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The Michigan English Test (MET) is a secure, multilevel English test, covering high-beginner to advanced levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR A2-C1). Test takers can use MET results for evaluation, educational advancement, scholarships, and/or career progression.
Test Takers
Secondary – adult
Levels
High-beginner to advanced
(CEFR A2-C1)
Skills Tested
2-skill test:
Listening, reading
4-skill test:
Writing, listening, reading,
speaking
Test Duration
2-skill test:
100 minutes
4-skill test:
155 minutes
Format
Digital
Test Dates
On demand
MET Test Format
Depending on the test, MET is divided into 2 or 4 sections:
MET can be taken as a digital 2-skill test that consists of listening and reading sections or as a digital 4-skill test that includes writing and speaking sections. If you are an international student planning to use MET to apply to a university, or a healthcare professional applying for an occupational visa to work in the US, you will need a 4-skill exam taken in an Authorized Test Center. The 2-skill version of MET is used by some institutions to meet internal or local requirements. Please note 2-skill MET can only be taken in an authorized test center and the 4-skill MET is not offered as a remote test in all countries.
Listening and reading questions are multiple choice and have one correct answer. Writing requires responses to two tasks. The speaking section is given at the same time as the other sections.
Writing
The MET Writing Section consists of two separate tasks to cover a range of writing types and functions. Test takers write a few sentences in response to three related questions about personal experiences, and then write a formal, multi-paragraph essay in response to a prompt. Typically, higher-level responses will have at least 250 words.
Tasks require test takers to produce written language at the sentence, paragraph, and essay levels.
2 tasks
45 minutes
Listening
The MET Listening Section reflects language used in real-life situations. It contains three parts and assesses the ability of a test taker to understand a variety of speech in public, personal, educational, and workplace contexts. Questions feature short and long conversations as well as talks given by one person. Topics range from familiar to less familiar, covering both concrete and abstract ideas.
The content covers a variety of listening skills:
- Global skills that test comprehension of the entire passage, such as asking for the main idea
- Local skills that test a part of the passage, such as a detail mentioned by the speaker
- Inferential skills that test comprehension of something that is not explicitly stated in the text, such as drawing a conclusion
The listening section is scored automatically by computer.
Part 1
Short conversations are each followed by a question.
19 questions
Part 3
Short talks are delivered by a single speaker and followed by several questions.
17 questions (4 sets)
Part 2
Longer conversations between two people are each followed by three or four questions.
14 questions
Total questions: 50
Time: 35 minutes
Reading
The MET Reading Section includes grammar. Grammar items reflect language used in real-life situations. They consist of one sentence containing a blank. For each, test takers select the word or phrase that is grammatically correct.
The MET Reading Section covers a variety of global, local, and inferential reading skills. The single-text reading part features two informational reading passages of academic or general interest. The multiple-text reading part contains two sets of three thematically related passages based on texts found in real life, such as newspapers, advertisements, emails, letters, and magazine articles. Each is followed by multiple-choice questions.
The reading section is scored automatically by computer.
Grammar
An incomplete sentence is followed by a choice of four words or phrases to complete it.
20 questions
Multiple-text reading
Two sets of three thematically linked passages are each followed by ten questions.
20 questions (2 sets)
Single-text reading
Two extended reading passages are each followed by five questions.
10 questions (2 sets)
Total questions: 50
Time: 65 minutes
Speaking
The MET Speaking Section gives test takers the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to describe a picture, talk about a personal experience related to the picture, give a personal opinion related to the picture, explain advantages and disadvantages of a given situation, and give an opinion and try to persuade the examiner to agree. The five stages of the test build on each other; as the test progresses, the linguistic and interactional demands become increasingly more challenging.
The questions are presented onscreen and test takers record their responses.
Test takers participate in a structured, digital, multistage speaking task.
5 stages
10 minutes
Test Scoring and Results
Test Scoring, Score Report, and Certificate
Michigan Language Assessment uses scoring models to ensure that scores are comparable across different administrations and fair to all test takers, regardless of when they took the test.
The listening and reading sections of MET are scored by computer at Michigan Language Assessment. Each correct answer adds to the final score for its section; points are not deducted for wrong answers.
The writing and speaking sections are scored by trained and certified raters using scoring criteria established by Michigan Language Assessment. (See the MET Speaking and MET Writing rating scales.)
Test takers receive a scaled score from 0-80 for each test section, and an average score for all sections taken. Instead of receiving a pass or fail, they are shown where their skills fall in terms of the CEFR, including a detailed description of abilities at that level. An MET Certificate of Achievement is available upon request.
See an example 2-skill Remote MET Score Report and 2-skill Remote MET Certificate.
See an example 4-skill MET Score Report and 4-skill MET Certificate.
Interpreting and Using Test Results
MET is aimed at the high-beginner to advanced levels (A2-C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) with emphasis on the intermediate levels (B1 and B2). See the MET Scoring Table for can-do statements for each level.
MET estimates the test taker’s true competency by approximating the kinds of tasks that may be encountered in real life. Temporary factors, such as fatigue, anxiety, or illness, may affect exam results.