English U

nlimited S

tarter Teacher’s Pack

Photocopiable ©

Cam

bridge University P

ress 2010

Achievement tests

Speaking assessment scales

Quick g

uide to

marking

A m

ark of 5 means that the learner’s sp

eaking is well ab

ove Starter level.

A m

ark of 3 means that the learner’s sp

eaking is average for Starter level.

A m

ark of 1 means that the learner’s sp

eaking is not coherent enough to be p

roperly assessed

.

Task achievement

Rang

eO

rganisatio

nP

ronunciatio

nA

ccuracy

Did

the learner comp

lete the tasks in each section of the test?

Did

the learner use a wid

e variety of vocab

ulary and

gramm

ar structures?

Did

the learner express his/

her ideas clearly and

connect them

together effectively?

Did

the learner prod

uce ind

ividual sound

s clearly and

use app

ropriate stress and

intonation?

Did

the learner prod

uce gram

matically correct

language?

5

All tasks com

pleted

successfully and

without

difficulty

A w

ide variety of b

oth ap

prop

riate structures and

vocabulary used

confidently

Learner able to connect id

eas clearly and

effectively, using b

asic linkers and d

evices ap

prop

riate to the level

Clear p

ronunciation of sound

s and use of stress and

intonation to convey m

eaning, though L1 accent m

ay be

discernib

le

Very few errors in use of

structures and vocab

ulary exp

ected at this level,

perhap

s with evid

ent ability to

self-correct

4M

ost tasks comp

leted

without d

ifficultyS

ome elem

ents of 3 and

some of 5

Som

e elements of 3 and

som

e of 5S

ome elem

ents of 3 and

some of 5

Som

e elements of 3 and

som

e of 5

3

Tasks comp

leted w

ith occasional d

ifficultyA

variety of app

ropriate

structures used, w

ith som

e inapp

ropriate usage

or difficulty retrieving

app

ropriate language

Learner usually able to

comm

unicate and link id

eas clearly, though w

ith a lack of overall fluency

Som

e difficulty w

ith sounds,

stress and intonation, causing

strain on the listener, though com

munication is rarely

imp

aired

Errors in use of structures and

vocab

ulary are frequent, b

ut rarely im

pair com

munication

2Freq

uent difficulties p

revented

task comp

letionS

ome elem

ents of 1 and

some of 3

Som

e elements of 1 and

som

e of 3S

ome elem

ents of 1 and

some of 3

Som

e elements of 1 and

som

e of 3

1Too little com

munication to

assessToo little com

munication to

assessToo little com

munication to

assessToo little com

munication to

assessToo little com

munication to

assess