Level

What the speaker can do

Novice Low (NL)

This speaker can produce a few words and memorized phrases. He or she needs a sympathetic listener to be understood due to issues with pronunciation or accuracy.

Novice Mid (NM)

This speaker produces mostly individual words and memorized phrase. He or she may be able to construct a few discrete sentences about self or features of daily life. NM speakers need a sympathetic listener to be understood due to pronunciation and accuracy issues.

Novice High (NH)

This speaker can construct some discrete sentences to talk about self and some common features of daily life, but speech still breaks down to words, phrases and memorized material at times. He or she needs a sympathetic listener to be understood due to pronunciation and accuracy issues.

Intermediate Low (IL)

This speaker can obtain and give the most basic information about self and common daily activities in simple terms. He or she speaks at the sentence level, primarily in the present time. The IL speaker needs a sympathetic listener to be understood due to pronunciation and accuracy issues.

Intermediate Mid (IM)

This speaker can consistently obtain and give basic information about self and daily activities speaking in simple sentences and strings of simple sentences in present time. He or she is able to demonstrate some knowledge of other times frames but most often reverts to present time. The IM speaker needs a sympathetic listener to be understood due to issues with grammatical accuracy and/or pronunciation.