What is the Accuplacer English as a Second Language (ESL) test?

The Accuplacer English as a Second Language (ESL) test includes items in
• reading skills
• sentence meaning
• language use
• listening

a) Reading skills – This section tests your understanding of short readings.  Half of the test has basic comprehension items – paraphrase, locating information, vocabulary, and pronoun reference.  The other half tests your inference skills – main idea, fact versus opinion, cause-effect logic, identifying irrelevant information, author’s point of view, and applying the author’s logic to another situation.

b) Sentence meaning – This section gives one- or two-sentence passages and tests your understanding of word meanings in the reading.  Sentences may be about natural science, social studies, arts, psychology, or practical situations.  Areas tested include:
• phrasal verbs, prepositions of direction
• adverbs, adjectives, connectives sequence
• basic nouns and verbs
• basic and important idioms

c) Language use – This section tests your use of correct grammar in English sentences.  Areas tested include:
• nouns, pronouns, pronoun case structure
• verbs
• subject-verb agreement
• comparatives, adverbs, adjectives
• subordination/coordination

d) Listening – This section has you listen to short dialogues and answer a question about each conversation.

When taking the Accuplacer test, you may not use any notes.  Use of a personal calculator is not allowed; however, an on-screen “pop-up” calculator is available on some Accuplacer math items.  There is no time limit for completing the Accuplacer Test.