ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

How PrepEx Measures Your English Proficiency

Our diagnostic test provides precise, research-backed proficiency assessments using three internationally recognized frameworks: TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, and the granular CEFR Plus scale.

OUR APPROACH

Three Scales, Complete Clarity

120

TOEFL iBT

The gold standard for academic English assessment. Required by 11,500+ universities worldwide for admissions.

9.0

IELTS Academic

Accepted by 10,000+ organizations globally. Essential for UK, Australia, and Canada applications.

C2.3

CEFR Plus

Granular proficiency mapping used by European institutions. Provides precise sub-level assessment.

PRECISION ASSESSMENT

Why Granular CEFR Matters

Traditional CEFR uses six broad levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). Each level represents a significant proficiency range. A student at B2.1 has notably different abilities than one at B2.3, yet both are simply called "B2."

PrepEx uses the CEFR Plus framework, which divides each level into three precise sub-levels (.1, .2, .3). This gives you a clear understanding of exactly where you stand and how close you are to the next milestone.

C2

Proficiency

TOEFL 110-120 | IELTS 8.0-9.0

C2.3TOEFL 117-120 | IELTS 8.5-9.0
C2.2TOEFL 113-116 | IELTS 8.0-8.5
C2.1TOEFL 110-112 | IELTS 8.0
C1

Advanced

TOEFL 95-109 | IELTS 7.0-7.5

C1.3TOEFL 105-109 | IELTS 7.5
C1.2TOEFL 100-104 | IELTS 7.5
C1.1TOEFL 95-99 | IELTS 7.0
B2

Upper-Intermediate

TOEFL 72-94 | IELTS 6.0-6.5

B2.3TOEFL 88-94 | IELTS 6.5
B2.2TOEFL 80-87 | IELTS 6.5
B2.1TOEFL 72-79 | IELTS 6.0
B1

Intermediate

TOEFL 42-71 | IELTS 5.0-5.5

B1.3TOEFL 57-71 | IELTS 5.5
B1.2TOEFL 49-56 | IELTS 5.0-5.5
B1.1TOEFL 42-48 | IELTS 5.0
A2

Elementary

TOEFL 24-41 | IELTS 4.0-4.5

A2.3TOEFL 36-41 | IELTS 4.5
A2.2TOEFL 30-35 | IELTS 4.0
A2.1TOEFL 24-29 | IELTS 4.0
A1

Beginner

TOEFL 0-23 | IELTS <4.0

Basic user with limited language production and comprehension.

PRECISION MATTERS

The Value of Sub-Level Assessment

Standard CEFR levels cover broad proficiency ranges. A student at B2.1 (TOEFL 72) differs significantly from one at B2.3 (TOEFL 88), yet traditional frameworks label both as simply "B2."

PrepEx provides granular CEFR Plus sub-levels, giving you precise insight into your current position and clear milestones for improvement.

Real Progress Example

Week 1
TOEFL 72 | IELTS 6.0 B2.1
Week 6
TOEFL 80 | IELTS 6.5 B2.2
Week 12
TOEFL 88 | IELTS 6.5 B2.3

Traditional CEFR would show no progress (all "B2"). Our system reveals three distinct advancement milestones.

RESEARCH-BACKED

Our Conversion Standards

Our score conversions are derived from official concordance tables published by ETS (TOEFL), Cambridge Assessment (IELTS), and the Council of Europe (CEFR). We've enhanced these with granular sub-level mappings based on statistical analysis of student assessments.

TOEFL iBT IELTS Band CEFR Plus Proficiency Level
118-1209.0C2.3Near-native proficiency
115-1178.5C2.2Excellent command
110-1148.0C2.1Very good command
105-1097.5C1.3Operational proficiency
100-1047.5C1.2Advanced proficiency
95-997.0C1.1Effective operational
88-946.5B2.3Upper-intermediate+
80-876.5B2.2Upper-intermediate
72-796.0B2.1Vantage level
57-715.5B1.3Threshold+
49-565.0-5.5B1.2Intermediate
42-485.0B1.1Threshold level
36-414.5A2.3Basic user+
30-354.0A2.2Waystage
24-294.0A2.1Elementary
0-23<4.0A1Breakthrough
ASSESSMENT PRECISION

Why This Diagnostic Works

Our assessment methodology combines adaptive question selection with multi-modal AI analysis to provide precise proficiency measurement in a fraction of traditional testing time.

4 Skills

Complete Coverage

Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing

Instant

Results

Detailed breakdown immediately

10min

Assessment Time

Efficient proficiency evaluation

Expert Assessment Technology

  • ETS-aligned scoring rubrics for objective assessment
  • Proprietary phonetic analysis for pronunciation precision
  • Advanced AI grading trained on official TOEFL criteria
  • Statistical modeling calibrated to real test performance

Diagnostic scores are projections designed to identify your current level and guide study planning. Official test scores depend on preparation, test familiarity, and test-day performance.

METHODOLOGY

Adaptive Difficulty Weighting

Not all questions are equal. Our diagnostic uses adaptive difficulty weighting to maximize assessment accuracy with minimal questions.

Traditional Assessment

Full TOEFL: 54 questions, 3-4 hours

All questions weighted equally, regardless of difficulty. Requires extensive time commitment.

PrepEx Diagnostic

Diagnostic: 9 questions, 10 minutes

Strategically selected questions across difficulty levels, weighted by discriminatory power. Optimized for accuracy with minimal time.

TECHNOLOGY

AI-Powered Assessment

PrepEx combines three industry-leading technologies to provide human-level grading accuracy across all four skills.

Speaking Assessment

Our AI provides phonetic analysis, pronunciation scoring, fluency metrics, and real-time transcription. Advanced language modeling evaluates topic development, coherence, and task completion using TOEFL rubrics.

Pronunciation Fluency Grammar Content

Writing Assessment

Our AI analyzes essays using official TOEFL writing rubrics, evaluating organization, development, language use, and task achievement with structured output validation.

Organization Development Language

Reading & Listening

Official ETS conversion tables map correct answer counts to scaled scores. Questions are selected across difficulty levels to maximize diagnostic precision.

Comprehension Inference Analysis

Ready to Discover Your Level?

Take our 10-minute diagnostic and receive your TOEFL, IELTS, and granular CEFR assessment with personalized study recommendations.