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iTEP Academic-Core Cheat Sheet

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Grammar Structure

  • 33.3% of exam
  • Grammar Format Sentence Completion Error Identification Verb Forms Agreement Clauses

Listening Comprehension

  • 33.3% of exam
  • Listening Format Short Conversations Extended Conversation Lecture Note Map Audio Evidence

Reading Comprehension

  • 33.3% of exam
  • Reading Format Passage Map Main Idea Detail Inference Vocabulary

Quick Facts

  • Product Academic-Core
  • Scored skills Grammar, Listening, Reading
  • Questions 49 multiple-choice
  • Testing time 50 minutes
  • Preparation 10 additional minutes
  • Total session 60 minutes
  • Grammar 25 items / 10 min
  • Listening 14 items / 20 min
  • Reading 10 items / 20 min
  • Choices Four per item
  • Wrong answers No penalty
  • Score scale 0.0–6.0
  • Universal pass Institution-defined

Grammar Scan GR

  • Role → Time → Agreement → Connection
  • Role: noun/verb Time: timeline Agreement: subject Connection: logic

Academic-Core vs Academic-Plus GR

Core

  • Grammar, Listening, Reading
  • 50 testing minutes
  • Three automated sections

Plus

  • Adds writing and speaking
  • 80 testing minutes
  • Human-rated added sections
  • Three skills vs five skills

Grammar Answer Picker GR

  • Sentence has blank → Identify required grammar role
  • Segments are marked → Find incorrect segment
  • Verb options differ → Map timeline, then agreement
  • Pronouns differ → Trace antecedent
  • Connectors differ → Name logical relationship
  • Modifiers differ → Check attachment
  • List forms differ → Enforce parallel structure
  • Two answers seem possible → Test full sentence

Academic-Core Format GR

  • Core skills Grammar, Listening, Reading
  • Core question type Four-option multiple choice
  • Total items 49
  • Scored testing 50 minutes
  • Pre-test preparation 10 additional minutes
  • Total session 60 minutes
  • Core scoring All sections automated
  • Section weights Equal
  • Wrong-answer penalty None
  • Universal passing score Not set by iTEP

No-Penalty Rule GR

  • Eliminate → Choose → Never leave blank
  • Wrong: no penalty Blank: no advantage Guess after elimination

Testing Time vs Session Time GR

Testing

  • 50 minutes
  • Scored sections only
  • 10 + 20 + 20

Session

  • 60 minutes
  • Includes preparation
  • Adds ten minutes
  • Preparation is not testing time

Delivery and Reporting GR

  • Online delivery At home or institution
  • Paper Core Available
  • Score range 0.0–6.0
  • Overall precision One decimal point
  • Overall score Average of skill sections
  • Skill scores Reported separately
  • Framework CEFR aligned
  • Result validity Two years from test date
  • Testing ID Valid for twelve months
  • Help button Reopens test directions
  • Section timer Shows remaining time
  • Target score Receiving institution decides

Completion vs Error Identification GR

Completion

  • 13 questions
  • Fill sentence blank
  • Choose correct form

Error Identification

  • 12 questions
  • Inspect marked segments
  • Choose incorrect form
  • Supply correct vs locate wrong

Grammar Format GR

  • Grammar time 10 minutes
  • Grammar total 25 questions
  • Grammar parts Two
  • Part 1 13 sentence completions
  • Part 2 12 error identifications
  • Difficulty range Beginner through advanced
  • Completion task Choose fitting word or phrase
  • Error task Choose incorrect segment
  • Grammar review Back button while time remains

Section Weight vs Item Count GR

Section Weight

  • Each section equal
  • Three skill scores
  • Overall averages sections

Item Count

  • Grammar has 25
  • Listening has 14
  • Reading has 10
  • More items do not outweigh

Verb and Noun Grammar GR

  • Subject-verb agreement Match finite verb to subject
  • Simple present Habits or general truths
  • Present continuous Action ongoing now
  • Present perfect Past linked to present
  • Past perfect Earlier past action
  • Modal Follow with base verb
  • A or an Nonspecific singular count noun
  • The Specific or shared reference
  • Count noun Many and fewer
  • Noncount noun Much and less
  • Pronoun agreement Match clear antecedent
  • Parallel structure Match grammatical forms

Clauses and Connections GR

  • Independent clause Complete thought
  • Dependent clause Needs main clause
  • Because Introduces reason clause
  • Although Introduces contrast clause
  • Despite Takes noun or gerund
  • Who Refers to people
  • Which Refers to things
  • Whose Shows possession
  • Zero conditional General result
  • First conditional Real future possibility
  • Second conditional Hypothetical present or future
  • Third conditional Counterfactual past
  • Subjunctive Recommendation plus base form
  • Dangling modifier Missing logical subject

Core and Plus Boundary GR

  • Academic-Core Grammar, listening, reading
  • Academic-Plus Five language skills
  • Plus additions Writing and speaking
  • Core testing 50 minutes
  • Plus testing 80 minutes
  • Core total 60 minutes including preparation
  • Plus total 90 minutes including preparation
  • Official admissions iTEP recommends Academic-Plus
  • Internal assessment Either version suitable

Listening Map LI

  • Who → Why → What → Result
  • Who: speakers Why: purpose What: message Result: outcome

One-Play Audio vs Reviewable Text LI

Listening

  • Audio plays once
  • Submitted answers lock
  • Notes preserve evidence

Reading and Grammar

  • Text remains visible
  • Back button available
  • Review while time remains
  • Confirm carefully; revisit visible text

Listening Answer Picker LI

  • Short conversation starts → Track who, why, what
  • Long conversation starts → Map topic and outcome
  • Lecture starts → Outline main idea and examples
  • Main idea asked → Choose broad supported summary
  • Detail asked → Use exact note
  • Purpose asked → Name speaker goal
  • Inference asked → Require audio evidence
  • Unknown word appears → Preserve overall thread

Listening Format LI

  • Listening time 20 minutes
  • Listening total 14 questions
  • Listening parts Three
  • Part 1 audio Four short conversations
  • Part 1 length Two to three sentences
  • Part 1 questions Four total
  • Part 2 audio Two-to-three-minute conversation
  • Part 2 questions Four
  • Part 3 audio Four-minute academic lecture
  • Part 3 questions Six
  • Playback Once only
  • Listening notes Permitted
  • Submitted response Cannot be reviewed or changed

Audio Evidence LI

  • Main idea Overall message
  • Key detail Explicit supporting fact
  • Speaker purpose Reason for speaking
  • Speaker relationship Roles revealed by context
  • Attitude Tone plus word choice
  • Inference Logically supported meaning
  • Transition Signals direction change
  • Example Illustrates preceding idea
  • Paraphrase Same meaning, different wording
  • Distractor Heard words, wrong relationship

Listening Note Map LI

  • Topic Name subject briefly
  • Purpose Mark speaker goal
  • Problem Record central obstacle
  • Solution Record proposed response
  • Sequence Number major stages
  • Contrast Use versus mark
  • Cause Use forward arrow
  • Example Indent beneath supporting point
  • Opinion Label speaker name
  • Unknown word Keep listening

Reading Map RE

  • Topic → Main Idea → Support → Purpose
  • Topic: subject Main idea: message Support: evidence Purpose: function

Main Idea vs Detail RE

Main Idea

  • Whole selection
  • Topic plus central point
  • Broad but supported

Detail

  • Specific evidence
  • Locate relevant sentence
  • Narrow and exact
  • Whole message vs supporting fact

Reading Answer Picker RE

  • Passage opens → Map topic and main idea
  • Main idea asked → Cover entire passage
  • Detail asked → Return to evidence
  • Vocabulary asked → Substitute in context
  • Reference asked → Trace grammatical match
  • Inference asked → Choose supported extension
  • Purpose asked → Name text function
  • Time runs short → Answer every item

Current CEFR Bands RE

  • A1 Beginner 0.0–1.9
  • A2 Elementary 2.0–2.4
  • B1 Intermediate 2.5–3.4
  • B2 Upper Intermediate 3.5–4.4
  • C1 Advanced 4.5–5.4
  • C2 Mastery 5.5–6.0

Stated vs Inferred RE

Stated

  • Explicit wording
  • Directly located
  • May be paraphrased

Inferred

  • Not directly stated
  • Strongly supported
  • Evidence still necessary
  • Written directly vs supported conclusion

Reading Format RE

  • Reading time 20 minutes
  • Reading total 10 questions
  • Reading parts Two
  • Part 1 level Intermediate
  • Part 1 passage About 250 words
  • Part 1 questions Four
  • Part 2 level Upper level
  • Part 2 passage About 450 words
  • Part 2 questions Six
  • Reading review Back button while time remains

Passage Map RE

  • Topic Passage subject
  • Main idea Central message or point
  • Paragraph role Function within passage
  • Definition Term explained nearby
  • Example Illustrates broader point
  • Contrast Opposing ideas compared
  • Cause-effect Reason linked to result
  • Pronoun reference Trace matching antecedent
  • Transition word Signals logical relation
  • Conclusion Final implication or claim

Reading Evidence RE

  • Main-idea answer Covers whole passage
  • Detail answer Matches located evidence
  • Inference answer Supported beyond exact wording
  • Vocabulary answer Fits local context
  • Purpose answer Explains why author wrote
  • Negative stem Find unsupported option
  • Too broad Exceeds passage scope
  • Too narrow Covers one detail
  • Outside knowledge Ignore unless passage supports
  • Word match Not proof of meaning

Common Traps

Sixty scored minutes

  • Testing lasts fifty minutes ≠ Preparation adds ten minutes

Core includes productive skills

  • Core has three skills ≠ Plus adds writing/speaking

Grammar dominates overall

  • Grammar has most items ≠ Sections remain equally weighted

Leaving blanks

  • Wrong answers have no penalty ≠ Answer every question

Replaying audio

  • Listening selections play once ≠ Take compact notes

Choosing the corrected segment

  • Error task asks incorrect part ≠ Select the actual error

Inference means imagination

  • Inference extends evidence ≠ Outside assumptions fail

Keyword matching

  • Distractors reuse passage words ≠ Correct meaning must align

Universal pass score

  • iTEP reports proficiency ≠ Institution sets its target

Last Minute

  • 1. Core = Grammar, Listening, Reading
  • 2. Testing 50; preparation 10; total 60
  • 3. Grammar: 25 questions, 10 minutes
  • 4. Grammar: 13 completion + 12 error
  • 5. Listening: 14 questions, 20 minutes
  • 6. Listening split: 4 + 4 + 6
  • 7. Reading: 10 questions, 20 minutes
  • 8. Reading split: 4 + 6
  • 9. Every item has four choices
  • 10. No penalty; answer every item
  • 11. Audio plays once; take notes
  • 12. Reading and Grammar allow review
  • 13. Sections are equally weighted
  • 14. Scores run 0.0–6.0
  • 15. Institution sets required score
  • 16. Confirm Core meets receiving policy

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