but aimed solely for Spouse UK visa where the questions don't relate so heavily to listening to academic lectures in science?

I'm British and some of the words used in the test, I did not know what they meant!! crazy!!!

[7by7]

From what you say, it sounds as though the course and test your wife has signed up for is way above the standard actually required.

The minimum standard is at Level A of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) speaking and listening, which is a basic level and means she can carry out a basic conversation in English.

For more details, see here.

For test providers in Thailand, see here.

You'll also find lots of topics here on the test.

[cernlife]

From what you say, it sounds as though the course and test your wife has signed up for is way above the standard actually required.

The minimum standard is at Level A of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) speaking and listening, which is a basic level and means she can carry out a basic conversation in English.

For more details, see here.

For test providers in Thailand, see here.

You'll also find lots of topics here on the test.

That link to test providers in Thailand has PearsonPTE on it (the center in thailand) following the link goes to exactly the test she will be taking the "Academic PTE" in London in a few days time, which to myself seems totally unreasonable. But yes this test is the one for the A1 level requirement, its just that Pearson only do one test for all levels with different grades required, i.e the level one grade of 24 points gives the A1 level certificate, higher points for higher certificates.

I just don't get it at all, she can speak English well, we have spoken in English everyday for the past 5 years, she can read English newspapers (slowly), she watches and understands English TV. But with this PearsonsPTE test I think its doubtful she will get the 24 points required, I fell like she will get about 5 points out of 90, if she does well. This PearsonPTE test is 3 hours long! its a bit hardcore just to come here on a spouse visa! One of the test questions had a exponentially decaying chart on a medical scenario, and they asked to explain whats going on!!!

Does anyone have any experience with the other two test centers they have listed in Bangkok? we are in the UK now tho, and also any other test centers in the UK that JUST do the A1 level test not the full on blown test to see if you can handle advanced lectures in stochastic differential equations for exponential levy models in complex calculus!!!

some advice would be greatly appreciated.

[jdinasia]

All of the tests are similar. IELTS, PTE etc .... They test skills and deal with them. Your wife doesn't need a 7.0 on the IELTS academic (or the equivalent score on the PTE) she just needs to know English well enough to survive comfortably.

The tests run a scale in each band and like an IQ test or the college boards nobody is expected to get it all right.

Looking at the PTE website and the UKBA info ------

each band needs a 24 to pass at A1 level ---- each band has a possible score of 10-90 (10 would be 100% wrong answers and 90 would be 100%correct academic English.

a "24" would be considered "weak" --- so Relax ......

The test is stressful just because it is a test. The score needed to pass at the A1 level is quite low. http://pearsonpte.com/PTEAcademic/scores/Documents/Interpreting_the%20PTE_Academic_Score_Report.pdf

Edited August 16, 2011 by jdinasia

[7by7]

also any other test centers in the UK that JUST do the A1 level test not the full on blown test to see if you can handle advanced lectures in stochastic differential equations for exponential levy models in complex calculus!!!

some advice would be greatly appreciated.

See this current topic and the full UKBA list of approved test providers.

[tricolor]

Does anyone have any experience with the other two test centers they have listed in Bangkok? we are in the UK now tho, and also any other test centers in the UK that JUST do the A1 level test not the full on blown test to see if you can handle advanced lectures in stochastic differential equations for exponential levy models in complex calculus!!!

some advice would be greatly appreciated.

After a lot of searching in the UK the best one I could find was Trinity College in London.

It's a 5-6 minute test for approx. £50-75 and they are now doing the tests every month, some in London and some in Preston.

You can book on-line and get the results slip immediately and the certificate within 7 days.

Other places may want you to sign up for a course, or only hold exams at a higher level, which means extra stress, time and expense just to achieve the minimum pass in the listening and speaking components which is all that's required.

Chok Dee !!

[cernlife]

After a lot of searching in the UK the best one I could find was Trinity College in London.

It's a 5-6 minute test for approx. £50-75

Chok Dee !!

Thanks for that info, that sounds more like it, unfortunately Ive already signed the wife up for the PearsonPTE university challenge this friday, for a whooping 130 pounds.

Just have a look at the two attached images below showing two questions from test exam. One is about describing the distribution of different gorilla populations in Africa, the other about the exponential growth of itunes.

These are geography and math, I agree someone who wants to come and take a university degree here needs to be a able to answer such questions with ease. My disgust tho, is why does my wife who just wants to get a spouse visa have to be put through such question, she is a sensitive person and she felt like crying when looking at these questions and then found it difficult to recompose herself for later more simple questions.

Yes she can get these questions totally wrong and still attain level A1 but its putting undue stress on her.

[cernlife]

And another (see attachment), totally off putting question, which will just make some typical spouse visa applicant feel uneasy and unsure about themselves during this test

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh............

[tricolor]

Yes, those examples do make you wonder about the examiners who compile such questions.

I have also seen students struggle with C&G statistics exams because some of the questions assumed a prior knowledge of the game of cricket which is not commonplace in SE Asia.

Back to the A1 English test and in one part they assumed the student would immediately recognise the shape of a

London taxi cab compared to a normal car.

Not fair unless you live in London or Birmingham etc. as many UK cities have ordinary cars licensed as taxis and it's a test of listening and speaking not for taxi anoraks !!

[cernlife]

questions and answer section on PearsonPTE english test

1. How many sides are there in a bilateral agreement?

2. A telescope is used to look at objects far away, what is used to look at objects at a close distance?

3. A cardiovascular specializes in which organ?

All very important questions for a wife who wishes to come and stay in England!! Crazy!!!

I want to ask PersonPTE

1. Which golfer one the US open in 1984?

Ah.... you don't know PearsonPTE do you?,..... Well Pearson you obviously have not got the required level of English language!!!

[cernlife]

Now I am really ANGRY, the listening part of the test my wife could not answer ANY of the questions, even though she can listen to what I say perfectly and can listen to the TV and understand. The PearsonPTE english test for getting a Spouse visa has the listening test the same as for people who want to go to university as such the listening questions where like...

"Long ago in northern america vast swaths of land where covered by woodland..... but this is no longer the case as it has been cut down"

then you select from the multiple choice

a. The US suffered deforestation

b. ....

c. .....

So if you don't know geography and the term "deforestation" then YOU dont know how to listen!!!!!

I'm sorry but a 12 year old can speak English but may not know the term "deforestation" so according to PearsonPTE this 12 year old fluent in English CANNOT listen to English. CRAZY!!!

[TexasRanger]

You have my sympathy, it is over the top and completely ridiculous. Making it so hard for a wife to be with her husband when the asylum seekers pour in. I know this has been taken to EU courts and I hope it is ruled out, but I won't hold my breath.

Shameful.

[toddmeister]

Just to give you an idea of alternatives, my wife did the BULATS with Vantage Siam in Bangkok (on the VFS Thailand approved providers list). It is a business language test and also covers all aspects but nowhere near as difficult as those described above.

For the speaking part she just had to talk about herself, her job and what she likes about her job/boss etc. The other part is a computer test. That involved listening to questions on headphones or reading them on the screne and selecting the answers from the choices provided. We did a couple of sample tests the night before.

An example of the computer questions would be, a sample of text with certain words removed, she then had to choose what word best fits into the text to complete the sentence. An example of a listening question was, listening to a short conversation and then answering questions based on the subject matter from the choice provided.

She did both tests in one day and only took an hour to complete everything.

Edited August 17, 2011 by toddmeister

[7by7]

From the OP of the topic I linked to above

Her exam lasted 5 minutes which she had to name green numbers , describe a photo and what she could see in the photo, talk about my house, look at another photo, Talk about birthdays and finally ask the lady a question which my Girlfriend replied, how are you

As you can see, a vast difference between this test, which does meet the requirement, and the test you have signed your wife up for.

Your wife's course will meet the requirement, which is A1 or better; but it is a far higher standard than the minimum required.

With respect, perhaps you should have researched this a bit more thoroughly before parting with your money. That you have signed her up for a higher standard test than is necessary is hardly Pearson's fault.

[tricolor]

From the OP of the topic I linked to above

Her exam lasted 5 minutes which she had to name green numbers , describe a photo and what she could see in the photo, talk about my house, look at another photo, Talk about birthdays and finally ask the lady a question which my Girlfriend replied, how are you

As you can see, a vast difference between this test, which does meet the requirement, and the test you have signed your wife up for.

Your wife's course will meet the requirement, which is A1 or better; but it is a far higher standard than the minimum required.

With respect, perhaps you should have researched this a bit more thoroughly before parting with your money. That you have signed her up for a higher standard test than is necessary is hardly Pearson's fault.

OK it's not their fault but, in fairness, they could also have done a quick assessment of her proficiency level and advised her that their test may not be the most appropriate one for her needs - before any payment was made.

[jdinasia]

From the OP of the topic I linked to above

Her exam lasted 5 minutes which she had to name green numbers , describe a photo and what she could see in the photo, talk about my house, look at another photo, Talk about birthdays and finally ask the lady a question which my Girlfriend replied, how are you

As you can see, a vast difference between this test, which does meet the requirement, and the test you have signed your wife up for.

Your wife's course will meet the requirement, which is A1 or better; but it is a far higher standard than the minimum required.

With respect, perhaps you should have researched this a bit more thoroughly before parting with your money. That you have signed her up for a higher standard test than is necessary is hardly Pearson's fault.

OK it's not their fault but, in fairness, they could also have done a quick assessment of her proficiency level and advised her that their test may not be the most appropriate one for her needs - before any payment was made.

It isn't Pearson's job to talk themselves out of income, is it? It is an academic test (it says so) but still the requirements to pass at A1 level are quite low.

[jdinasia]

And another (see attachment), totally off putting question, which will just make some typical spouse visa applicant feel uneasy and unsure about themselves during this test

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh............

A low band but adequate answer. "All three type of gorilla are found in central Africa."

A high end answer " Western Lowland Gorillas are found in the largest area geographically compared to the Mountain Gorilla which has about twice the area than the Eastern Lowland Gorilla geographically. --- (this can be expanded upon by using the colors etc)

A very poor answer but possibly still passing at a 24 would be. "There are three types of gorilla mentioned"

One of our companies does training for taking the IELTS (Similar to Pearson PTE) --- we charge a ton of money for the class but we are the only ones doing it the way we do in Thailand. I do pity someone that walks into an academic test unprepared for how it is done.

BTW --- writing about those pictures would be an IELTS writing 1 exercise. They get harder Speaking 1 would simply be answering a question or two about something that is familiar to the person taking the test. ie: "Tell me about your family"

"

[VisasPlus]

I'm not sure if this is strictly relevant to this thread, but I queried, with the British Embassy Visa Section, the fact that A1 English applicants have to take a four part test ( with at least one approved tester in Thailand ) in order to qualify in only two parts. I received this reply earlier this week :

I have forwarded your question to policy colleagues in the UK, who have given details of some providers who offer testing in the two components we require. They have cited The TOEIC test at Level A1 from Educational Testing Service and Spoken English at Level A1 fromTrinity College London as examples. If the applicant is not able to undertake one of these tests, it will mean testing in all four components as most tests are only available in this format. As I am sure you are aware UKBA are not qualified to set and assess their own tests and therefore most applicants will need to sit all four components. To reiterate, though, the applicants will not be assessed on the reading and writing components. The ECO will only assess the application on speaking and listening as required by the Immigration Rules.

I hope that this clarifies matters for you.

Edited August 19, 2011 by VisasPlus

[ThaiVisaExpress]

We just use the Bulats test now for all our applications.

[PeeJay1959]

Sorry to butt in, so does that mean if you were to take a test with all 4 components and scored 0 for reading and writing, but attained a good enough score on speaking and listening the UKBA would accept that for A1?

[VisasPlus]

Sorry to butt in, so does that mean if you were to take a test with all 4 components and scored 0 for reading and writing, but attained a good enough score on speaking and listening the UKBA would accept that for A1?

Yes, it does. As long as the certificate shows pass at A1 level in speaking and listening, it must be accepted by UKBA.

[VisasPlus]

We just use the Bulats test now for all our applications.

I think most people are using BULATS now, Paul, but it seems wrong that the choices are so limited. We could do with some more test providers to give a bit of competition. The BULATS test cost was recently raised to 7,000 Baht, and as there is very little competition the customer will have to pay whatever increases keep coming.

[alanferdi]

You have my sympathy, it is over the top and completely ridiculous. Making it so hard for a wife to be with her husband when the asylum seekers pour in. I know this has been taken to EU courts and I hope it is ruled out, but I won't hold my breath.

Shameful.

I share your thought pattern. I am an Asian who integrated into the German legal system, its language and work force and share in its policies. I was alarmed though to see the hordes of Bangaladesh, Indian, Pakistanis and Sri Lankan British citizens who cannot speak English....hold a passport and who put their votes in, who live off the social system, the housing systems and create an imbalance to the British way of life by not integrating into the Country! The Government needs to be a bit more creative than just slamming down these on their own people. I agree that a spouse of an British citizen who can speak english need not go through these "political gymnastics"