Key Level A2 Speaking Test Features

PARTS TASK FORMAT CANDIDATE OUTPUT

Interaction Pattern Input Discourse Features Functions

Part 1 • Interlocutor asks candidates
questions to elicit personal
Interview information, daily life, interests,
3-4 minutes likes, dislikes, etc. followed by one
longer turn ‘ Tell me something
(5-6 mins. for 3 candidates)
about…..’ question.
• Spoken questions provided by
interlocutor frame.
• Responding to questions (including
one extended response).
• Giving factual personal information.
• Talking about present circumstances.
• Expressing opinions.
• Explaining and giving reasons.
• Talking about future plans.
• Talking about past experiences.

Part 2 • Interlocutor initiates a discussion task. • Spoken rubrics. • Responding appropriately. • Discussing likes, dislikes and giving
• Visual prompts and topic question reasons.
Discussion task given in candidate booklet.
5-6 minutes
(8-9 mins. for 3 candidates)

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Speaking Test Assessment Scales

Key Level A2 Analytical Scales

0 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

Grammar and • Shows only limited control of a • Shows sufficient control of • Shows a good degree of control
few grammatical forms. simple grammatical forms. of simple grammatical forms.
Vocabulary
• Uses a vocabulary of isolated • Uses appropriate vocabulary • Uses a range of appropriate
words and phrases. to talk about everyday vocabulary when talking about
Control
situations. everyday situations.
Range
Appropriacy

• Has very limited control of • Is mostly intelligible, despite • Is mostly intelligible, and has
Pronunciation
phonological features and is limited control of phonological some control of phonological
often unintelligible. features. features at both utterance and
Stress
Individual sounds word levels.

Interactive • Has considerable difficulty • Maintains simple exchanges, • Maintains simple exchanges.

approximately equal measure.

More features of 1.0 than of 3.0.

More features of 3.0 than of 1.0.
maintaining simple despite some difficulty.
approximately equal measure.

• Requires very little prompting and

More features of 3.0 than of 5.0.
More features of 5.0 than of 3.0.

Communication exchanges. • Requires prompting and support.

• Requires additional prompting support.
Responding

Some features of 3.0 and some features of 1.0 in

and support.

Performance does not satisfy the Band 1 descriptor.

Some features of 3.0 and some features of 5.0 in

Support required

Please note: At the end of each test the assessor should also refer to the Missing Marks Checklist (on the following page) when completing mark sheets.
 Key Level A2
0 1.0
• Has difficulty conveying basic
meaning even in very familiar
everyday situations.
• Responses are limited to short
phrases or isolated words with
frequent hesitation and pauses.
1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
• Conveys basic meaning in very
familiar everyday situations.
• Produces utterances which tend to
be very short – words or phrases –
with frequent hesitation and pauses.
Global Achievement Scale
3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
• Handles communication in
everyday situations, despite
hesitation.
• Constructs longer utterances but is
not able to use complex language
except in well-rehearsed utterances.

Band 1 descriptor.
More features of 1.0 than of 3.0.
More features of 3.0 than of 1.0.
More features of 3.0 than of 5.0.
More features of 5.0 than of 3.0.

Performance does not satisfy the

1.0 in approximately equal measure.
5.0 in approximately equal measure.

Some features of 3.0 and some features of

Some features of 3.0 and some features of

Timing Missing Marks Checklist

When the test is finished the assessor asks for the interlocutor’s global marks.
A2 Key Pair Group of three The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Grammar & Vocabulary?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
Part 1 3-4 minutes 5-6 minutes The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Pronunciation?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
Part 2 5-6 minutes 8-9 minutes The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Interactive Communication?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
TOTAL 8-10 minutes 13-15 minutes
Finally, the assessor reads back the Global Marks: “And Global XXX for Candidate A
and YYY for Candidate B.”
Note: the assessor must check that examiner IDs and candidate IDs are correct
before moving on. The procedure above should be adapted for groups of three.

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Preliminary Level B1 Speaking Test Features
PARTS TASK FORMAT CANDIDATE OUTPUT

Interaction Pattern Input Discourse Features Functions

Part 1 • Interlocutor asks candidates • Spoken questions provided by the • Responding to questions. • Giving personal information.
questions to elicit personal interlocutor frame.
• Expanding on responses. • Talking about present circumstances.
Interview information.
• Talking about past experiences.
2-3 minutes
(3-4 mins. for 3 candidates) • Talking about future plans.

Part 2 • Interlocutor delegates an individual • Spoken rubrics. • Sustaining a long turn. • Describing people, places and
task to each candidate. • Visual stimuli given in the candidate situations.
• Managing discourse.
Long Turn booklet (one photograph per • Naming personal characteristics,
– Coherence and clarity of message.
2-3 minutes candidate). objects and activities.
– Organisation of language and ideas.
(4-5 mins. for 3 candidates) • Paraphrasing words and ideas if
– Accuracy and appropriacy of linguistic necessary.
resources. • Explaining and giving reasons.

Part 3 • Interlocutor delegates a • Spoken rubrics. • Turn-taking and responding • Exchanging information and opinions.
collaborative task (simulated appropriately. • Expressing and justifying opinions.
• Visual stimuli given in the candidate
Collaborative Task situation) to the pair of candidates. booklet (line drawings). • Negotiating. • Negotiating agreement.
3 minutes
(4 mins. for 3 candidates) • Making and responding to
suggestions.
• Discussing alternatives.
• Making recommendations.

Part 4 • Interlocutor leads a discussion • Spoken questions provided by • Responding appropriately. • Exchanging information and opinions
with candidates. interlocutor frame. (likes/dislikes, preferences,
• Developing topics.
experiences, habits, etc.).
Discussion
3 minutes • Expressing and justifying opinions.
(4 mins. for 3 candidates)
Speaking Test Assessment Scales

Preliminary Level B1 Analytical Scales

0 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

Grammar and • Shows sufficient control of simple • Shows a good degree of control • Shows a good degree of control
grammatical forms. of simple grammatical forms. of simple grammatical forms, and
Vocabulary attempts some complex
• Uses a limited range of • Uses a range of appropriate
grammatical forms.
Control appropriate vocabulary to talk vocabulary when talking about
Range about familiar topics. familiar topics. • Uses a range of appropriate
Appropriacy vocabulary to give and exchange
views on familiar topics.

Discourse • Produces responses which are • Produces responses which are • Produces extended stretches of
characterised by short phrases extended beyond short phrases, language despite some
Management and frequent hesitation. despite hesitation. hesitation.

Extent • Repeats information or digresses • Contributions are mostly relevant, • Contributions are relevant despite
Relevance from the topic. but there may be some repetition. some repetition.
Coherence • Uses basic cohesive devices. • Uses a range of cohesive
Cohesion devices.

Pronunciation • Is mostly intelligible, despite • Is mostly intelligible, and has • Is intelligible.

limited control of phonological some control of phonological • Intonation is generally
Intonation features. features at both utterance and appropriate.
Stress word levels.

More features of 1.0 than of 3.0.

More features of 3.0 than of 1.0.
More features of 3.0 than of 5.0.
More features of 5.0 than of 3.0.

• Sentence and word stress is

Individual sounds generally accurately placed.
• Individual sounds are generally

Performance does not satisfy the Band 1 descriptor.

articulated clearly.

Interactive • Maintains simple exchanges, • Initiates and responds • Initiates and responds
despite some difficulty. appropriately. appropriately.
Communication
• Requires prompting and support. • Keeps the interaction going with • Maintains and develops the
Some features of 3.0 and some features of 1.0 in approximately equal measure.
Some features of 3.0 and some features of 5.0 in approximately equal measure.

Initiating very little prompting and support. interaction and negotiates

Responding towards an outcome with very
Development little support.

Please note: At the end of each test the assessor should also refer to the Missing Marks Checklist (on the following page) when completing mark sheets.
 Preliminary Level B1
0 1.0
• Conveys basic meaning on very
familiar or highly predictable topics.
• Produces utterances which tend to be
very short – words or phrases – with
frequent hesitation and pauses.
1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
• Handles communication on familiar
topics, despite hesitation.
• Constructs longer utterances but is
not able to use complex language
except in well-rehearsed utterances.
Global Achievement Scale
3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
• Handles communication on familiar
topics, despite some hesitation.
• Organises extended discourse but
occasionally produces utterances
that lack coherence, and some
inaccuracies and inappropriate
usage occur.

Band 1 descriptor.
approximately equal measure.
approximately equal measure.

More features of 1.0 than of 3.0.

More features of 3.0 than of 1.0.
More features of 3.0 than of 5.0.
More features of 5.0 than of 3.0.

Performance does not satisfy the

Some features of 3.0 and some features of 1.0 in
Some features of 3.0 and some features of 5.0 in

Timing Missing Marks Checklist

When the test is finished the assessor asks for the interlocutor’s global marks.
B1 Preliminary Pair Group of three The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Grammar & Vocabulary?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
Part 1 2-3 minutes 3-4 minutes The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Discourse Management?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
Part 2 2-3 minutes 4-5 minutes The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Pronunciation?”
Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
Part 3 3 minutes 4 minutes
The interlocutor then asks: “Have you got two marks for Interactive Communication?”
Part 4 3 minutes Assessor then physically checks and answers: “Check.”
4 minutes
Finally, the assessor reads back the Global Marks: “And Global XXX for Candidate A
TOTAL and YYY for Candidate B.”
12 minutes 17 minutes
Note: the assessor must check that examiner IDs and candidate IDs are correct
before moving on. The procedure above should be adapted for groups of three.

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