Why Your English Speaking Level Doesn’t Match Your Test Level (And what to do about it)

Whenever I try to do a test in Portuguese, I’m always a bit disappointed. I speak quite fluently but I have difficulties in writing and spelling. Generally, the test will give me B1 or B2 bur I’m MUCH better than that (or so I tell myself 😁)

Many English learners ask the same question:
👉 “Why does my English test level not match how I speak?”

You might have a B2 certificate, but struggle to speak fluently
Or you might speak confidently, yet grammar tests place you at B1

This situation is extremely common and, thankfully, completely normal.

In this article, you’ll discover:
✨ why English-speaking level and test level are often different
✨ real-life examples of each situation
✨ what to do to improve your speaking level effectively

🧠 English Is Made of Different Skills (Not One Level)

Most English tests measure:
📘 grammar knowledge
📗 vocabulary recognition
📖 reading comprehension
🎧 sometimes listening

But speaking English also requires:
🗣️ thinking quickly
🔊 pronunciation
🌊 fluency
💬 confidence
🤝 interaction

That’s why your speaking level can be higher or lower than your test level.

🔻 Case 1: “My Test Level Is High, But My Speaking Is Weak”

Real example

✔️ You score B2 on an online test
✔️ You understand meetings, podcasts, and articles
❌ But when you speak, you hesitate, translate, or freeze 😶‍🌫️

❓ Why this happens

• You’ve done a lot of passive learning (reading, listening, grammar exercises)
• You rarely speak out loud
• You think about grammar rules while speaking
• You’re afraid of making mistakes

🧠 Your brain knows English, but speaking isn’t automatic yet.

✅ What to do

Speak every day, even 2–5 minutes
Record yourself answering simple questions
👉 Example: “What did I do yesterday?”
Use short, simple sentences at first
Focus on fluency before accuracy

👉 Speaking improves through use, not tests.

🔺 Case 2: “I Speak Well, But My Test Level Is Low”

Real example

✔️ You communicate easily at work
✔️ People understand you without effort
❌ Grammar tests say B1, not B2

❓ Why this happens

• You learned English through conversation
• You rely on instinct, not grammar rules
• Tests don’t reflect real communication skills

This is very common if you:
🌍 live abroad
💼 work in English
🗣️ learned English informally

✅ What to do

Identify your most frequent grammar mistakes

👉 Example: verb tenses, prepositions, word order
Learn grammar after using it
Don’t let test scores reduce your confidence

👉 Speaking fluently is a real skill, even if tests don’t show it.

⚖️ Skill Imbalance Is Normal in Language Learning

You can be:
👂 B2 in listening
✍️ B1 in grammar
🗣️ B2 in speaking
📖 B1 in writing

This doesn’t mean your English is bad.
It means your skills developed at different speeds.

A single test score cannot measure:
confidence
fluency
real-life interaction

The real question is:
👉 “What can I actually do in English today?”

🎯 How to Improve Your English Speaking Level (Practical Tips)

Here’s a simple, effective method 👇

1️⃣Practice Speaking Regularly

Short, frequent practice works better than long sessions.
👉 Example: Speak for 3 minutes every day instead of 30 minutes once a week.

2️⃣Learn Phrases, Not Isolated Words

Instead of learning:
improve / reduce / increase

Learn:
“A good way to improve this is…”
“One thing I’ve noticed is…”
“As far as I know…”

🧱 This makes speaking faster and more natural.

3️⃣Turn Passive Vocabulary Into Active Vocabulary

You may understand a word but never use it 🤯

🎧 Example exercise :
After listening to a podcast, explain it out loud in your own words.

4️⃣Get Feedback

Without feedback, mistakes become habits

Options:
👩‍🏫 a teacher
🤝 conversation partners
🤖 AI feedback on speaking or writing

✨ Final Thoughts

If your English-speaking level doesn’t match your test results:
❌ you’re not bad at English
❌ you’re not failing
✅you’re simply developing different skills

The solution isn’t more tests
It’s targeted speaking practice based on your real weaknesses 🎯

👉 Want to know your real English speaking level ?

If you’d like personalised feedback and a clear plan to improve your speaking, I can help you identify exactly what to focus on next.

If you want to learn English with me, I’m Liz Aldam, an English teacher with more than twenty years of experience, having worked with companies like Yamaha, Faurecia, and others. I live in the Val-d’Oise region in France and I teach online. Click the WhatsApp icon below and contact me.