Hi everyone, Grant here from Kōjō Communication Academy.
If you've tried the Versant Pro Trainer before, you'll know our goal has always been simple: to give learners a fair, realistic way to practise the Versant English Test — especially the new Speaking & Listening format launched in 2024.
Today, I'm excited to announce a major step forward.
After months of testing, we've rebuilt the scoring engine from the ground up using a combination of Microsoft Azure Speech Services and OpenAI analysis — and the results are remarkable.
Let me explain what's new, and why it matters for your learning.
⚙️ 1. What's New in Versant Pro Trainer 2.0
We've integrated Azure Speech Services — the same technology used in professional-level speech analysis systems — directly into the app.
That means every time you answer, the system now evaluates your actual speech for:
- 🎯 Pronunciation accuracy
- 🗣️ Clarity and natural rhythm
- 🌊 Fluency and smoothness
Meanwhile, OpenAI analyzes the content of what you said:
- 💬 Listening comprehension and response accuracy
- 💡 Organization and clarity of ideas
- 📚 Grammar and vocabulary use (at your CEFR level)
- 💪 Actionable improvement tips
Together, these two systems give a far more complete picture of your performance — not just how well you communicate, but also how clearly you speak.
⚖️ 2. Balanced Like the Real Test
We designed the scoring balance to mirror how most AI speaking tests work.
Each section has its own weighting between speech quality (Azure) and content accuracy (OpenAI):
| Section | Focus | Weighting (Speech : Content) |
|---|---|---|
| Part A – Short Answers | Listening & quick responses | 40 : 60 |
| Part B – Sentence Repetition | Recall & clarity | 50 : 50 |
| Part C – Conversation Questions | Understanding & short reasoning | 45 : 55 |
| Part D – Passage Questions | Longer listening comprehension | 40 : 60 |
| Part E – Story Retelling | Summarization & fluency | 35 : 65 |
| Part F – Open Response | Extended free speaking | 60 : 40 |
This gives you results that feel realistic, and feedback that actually helps you improve.
🔍 3. Example: How It Works in Practice
When you complete Part F: Open Response, the app now delivers a detailed report showing both speech performance and communication quality:
🎤 Speech Quality (Azure)
Speech Quality Assessment: 91/100
CEFR Level: C1
| Metric | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 88/100 | Clarity of individual sounds and words |
| Fluency | 100/100 | Smooth speaking without hesitation |
| Accuracy | 85/100 | How accurately words were pronounced |
| Prosody | 84/100 | Natural rhythm, intonation, and stress patterns |
| Completeness | 100/100 | How fully your response covered the prompt |
🧠 Content & Communication (OpenAI)
Content Quality: 65/100
📋 Organization & Structure
Your response follows a logical structure with a clear introduction and conclusion. However, some ideas feel underdeveloped or repetitive. Adding a short example or explanation for each point would make your answer more persuasive.
📚 Vocabulary & Word Choice
You use familiar vocabulary accurately, but word choice is sometimes limited. Try including a few topic-related expressions or descriptive adjectives to make your message more natural and engaging.
✍️ Grammar & Accuracy
Grammar is generally accurate, with only a few minor mistakes in verb tense and prepositions. Review sentence variety—using both simple and complex sentences—to improve flow and sophistication.
💡 Coherence & Clarity
Your ideas are easy to understand and mostly relevant to the topic. In some places, transitions between sentences are a bit abrupt. Adding linking words (e.g., however, in addition, for example) would make the response smoother.
🚀 Suggestions for Improvement
To raise your score, expand on each main idea with specific examples, use a wider range of vocabulary, and focus on sentence variety. These improvements will help you communicate your ideas with more depth and confidence.
💡 4. Why This Upgrade Matters
For too long, English tests have given learners only scores — not guidance.
The new Versant Pro Trainer bridges that gap.
It doesn't just measure how well you did — it shows you why, and how to get better.
🧩 Every section now includes:
- ✅ Real-time pronunciation analytics
- ✅ CEFR-level feedback on grammar and content
- ✅ Coaching-style improvement tips
In short: it's fair, transparent, and built for serious learners.
⚠️ 5. Important Note About CEFR Levels
The CEFR level shown is an estimate based on your practice performance.
It's meant to help you track progress and guide learning, not serve as an official certificate.
For formal CEFR certification, please take an official recognized English test.
🏅 6. Achievement Badges & Progress Tracking
Learning is more motivating when you can see your progress — so we've added a gamified achievement system to keep you inspired.
📊 Performance Trends
Watch your averages rise with every session. The app displays your recent trend, personal best, and progress to mastery, so you always know where you stand.
🎯 Session Goals & Rewards
Stay consistent by hitting short-term goals like 5 sessions this week or reach 70+ in Part B. Every milestone brings new recognition and helps you build steady speaking confidence.
💬 Why It Works: Gamified tracking gives learners the same psychological rewards as real-world progress — building momentum, consistency, and confidence one session at a time.
🚀 7. Looking Ahead
This relaunch is just the start.
We're now working toward:
- ✅ CEFR-aligned overall level predictions (available after 2 full test runs)
- ✅ Custom performance tracking over time
- ✅ Expanded question banks for each section (over 190 practice sets and growing)
- ✅ Full mock test mode
Our mission stays the same: to help learners prepare effectively — not by guessing, but by training smart.
💬 8. A Final Word
When I started this project, my goal wasn't to make another generic English app.
It was to create a platform that helps learners everywhere — in Japan and beyond — train for real-world English performance.
This new version finally brings together the best of both worlds: accurate speech analysis and meaningful language feedback.
Try the updated Versant Pro Trainer 2.0 today — and experience how much clearer, fairer, and more motivating your practice can be.
Let's keep raising your score — together.
– Grant
Founder, Kōjō Communication Academy
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Founder, Kōjō Communication Academy
Grant is a native English speaker from the UK with over 20 years of experience in business English training and Versant test preparation. He's helped thousands of professionals improve their communication skills and achieve their career goals.
🌏 日本語でも読めます — This article is also available in Japanese
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