Faq. Preguntas frecuentes generales
What is the difference between Cambridge and Trinity?
Based on the concerns expressed by readers, we can say that the questions that are most frequently made are:
−−Which of the two exams is easier, ISE Trinity or Cambridge?
−−Is the ISE listening, reading, writing and speaking test Trinity easier than Cambridge?
−−Which of the two exams requires more time to prepare? The thing is, both Trinity and Cambridge claim to follow the CEFR, so the level of difficulty should be the same.
Similarities
We are talking about two official language level accreditations, which have been creditors of the recognition of countless institutions and companies, not only in the United Kingdom but in many countries of the world.
In the case of Spain, the two accreditations are excellent certificates to present our CV, which allows us to achieve the University Degree in our country as well as working in the European Union and the United Kingdom, because both certify the level of English according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages.
How to differentiate accreditations
Naturally, the differences lie in the exams:
Cambridge approach
Cambridge gives the exam a more academic nuance that encompasses grammar and vocabulary (known as “Use of English”). It consists of 4 parts: Speaking,
Listening, Writing and Reading, having to pass the exam together to obtain the degree.
Trinity approach
Instead it could be said that Trinity has a more professional approach, focusing more on communication and consists of two parts: Speaking-Listening and Writing-Reading.
In this case, the two parts can be approved separately, saving the note of the approved part (in case you suspend) for subsequent calls.
Speaking
For Cambridge exams, the student will take the test with two examiners, this should make the results more reliable. The main downside is that you do the exam talking in pairs with another student. This can lead to confusion if the other person makes mistakes or may intimidate you if you see that the other person has a domain superior of the oral. The test lasts 10 minutes and is divided into 4 parts:
−−The personal presentation of each
−−A mock situation
−−Description of an image
−−Have a conversation with another person about a topic related to the photo.
Instead, the Trinity exam is done individually. Lasts 10-25 minutes depending on the level and the student is required to prepare a certain topic to expose during the test. This test can be more stressful than Cambridge as it focuses on a single student all the attention.
Reading and writing
These two parts are very similar in both Cambridge and Trinity. If it fits note that for the Cambridge exam there is more emphasis on the use of prepositions and collocations.
The Reading and Writing part of Trinity consists of 1 writing, 1 written test on a given text and 2 reading comprehension tests. However, that of Cambridge is divided into several exercises (first 3 of reading and 2 following of writing)