Langara English Test

The Langara English Test (LET) is an in-house exam that assesses the student's ability to read, understand, and write English at the college/university level. The LET scores indicate which English courses best suit the student's needs and skills. Each exam is assessed by a minimum of two markers. Exams with borderline results go to a review committee to finalize the placement level.

Who needs to take the test?

Some courses and programs require English as a prerequisite. Students who wish to register for these courses and programs, but who do not have an "A" in BC English 12 or BC English Literature 12, will need to write the LET so the College can determine if they have the appropriate level of English. For example, students who want to register for English 1127 or Biology 1115 require at least a LET level 3. Students can check the College Calendar for the pre-requisites of the specific courses or programs in which they are interested.

The exam consists of two parts: reading and summarizing a short prose passage, and writing an essay on one of the three essay topics provided.

Summary

Students need to read the prose passage carefully, and then summarize in their own words the basic ideas—that is, the key points—of the passage. The summary should be approximately 100 words long. Markers look for clarity, accuracy, and effective paraphrasing. 

Essay

Students need to choose one of the three topics provided, and then write an essay of about 400 words. The essay must NOT include ideas, material, or phrases from the passage in Part I.  Markers look for an accurate, clear, unified, and logically developed piece of writing that directly addresses the topic.