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  • For new Language Students only

    To ensure that you are in the correct language class we ask that you complete the relevant language diagnostic test below. These are purely diagnostic tests to help identify your entry language level, not an exam. There is a title for each language and the details of the relevant tests are there. Details of which groups of students need to take the tests are listed under each language. 

    Once you have completed the test we may then need to change your language level and this can impact your teaching timetable.

    • Welcome to Queen Mary University and thanks for choosing Spanish as a component of your degree!

      Instructions to complete the placement test:

      This is a purely diagnostic test to help identify your entry level of Spanish, not an exam.

      - Please answer all the questions.
      - The test should be completed in no more than 90 minutes.
      - Please, follow the strict exam conditions (dictionaries should not be consulted)

      Pease, do take the test even if you have been told you are a native / heritage speaker / if you have learnt some Spanish while on holidays or living in a Spanish Speaking place for a while (even if it was just for a short while), if you have a GCSE, if you have an A-Level  or if you know any Spanish at all.  

      Hasta muy pronto.

    • Welcome to the French language placement test!

      This test is for students without any formal qualifications in French and for students with foreign (non-British) qualifications in French.

      It is also for students with a GCSE in French (or equivalent).

      Do not take this test if you are a complete beginner in French or if you have an A or B in your A-level in French.

      This test will allow us to make sure you are placed in a French language group which is appropriate to your current level in French. It wouldn't be very productive nor pleasant for you if you find yourself in a group where the learning and teaching material is too easy or too hard.

      You have 90 minutes to complete the two sections (section I : grammar, section II : composition). Both sections count for 50%.

      Once you've finished the test, please email it to Dr Elsa Petit at e.petit@qmul.ac.uk and clearly indicate in the Subject of your email: French language diagnostic test.

      The deadline by which you need to email this completed test back to Dr Petit is Friday 20th September noon in order to leave enough time for Dr Petit to mark your test and to let the admin team which French language module you should be enrolled on.

      Do not forget to indicate which module you would like to take in the first question and to indicate your full name and QMUL email address.

      Best of luck!

    • This placement test should be taken by ALL new first-year students who are intending to study German, even those who consider themselves native or near-native speaker level. The only exception to this are students with no prior knowledge of German. They don't have to take the test as they will be placed in the Ab Initio pathway and will take our beginner's class Introductory German.


      This test does not count and will only help us to place you in the right pathway/class for your level, so please make sure that you do the test by yourself and under exam conditions so that the results are a true reflection of your language level in German. You should take no longer than 45 minutes for the test. (The time limit here is set to 47 minutes to allow time to navigate between questions.) 

      Please only attempt to do the test once.


    • This is a purely diagnostic test to help identify your entry level of Russian, not an exam. 

       - Please use this test if you consider yourself a heritage speaker of the Russian language. 

      There is a special test for non-heritage speakers of Russian available.

      - Please note that you require a Russian keyboard in order to type in your answers. Your last task will be to write a short essay (100-150 words) describing why you have been studying Russian. 

         - Please answer all the questions.

         - The test is timed and should be completed in no more than 60 minutes.

         - The test should be completed under strict exam conditions and dictionaries should not be consulted.

      Thank you for your co-operation.

    • This is a purely diagnostic test to help identify your entry level of Russian, not an exam.

      - Please use this test if you have some knowledge of Russian, but you do not consider yourself a heritage speaker of the language. There is a special test for heritage speakers of Russian available.

      - Please answer all the questions.

      - Please note that you require a Russian keyboard in order to type in your answers. Your last task will be to write a short essay (100-150 words) describing why you have been studying Russian. 

      - The test is timed and should be completed in no more than 60 minutes.

      - The test should be completed under strict exam conditions and dictionaries should not be consulted.

      Thank you for your co-operation.

    • This test is catered for those who are heritage speakers of Portuguese or have taken their A-Level Portuguese examination recently. 

      The aim of this assessment is to place students at the right level of study, which will enable them to progress adequately and achieve the desired outcomes. 

      This test is timed and should be completed within 60 minutes

      It is important that this test is carried out unaided and without resources, so a clear assessment can be made. This is to the benefit of the student, for being placed at a higher level to current abilities can be demotivating and affect students' final results.

      Até muito em breve!