English Language (2) Test Content: Areas, Standards and Weights
The 4 areas and 11 standards of the English Language (2) specialized test with official weights, approximate questions per standard, how it differs from Level 1, and where to start.
- Questions and time
- 88 questions · 120 minutes
- Pass mark
- 50%
- Exam fee
- SAR 100 for the specialized test
Start with 10 free questions to find what needs more work. No sign-up, with answer explanations.
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Start with 10 free questions to find what needs more work. No sign-up, with answer explanations.
Try 10 free questions and see your levelLast verified: 30 October 2026. Our sources are the test taker handbook for the English Language (2) specialized test, the standards for English Language Teachers (2) and the Teachers' Professional License page on the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) website. All are the 1441 AH trial edition, so check the website before you start. This guide is independent: it is not affiliated with the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC), Qiyas (the National Center for Assessment) or any government body.
This guide covers the English Language specialized test at Level (2), for intermediate and secondary school teachers. The professional license also needs the General Educational Test, which has its own guide on this site.
Test format
- Questions: multiple choice with four options; each question measures one indicator under one standard.
- Language: the questions and options are all in English.
- Number of questions and time: 88 questions in 120 minutes.
- Calculator: not allowed.
Level 1 and Level 2
English has two separate specialized tests. Level (1) is for elementary school teachers; it has three areas (pre-instruction 40%, instruction 48%, post-instruction 12%) and eight standards. Level (2) has four areas and 11 standards with different weights, and it is what this page covers. Make sure your test is Level (2) before you study from any source.
The four areas and their weights
| Area | Standards | Weight | Approx. questions out of 88 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Pedagogy | 6.9.1 – 6.9.4 | 45% | 40 |
| Instructional Design | 6.9.5 – 6.9.7 | 19% | 17 |
| Theoretical Knowledge and Application | 6.9.8 – 6.9.9 | 15% | 13 |
| Linguistic Knowledge | 6.9.10 – 6.9.11 | 21% | 18 |
| Total | 11 standards | 100% | 88 |
The weights are from pages 6 and 7 of the handbook.
The 11 standards
| Standard | Title | Weight | Approx. questions | What its indicators cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.9.1 | Teaching Language Skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Vocabulary, Writing and Grammar | 21% | 19 | research trends and classroom strategies for teaching listening and speaking, reading and vocabulary, and writing and grammar (six indicators) |
| 6.9.2 | Planning Learning Activities for L2 Objectives and the Curriculum | 7% | 6 | designing varied, flexible and coherent learning activities, and sequencing instruction to meet module, lesson and curriculum objectives |
| 6.9.3 | Developing and Selecting Assessment Tools | 8% | 7 | designing formative and summative assessment tools, choosing assessment criteria, and giving oral and written feedback |
| 6.9.4 | Teaching Methods that Engage Learners | 9% | 8 | comparing teaching methods, strategies that raise motivation, critical and creative thinking, linking learning to students' experience and current issues, and integrating media and technology |
| 6.9.5 | Setting L2 Learning Objectives | 7% | 6 | writing clear, achievable and measurable objectives for modules and lessons, and communicating them to students orally and in writing |
| 6.9.6 | Accessing and Designing L2 Learning Resources | 8% | 7 | integrating print and electronic resources, selecting and adapting them to objectives and curriculum, and designing resources for independent learning |
| 6.9.7 | Planning Lessons Around Students’ Culture, Abilities, Needs and Interests | 4% | 4 | designing lessons for students' proficiency and abilities, and adapting them to their culture, interests and needs |
| 6.9.8 | Second Language Acquisition in Teaching | 8% | 7 | comparing second language acquisition theories, stages and obstacles, the influence of the first language, and strategies for common learner challenges |
| 6.9.9 | Theoretical and Methodological Developments in TESOL/TEFL | 7% | 6 | major theories and recent trends in TESOL/TEFL, and their links with related disciplines and with culture |
| 6.9.10 | Understanding Language as a System | 7% | 6 | concepts and definitions of language, the origin and history of English and its relatives, and varieties of English including English as a lingua franca |
| 6.9.11 | Applying English Linguistics | 14% | 12 | phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics (one indicator per branch) |
The full indicator wording is in the standards document (pages 9 to 11). We summarise it in our own words here; keep the English terms as they are, because the questions are in English.
Where to start
Standards 6.9.1 (teaching language skills) and 6.9.11 (English linguistics) together carry 35% of the test, about 31 of 88 questions. Give them the most time, then move to the other pedagogy standards: 6.9.4, 6.9.3 and 6.9.2, about 21 questions.
Standard 6.9.11 splits into five branches (phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics), so each branch gets only about two questions. General reading is not enough; practise each branch on its own. Standard 6.9.7 is 4% (about 4 questions), so it comes last.
Start with the free questions in the free practice test to see which standards are weakest for you. Every question on the site belongs to a standard and indicator from this list, so you can practise one standard at a time in the practice area.
Finished reading? Try a set of questions
Start with 10 free questions to find your weakest units. Keep practising with the full question bank and mock exams from SAR 26.
Sources and references
- ETEC – Test Taker Handbook: Professional Licensing Test for English Language (2) Teachers (areas, weights, sample questions) media.etec.gov.sa
- ETEC – Standards for English Language Teachers (2): 11 specialized standards and indicators media.etec.gov.sa
- ETEC – Test Taker Handbook for English Language (1) Teachers (Level 1, for comparison) media.etec.gov.sa
- ETEC – Teachers' Professional License test page (format, FAQ) etec.gov.sa