The free Versant English Test guide and practice test
Everything you need to walk into the Versant English Placement Test prepared: how each of the nine parts works, how the GSE score is built, what the scoring engine listens for, and a full-length practice test with a complete answer key.
- All 9 parts explained
- 81-question practice test
- Answer key and model answers
- Free PDF, no signup
Free PDF · 46 pages · 930 KB · No signup
What’s inside the ebook
9 chapters on the Versant English Placement Test, then a full 81-question practice test with an answer key.
- 01
How to use this book
Who the guide is for and the fastest route through it if your test is days away.
- 02
What the Versant test is
Who uses the Versant English Placement Test, what it measures, and how it differs from IELTS, PTE Academic and the other Versant tests.
- 03
The test format at a glance
The nine parts in order, how many questions each has, how long you get and which skill score each one feeds.
- 04
How the Versant score works
The Global Scale of English, the CEFR levels behind it, how your Overall score is calculated and what the scoring engine rewards.
- 05
The speaking section: Parts A to D
Read Aloud, Repeat, Sentence Builds and Conversations: what you do, what is measured, worked examples and the mistakes that cost points.
- 06
The writing section: Parts E to I
Typing, Sentence Completion, Dictation, Passage Reconstruction and Summary and Opinion, with model answers and time-management rules.
- 07
Test-day setup and checklist
Equipment, room, browser and timing checks that stop technical problems from costing you points.
- 08
A 14-day study plan
A day-by-day plan of about 45 minutes a day that covers every part twice and includes two full timed tests.
- 09
Practice with real audio on Mocko
How to sit the whole test with real audio and the same timers on Mocko: a free Writing test to start, full mocks and Speaking on Premium.
Full Versant practice test
All 9 parts and 81 questions in the real order and timing, plus an answer key with accepted alternatives, model answers for the writing tasks, a self-marking guide and a partner script for the listening parts.
Before you study: find out where you stand
Reading this book tells you how the Versant test works. Sitting it tells you what to fix. Mocko runs the Versant test in its real format, with audio that plays once, a timer on every question and automatic scoring on the GSE scale.
- All nine parts, real formatRead Aloud to Summary and Opinion, in the official order and timing.
- Audio that plays onceRepeat, Sentence Builds, Conversations and Dictation as you will hear them on test day.
- GSE and CEFR scoresA score report for Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing after every full mock.
- Feedback on your writingSee what cost you points in Passage Reconstruction and Summary and Opinion.
What the Versant test is
Versant is a family of English tests made by Pearson. The version most candidates meet today is the Versant English Placement Test (VEPT): a single online sitting of about 50 minutes that reports an Overall score plus four skill scores for Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.
You do not usually book a Versant test yourself the way you book IELTS. An organization asks you to take it and gives you a Test Identification Number (TIN). Typical examples are employers screening job applicants (customer service, call centers, airlines, hospitality and international companies), language schools and universities placing students into the right class, and professional bodies that need proof of English. Since March 2026, for example, internationally trained lawyers applying through Canada's National Committee on Accreditation must take a proctored VEPT language screen.
What makes Versant different
- It is scored entirely by machine. Your speech is scored by speech-recognition technology and your writing by automated scoring. Results arrive within minutes.
- It is fast. Most answers last a few seconds. There is no time to plan a long answer, so the test rewards automatic, fluent English over careful composition.
- It moves forward only. You cannot go back, change an answer or re-record. When the timer ends, your work is saved as it is.
- It tests everyday English. Topics are familiar: work, shopping, travel, family, health. You do not need specialist vocabulary.
Versant compared with IELTS and PTE Academic
| Versant (VEPT) | IELTS | PTE Academic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | About 50 minutes | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 2 hours |
| Speaking | Recorded, machine scored | Live examiner | Recorded, machine scored |
| Results | Minutes | Days | Usually within 2 days |
| Score scale | GSE 10 to 90 | Bands 0 to 9 | 10 to 90 |
| Who asks for it | Employers, schools, professional bodies | Immigration, universities | Universities, immigration |
Other Versant tests you may hear about
Pearson also offers narrower Versant tests, such as a Speaking and Listening test, a Writing test, a Professional English test and a 4 Skills Essentials test. Many of their task types are shared with the placement test. If you were asked to take one of them, the strategies in chapters 5 and 6 still apply to every task type you meet, but check your invitation for the exact parts and timings.
See where you stand today
Take a free Versant Writing practice test on Mocko and get a score report in minutes. It is the fastest way to find out how far you are from your target.
Take the free Writing testThe test format at a glance
The test has nine parts, lettered A to I, with 81 questions in total. Parts A to D are spoken into your microphone. Parts E to I are typed. Each part begins with a short instruction screen and an example, read aloud by an examiner voice. Before Part A, you may also be asked for a short, unscored speech sample of up to 30 seconds.
| Part | Task | Questions | Time per question | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Read Aloud | 2 | 30 seconds | Speaking, Reading |
| B | Repeat | 16 | About 15 seconds | Speaking |
| C | Sentence Builds | 10 | About 15 seconds | Speaking |
| D | Conversations | 12 | Start within about 8 seconds | Listening |
| E | Typing | 1 | 60 seconds | Typing speed and accuracy only |
| F | Sentence Completion | 20 | 25 seconds | Reading |
| G | Dictation | 16 | 25 seconds | Listening |
| H | Passage Reconstruction | 3 | 30 seconds reading, 90 seconds writing | Writing |
| I | Summary and Opinion | 1 | 18 minutes | Writing, Reading |
Three things the table does not show
- Some parts feed a skill you would not expect. Conversations is answered by speaking but scores your Listening. Sentence Completion is typed but scores your Reading. That is why a strong writer can still lose Reading points by rushing Part F.
- The speaking parts have a start-within rule. If you stay silent for too long after the beep (about 10 seconds in Read Aloud, and as little as 6 to 8 seconds in Repeat, Sentence Builds and Conversations), the test moves on and that item is lost.
- The audio plays once. There is no replay button on the questions, so you need to catch each recording the first time.
Sit the real format before test day
Mocko runs all nine parts in the real order, with audio that plays once and a timer on every question, so nothing on test day is new.
Try a Versant test on MockoVersant sample questions with answers
A few questions from the practice test in the ebook. The full test has 81.
Read each passage aloud in a clear, natural voice. You have 30 seconds per passage. You do not need to finish.
Show the answerHide the answer
Read the passage as written.
Scored on pronunciation and fluency. Aim for about two to three words per second with pauses at commas and periods. Being stopped before the end is normal.
Your partner reads each sentence once. Repeat it exactly, starting straight away.
Show the answerHide the answer
Could you send me the report by Friday?
Your partner reads three groups of words in a mixed-up order. Put them in the right order and say the sentence.
Show the answerHide the answer
Did you remember to buy the tickets?
Your partner reads a short conversation and a question. Answer the question in a word or a short phrase.
Show the answerHide the answer
At two.
Also accept: two o'clock, two, 2 p.m., two p.m.
The question asks for the time, not the day.
Write one word that best completes each sentence. Allow 25 seconds per sentence.
Show the answerHide the answer
dead
Also accept: empty, flat
Your partner reads each sentence once. Write it exactly as you hear it, with correct spelling and punctuation.
Show the answerHide the answer
The manager's flight lands at half past six.
Check the apostrophe in "manager's".
Read the passage for 30 seconds, then cover it. In 90 seconds, rewrite the passage in your own words, keeping all the key information.
Show the answerHide the answer
On Saturday Maria wanted to bake bread for a neighbor's birthday, but she discovered she had run out of flour. Rather than drive to the store, she borrowed some from another neighbor. The bread turned out well, and now the three neighbors bake together every month.
Key points: bread for a neighbor's birthday, no flour, borrowed from another neighbor instead of going to the store, success, the three now bake together monthly.
Hear it, speak it, get scored
A PDF cannot play audio or listen to you. Take a full Versant practice test on Mocko with real audio, the same timers and a score report for every skill.
Questions about the Versant ebook
Is the Versant English Test ebook really free?
Yes. The PDF is free to download, print and share, with no signup and no email address required.
Which Versant test does this guide cover?
It follows the Versant English Placement Test (VEPT), the nine-part, roughly 50-minute test that scores Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing on the Global Scale of English. Its task strategies also apply to the other Versant tests that share the same task types, such as Repeat, Sentence Builds, Dictation and Passage Reconstruction.
Does the ebook include a practice test with answers?
Yes. It includes a full 81-question practice test in the same order and timing as the real test, a complete answer key with accepted alternatives, model answers for the writing tasks, a self-marking guide and a script a friend can read aloud for the listening parts.
How is the Versant test scored?
The test is scored automatically. You receive an Overall score and scores for Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing on the Global Scale of English, from 10 to 90, each with a CEFR level. The four skills count equally toward the Overall score. Typing speed and accuracy are reported separately.
What is a good Versant score?
There is no universal pass mark. The organization that invited you sets the minimum. Canada's National Committee on Accreditation, for example, sets a minimum Overall score of 66 on the GSE for internationally trained lawyers.
How can I practice the listening parts from a PDF?
The book includes a partner script for Repeat, Sentence Builds, Conversations and Dictation, so a friend can read each item to you once. To practice with real audio, the same timers and automatic scoring, you can take a full Versant mock test on Mocko Premium. The free plan includes a Versant Writing practice test.
How long should I prepare for the Versant test?
If your English is already close to your target level, two weeks of focused daily practice is usually enough to get used to the format. The book includes a 14-day plan of about 45 minutes a day.
More free Versant resources
Download The Versant English Test Guide
Format, scoring, part-by-part strategies and a full 81-question practice test. Free to download, print and share.
Download the free PDF46 pages · 930 KB · No signup
