What is ISE?

ISE Examinations test all four language skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading. They are available at five key levels which are linked to the CEFR.

This assessment is about how the four skills integrate with each other. In the real world of communication we generally use all these skills together, for example, taking notes as we talk on the phone or listen to a lecture, or giving a presentation where we write on the board at the same time as talking and responding to our audience.

These examinations are suitable for young and adult learners, from basic to advanced levels. Learners may be students who need proof of their English proficiency skills to enter university, or those who need to show evidence of English proficiency in all four language skills for work. 

There are three parts to the examination:

•  Preparation and presentation of a portfolio of written work

•  A Controlled Written examination

•  An interview with a Trinity examiner

Part 1 - the Portfolio

Trinity College London favours the use of written portfolios in language assessment for a number of reasons, but principally because they provide the opportunity for candidates to present the best work they can produce, rather than the best they can produce on a single occasion in the examination room.

ISE portfolios are learner-led. Candidates are able to draw on a wide range of resources, such as dictionaries and word processors, and they are less limited by the factor of time. In the portfolio, candidates are expected to display their ability to use the functional, grammatical and lexical items specified for the level and the preceding levels.

There is no time limit for the preparation of the portfolio. The candidate may start working on portfolio tasks at any time they like, but all tasks must be completely ready by the time of the examiner's visit. We recommend candidates begin preparing the portfolio 6-12 weeks before their interview.

*Note: Candidates may only choose tasks from this year's list of published tasks. Portfolio assignments based on tasks from any other year will NOT be accepted. For a list of 2010 Portfolio tasks, refer to the 'Downloads' section of this website for a copy.  

Part 2 – The written examination

This consists of two or three tasks. The first is a “reading into writing” task, in which the candidate is asked to read a short text and complete a writing task or tasks based on it. The second is a writing task similar to those that appear in the portfolio or for ISE III it is a correspondence task which requires the candidate to write a formal or semi-formal letter in order to present a point of view, criticise and/or request action or redress. The third is a creative writing task (ISE III only), which requires the candidate to display the ability to use language imaginatively to convey emotion and personal perspectives.

Part 3 – The Interview

The interview section of ISE is very similar to the interview section of the GESE exams; the only difference being in an ISE interview, the candidate will talk about their portfolio, which the examiner will have read ahead of time. For details about the interview, please visit the GESE page of this website.