Start with the job advertisement and the employer’s application instructions. “Good English,” “B2 English,” and a requirement for a named test result are different kinds of request.
What's your English level?
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Your preparation should match the language tasks of the role and the evidence the employer accepts. Do not book an examination solely because another company or country commonly uses it.
Read the requirement as a set of questions
Identify whether the employer asks for a level, a certificate, an interview, or a practical work sample. Then check whether the requirement applies to all applicants or only to a particular role or location.
| Wording in an advertisement | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Good written and spoken English | Which daily tasks and assessment method are involved? |
| B2 English or above | Is self-description enough, or is evidence required? |
| A named test with a minimum score | Which version, score scale, result age, and delivery mode are accepted? |
| English interview and written exercise | What tasks should you expect to demonstrate? |
The table shows types of wording, not the policy of a particular employer. If a requirement is unclear, ask recruitment for the exact evidence they need.
Separate employment, professional, and immigration requirements
A company’s language requirement may differ from a professional regulator’s or an immigration authority’s requirement. Meeting one does not automatically satisfy the others.
Use the relevant organisation’s current official instructions for each process. If the role involves a regulated profession or relocation, verify the separate requirements before choosing a test or describing your eligibility.
Match preparation to the work
A customer-support role may require understanding a complaint, asking clarifying questions, and explaining the next step. A research role may place more emphasis on reading technical material and summarising an argument.
Choose a sample task that resembles the work. For example, write a reply to a fictional delivery complaint or explain a short technical diagram to a colleague who does not share your specialist background.
An illustrative job requirement
Imagine an advertisement asking for clear English email communication, participation in weekly team calls, and an interview in English. It does not name a mandatory certificate.
A sensible preparation plan would include a short professional email, an explanation of a work problem, and follow-up questions about your experience. A general grammar quiz may help identify patterns to review, but it cannot replace those tasks.
If a test score is required
Read the test name and version carefully. An academic test, a general-language test, and a test used for a particular immigration process may share a brand while serving different purposes.
Score scales can also change. ETS introduced a 1–6 TOEFL iBT scale from 21 January 2026, with a comparable 0–120 overall score provided during the transition; use ETS’s score explanation and the employer’s stated requirement rather than making your own conversion.
Do not assume that a provider’s broad recognition statement proves acceptance for your specific application. Obtain clarification from the recipient when its requirement and your report use different wording or scales.
Describe your ability honestly
Use a specific description of experience: “I prepare customer emails in English” is more informative than “excellent English” without evidence. If you include a test result, name the assessment and date and represent its skill coverage accurately.
Prepare to discuss an example in the interview. Explain the situation, what you communicated, and how you checked that the other person understood.
Interviewer: How do you handle an instruction you are unsure about?
Candidate: I identify the unclear part and ask a specific question. For example, if a deadline is described as urgent, I ask for the date and time, then confirm the agreed next step.
Build a practical study week
| Priority | Practice | What to review |
|---|---|---|
| Interviews | Answer one question and two follow-ups | Relevance, examples, and clarity |
| Emails | Write a short message with a request and deadline | Tone and required information |
| Meetings | Summarise a decision from a short discussion | Who will do what and when |
| Technical communication | Explain one process in plain English | Whether a non-specialist can follow it |
Keep the tasks close to your target role and record recurring errors. If sentence structure repeatedly obscures the message, practise that pattern in the next task rather than adding unrelated vocabulary.
Before submitting the application
Check that your stated level, test result, and work examples are consistent and truthful. Confirm that any required document is submitted in the requested way before the deadline.
Language evidence can support your application, but it does not guarantee a job or promotion. The aim is to meet the stated requirement and demonstrate the communication the role actually needs.
What's your English level?
Take the test and get your certificate!
