English Exam Preparation
One-to-one preparation for IELTS, TOEFL and the Cambridge exams, with experienced British teachers. Online wherever you are, or face-to-face in London.
Not sure which exam you need? That is usually the first thing we sort out together, before you book anything.
First, the useful question: which one do you actually need?
If you need to prove your English, for a university place, a visa, a job, or simply to know where your English stands, you will almost certainly end up sitting one of a handful of exams. A lot of people arrive knowing they need an English certificate but not which one, and the names do not give much away: IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, First, Advanced, BEC.
In most cases the exam is chosen for you rather than by you, by the university, employer or immigration authority you are doing this for. So before you think about preparation at all, find out exactly what they ask for. Do not pick the test that looks easiest; pick the one your destination actually accepts, and prepare for that.
As a rough guide, and always subject to checking with your own university or employer, because acceptance varies:
- Heading to a university in the United States or Canada? Usually TOEFL, though many now take IELTS as well.
- Studying, working or moving to the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada? Usually IELTS. UK visa routes in particular need an approved test taken at an approved centre.
- Want a certificate you keep for life, proof of a level rather than a one-off score, or applying to some UK universities? The Cambridge exams, and C1 Advanced especially.
- Doing this mainly for your career or an employer? Look at Cambridge Business (BEC) or IELTS General Training.
If you are still not sure after that, tell us where you are headed at the consultation and we can usually help you narrow it down in a few minutes.
A quick comparison
The three exams overlap more than they differ. They all test reading, listening, writing and speaking, and they all want real English underneath. But the details are worth knowing.
IELTS
- Mainly used for
- UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada: study, work, migration, visas
- Scored on
- Band 0 to 9, the average of four sections
- The speaking test
- Live, with a human examiner
- How long the result lasts
- Usually about two years
- Anything new lately
- Paper testing is being phased out, and One Skill Retake lets you resit a single section in some places
TOEFL iBT
- Mainly used for
- US and Canadian universities, accepted widely elsewhere too
- Scored on
- 1 to 6 bands, shown alongside the old 0 to 120 scale until 2028
- The speaking test
- Recorded tasks, marked partly by machine
- How long the result lasts
- Usually about two years
- Anything new lately
- Rebuilt in January 2026: shorter and adaptive
Cambridge (B2 First / C1 Advanced)
- Mainly used for
- Proof of a level; many UK universities; employers
- Scored on
- The Cambridge English Scale; the pass is tied to your level
- The speaking test
- Live, paired with another candidate, with two examiners
- How long the result lasts
- The certificate itself does not expire
- Anything new lately
- Format is stable and well established
Where we can help
Whichever of these you end up taking, the exam is really just a way of measuring the same thing: how well you actually use English. That is the part we can help you with. We work with you over a period of time to build up the English the exam asks of you, rather than teaching you a bag of tricks for the test. Certain techniques help a little, but the foundation of your English is what matters most.
The one thread running through all of these exams is the speaking test, and that is where our lessons do the most. Our whole style is conversational: one-to-one, talking in real English, with a teacher who can push you a little further each time. It is a natural fit for IELTS, where you sit across from an examiner; for the Cambridge exams, where you talk things through with a partner; and even for TOEFL, where the new 2026 speaking tasks reward genuine fluency in the interview task.
The exams we prepare you for
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IELTS Preparation
The one our students ask for most. The speaking test is a real conversation with a real examiner, in person or online, which suits the way we teach. Best if you are heading to the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada, or need a test for a visa.
See our full IELTS page -
TOEFL Preparation
Rebuilt by ETS in 2026 into a shorter, adaptive test. Mostly for universities in the United States and Canada. The reworked speaking section now rewards natural, spontaneous English, which plays to our strengths.
See our full TOEFL page -
Cambridge English Exams
B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency and Business (BEC). Level-based rather than score-based, with a certificate that lasts and a speaking test you take alongside another candidate. C1 Advanced is a genuine alternative to IELTS for some UK universities.
See our full Cambridge page
How it works
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Step 1: Book a free consultation
Tell us which exam you are taking, or that you are not yet sure, along with your test date if you have one. We will match you with a teacher who knows that exam.
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Step 2: Meet your teacher
Your first trial lesson is a real lesson, at the discounted price of £20 for 60 minutes online. Your teacher will look at where your English is now, talk through the exam with you, and agree a realistic plan for the time you have. There is no commitment and no pressure to book a block of lessons.
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Step 3: Start your preparation
When you are ready, book a block of lessons online or face-to-face in London. Each lesson is built around the exam and around you, and your teacher adjusts the plan as your strengths and weaknesses come into focus.
What our students say
I didn't need an English exam for work or university. I mainly wanted something to work towards, to keep me motivated and to prove to myself that my English was improving.
I talked through the different options with my teacher and we decided that Cambridge First was the right level and a good goal for me. We worked on all parts of the exam, but most of the lesson time was spent on speaking. I did a lot of the reading, listening and writing practice for homework, and then we could use the lessons to work on my answers, vocabulary and fluency.
One thing I remember is the picture description task. It looked quite easy when I first saw it, but I soon realised it was much harder to do well than I expected! We practised it a lot, along with the other speaking tasks, and gradually I became much more confident.
In the end, I passed the exam, which was a great feeling. I'm not planning another exam immediately, but maybe in a few years I'll think about taking Advanced. I'm pleased I chose to do lessons with PS English and I might return in the future.
Frequently asked questions about English exam preparation
Which English exam should I take?
In most cases the choice is made for you by the university, employer or immigration authority you are applying to, so the first step is to check exactly what they ask for. As a general guide, IELTS is the usual requirement for the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, TOEFL for universities in the United States and Canada, and the Cambridge exams where you want a certificate that proves a level rather than a score. If you are still unsure, bring the details of where you are applying to a free consultation and we will help you work it out.
Which English exam is the easiest?
None of them is easy, and none of them is meaningfully easier than the others, because they are all measuring the same underlying English. The one that will feel easiest to you is the one whose format suits how you work: a live conversation with an examiner, a computer-based test with recorded answers, or a paired discussion with another candidate. Choosing an exam on that basis only makes sense once you have confirmed that your university or employer accepts it.
How long does it take to prepare for an English exam?
It depends on the gap between where your English is now and what your exam asks for. Moving up one full IELTS band, or from one Cambridge level to the next, usually takes several months of regular work rather than a few weeks. If you are close to your target already, the final stretch tends to be quicker. Your teacher will give you an honest view at the consultation, based on your current level and your test date.
Can I prepare for an exam online?
Yes, and most of our exam preparation is delivered online. Lessons are one-to-one over video, with materials shared on screen, writing marked together, and speaking practice recorded where it helps. Online lessons suit students who are working, studying, or living outside London, and they remove the travel time that makes weekly preparation hard to keep up.
Do I need to know my level before I start?
No. Working out where your English is now is part of what the first lesson is for. If you have a recent test result, bring it, and if you do not, that is perfectly normal. What is more useful is knowing what score or level you need and by when.
Do you guarantee a particular score or band?
No, and we would be wary of anyone who does. Nobody can guarantee a result in a fixed number of weeks, because it depends on where you start, how much you practise between lessons, and how the day itself goes. What we will do is tell you honestly whether your target is realistic in the time you have, and say so plainly if it is not.
How much do lessons cost?
Our pricing is published openly on the site, with rates for online lessons and separate rates for face-to-face lessons in London, and discounts for booking lessons in blocks. See our pricing page for the current rates.
How long do exam results last?
IELTS and TOEFL results are usually treated as valid for about two years. Cambridge certificates do not expire, though universities and employers often ask for a result from the last couple of years regardless, so it is worth checking what your institution actually wants before relying on an older certificate.
Not sure yet? Start with a conversation
You do not have to have it all worked out before you get in touch. Book a free consultation and we will help you settle which exam you actually need, or confirm the one you have been told to take, give you an honest read on where your English is right now, and tell you what is realistic in the time you have before your test. If we are not the right fit for you, we will say that too.