Versant Test Pattern & Sample Questions (2026): Every Part

By Matet Bucu, Communication Specialist · Versant English Lab

The Versant test isn’t one single exam. Pearson offers several Versant tests, and each has its own pattern. The good news is that they all use the same kinds of questions. Learn those question types and nothing on test day will surprise you.

This guide shows the pattern of each Versant test, explains every question type, and gives you a sample question for each one.

Which Versant test will you take?

Test	Length	Skills	Often used for
English Speaking and Listening Test	About 20 minutes	Speaking, listening	Voice and customer-service jobs
Writing Test	About 35 minutes	Typing, reading, writing	Non-voice, chat, email and back-office jobs
English Placement Test	About 50 minutes	All four skills	Schools, training programmes and employers
Professional English Test	About 60 minutes	All four skills	Professional and graduate hiring

All of these tests report your score on Pearson’s Global Scale of English (GSE), from 10 to 90, with a CEFR level (A1 to C2). Your invitation email tells you which test you’re taking. If you’re applying to a BPO or IT company, see the Versant test for Accenture, Concentrix and Amazon.

Versant speaking and listening test pattern

This is the test most job candidates take for voice roles. It replaced the older Versant English Test, and it has six parts:

Part	What you do
Short answers	Answer a simple spoken question with a word or short phrase
Repeat	Repeat a sentence exactly as you hear it
Conversations	Listen to a short conversation, then answer a question about it
Passage questions	Listen to a short passage, then answer questions about it
Story retelling	Listen to a short story, then retell it in your own words
Open questions	Give your opinion on an everyday topic and explain why

Sample questions

Short answers. You hear: “What do people usually use to cut paper?” You say: “Scissors.”

Repeat. You hear: “Please send me the report before the meeting tomorrow.” You say the same sentence, word for word, at a natural pace. Practise Repeat

Conversations. You hear: Man: “Is the training on Monday?” Woman: “No, they moved it to Wednesday.” Question: “When is the training?” You say: “On Wednesday.” Practise Conversations

Story retelling. You hear a short story about a man who missed his bus, took a taxi and arrived early for his interview. You retell it with the main people, events and ending in the right order. Practise Story Retelling

Open questions. You hear: “Do you prefer working alone or in a team? Why?” You give a clear opinion with one or two reasons, in about 30–40 seconds.

Tip: start speaking within a few seconds. If you stay silent too long, the test moves to the next question.

Versant writing test pattern

Non-voice roles usually get the Writing Test. It has five parts:

Typing: type a passage as quickly and accurately as you can. Speed and accuracy are both scored. Practise Typing
Sentence completion: type the one missing word in a sentence.
Example: “Please ____ the door when you leave the office.” Answer: close (or lock). Practise Sentence Completion
Dictation: listen to a sentence once, then type it exactly. Check spelling, capital letters and the full stop. Practise Dictation
Passage reconstruction: read a short passage for about 30 seconds. It disappears, and you rewrite it from memory in your own words. Practise Passage Reconstruction
Email writing: write a work email in reply to a situation, covering every point you’re given. Use a greeting, a clear purpose, the details and a polite closing. Practise Email Writing

Versant Professional English Test pattern

This 4-skills test takes about 60 minutes and has 10 parts (A–J):

Part	Question type	Skill
A	Sentence Completion	Reading, writing
B	Passage Reconstruction	Reading, writing
C	Reading Comprehension	Reading
D	Email Writing	Writing
E	Dictation	Listening, writing
F	Response Selection	Listening
G	Passage Comprehension	Listening
H	Repeat	Listening, speaking
I	Speaking Situations	Speaking
J	Story Retelling	Listening, speaking

Response Selection example: You hear: “Could you help me with this spreadsheet?” You choose the best reply: (a) “It’s on the desk.” (b) “Sure, what do you need?” (c) “Yesterday afternoon.” The answer is (b). Practise Response Selection

Speaking Situations example: “You’re late for a team meeting because of traffic. Call your manager.” Apologise, explain briefly and say when you’ll arrive. Practise Speaking Situations

Versant English Placement Test pattern

This 4-skills test takes about 50 minutes and has 9 parts (A–I):

Part	Question type	What you do
A	Read Aloud	Read sentences aloud clearly
B	Repeats	Repeat sentences you hear
C	Sentence Builds	Put three short phrases in order and say the sentence
D	Conversations	Answer a question about a short conversation
E	Typing	Type a passage quickly and accurately
F	Sentence Completion	Type the missing word
G	Dictation	Type the sentence you hear
H	Passage Reconstruction	Rewrite a passage from memory
I	Summary & Opinion	Summarise a text, then give and explain your opinion

Sentence Builds example: You hear “to the bank” / “she went” / “after lunch”. You say: “She went to the bank after lunch.” Practise Sentence Builds

What about the old Versant test pattern?

Many websites still describe the older Versant English Test, which was scored from 20 to 80. Its parts were Read Aloud, Repeats, Short Answer Questions, Sentence Builds, Story Retelling and Open Questions. Pearson has replaced it with the English Speaking and Listening Test, but the question types are very similar, so practice for one helps with the other.

How the Versant test is scored

A computer scores every answer, so the test treats everyone the same way.
Speaking is scored on what you say (content and accuracy) and how you say it (fluency and pronunciation).
Writing is scored on grammar, vocabulary, organisation and how well you cover the task.
You get an overall GSE score and skill scores, usually within minutes.

As a guide, GSE 43–58 is CEFR B1, 59–75 is B2 and 76–84 is C1. Employers set their own minimum level, so ask the organisation that requested your test.

Keep learning

How to prepare for the Versant test in 7 days: a day-by-day study plan
How to answer “Tell me about yourself”: a simple formula and 4 example answers
How to write a professional email in English: 5 templates and a Versant email sample
Versant test for Accenture, Concentrix and Amazon: what to expect in the English round

Ready to test yourself? Take a free Versant mock test, or practise each part of the Versant Professional English Test and the Versant English Placement Test. When you feel confident, register for the official Versant test.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in the Versant test? It depends on the test. The Speaking and Listening Test has around 37–40 short questions in about 20 minutes. The Writing Test has about 42 questions in about 35 minutes. The 4-skills tests take 50–60 minutes.

Should I answer if I’m not sure? Yes. Always try every question. A partly correct answer can still earn credit, but a silence or a blank answer can’t earn anything.

Can I go back to a previous question? No. Each answer is saved when you move on, so stay focused on the current question.

How can I practise the real Versant test pattern for free? Our free Versant practice tests include every question type above, with real timing and an instant GSE estimate. For a day-by-day plan, follow our 7-day Versant preparation plan.

Where can I take the official test? You can book the official Versant test online through YGC for SGD 75.

About the author

Matet Bucu is a Communication Specialist who helps learners and professionals speak and write clear, confident English for work.