ATA ATA Exam Structure and Format 2

Question 1

How long is the ATA Certification Exam and what format does it use?

Accepted Answer

3 hours; open-book translation of two passages

Answer

The ATA exam is a 3-hour, open-book translation examination requiring candidates to translate two passages chosen from a set of options.

Question 2

What language directions are tested in the ATA Certification Exam?

Accepted Answer

Both into English and out of English directions, depending on the language pair approved

Answer

The ATA offers certification in both directions -- translating into English and translating out of English -- depending on which language pairs the ATA has approved.

Question 3

How many passages must a candidate translate during the ATA Certification Exam?

Accepted Answer

Two passages selected from a set of three available passages

Answer

Candidates select and translate two passages from three provided. This allows some flexibility in choosing subject areas while ensuring consistent evaluation.

Question 4

Which best describes the difficulty level of the ATA Certification Exam passages?

Accepted Answer

General-interest, non-specialized texts reflecting real-world professional translation tasks

Answer

ATA exam passages are general-interest texts representing the type of material a professional translator might encounter, not highly technical or specialized content.

Question 5

What happens if a candidate fails the ATA Certification Exam?

Accepted Answer

Candidates may retake the exam after a mandatory waiting period

Answer

Candidates who do not pass may retake the exam after a waiting period, allowing time for further study and practice.

ATA - American Translators Association Practice Test

ATA - American Translators Association Practice Test

ATA ATA Exam Structure and Format 2