Talking English

English Pronunciation for German Speakers

🇩🇪

Die auf dieser Website verwendete Aussprache orientiert sich am britischen Englisch (RP / General British), wie es im internationalen Unterricht und in Prüfungen üblich ist.

English Certificates and Exams

A practical overview of the main English tests worldwide

English certificates are used for study, work, immigration/visas, and professional licensing. Below is a clear list of the most widely recognised exams, grouped by purpose.

1) University and Academic Admission

IELTS Academic

Used for university admission in many countries. There is also an official UK visa version (IELTS for UKVI). IELTS

TOEFL iBT

Common for universities (especially in the US and many international programs).

PTE Academic

Popular computer-based academic test; some countries also use specific variants for visas (e.g., UKVI). Pearson PTE

Duolingo English Test (DET)

Online test accepted by many institutions; often chosen for speed and convenience.

Cambridge English Qualifications (General & Higher Level)

Includes well-known exams aligned to CEFR (e.g., B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency). Cambridge also offers Linguaskill (see below). cambridgeenglish.org

LanguageCert (General / Academic options)

International English exams with flexible formats (including online options).

Oxford Test of English (OTE)

Used by some institutions as an alternative to the major tests.

2) Work and Business English

TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)

Widely used by companies for workplace English.

Linguaskill (Cambridge)

Online, on-demand modular test used by universities and employers; available in General/Academic and Business versions. cambridgeenglish.org

LanguageCert (Business / Workplace-oriented options)

Used by employers and training providers (varies by country and employer).

EF SET (online placement-style test)

Often used as a quick level check in corporate contexts.

3) Immigration, Visas, and Government Requirements

UK: Secure English Language Tests (SELT)

The UK Home Office/UKVI requires approved SELT providers and specific test versions. GOV.UK

Common UKVI-approved providers include:

  • IELTS for UKVI / IELTS Life Skills IELTS

  • Pearson PTE SELT (e.g., PTE Academic UKVI / PTE Home) Pearson PTE

  • LanguageCert SELT LanguageCert SELT+1

  • Trinity College London (e.g., GESE for UKVI contexts) GOV.UK

Canada (immigration language tests accepted by IRCC)

For programs like Express Entry, Canada accepts specific tests (English and French). For English, this includes CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core. Canada+1

4) Healthcare and Professional Licensing

OET (Occupational English Test)

Designed for healthcare professionals, with role-play speaking tasks and medical communication focus.

Professional regulators may accept multiple tests

Some licensing bodies list accepted tests and cut scores (these vary by profession and country). OCP

5) Spoken-English Interviews (Face-to-Face style)

Trinity GESE (Graded Examinations in Spoken English)

A speaking-focused exam with live interaction (also used in some UK visa routes depending on approved versions). GOV.UK

6) Aviation English (Licensing Requirements)

ICAO English Language Proficiency Tests

Aviation professionals (pilots/ATC) often need ICAO-aligned language proficiency assessment according to ICAO standards; providers vary by country and regulator. icao-english.eu+1

Quick “Which exam do I need?” guide

  • University (international): IELTS Academic / TOEFL iBT / PTE Academic / sometimes DET or Cambridge (depends on institution)

  • UK visa / settlement: UKVI-approved SELT (IELTS for UKVI, PTE SELT, LanguageCert SELT, Trinity SELT—must be the correct version) LanguageCert+3GOV.UK+3IELTS+3

  • Canada immigration: CELPIP-General / IELTS General Training / PTE Core Canada+1

  • Workplace/business: TOEIC / Linguaskill / sometimes LanguageCert

  • Healthcare licensing: OET (often) and/or other accepted tests (check your regulator)

  • Aviation: ICAO English proficiency tests (regulator-specific)

If you tell me your main use case (study, job, UK visa, Canada immigration, healthcare, etc.), I can rewrite this page as a tighter “choose your exam” funnel with a simple comparison table and internal links to each exam’s pronunciation page.

write this with German in brackets and italics and add at the end of each "pronunciation requirements"

Below is a student-friendly webpage for “English Certificates and Exams”, with

  • English text,

  • German translations in brackets and italics, and

  • a “Pronunciation requirements” section at the end of each exam.

You can publish this directly or split it into subpages later.

English Certificates and Exams

An overview of the main English tests worldwide

(Englische Sprachzertifikate und Prüfungen – ein Überblick über die wichtigsten Tests weltweit)

English certificates are used for study, work, immigration, and professional licensing.

(Englische Sprachzertifikate werden für Studium, Beruf, Einwanderung und berufliche Zulassungen verwendet.)

Below you will find the most important exams, grouped by purpose.

(Im Folgenden finden Sie die wichtigsten Prüfungen, nach Zweck geordnet.)

1. IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS is widely used for university admission, immigration, and professional purposes.
There are two main versions: Academic and General Training.

(IELTS wird häufig für Studium, Einwanderung und berufliche Zwecke genutzt.
Es gibt zwei Hauptversionen: Academic und General Training.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Any standard accent is accepted (British, American, etc.).

  • Pronunciation is scored directly in the Speaking test.

  • Clear vowels, word stress, and sentence rhythm are essential.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Alle Standardakzente sind erlaubt. Die Aussprache wird im Speaking direkt bewertet.
Klarheit, Wortakzent und Sprechrhythmus sind entscheidend.)

2. TOEFL iBT

TOEFL iBT is commonly required by universities, especially in the United States.

(TOEFL iBT wird häufig von Universitäten verlangt, insbesondere in den USA.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Accent choice does not affect the score.

  • Intelligibility and consistency are key.

  • Pronunciation is assessed by human raters.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Der Akzent beeinflusst die Bewertung nicht.
Verständlichkeit und Konsistenz sind entscheidend.)

3. Cambridge English Qualifications

(B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency)

These exams are CEFR-aligned and often valid for life.

(Diese Prüfungen sind CEFR-orientiert und oft lebenslang gültig.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Any standard English accent is accepted.

  • Pronunciation supports interaction and communication.

  • Control and stability matter more at higher levels.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Alle Standardakzente sind erlaubt.
Aussprache unterstützt Interaktion; Kontrolle wird auf höheren Niveaus wichtiger.)

4. PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)

A fully computer-based exam used for study and some visa routes.

(Eine vollständig computerbasierte Prüfung für Studium und teilweise Visa.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Accent is not scored.

  • Clear, consistent pronunciation improves AI recognition.

  • Stable rhythm and pace are essential.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Der Akzent wird nicht bewertet.
Klare, konsistente Aussprache verbessert die KI-Erkennung.)

5. Duolingo English Test (DET)

An online test accepted by many universities worldwide.

(Ein Online-Test, der von vielen Universitäten anerkannt wird.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Natural, clear speech is required.

  • Short answers must be immediately understandable.

  • Consistency matters more than detail.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Natürliches, klares Sprechen ist erforderlich.
Kurze Antworten müssen sofort verständlich sein.)

6. TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)

Used mainly in business and workplace contexts.

(Vor allem im beruflichen und geschäftlichen Kontext verwendet.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Accent choice does not matter.

  • Professional clarity and credibility are important.

  • Neutral intonation is preferred.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Der Akzent ist egal.
Klarheit und professionelle Wirkung sind entscheidend.)

7. Linguaskill (Cambridge)

A flexible, modular online test for companies and institutions.

(Ein flexibler, modularer Online-Test für Unternehmen und Institutionen.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Clear, professional pronunciation.

  • Consistency under time pressure.

  • Suitable for workplace communication.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Klare, professionelle Aussprache.
Stabilität unter Zeitdruck ist wichtig.)

8. OET (Occupational English Test)

Designed specifically for healthcare professionals.

(Speziell für medizinisches Fachpersonal entwickelt.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Accent is not assessed.

  • Clear pronunciation supports patient safety.

  • Calm, reassuring intonation is essential.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Der Akzent wird nicht bewertet.
Klare Aussprache unterstützt Patientensicherheit.)

9. Trinity GESE

(Graded Examinations in Spoken English)

A speaking-only, face-to-face exam.

(Eine reine mündliche Prüfung im persönlichen Gespräch.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Natural, conversational pronunciation.

  • Interaction matters more than perfection.

  • Accent choice is irrelevant.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Natürliche, gesprächsnahe Aussprache.
Interaktion ist wichtiger als Perfektion.)

10. CELPIP

(Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program)

Used mainly for Canadian immigration and work.

(Vor allem für Einwanderung und Beruf in Kanada verwendet.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Any standard accent is accepted.

  • Clear everyday English is required.

  • Consistency across computer-based tasks is crucial.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Alle Standardakzente sind erlaubt.
Klar verständliches Alltagsenglisch ist entscheidend.)

11. LanguageCert (PeopleCert)

International exams used for study, work, and visas.

(Internationale Prüfungen für Studium, Beruf und Visa.)

Pronunciation requirements

  • Accent is not assessed.

  • International intelligibility is the goal.

  • Balanced, stable pronunciation across tasks.

(Ausspracheanforderungen:
Der Akzent wird nicht bewertet.
Internationale Verständlichkeit ist das Ziel.)

Final Note for Learners

You do not need a specific accent for any of these exams.
You need clear, consistent, and easy-to-understand pronunciation.

(Sie brauchen keinen bestimmten Akzent für diese Prüfungen.
Sie brauchen klare, konsistente und gut verständliche Aussprache.)

 

Business English

Individueller Unterricht mit muttersprachlichen Lehrern, flexibel anpassbar an Ihre Lernziele.

Englisch Grammatik

Berufsspezifischer Englischkurs, um Ihre Kommunikationsfähigkeiten im Geschäftsleben zu