Categories of Language Proficiency Requirements for Pilot

From Doc 9853 AN/453 ICAO

PRONUNCIATION STRUCTURE

Relevant
grammatical
structures and
Assumes a dialect
sentence
LEVEL and/or accent VOCABULARY FLUENCY COMPREHENSION INTERACTIONS
patterns are
intelligible to the
determined by
aeronautical
language
community.
functions
appropriate to
the task.

Vocabulary range Able to speak at

and accuracy are length with a
Pronunciation, sufficient to natural, effortless
Both basic and
stress, rhythm, and communicate flow. Varies
complex Comprehension is Interacts with ease in
intonation, though effectively on a speech flow for
grammatical consistently accurate in nearly all situations. Is
possibly influenced wide variety of stylistic effect,
structures and nearly all contexts and sensitive to verbal and
Expert 6 by the first language familiar and e.g. to emphasize
sentence includes comprehension non-verbal cues and
or regional variation, unfamiliar topics. a point. Uses
patterns are of linguistic and cultural responds to them
almost never Vocabulary is appropriate
consistently subtleties. appropriately.
interfere with ease idiomatic, discourse
well controlled.
of understanding. nuanced, and markers and
sensitive to connectors
register. spontaneously.

Basic Vocabulary range Comprehension is

grammatical and accuracy are accurate on common,
Able to speak at
structures and sufficient to concrete, and work-
length with
Pronunciation, sentence communicate related topics and
relative ease on
stress, rhythm, and patterns are effectively on mostly accurate when
familiar topics Responses are
intonation, though consistently common, the speaker is
but may not vary immediate,
influenced by the well controlled. concrete, and confronted with a
speech flow as a appropriate, and
Extended 5 first language or Complex work-related linguistic or situational
stylistic device. informative. Manages
regional variation, structures are topics. complication or an
Can make use of the speaker/ listener
rarely interfere with attempted but Paraphrases unexpected turn of
appropriate relationship effectively.
ease of with errors consistently and events. Is able to
discourse
understanding. which successfully. comprehend a range of
markers or
sometimes Vocabulary is speech varieties (dialect
connectors.
interfere with sometimes and/or accent) or
meaning. idiomatic. registers.

Operational Pronunciation, Basic Vocabulary range Produces Comprehension is Responses are usually
 stretches of
language at an
mostly accurate on
appropriate
grammatical common, concrete, and
tempo. There
structures and and accuracy are work- related topics
may be immediate,
sentence usually sufficient when the accent or
occasional loss of appropriate, and
patterns are to communicate variety
fluency on informative. Initiates
stress, rhythm, and used creatively effectively on used is sufficiently
transition from and maintains
intonation are and are usually common, intelligible for an
rehearsed or exchanges even when
influenced by the well controlled. concrete, and international
formulaic speech dealing with an
first language or Errors may work-related community of users.
4 to spontaneous unexpected turn of
regional variation occur, topics. Can often When the speaker is
interaction, but events. Deals
but only sometimes particularly in paraphrase confronted with a
this does not adequately with
interfere with ease unusual or successfully when linguistic or situational
prevent effective apparent
of understanding. unexpected lacking vocabulary complication or an
communication. misunderstandings by
circumstances, in unusual or unexpected turn of
Can make limited checking, confirming, or
but rarely unexpected events, comprehension
use of discourse clarifying.
interfere with circumstances. may be slower or
markers or
meaning. require clarification
connectors.
strategies.
Fillers are not
distracting.

Vocabulary range
Produces
Basic and accuracy are Comprehension is often
stretches of
grammatical often sufficient to accurate on common, Responses are
language, but
structures and communicate on concrete, and work- sometimes immediate,
Pronunciation, phrasing and
sentence common, related topics when the appropriate, and
stress, rhythm, and pausing are often
patterns concrete, or work- accent or variety informative. Can initiate
intonation are inappropriate.
associated with related topics, but used is sufficiently and maintain exchanges
Pre- influenced by the Hesitations or
predictable range is limited intelligible for an with reasonable ease
operational first language or slowness in
situations are and the word international on familiar topics and in
3 regional variation language
not always well choice often community of users. predictable situations.
and frequently processing may
controlled. inappropriate. Is May fail to understand a Generally inadequate
interfere with ease prevent effective
Errors often unable to linguistic or situational when dealing with an
of understanding. communication.
frequently paraphrase complication or an unexpected turn of
Fillers are
interfere with successfully when unexpected turn of events.
sometimes
meaning. lacking events.
distracting.
vocabulary.

Elementary Pronunciation, Shows only Limited Can produce very Comprehension is Response time is slow
2 stress, rhythm, and limited control vocabulary range short, isolated, limited to isolated, and often
intonation are of a few simple consisting only of memorized memorized phrases inappropriate.
heavily influenced by memorized isolated words utterances with when they are carefully Interaction is limited to
the first language or grammatical and memorized frequent pausing and slowly articulated. simple routine
regional variation structures and phrases. and a distracting exchanges.
and usually interfere sentence use of fillers to
with ease of patterns. search for
understanding. expressions and
to articulate less
 familiar words.

Performs at a
Pre- Performs at a level Performs at a Performs at a Performs at a level Performs at a level
level below the
elementary below the level below the level below the below the Elementary below the Elementary
Elementary
1 Elementary level. Elementary level. Elementary level. level. level.
level.