At a recent meeting of the Pearson employees responsible for developing and delivering the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), employees from around the world met to exchange ideas and strategies. In one of the lighter moments of the meeting, an interesting topic arose: how simple differences in language can lead to a handful of confusion.

For example:

In America, if a group can't reach a consensus on a topic, someone might suggest "tabling" it. But in England, to table a topic means to bring it up for discussion. 

Similarly, an advertisement for a sale on jumpers would mean different things in different countries. 

And, of course, there have been a number or anecdotes about companies that enter foreign markets without first considering the implications of product names. A Royal with cheese, anyone?

When developing PTE Academic, Pearson was diligent in researching items to ensure that the test truly reflected international English. Questions contain both American and European spellings, audio files contain clips with speakers from a variety of backgrounds. All test items were carefully reviewed for cultural and regional sensitivity.

As the world grows increasingly interconnected, it is vital to take into account both the similarities and differences of international English. And it is crucial that a high-stakes test reflect real-life language.

If you are interested in learning more about PTE Academic — including how you can prepare your students for the test — visit us at TESOL 2010 in Booth 434.