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SUPERIOR
Speakers at the Superior
level are able to communicate in the language with accuracy and fluency
in order to participate fully and effectively in conversations on a
variety of topics in formal and informal settings from both concrete
and abstract perspectives. They discuss their interests and special
fields of competence, explain complex matters in detail, and provide
lengthy and coherent narrations, all with ease, fluency, and accuracy.
They explain their opinions on a number of topics of importance to them,
such as social and political issues, and provide structured argument
to support their opinions. They are able to construct and develop hypotheses
to explore alternative possibilities. When appropriate, they use extended
discourse without unnaturally lengthy hesitation to make their point,
even when engaged in abstract elaborations. Such discourse, while coherent,
may still be influenced by the Superior speakers own language patterns,
rather than those of the target language. Superior speakers command
a variety of interactive and discourse strategies, such as turn-taking
and separating main ideas from supporting information through the use
of syntactic and lexical devices, as well as intonational features such
as pitch, stress and tone. They demonstrate virtually no pattern of
error in the use of basic structures. However, they may make sporadic
errors, particularly in low-frequency structures and in some complex
high-frequency structures more common to formal speech and writing.
Such errors, if they do occur, do not distract the native interlocutor
or interfere with communication.
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ADVANCED
ADVANCED
HIGH
ADVANCED
MID
ADVANCED
LOW
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ADVANCED
HIGH
ADVANCED HIGH Speakers
at the Advanced-High level perform all Advanced-level tasks
with linguistic ease, confidence and competence. They are able
to consistently explain in detail and narrate fully and accurately
in all time frames. In addition, Advanced High speakers handle
the tasks pertaining to the Superior level but cannot sustain
performance at that level across a variety of topics. They can
provide a structured argument to support their opinions, and
they may construct hypotheses, but patterns of error appear.
They can discuss some topics abstractly, especially those relating
to their particular interests and special fields of expertise,
but in general, they are more comfortable discussing a variety
of topics concretely. Advanced-High speakers may demonstrate
a well-developed ability to compensate for an imperfect grasp
of some forms or for limitations in vocabulary by the confident
use of communicative strategies, such as paraphrasing, circumlocution,
and illustration. They use precise vocabulary and intonation
to express meaning and often show great fluency and ease of
speech. However, when called on to perform the complex tasks
associated with the Superior level over a variety of topics,
their language at times break down or prove inadequate, or they
may avoid the task altogether, for example, by resorting to
simplification through the use of description or narration in
place of argument or hypothesis.
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ADVANCED
MID
ADVANCED MID Speakers
at the Advanced-Mid level are able to handle with ease and confidence
a large number of communicative tasks. They participate actively
in most informal and some formal exchanges on a variety of concrete
topics relating to work, school, home, and leisure activities,
as well as to events of current, public, and personal interest
or individual relevance. Advanced-Mid speakers demonstrate the
ability to narrate and describe in all major time frames (past,
present, and future) by providing a full account, with good
control of aspect, as they adapt flexibly to the demands of
the conversation. Narration and description tend to be combined
and interwoven to relate relevant and supporting facts in connected,
paragraph-length discourse. Advanced-Mid speakers can handle
successfully and with relative ease the linguistic challenges
presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that
occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative
task with which they are otherwise familiar. Communicative strategies
such as circumlocution or rephrasing are often employed for
this purpose. The speech of Advanced-Mid speakers performing
Advanced-level tasks is marked by substantial flow. Their vocabulary
is fairly extensive although primarily generic in nature, except
in the case of a particular area of specialization or interest.
Dominant language discourse structures tend to recede, although
discourse may still reflect the oral paragraph structure of
their own language rather than that of the target language.
Advanced-Mid speakers contribute to conversations on a variety
of familiar topics, dealt with concretely, with much accuracy,
clarity and precision, and they convey their intended message
without misrepresentation or confusion. They are readily understood
by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives.
When called on to perform functions or handle topics associated
with the Superior level, the quality and/or quantity of their
speech will generally decline. Advanced-Mid speakers are often
able to state an opinion or cite conditions; however, they lack
the ability to consistently provide a structured argument in
extended discourse. Advanced-Mid speakers may use a number of
delaying strategies, resort to narration, description, explanation
or anecdote, or simply attempt to avoid the linguistic demands
of Superior-level tasks.
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ADVANCED
LOW
Speakers at the Advanced-Low
level are able to handle a variety of communicative tasks, although
somewhat haltingly at times. They participate actively in most
informal and a limited number of formal conversations on activities
related to school, home, and leisure activities and, to a lesser
degree, those related to events of work, current, public, and
personal interest or individual relevance. Advanced-Low speakers
demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in all major
time frames (past, present and future) in paragraph length discourse,
but control of aspect may be lacking at times. They can handle
appropriately the linguistic challenges presented by a complication
or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context
of a routine situation or communicative task with which they
are otherwise familiar, though at times their discourse may
be minimal for the level and strained. Communicative strategies
such as rephrasing and circumlocution may be employed in such
instances. In their narrations and descriptions, they combine
and link sentences into connected discourse of paragraph length.
When pressed for a fuller account, they tend to grope and rely
on minimal discourse. Their utterances are typically not longer
than a single paragraph. Structure of the dominant language
is still evident in the use of false cognates, literal translations,
or the oral paragraph structure of the speaker’s own language
rather than that of the target language. While the language
of Advanced-Low speakers may be marked by substantial, albeit
irregular flow, it is typically somewhat strained and tentative,
with noticeable self-correction and a certain ‘grammatical
roughness.’ The vocabulary of Advanced-Low speakers is
primarily generic in nature. Advanced-Low speakers contribute
to the conversation with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision
to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or
confusion, and it can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed
to dealing with non-natives, even though this may be achieved
through repetition and restatement. When attempting to perform
functions or handle topics associated with the Superior level,
the linguistic quality and quantity of their speech will deteriorate
significantly.
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INTERMEDIATE
INTERMEDIATE
HIGH
INTERMEDIATE
MID
INTERMEDIATE
LOW
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INTERMEDIATE
HIGH
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
Intermediate-High speakers are able to converse with ease
and confidence when dealing with most routine tasks and social
situations of the Intermediate level. They are able to handle
successfully many uncomplicated tasks and social situations
requiring an exchange of basic information related to work,
school, recreation, particular interests and areas of competence,
though hesitation and errors may be evident. Intermediate-High
speakers handle the tasks pertaining to the Advanced level,
but they are unable to sustain performance at that level over
a variety of topics. With some consistency, speakers at the
Intermediate High level narrate and describe in major time
frames using connected discourse of paragraph length. However,
their performance of these Advanced-level tasks will exhibit
one or more features of breakdown, such as the failure to
maintain the narration or description semantically or syntactically
in the appropriate major time frame, the disintegration of
connected discourse, the misuse of cohesive devises, a reduction
in breadth and appropriateness of vocabulary, the failure
to successfully circumlocute, or a significant amount of hesitation.
Intermediate-High speakers can generally be understood by
native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives,
although the dominant language is still evident (e.g. use
of code-switching, false cognates, literal translations, etc.),
and gaps in communication may occur.
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INTERMEDIATE
MID
Speakers at the
Intermediate-Mid level are able to handle successfully a variety
of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social
situations. Conversation is generally limited to those predictable
and concrete exchanges necessary for survival in the target
culture; these include personal information covering self,
family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences,
as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping,
travel and lodging. Intermediate-Mid speakers tend to function
reactively, for example, by responding to direct questions
or requests for information. However, they are capable of
asking a variety of questions when necessary to obtain simple
information to satisfy basic needs, such as directions, prices
and services. When called on to perform functions or handle
topics at the Advanced level, they provide some information
but have difficulty linking ideas, manipulating time and aspect,
and using communicative strategies, such as circumlocution.
Intermediate-Mid speakers are able to express personal meaning
by creating with the language, in part by combining and recombining
known elements and conversational input to make utterances
of sentence length and some strings of sentences. Their speech
may contain pauses, reformulations and self-corrections as
they search for adequate vocabulary and appropriate language
forms to express themselves. Because of inaccuracies in their
vocabulary and/or pronunciation and/or grammar and/or syntax,
misunderstandings can occur, but Intermediate-Mid speakers
are generally understood by sympathetic interlocutors accustomed
to dealing with non-natives.
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INTERMEDIATE
LOW
INTERMEDIATE LOW
Speakers at the Intermediate-Low level are able to handle
successfully a limited number of uncomplicated communicative
tasks by creating with the language in straightforward social
situations. Conversation is restricted to some of the concrete
exchanges and predictable topics necessary for survival in
the target language culture. These topics relate to basic
personal information covering, for example, self and family,
some daily activities and personal preferences, as well as
to some immediate needs, such as ordering food and making
simple purchases. At the Intermediate-Low level, speakers
are primarily reactive and struggle to answer direct questions
or requests for information, but they are also able to ask
a few appropriate questions. Intermediate-Low speakers express
personal meaning by combining and recombining into short statements
what they know and what they hear from their interlocutors.
Their utterances are often filled with hesitancy and inaccuracies
as they search for appropriate linguistic forms and vocabulary
while attempting to give form to the message. Their speech
is characterized by frequent pauses, ineffective reformulations
and self-corrections. Their pronunciation, vocabulary and
syntax are strongly influenced by their first language but,
in spite of frequent misunderstandings that require repetition
or rephrasing, Intermediate-Low speakers can generally be
understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those
accustomed to dealing with non-natives.
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NOVICE
NOVICE
HIGH
NOVICE
MID
NOVICE
LOW
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NOVICE
HIGH
NOVICE HIGH Speakers
at the Novice-High level are able to handle a variety of tasks
pertaining to the Intermediate level, but are unable to sustain
performance at that level. They are able to manage successfully
a number of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward
social situations. Conversation is restricted to a few of
the predictable topics necessary for survival in the target
language culture, such as basic personal information, basic
objects and a limited number of activities, preferences and
immediate needs. Novice-High speakers respond to simple, direct
questions or requests for information; they are able to ask
only a very few formulaic questions when asked to do so. Novice-High
speakers are able to express personal meaning by relying heavily
on learned phrases or recombinations of these and what they
hear from their interlocutor. Their utterances, which consist
mostly of short and sometimes incomplete sentences in the
present, may be hesitant or inaccurate. On the other hand,
since these utterances are frequently only expansions of learned
material and stock phrases, they may sometimes appear surprisingly
fluent and accurate. These speaker's first language may strongly
influence their pronunciation, as well as their vocabulary
and syntax when they attempt to personalize their utterances.
Frequent misunderstandings may arise but, with repetition
or rephrasing, Novice-High speakers can generally be understood
by sympathetic interlocutors used to non-natives. When called
on to handle simply a variety of topics and perform functions
pertaining to the Intermediate level, a Novice- High speaker
can sometimes respond in intelligible sentences, but will
not be able to sustain sentence level discourse.
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NOVICE
MID
NOVICE MID Speakers
at the Novice-Mid level communicate minimally and with difficulty
by using a number of isolated words and memorized phrases
limited by the particular context in which the language has
been learned. When responding to direct questions, they may
utter only two or three words at a time or an occasional stock
answer. They pause frequently as they search for simple vocabulary
or attempt to recycle their own and their interlocutor’s words.
Because of hesitations, lack of vocabulary, inaccuracy, or
failure to respond appropriately, Novice-Mid speakers may
be understood with great difficulty even by sympathetic interlocutors
accustomed to dealing with non-natives. When called on to
handle topics by performing functions associated with the
Intermediate level, they frequently resort to repetition,
words from their native language, or silence.
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NOVICE LOW
NOVICE LOW Speakers
at the Novice-Low level have no real functional ability and,
because of their pronunciation, they may be unintelligible.
Given adequate time and familiar cues, they may be able to
exchange greetings, give their identity, and name a number
of familiar objects from their immediate environment. They
are unable to perform functions or handle topics pertaining
to the Intermediate level, and cannot therefore participate
in a true conversational exchange.
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© 2004 Language Testing International. All rights reserved.
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