A Year in Review (2023)

As we bid farewell to 2023, it's time to reflect on the milestones and achievements that made the year truly exceptional for Tracktest.
The year was marked by significant growth, user engagement, and a commitment to enhancing our platform.

Join us as we delve into the numbers and accomplishments that shaped Tracktest's journey in 2023.

One English grammar question (past tenses) before the September school start

With the arrival of September, students are heading back to school. Classrooms that were once quiet will soon be alive with the sounds of camaraderie and learning. It is a fresh beginning—an opportunity to reconnect with peers and teachers and to learn something new. 
For this occasion, we share the relatively difficult English grammar question assessing the use of English past tenses, which has only a 56% success rate.

Would you know the correct answer? 

The year 2022 in numbers

In 2022, we recorded a 35% year-on-year growth in user registrations and the number of completed English tests. It is 10 percentage points more than the annual growth in the previous "covid" year. 

We achieved world-class 71 points in the Net Promoter Score metric. 
76% of users would actively recommend Tracktest to a friend or colleague.

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures the customer satisfaction of individual Tracktest customers.

Based on the global standards, any score above 0 would be considered "good", 50 and above is excellent, while 70 and above is considered "world-class". 

Your qualitative feedback, which we have collected since 2017, is equally important. During these years, you sent us tons of valuable comments and suggestions, which we carefully evaluated and partially implemented. Here is the cloud of words you used in your product feedback most frequently: 

Our Helpdesk is a big contributor to the NPS score. Here are some KPIs reported by our ticketing system: 

In September, we celebrated 10 years since launching our English Core test and registering the first test-taker on our platform.  

New features in 2022: 

• QR codes in the certificates (March)
• Enhanced feedback (June)
• Audio prompts in the speaking exam (September)
• Migration of transactional e-mails to the EU region (December)
• New design for offline and social media (December); the website will follow in 2023.

TrackTest 2018 in numbers

We provided over a quarter million English tests in 2018 to test-takers from 200+ countries. An average placement test result was between B1 and B2 (but closer to B1). 

An average universal TrackTest score (TTS) in core tests was 398 points, with 62.9% of items answered correctly. 

Grammar/Use of English was the most difficult skill to pass, with 59.9 % efficiency, followed by Reading Comprehension with 63.4 % and Listening Comprehension (66%).

TrackTest English tests facts and figures from 2018

Each completed core test is accompanied by feedback on which grammar topics the test-taker made the most mistakes. Past tenses topic was the most difficult grammar topic, appearing in slightly more than 10 percent of all feedback in 2018. Modal verbs and prepositions were other frequent topics to improve. 

Grammar feedback also differed by region.

Top grammar weaknesses per continent:

North and Central America: 1. Past tenses, 2. Prepositions, 3. Modal verbs

South America: 1. Modal verbs, 2. Prepositions, 3. Past tenses

Europe: 1. Past tenses, 2. Prepositions, 3. Future tenses

Africa: 1. Present tenses, 2. Conditionals, 3. Prepositions

Asia:  1. Past tenses, 2. Modal verbs, 3. Prepositions

Australia and Oceania: 1. Prepositions, 2. Modal verbs, 3. Past tenses

In 2018, we launched some amazing new features, such as the Proctored Exam with the verified identity (February), the Paper certificate by Post (October) or the enhanced reporting capabilities for organizations (December). 

Check also our numbers from previous years- 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017

Winter Olympics question

Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang have started. Would you know the answer to this Olympic-themed question from our English tests?  

It is A2 proficiency level (Elementary English), grammar question focusing on present tenses.

TrackTest 2017 in numbers

In 2017, we tested users from 210 countries with paying customers from 102 countries.

For the third consecutive year, we more than doubled the number of completed tests compared to the prior year. 

Key new features released in 2017: 
For all TrackTest English test users, we completed the optional Productive skills exam (Speaking) with the English Writing test, introduced the social logins via Facebook/Google and the detailed English test results. 

For corporate and school administrators, we have also added the weekly reports, detailed results downloads, an option to lock/unlock the account access, 

We published the results from our 2-years project mapping the English proficiency of job-seekers in Central Europe and the Voice of the Customer for 2017. 

Thank you for another amazing year.

Check also our annual summary infographics for 2014, 2015 and 2017. 

(Your) Voice of the Customer in 2017

In 2017, we collected feedback from you, our customers about what you liked and what you would improve in the TrackTest assessment solution. Collected answers are used to calculate the Net Promoter Score- NPS ® and for qualitative feedback about our service. Here are the 2017 results:

English proficiency of job seekers in Central Europe [case study]

We have recently published a new case study with the English test results of job seekers in Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
After the assessment of 30 thousand job applicants, we could show not only the average achieved score and distribution across the CEFR proficiency levels but also the user profiles with the English language strengths and weaknesses typical for each country.

You can read the full story here:
https://tracktest.eu/case-study-english-proficiency-of-job-seekers-in-central-europe/

TrackTest 2016 in numbers

In 2016, we tested users from 197 countries with paying customers from 96 countries.

English proficiency school index 2016

For all English teachers, we publish the School English Proficiency Index on World Teachers' Day. 

The School English Index is a benchmark calculated from all English test results achieved in Tracktest English Proficiency Tests by young learners and students in educational institutions- schools, high schools, colleges and universities around the world. 

How valid and reliable is our English placement test? You will be surprised.

Will you pass the English proficiency level recommended by our free English placement test?

Yes, you will pass. Probably. 

More specifically, you have an 83% chance to pass the English level test for the level recommended by the pre-test. 

This is one of the findings from our analytical section's validity study released recently.

English Language Day April 23rd: We take English proficiency tests for ourselves, not for CVs.

 In April, we asked out users a few questions about their motivation to use the English test. We have summarised some findings in this press release published on UNESCO English Language Day.

More than 50 percent of English as a second language (ESL) learners take English tests simply to find out their language proficiency level. That is one of the findings from the global survey published by Tracktest English tests on the occasion of UNESCO English Language Day.   

Less than 30 percent take the English tests to prove their English proficiency to their employer or attach it to their resume. Another seven percent use the test results in their school or university.

Understanding their English CEF proficiency level is the primary motivation to take a test and it is not region specific. The same pattern is visible across all the countries.”

TrackTest non-institutional users from 32 countries from all continents and age groups participated in the survey. 40 percent of participants also claimed possession of other non-CEFR English certificates (mainly IELTS and TOEFL). Two-thirds have been learning English for more than ten years.

Learning a new language improves your decision making, scientific research finds

Would you make the same decisions in a foreign language as in your native tongue?

Year 2015 in numbers

In 2015,

Idiom of the day: Lion's share

This week we used a word share in our communication, so we picked one English idiom for you to learn where share has a slightly different meaning. 

Lion's share- English idioms

Which continents did you come from to take an English test? (school year 2014/15)

We usually make an annual recap at the end of the calendar year. However, summertime is an excellent chance to look at some special English assessment usage numbers. 

Year 2014 in numbers at English Assessment Centre TrackTest

What a year 2014!

In year 2014, we provided our English tests to users from 173 countries speaking 136 languages.  We tested 5 times more people in level tests than in 2013, even though we have stopped offering the free level tests for individual users. 

We introduced a couple of new features, e.g. upgrade of the company module in February, individual English weaknesses analysis, or free placement tests (pretests) in September. 

Above all, we are glad that you, our dear customers, stay with us. 92 percent of companies or organisations using our company solution for English assessment made their second or next order in 2014.  

Thank you for being with us! 

May you get only good options to choose and may you make no mistakes in your personal and business life in the coming year 2015 :-) 

How good is your English? Check the latest English Pre-test results.

More than 2000 users from 74 countries have completed our adaptive free English test (placement pre-test) in the last 2 months so we can share some results with you. 

Grammar topics which cause the biggest problem for you [infographic]

Infographic about the topics which make the most problems for Tracktest users. Compare it with the TOP 3 topics in your profile.