The interpretation test developed and administered by ALTA Language Services encompasses all of the important skills one must use in an interpreting situation. It is a 30-minute test that requires you to interpret from English to the target language, and from the target language to English. The test deals with different types of speech, a variety of vocabulary, and dialogue units of different lengths. You must be able to deal with idioms and phrases, and must be able to handle both formal and conversational speech.
The test is designed for candidates who have practiced the skills specific to the task of interpretation, whether in a training course or by self-study. An individual who has excellent oral skills but who has not completed any sort of interpreter training will likely find ALTA’s interpretation test to be very difficult.
The interpretation test is given over the phone, with two evaluators participating (one for each language). One of the evaluators will provide these instructions at the start of the test:
The practice test has 6 dialogs. The regular test has an average of 20 dialogs and is 30-minute long.
If you have additional questions, please call us at 1-888-465-4648 or emails us at testing@altalang.com
View our test prep materials or FAQ’s for common questions about taking a test.