Free Practice Questions for EF SET
Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
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Key Facts: EF SET Exam
The EF SET English Certificate is created and maintained by EF Education First and is offered online completely free.
The 50-minute EF SET tests two skills only: reading comprehension and listening comprehension, not speaking or writing.
The test is split into a 25-minute reading section and a 25-minute listening section, totaling 50 minutes.
EF SET scores range from 0 to 100, with 0-20 reported below A1 and A1 beginning at 21 on EF's published band table.
On the EF SET scale, A1 is 21-30, A2 is 31-40, B1 is 41-50, B2 is 51-60, C1 is 61-70 and C2 is 71-100.
The EF SET is delivered as a three-stage computer-adaptive multi-stage test calibrated with the Rasch model.
Test takers answer roughly 50 reading and 50 listening multiple-choice questions, though the exact number varies.
Every EF SET listening recording runs 20 seconds to 5 minutes and can be played twice.
The overall EF SET score is the average of the equally weighted reading and listening section scores.
EF limits the EF SET certifying exams to one test session per person every 90 days.
The EF SET English Certificate is a free, 50-minute online test of reading and listening with a 25-minute section each; adaptive multiple-choice scoring runs 0 to 100 and maps to CEFR levels A1 to C2.
Sample EF SET Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the EF SET exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 110+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Read the sentence and choose the best word: "She is very tired because she ___ all night."
2Choose the word that best completes the sentence: "There ___ a lot of people at the party last night."
3Read the short notice: "Library closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m." On which day can you NOT visit the library?
4Choose the correct preposition: "The meeting is ___ Monday morning."
5What is the opposite of "expensive"?
6Read the email line: "Please find the report attached." What should the reader do?
7Choose the best word: "I have lived here ___ ten years."
8Read the sign: "No parking between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m." When is parking allowed?
9Choose the correct form: "My brother is taller than ___."
10What does the word "quickly" describe in this sentence: "He answered the question quickly."
About the EF SET Exam
The EF SET English Certificate is a free, online English proficiency test created and maintained by EF Education First. The 50-minute version, also called the 2-skill test, measures reading and listening comprehension only; it does not assess speaking or writing. It is composed of a 25-minute reading section and a 25-minute listening section, both delivered as computer-adaptive multiple-choice tasks that get harder or easier depending on how the test taker is performing. Scores range from 0 to 100 and are aligned to the six CEFR levels from A1 to C2, with separate reading and listening scores and an overall score that is the average of the two. On finishing, test takers receive a free personalized certificate that can be added to a CV or LinkedIn profile. The test is unproctored and can be taken on a laptop, tablet or phone anywhere in the world.
Exam sponsor: EF Education First. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
100 questions
Time Limit
50 minutes total, split into a 25-minute reading section and a 25-minute listening section. Individual tasks are not timed; each section as a whole closes at 25 minutes.
Passing Score
No pass or fail; scores of 0 to 100 map to CEFR bands, with 0-20 reported below A1 (A0 Novice), A1 21-30, A2 31-40, B1 41-50, B2 51-60, C1 61-70 and C2 71-100.
Exam / Certification Fees
Free; there is no fee to take the EF SET English Certificate.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Official sources
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Reading Comprehension
Written texts of one to five paragraphs carrying six questions on average (range one to twelve), with multiple-choice questions on vocabulary, grammar in context, gist, major ideas, specific detail, inference, cohesion and rhetorical organization across CEFR levels A1 to C2.
Listening Comprehension
Recorded passages of 20 seconds to 5 minutes in American, British and Australian English, each playable twice, delivered as monologue, dialogue and speaker-match tasks with multiple-choice questions on gist, detail, speaker function and intention, and inference across CEFR levels A1 to C2.
Preparing for the EF SET Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No pass or fail; scores of 0 to 100 map to CEFR bands, with 0-20 reported below A1 (A0 Novice), A1 21-30, A2 31-40, B1 41-50, B2 51-60, C1 61-70 and C2 71-100.
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: 50 minutes total, split into a 25-minute reading section and a 25-minute listening section. Individual tasks are not timed; each section as a whole closes at 25 minutes.
- Exam / certification fees: Free; there is no fee to take the EF SET English Certificate. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 110 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
EF SET: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the EF SET English Certificate really free?
Yes. The EF SET is offered online by EF Education First at no charge, with no registration or examination fee, and you receive a free personalized certificate on completion.
How long is the 50-minute EF SET and what does it test?
It lasts 50 minutes, split into a 25-minute reading section and a 25-minute listening section. This 2-skill version tests reading and listening comprehension only, not speaking or writing.
How is the EF SET scored?
Reading and listening are scored separately from 0 to 100 and the overall score is the average of the two equally weighted sections. There is no pass or fail; results map to CEFR levels, and EF's sample certificate reports Reading 41 with Listening 50 as an overall 45, so a fractional half is not rounded up.
How do EF SET scores map to CEFR levels?
EF publishes 0-20 below A1 (shown as A0 Novice on the certificate), then 21-30 for A1 Beginner, 31-40 for A2 Elementary, 41-50 for B1 Intermediate, 51-60 for B2 Upper Intermediate, 61-70 for C1 Advanced and 71-100 for C2 Proficient.
What does it mean that the EF SET is adaptive?
EF delivers the test as a three-stage computer-adaptive multi-stage test. Everyone starts on a common medium module; the number of questions you answer correctly routes you to an easier, medium or harder second-stage module, and your cumulative performance then routes you to one of four third-stage modules built at the CEFR boundaries. Scores are calibrated with the Rasch model, so item difficulty matters more than raw percentage correct.
Is the EF SET accepted like TOEFL or IELTS?
EF SET scores are aligned to the CEFR and have been correlated with TOEFL and IELTS bands. The certificate is widely used for self-assessment and LinkedIn, and many schools and employers use EF SET for benchmarking.