STANAG 6001 WRITING PROFICIENCY Assessment Criteria
Text
Content
Level
What a person can write about
(subject areas, topic addressed;
settings)
Immediate survival needs such as
0+ numbers, dates, own name,
nationality, address, set
expressions.
Immediate personal needs (food,
lodging, transportation, shopping,
1 personal background and interests).
Basic personal needs and simple
workplace-related matters.
1+
Everyday personal topics such as
own background, family, interests,
2 work, travel, and current events and
routine topics related to the
workplace.
Practical, social, everyday
professional topics, particular
interests, special fields of
2+ competence and to some extent
abstract topics.
Practical, social, professional and
abstract topics, particular interests,
3 special fields of competence, and
complex topics which may include
economics, culture, science, and
technology.
Tasks Accuracy
produced
What a person can do with written How comprehensible / correct the
language (tasks accomplished, written message is (who can understand (length and organi-
attitudes expressed, tones conveyed) the writing) zation of texts;
discourse types)
Can produce symbols; some of the most Spelling and representation of symbols may be Memorized words and
common characters. Can write only incorrect. Understandable with difficulty even short phrases; lists of
memorized material. to a native reader used to dealing with the common items.
writing of non-natives.
Can convey basic intention by writing Can be understood by native readers used to Discrete sentences;
short notes and personal letters, post non-natives’ attempts to write. loose connection of
cards, phone messages, invitations. Can sentences joined by
fill out forms and applications. common linking
words.
Can readily write simple personal and Comprehensible to a native reader used to Limited ability to
routine workplace documents. Shows material written by non-natives; others may connect a group of
inconsistent and unreliable ability to write need to confirm meaning with the writer. sentences coherently.
instructions; descriptions of people,
places, and things; narrations of activities
and short, factual accounts.
Can write simple personal and routine Prose can be understood by a native not used Connected prose and
workplace correspondence and related to reading material written by non-natives. complete, but simple,
documents such as memoranda, brief Individual writes in a way that is generally paragraphs that
reports, private letters. Can state facts; appropriate for the occasion although contrast with and
give instructions; describe people, places, command of the written language is not always connect to other
and things. firm. paragraphs.
Can write relatively coherent personal Prose can be readily understood by a native Some ability to
and informational correspondence. Can not used to reading material written by non- arrange a series of
organize and elaborate on ideas in natives. Some errors may interfere with efforts paragraphs into
special fields of competence. Writes less to sustain essay-length argumentation. essay-length
effectively when supporting opinion, documents.
writing about abstract concepts, clarifying
points, answering objections.
Can write effective formal and informal Errors are occasional, do not interfere with Extended, essay-
correspondence and documents. Can comprehension, and rarely disturb the native length texts.
use language to write essay-length reader.
argumentation, analysis, hypothesis. Can
convey abstract concepts when writing
about complex topics.