© Dave Allan 1992 Photocopying is illegal Oxford Placement Test 2 Grammar Test PART 1 See vraaeen " 2 13 4 18 ———/100 Total Grammar Part 2 Total Grammar Part 1 / 50 Grandtotal sxamples. The correct answer is ticked. a Invierr climates people [i [ite are Ting J siting outside inthe sun "Ititis very hot. they sit [at] pz] under |the shade Now the test will begin. Tick the correct answers. Water [be freezing [is freezing [freezes | ata temperature of °C. Insorne countries [theres [ists | drkll he timein winter Inhot counties people wee gt cothes[ Tor keeping [o Keep [orto keep] coo! In Madeira they have [the good] good [a good | weather almost all year. Most Meditrrnean counties are | more warm the more warm warm in October thenin Apa Parts of Australia don't have | the [some [any | rain for long periods. In the Arctic and Antarctic [itis | there is [thas | lot of snow. Climate is very important in { most of [most |the most | people's ives. Even now theres [ Tie] ew [Tess ]we can do to control he weather In the future [ we'll need |we are needing | we can need | to get a lot of power from the sun and the wind. Pele still perhaps [ most] the most]the mare | famous footbalerin the word was borin 1940, He bis mother Lnot want wasn't wanting [didn't want | him tobe a footbair. Burhe [used] ought] has used |to watch his father oly His father [ made him to | made him | would make him to ] practise every dy.16 7 8 19 20 a 2 23 2 25 Oxford Placement Test 2. Grammar Test Part 1 He learned to use ‘By 1956 he [ has joined joined | had j In 1987 he [ has been picked [was pic The World Cup Finals were in 1958 and Buthe hurt [this] the] his | knee in a game in Brazil He thought he [ isn’t going to | couldn’ Itne [Radr’tbeen [werent wouldn't be Buthe was [a such [such aa so | bril ‘The history of the World Cup is [quite a]a quite | quite Football hhas been [is being | was | played for ‘above [over [more that |a huncred years, but the first World Cup ‘competition did not be [was not | wa: 1930, Uruguay [ could win | were winning |had won | the Olympic football final in 1924 and 1928 and wanted {be Four teams entered from Europe, but with [a little twas the first time [ which [that |when {[are playing [would play [had played | for a word tit. Itwasn’t until four years [ ater] more European team succeeded | to win [in for{ th (buhat | his which [ats | first time. The 1934 World Cup was again won by | a [the [one | home team, then The 1834 final was [among [ben European teams, Czechoslovakia and it went on [towin [winning] to have won | the 1938 final. Winning successive finals is something that| is ‘again until Brazil did [these | them it ‘would have won [would win [had won authorities would have needed to { have [let ‘urEngland stopped the Brazians | to 1966 proved [being [as being |to be would | will did | even qualify forthe [and his left foot and [both his left foot and his right. 16 He got the name Pele when he [ad only ten years | was only ten [was only ten years ” joined | Santos and had scored in his frst game. Ta ed was pioking ] forthe Bracian national eam, om Pele was looking forward [to play [to playing [tobe playing 20 cre Vt] wasn't going to |be abe to playin the fnas in Sweden. oe 50 important to the team, he would have been left behind oe >] briant player, they took him anyway. ee ‘And [even though even so [in spite fhe was inured he helped Brazil to win the final a short one 26 2 28 nat being |held until 20 oom being #0 be | World Champions for the third ie. a ow [ile | success 2 professional ams BL 3a further] thata 35 winning [at winning | oom one oe has been the case several times since om ween [against |two ie aly. taly, [ which [that | who | won, 4a a not [was not] has nat been | achieved 43 in 1958 and 1982. if raz aa in 1966 then the 4 ‘make | the original World Cup replaces, 46 Get getting | get] a third successive win An England payer, aaa Goof! Hus, scored three goals inthe nal and won it almost [By fis own [on meet [by hime] 2 the last year that England 43 finals tit 1982, though they gotin a8 winners in 1970. so [ subtotal__155Grammar Test . PART 2 ; 51 Many [persons [people | peoples | nowadeys believe that everyone should learn to use computers ieee 52 The majortyofchiaren nthe UK [have [has [are having |2ccess to 8 microcomputer ne 52 There are more computers per headin England than | anywhere else [somewhore eso [anywhere athe |i the word | sx 54 Leaming 9 computer anguageis not te seme [as Ike [than learning areallanguage | sa 55 Most people start off with ‘Basic, [ who | what | which ] isthe easiest to lear, 55 56. Chicren seem to find computers easy, but many adults aren't used to work]the work] working | 6 with mirotechnotogy 57 Therearen'[ no [aay|some | e2sy ways of leaming to program a computer a 58 The only way 1 become realy proficient isto prectise alot on your own [by your own [on yourself || 59. You-can pickup the bases quite uik¥y if you | want to would [are wilingto make an efor s| 60 Most adults feet would be easier onty they [ would have started | would star [had started 0 computer susies ear 61. Some people woul just [ rather] prefer [batter | not have anything todo wth computes at al a 62 Alot have resigned themseives to never even know [known [knowing | how a computer works a 63. Microtechnologyis moving so ast that hardy | anybody [nobody [ne ane |can keep up with ital am 64. Irs nouse [in eying [to ty [trying ] 10 earn about computers just by reading books | o_ 85 Everyone has | difficulty in learning [difficulties to learn [it difficult to learn |if they can’t get'hands-on’ | experience. — Below is a letter written to the ‘advice’ column of a daily newspaper. Tick the correct answers. Dear Marge, Tam writing [| will write [I should write | t0 you because | larvior easaana laden’ om | oan am not knowing [don’t know | know not | what to do. |'m twenty-six and a teacher at 2 primary schoo! in Norwich where { 'm working [I've worked] I work | for the last five years. ‘When [was [have been [had been | there for a couple of years, one of the older members of staff 63 would leave | left/had been leaving |, and e new teacher zo} ‘would be [became |was | appointed to work in the same department as me, d We | worke have worked [should work | together with the same classes during her first year and had the | opportunity for bui 's to build | chance to build | up a good professional 73, telatonship. hen, about eighteen months ater [ sh has arived [fo have rived arriving ™ in Norwich, she decided to buy [ her own [herself [her a | house. 62 92 93 94 98 96 97 98 99 100 5 Oxford Placement Test 2. Grammar Test Part 2 ‘what | was living [that | had lived || was living ] in, and she asked me if| [liked] had liked | would like | to live ‘would pay | would have paid] had paid | the mortgage and the bills [ it] there |they | wouldn't be ‘alot [many [few | left to live on. She suggested Sho was tired of [tolive [live [fiving J in rented accornmodation and wanted a place her and now she's been offered another job 200 miles away and is going to move. | don’t know what to do, Please give me some advice. Yours in shy desperation, Steve Look at the following examples of question tags in English. The correct form of the tag is ticked. a. He's getting the 918 tran, [lg he [Rasnit [wasn The b She works ina library, [isn’tshe |doogy?t she |doosn'the |? © Tom didn’t tell you, [hasn’the | didn’the |dy/ne |? 4 Someone's forgotten to switch of te gas, [didntone [adartth ey [havgpttthey |? Now tick the correct question tag in the following 10 items: 6” ‘by her own] of her own of herself |. Atabout the same time, | . nm [was given [have been given gave | rotice by the landlord ofthe fat 2B 2 0 with her. She [said ]01d explained | me thatby the time she a fozee 3 a Tato [ve should] we may | share the house and shere the cost, 5 Itseemed ke @ good eo, soattr [wa'dagreed we could agreo| wo agreed with |al th details 8. ‘what that | who | needed to be sorted out, we moved into the new house together. ar {Atte end of itis month [we have ved [we have been living | we" have been ving] 8 together fora year anda ha. i's theft te [Hive [fmiiving ve ved] wth anybody befor, but oa Totiould guess [might Rave guessed |T@have guessed |wnat would happen. (ve aleniniove with | $0_ Steve's off to China [has he [hasn’the isn’the |? cies Ivlbe a year before we see im again, [won't] wor'twe [ohare]? 2 I believe he's aiven up smoking, [jsn'the] don't [hasn'the |? ca I'm next on the list to go out there, [ am not ![ are! aren't! |? oa No doubt you'd rather he ain't stay abroad too long, [ shouldn't you | wouldn't you [hadn't you |? 5 He's rarely been away for ths long before, [Is he [hasn't he [has he |? % So you think hellbe back before November, [sh do you]? 2 Nobody's disagreed with the latest proposals, fave they |? 8 We'd better not deley reading this any longer, [should we did we [had we ]? 99 Now's hardly the time to tell me you didn't need a test at all,[ did you isitjinta]?Dave Allan 1992 Photocopying is illegal Oxford Placement Test 2 Listening Test Name Total Listening Total Grammar Part 1 Total Grammar Part Grand total Look at the example below. Listen to the tape. You will hear the example once only. Decide which word you hear, ‘soap’, or ‘soup’. 2 Wityou etme some [soap ay Jat the superman? ‘The word was ‘soup’, so ‘soup''is ticked. Now look at these examples, and listen to the tape again. This time, you tick the words you hear. For example, if you hear ‘shorts’ tick ‘shorts The teamneed new | shirts [shorts © They've recently developed a new kind of [ vine [wine Jaround here. ‘The words on the tape were ‘shorts’ and ‘vine’, so the correct answers look like this: The team need new shir shy | © They've recently developed a new kind of { we [wine Jaround here. Now the test will begin. Listen to the tape and tick (/) the words you heOxford Placoment Test 2 Listening Test What do you think of the Bell Schoo! { teachers [T-shirts ]? | really like them, He asked ifitcouldbe given n abit ate and si | yes, today yesterday | as OK | think Agassi winning it tTove [twoTove | Vahave lp him. ‘8x [Teast [ast] you understand what | meen. {think she lives at No. [68] He was [lapped |rapped | by his team-mates because he hadn't trained hard enough. Seals or [culled killed] exch surnmer ofthe Newfoundland coast. They asked if| was sending anybody and | said [ Mike or myself]! might go myself mated wo've ony [fity teen etn stock. She [likes [lacks | that tle extrabit of class, He's just become a member of the [ Hockey | Jockey | Club. ‘They're going to [ Wrexham [Wroxham | for their holidays, What do you think those { ships [shapes | on the horizon are? Did you realize he { slept [slipped | out lastnight? tv's an [arvazing [amusing] stow, isn't? The roads were absolutely | impossible [impassable | last week. ‘Sooner or later wel have to [ chuck [check ] them out. Is itready for [typing [taping | yet? Most of the [ new wavebands | new-wave bands ] sound really good. We need a corkehalk Jboardin our classroom Do they have many [ erehids [orchards] in Tunisia? | see Oxford University is advertising the chair in [ metaphysics [matter physics Can youhelp [ Bridget] Richard | to gett finished? Iv llbe difficult to Keep within these | perimeters | parameters |, but you must try, | think they now give the weather report from the [ new |news | studio. He's working ona new [model] module ]at the moment I must say | quite { faney 3d | going to see his latest film. ‘She's one of the most [ evil-[even- | tempered people I've ever met, His house is really tidy [tiny ‘The bathroom's small, butit's got a [ flush [flash | loo. Iran has been particularly successful in reducing its dependence on American | experts Is [Tamb [land | cheaper in Australia than itis here? Do you think he feels abit [ better [bitter } about it now? In the late sixties neo-colonialist attitudes could have posed a real threat to the [Kenyan Asian] exports coeWe just can’t get our gardener to cut the lyouedd wedges it'll make it nice and fizzy. iges Oxford Placement Test 2 Listening Test neatly She said that as far as she wes concemed we'd | been The longer It you're toking for John think he's inthe [Tab He's teaching the computer to play anew game =not chess but something id you know your ea offside tights [or Imeaving! 'm not going tet you [run] That was the ist ofa seis of My son got anew pa of [ippars only one could test learners! I'm told there are alot of {tigers | Thai girls wish that ‘The main advantage of this material is that it's Do you know'if this texts be | no trouble at al ‘we went on, the [hotter |harder | it becam: gone |? ruin | my life, ‘dramatic [traumatic ‘events that took place in his teens. slippers attitudes | aptitudes Quy]! | could be given more help at times. to take on holiday with him. {it'd be alot easier to group them, in the north of the country, ‘expendable [expandable copyright Have you had heard | the results yet? Is Susie's horse ready for [ shoeing | showing |? Doyou know e's gone To get accurate els you need i use a wide ange of She's amemberafthe She boughthim a [ Bulova He was best know for is workin | understand the Prine Ministris Several tums have paid day for underestimating | think he sane woulaht be back tl ‘Ace we going tobe abe to send him te | remainder | don' realy tine she has any intention of [leaving] Seeing thathas made me fee ealy [angry [hungn ‘aboard [abroad | yet? pullover | for Christmas, bback in [backing copied right |? types. —_ National | Natural | Childbirth Trust. [musicals] music hale Jn the ities Britain the Brazilians their resilience: eight| tate] Let's eat heat Have you tasted tested inyer? CE | don: know ite [nut Rearal Manseliftthe pt [ast Do you have any ides wha he CL joking choking her or not. first |, but Senna was soon prize [price | is? bucket reminder ]in time? living with him, that stew up tomorrow. It seems a pity to waste it, after him, pocket | because there's a hole init. FI subtotal _/95n n 73 ™ 15 18 n 78 19 80 at 82 8 24 ca 86 88 8 a1 92 94 6 96 a 98 99 100 ‘You know [ I] 'd ]like to see you whenever possible. The onty way to get therein winterisby the old route up the mountain [pass path | ‘Are you going to help us get the [vote [Boat ]out? Have you sen thse [ils [pls | as looking for? { believe Peter's [ chairman [German J, isn't he? He won several Grand Prix races in the [ Surtees [thirties | before he retired ‘Was the [ Mini | money | recognizable afterwards? He works for the [ highlands [islands ] tourist board, James was one of the| Stuarts] stewards |, wasn't he? ‘The finance committee were told hat the extra [house [hours | would cost £40,000, ‘They'd be surprised if they realized what people lke { Caroline [Carol and | have to do, ‘AJ[HA | Foytis the only criver to have won the ‘Indi 500" three years in @ row. The conference is scheduled for Friday the [ 13th [30th | of May. mataid ve roidesit finshed | could do with [an ice-cold [a nice, cold | drink. He's recently become an [ MB [MP Fatmersin the north and in Scotiand lost alot of [lambs | rams | last winter, This [ pen [pan J is no use it keeps leaking twas several hours before they | phoned [found | us. ‘Cambridge is about 60 miles frorn Norwich and 60 (also or so | from London, The police said they would [ ine [find ] the offender immediately If you Ike the style, there's a wide choice of [ colours [collars | available The [race rice | was ruined by the rain. He [ran [rang |off before we couldask his name. That was quite [fight] right] wehad, wasn't it? Impor restrictions on { Catalan [cattle and | sheep are now likely to be lifted, ve [st ied | sprained | my wrist, so won't be able to play tomorrow. ‘What he said was true in [either [neither | case Norwich |Knowledge | grew faster than evor bofore after the Renaissance. This [ election [selection ] doesn’t give one much of a choice, does it?Theoretical introduction Research background and validation of the Oxford Placement Tests The Listening Testis ahighly economical and easy-to-adrninistor objective test, which can be attempted by any student from ‘elementary evel upwards. Itisalsoahighly sensitiveanddelicate measure of an important component of communicative performance. Alltheitems were derived fromauthentic situations and intially pre-tested on groups of native speakers. Only those items which were consistently answered correctly by the entire sample of native-speakers were included in the bank of items from which the final 100 for each test were drawn. Several hundred items were then trialled on groups of students in language institutions in the United Kingdom and overseas, and ‘each setof resuits subjectedtodetaileditemanalysistodetermine {ocility values, discrimination indices, etc. Testswere then carried ut for item and inter-test reliability end to establish concurrent validity between the Oxford Placement Testsendcomprehensive test batteries that had given satisfactory grading and placement scores in a variety of English language teaching institutions ‘worldwide. The Oxford Placement Testshave provedto be highly effective initial placement instruments and a reliable means of grading students at al levels from elementary upwards, with a Consistent record of predictive validity in respect of examination onary. ‘The structures tested in the Grammar Test, along with the distractors used and the linguistic environments in which they ate set, all derive from analysis of test items used by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, the Royal Society of Arts, the ARELS Examinations Trust, and the British ‘Council, at the different levels encompassed by the Oxford Placement Tests. in addition to this, and particularly at lower levels, standard structure lists and itemgreding lists were ‘consulted, though in many cases, items traditionally thought to be difficult turnad out to be easy, and vioe versa ‘Al the items have bean tested over a five-year period on multi- level samples of studentsinvolvingover 40 different nationalities. The overall results have been analysed and the balance of difficuty levels in the final tests worked out accordingly Inallparts of the tests the lexis has been carefully controlled and keptas neutralas possible. Meaningis inevitably andintentionally ‘tested within the test, butthe aim throughouthas been to findout what structures astudent knows, not to confuse or mystify. tem reliability over aggregates is very high. The facility values and discrimination indices of particular items show a high level of consistency fromone large multilingual sample tosnother, given the same defined sample range and balance of levels within the ‘sample, though there can be significant vacations itenviby-itern between different language groups. Answer Key Listening Test 1 Yshins 70 bucket 2 yes, today nite 3 totve 72 pass 4 ted 73 vote 5 ast 7 ils 6 608 75 charrsan 7 lapped 78 Surtees 8 culled 77 Mei 9 might gomyseif 78 islands 10 fteen 19 stewards 11 sacks 80 hous 12 Hockey 81 Caroland 13. Wroxham 22 Al 1% shapes 83 30h 15 sipped 84 they've 16 emeeng 85 an ice-cold 17 impassable 86 MB 18 chuck 87 lames 19 typing 188 pan 20 new wavebands 69 phoned 21 cork 80 ora 22 oxchards 81 find 23 mater physics 92 cols 24 Bagot 93 feo 25 parameters 94 rang 26 news 295 tight 27 module 96 cate and 28 fancied 87 sprained 29 even- 98 nether 30 try 99 Nonwich 31 flash 100 selection 32 experts 33 land Grammar Test 34 biter te 35 Kenyan naion 3 feezes 36 edges a 3 cer 3 whee 38 boon geod 3 hater 5 war 40 eb an Sir 7 hee 2 ome fs tame 10 weloed _ 1 teseet 46 apstudes - Tange 13 rent Bee 18 tao mere 16 both is ft foot esiasoae 18 had joined ao 18 was picked ta 20 toplaving 56 Bulow zie 57 musichals 72 wasn't going to nae 23 had Seen 59 ther rosionce 24 sucha oe 25 even though 61 remeindor 28 auto 2 teow zine 83 ana 29 was noi 64 host oe tte 29 had won 66 chong 31 67 burt ae 33 thet ime 234 had played = 38 36 a 38 39 40 a 42 4% 4 8 46 a ry “3 tater in winning the the wich betwsen who had wen have. ‘geting by himself tobe would people eve any which working any fon your own are wing 0 had started rather owing anybody wing sifictty in learning Taming don't krow ve worked hed been ett workes chance to bulé ariving her oven living of her own was given was ving would tke ‘ola had paid there let we should we'd agreed that ‘wel have boon ling ve twed ight have guessed Brthe wor'tit hasrithe aren't! ‘wouldn't you has ho coyou have they had westudent added up to give totalcores and the tests placed in rank ‘order. Students can then be graded vr placed with maximum, ease and efficiency.” Further information on marking the tests and using them for diagnostic purposes is provided with the Marking Kit icance of the overall scores? Both sections of the esthave 100 tems and produce percentage ‘scores. These can be used separately ifdesired.andiortiedin with ‘the rankings derived from other, lass easy-touse placement instruments, e.g. interviews. The two sections of the test are, however, designed to be used together to produce a total score. ‘Out of 200. Itis this aggregate score from the two sections that ‘should ideally be used to establish a rank order for placernent or other purposes. Very high correlations (.89 and over) have been established between the scores out of 200 and scores on much ‘more compioxtestbatteriesthethave produced highly satisfactory student placement and accurate prediction of exam results, ‘The overall score can also be related to a variety of external hoxms, as shown on the Levels Chart Note: scores below 80 cannot provide the same degree of reliability 8s those in the range 80 - 200. The estsofferanextremelyretablebasis ortheintialassessment of students of English. Don’t forget though that once students {are known to an institution, te best possible evaluation of their ‘overall ability in English will often come from their teachor{s), ‘Above al, emember that tests ae usefulservants, butdangerous masters. The Levels Chart shows levels relationships which represent broad statistical correlations. It therefore offers @ very useful ‘general guide to where learners are on a number of widely Fecognized scales of overall language proficiency, e.g. inrelation ‘oother love's frameworks, IELTS bands, and some of the major public examinations in EFL. {tshould be remembered, however, that no global test score can Provide the detailed language profile that is needed if a full description of an individual's proficiency is required Cambridge Exams | ANELS/Oxtord Exams | Lect eaame 7 Sle} F] E] EP] 2] es] e)e z EIg] 2 i 3 z g 2] & s o|e a 3 e = 6 a a . 1 | @ |] ccm : creer? Pra Ec Awe || , m|® har 6 180 ceeur Level “competent user, 150 ~~ 5 | Uerineredate 1 cst mn | ® terete: tonto =—— 6 =a - © = ran Tanta ta semaine — | ne Po 2 || ranston Weg emt | 10 ‘Basic: very temited user 0 ® 1 | roseeaonecmrinatine | | © ‘Absit bina nonanar © ;