Theme 1

service for companies designed to help them find out the

level of language skills among their staff, trainees or job applicants. It assesses language skills which are needed for the workplace, and for students and employees on language courses or on professional/business courses where foreign-language ability is an important element of the course.
BULATS provides tests for all learners of a foreign language. There is no ‘pass mark’. BULATS candidates are placed in one of six levels. These levels are expressed as ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) levels which are linked to the Council of Europe Framework (CEF) levels. This is explained in the table below.

wide range of people at work – technicians, secretaries or

managers, in banking, in education or in manufacturing, in administration, research or marketing. It does not require any previous business experience, and so it is also suitable for students who may need to use the foreign language in the future.
At the moment, four different types of test are offered: the BULATS Computer Test, the BULATS Standard Test, the BULATS Writing Test and the BULATS Speaking Test. Each test can be used independently of the others, or they can be used in various combinations.

the language at work. They cover areas such as descriptions

of jobs, companies and products, travel, management and marketing, customer service planning, reports, phone messages, business correspondence and presentations. The tasks in the test are generally practical ones, e.g. taking a phone message, checking a letter, giving a presentation, understanding an article, writing a report.
The BULATS Computer Test assesses your ability to use the foreign language by presenting questions via a computer. The computer test is adaptive. This means that according to your answers, the computer program chooses each new question for you.

and reading skills, and knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. The

Computer Test is shorter than the Standard Test because it chooses material at a suitable level for the candidate. The Computer Test usually lasts around 60 minutes.

(BEC), are recognised by employers, ministries, government bodies and professional

organisations throughout the world. This valuable suite of three qualifications provides clear proof that you have the English skills to succeed in international business.

Bahrain Petroleum Co. B.S.C. (BAPCO)
Banco do Brasil
BMW
BP

Citibank
Coca-Cola Company
Credit Suisse
Deloitte & Touche
Deutsche Bank
DHL
Ernst & Young
GlaxoSmithKline
HCL Technologies Ltd
Hewlett Packard
HSBC
IBM
Johnson & Johnson

Kodak
KPMG
L’Oreal
Microsoft
Motorola
Nestle
Nokia
Philips
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
Reuters
Roche
Shell
Siemens
Sony Ericsson
Vodafone
World Bank
World Health Organization (WHO)

Cambridge English: Business Certificates as proof of ability to study

business related courses. To search the full list of organisations that accept Cambridge English: Business Certificates, please visit www.CambridgeESOL.org/recognition

English language skills to help their organisation compete at the

international level. You can give yourself a vital advantage by making sure you have the language skills that employers are looking for.

Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) – the internationally recognised

system for describing language ability.
Cambridge English: Business Certificates feature three certificates that provide a progressive way to develop and improve Business English ability, and make it easy to prove to employers the exact level of your English skills.

Level B2
BEC Vantage

Cambridge English: Business Preliminary–CEFR Level B1
BEC Preliminary

open the door to career opportunities with a new employer,

or can make your ambitions for promotion or career development within your current organisation a reality.
Employers value and rely on Cambridge English: Business Certificates because they are a thorough test of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in a business context.
There is a choice of paper-based or computer-based exam formats and you can choose the format that works best for you. Computer-based exams offer shorter registration times and more exam dates throughout the year.

and business tasks. Preparing for your exam will give you

skills that will make you an asset to your employer. Once you have earned a Cambridge English certificate, you hold one of the most valuable English qualifications in the world.
They carry out detailed research and analysis to ensure all the exams are accurate, relevant and fair to the people that take them. The systems and processes meet the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2008 quality management standard.
They offer an extensive range of support and practice materials both online and in print to help you prepare for your exam.
www.candidates.CambridgeESOL.org

affects the vocabulary, the types of texts selected and the

situations presented in the tasks. In addition, as in the Cambridge ESOL Main Suite exams, other skills, such as understanding the gist of text and guessing unfamiliar words in a listening situation are tested.

intermediate level qualification for people who need to show employers

that they have a knowledge of Business English sufficient for practical everyday use in a business environment.
It tests your ability to use English to carry out basic office skills such as:
reading short messages
understanding the general meaning of non-routine letters within own work area
interpreting charts
writing short emails
writing straightforward, routine letters of a factual nature
following short telephone conversations and discussions
talking about business-related matters
offering advice to clients within own job area on simple matters.
For more information about the three levels of Cambridge English: Business Certificates, go to www.CambridgeESOL.org/BEC

upper-intermediate level qualification in Business English.
Having Cambridge English: Business Vantage

shows that you can:
write short pieces of business correspondence, reports or proposals
write a simple report of a factual nature and begin to evaluate, advise, etc.
write a non-routine letter where this is restricted to matters of fact
understand the general meaning of non-routine letters
read extracts from business publications
understand the general meaning of a report even if the topic isn’t predictable
listen to, understand and contribute to discussions in meetings
ask for factual information and understand the answer
take and pass on most messages during a normal working day
express own opinion, and present arguments to a limited extent
give a simple, prepared presentation on a familiar topic.

and C. Candidates who have achieved a Grade A have

demonstrated ability at Council of Europe Level C1. Candidates who have not achieved a BEC Vantage passing grade (Council of Europe Level B2) but have demonstrated ability at the level below this, are awarded a certificate starting Council of Europe Level B1.

all over the world by people who need to prove

that they have a high level of English for business purposes. This is the certificate which can unlock your potential for success:
in the international workplace
with job applications
when applying for promotion or transfers to overseas offices
when applying to study business at undergraduate level.

is set at Level C1 – the second highest on

the CEFR scale. C1 is the level of English required for demanding professional and academic settings.
Cambridge English: Business Higher shows employers you can:
understand correspondence expressed in non-standard language
deal with all routine requests for goods or services
communicate effectively at managerial and professional level
participate with confidence in workplace meeting, presentations and seminars
express yourself with a high level of fluency
react appropriately in different cultural and social situations.

can be used to show universities and colleges that you

can:
follow any academic business course at university level
carry out complex and challenging research.
Cambridge English: Business Higher demonstrates to employers that you have the drive and motivation to achieve an advanced level of Business English, and can use your skills to function effectively in most international business situations.

www.CambridgeESOL.org/testyourenglish
and see which of the three certificates is the right

one for you.
www.CambridgeESOL.org/centres
 
www.CambridgeESOL.org