The Contest
The contest formats
Find out the difference between the Online and Mixed formats of the contest. Choose the format that best suits your students, combining a paper or online question paper with audio.
Which format should I choose for the contest?
The Big Challenge offers two formats to suit schools' needs:
- Online format: an online contest (interactive questions with audio content).
- Mixed format: a contest combining online and paper (it adapts to the equipment available).
You can register your students for the format of your choice or combine the two formats within the same school.
💡 Good to know:
- It is the same 55-question paper for both formats, with audio content in both: played individually (with headphones) in the Online format, and played to the whole class (projected or through speakers) in the Mixed format.
- The Mixed format adapts to the available equipment and is ideal for classes that cannot take the whole test online.
👉 Need flexibility? The Online format can be run over several sessions during the contest window, which makes organising it easier.
What is the difference between the Online and Mixed formats?
Both formats assess English skills over 45 minutes. Here are the main differences:
| Criteria | Online format | Mixed format |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | Online platform | Paper question paper |
| Internet access | Required | Not required |
| Number of questions | 55 questions | 55 questions |
| Type of questions | Interactive MCQs + audio | MCQs + audio (projected or through speakers) |
| Skills assessed | Reading + listening comprehension | Reading + listening comprehension |
| Equipment required | Computer, tablet or smartphone with audio | Paper, pen |
| Date flexibility | Between 15 March and 27 March 2027 | Between 15 March and 27 March 2027 |
| Number of sessions | Several sessions possible | Several sessions possible |
💡 Choose what suits your school best. You can register some students for the Online format and others for the Mixed format.
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