All levels of the Business English Examinations have listening, reading and writing elements. All the tasks at all levels have a modern business or work-related topic or context. The tasks are designed with the needs of students in mind who find themselves working every day with office technology and twenty-first century methods of communication.
Performance descriptors outline what criteria the candidate has to meet to pass an examination at a particular level. All the performance descriptors for Business English exams are detailed below.

Business English examination levels: Performance indicators

Level 1

In a typical office or workplace context, the student can.....
  -  listen to, understand and record practical factual information given in message
     form.
  -  deal with basic social situations, such as making introductions, asking/giving
     permission, showing gratitude.
  -  deal with the basic methods of modern office communication i.e. write an accurate
     fax from information provided; write an appropriate email response to an enquiry.

Level 2

In a typical business or work-related environment, the student can.....
  -  pick out relevant information from a conversation or exchange and accurately
     record it.
  -  deal with the common exchanges of a business environment, both functional and
     social such as making an arrangement, confirming an appointment, making
     introductions.
  -  manipulate basic data.
  -  deal with the basic methods of modern office communication i.e. write a plausible
     and coherent fax; respond to an email.

Level 3

In a typical business environment, the student can.....
  -  listen to, pick out and record relevant information from an authentic context.
  -  read and manipulate a variety of written forms of business communication
     including letter, memo, note, fax, email, newspaper article.
  -  deal with a longer business-related text; provide an accurate summary of key
     points.
  -  respond appropriately in a typical business conversation or exchange.

Level 4

In a typical business environment, the student can.....
  -  follow presentations or exchanges typical of business meetings and accurately. 
  -  convert information from them into an acceptable graphic representation.
  -  summarise information from a wide range of spoken and written sources.
  -  deal with longer, complex business texts.
  -  write a coherent, structured report.
  -  control the language of business and manipulate it for specific purposes.