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CELPIP Score Comparison Chart
Level 12. Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Communicate in demanding non-routine situations for a full range of purposes, intentions, and objectives
Present information and develop ideas with complex, clear, and precise descriptions or details
Vocabulary
Use a very broad range of concrete and abstract language.
Use a broad range of figures of speech and idioms
Listenability
Speak with very good control of a very broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures
Speak intelligibly with fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Task Fulfillment
Adapt my language to the situation, my desired purposes, and my relationships to listeners
Precisely communicate my ideas to others when I speak
When:
I speak with peers or authority figures
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Hi Joanne. So I heard you got a job overseas in China, but I know that you are a little bit concerned because it’s really far from here. And also, you’ll be away from your friends and family a lot. But after thinking about a few things, I would like to give you an advice based on why you should take this opportunity. First of all, it’s a really good paying job. You probably would not be able to get a salary like this here in Canada. So, it would be best if you take this job. Also, since it’s a higher paying job, you would be able to take care of your family more cuz I know that your dad has some health issues and I know that he’s not being able to take care of his self. So because of that, you’d be able to take care of your parents more. Also, I know that your job is providing you one free ticket, it’s a return ticket, back and forth once a year. So, you would always be able to come and visit your family. And when you’re visiting your family, you’d always be able to visit your friends. And I would never mind visiting you in China because I really wanna see that place and I’m pretty sure every once in a while, I’d be able to come and visit you there, too. We can always chat on Skype online, that way you won’t have to feel so lonely. Overall, I think it’s a perfect opportunity—
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hi Maddie. I’m just at a furniture fair and I’m looking at this chair and I had to ring you to tell you about it. I know you’re really interested in collecting interesting furniture, and this is very interesting! Let me describe it. So, it’s curved, it’s blue, there’s a light on the top of it which kind of winds around to focus in on where you would be sitting in the center of the chair. It’s also got a curved arm table coming out of it with a cup holder, and we know you like to drink your tea and coffee when you’re reading your book, so that’s important and convenient to have. Also, I should note that on the back of the chair, there’s a switch to control the reading light above your head. So, if you fancied a snooze as you tend to do when you’re reading, you could just turn off the light and drift off. You might want to be careful though because there is no sides to the seat. If you did fall asleep, you would probably fall off the chair.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can communicate in demanding non-routine situations for a full range of purposes, intentions, and objectives. In Task A, the speaker lessens the certainty of some statements (e.g., “You probably would not be able to get a salary like this here in Canada”) and strengthens other statements to indicate more certainty (e.g., “So, you would always be able to come and visit your family”).
Speakers are also able to present information and develop ideas with complex, clear, and precise descriptions or details. In Task B, the speaker provides clear and precise details when stating, “I should note that on the back of the chair, there’s a switch to control the reading light above your head.”
Vocabulary
Speakers can use a broad range of concrete and abstract vocabulary and use figures of speech and idioms accurately. In Task B, the speaker describes the chair by stating, “there’s a light on the top of it which kind of winds around to focus in on where you would be sitting in the center of the chair” and later indicates that “if you fancied a snooze as you tend to do when you’re reading, you could just turn off the light and drift off.”
Listenability
Speakers have very good control of a very broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. In Both Tasks A and B, the speakers can produce extended responses and incorporate a range of complex structures (e.g., “But after thinking about a few things, I would like to give you an advice based on why you should take this opportunity” and “If you did fall asleep, you would probably fall off the chair”).
Speakers can speak intelligibly with fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can communicate their ideas to others and adapt their language to the situation, their desired purposes, and their relationship to listeners. In Task A, the speaker indicates that he is aware of the challenges the other person is experiencing when stating, “I know that you are a little bit concerned because it’s really far from here.” In this way, the speaker assumes the role of a sympathetic advisor. In Task B, the speaker expresses excitement at finding the chair and the need to “ring you to tell you about it.” In this way, the speaker assumes the role of a friend offering information of interest to the listener.
Level 11. Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Communicate in demanding non-routine
situations for a range of purposes
Present information and develop ideas with
clear and precise descriptions or details
Vocabulary
Use a broad range of concrete and
abstract language
Use a range of figures of speech and
idioms
Listenability
Speak with good control of a broad range
of complex and diverse grammatical
structures
Speak intelligibly with fluent rhythm,
pronunciation, and intonation
Task Fulfillment
Adapt my language to most situations, my desired purposes, and my relationships to listeners
Communicate my ideas to others when I
speak
When
I speak with peers or authority figures
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
the situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
First of all Julie, I would like to congratulate you on this job offer. Um, it’s, you were very lucky to get an offer, so I believe that it’s an, it’s definitely something that you should consider. Um, you have a few things to think about, mainly the region that you’re going to. I mean, Korea, you’ve never been there before, so I would definitely research a little bit on the culture and see if you would be able to assimilate uh quickly. Uh, definitely start looking into their language. Um, I’m sure they would have translators for you, but uh it’s always good to be ready for that. Um, I don’t know if you also know anyone around the area that could help you, somebody that maybe you grew up with or a family member. Um, I would start looking into that as well, if you could get some references in that sense. You know, moving away is not such a big deal with technology and uh things like that. Uh, whether you would be comfortable with, instead of seeing your friends and your family face to face, whether you would be happy with communicating with them through the internet, Skype and Facebook, and things like that as opposed to, you know, meeting them all the time. And whether you would be, you know, willing to spend the money to come back to see them is something that you would have to consider as well. Um, yeah.
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hey Maddie, how’s it going? I’m just calling you because I’m down at that furniture fair, you know the one that uh you told me about that you couldn’t make it to, and they have got this interesting blue chair. That’s about the only way I can explain it to you. Um, it’s curved, almost like a backwards C. Uh, it’s got a lamp on the top, it kind of curves and comes around. It’s got a, looks like a screen or a tablet holder and the base of it comes down. It’s got the chair right in front of the screen and then a small mini-table, like an end table. And it’s got a cup holder clip to the little table. And uh I would take a pic and send it to you but I know you don’t have a smart phone. So, I’ll take a pic and email to you. But it is the most interesting chair I have ever seen.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can communicate effectively in demanding non-routine situations for a range of purposes. In Task B, the speaker performs successfully in this unusual situation by selecting words and phrases to describe the strange object and explaining how a picture of it will be sent to the listener.
Speakers can present information and develop ideas with precise descriptions or details. In Task A, the speaker provides several ideas and develops them with precise details such as the need to research the culture to “see if you would be able to assimilate.” In Task B, the speaker provides a precise description of the shape of the chair by precisely indicating how parts are connected.
Vocabulary
Speakers can use a broad range of concrete and abstract vocabulary and incorporate figures of speech or idioms. In Task A, the speaker advises the other person to “start looking into their language” and think about the challenges of assimilation.
Listenability
Speakers have good control over a broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. In Task A, the speaker produces a variety of complex sentence constructions throughout the response.
Speakers can produce extended responses with fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation. and is able to do so with few hesitations, interjections, or self-corrections.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can communicate their ideas to others and adapt their language to most situations, desired purposes, and their relationships to listeners. Both speakers situate themselves within the communicative context in a number of ways. They address the listener with a level of formality that is suitable for the situation (e.g., “I would like to congratulate you” and “Hey Maddie, how’s it going?”). They also convey their intentions to the listener (e.g., “I’m just calling you because …”) and they communicate relevant ideas that are suitable for the purpose of the communication.
Level 10. Highly effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Communicate in moderately demanding non-routine situations
Present information and develop ideas with clear descriptions or reasons
Vocabulary
Use a range of concrete and abstract language
Use some figures of speech and idioms
Listenability
Speak with good control of a broad range of complex grammatical structures
Speak intelligibly with mostly fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Task Fulfillment
Adjust my speaking style and tone to a broad range of audiences and situations
Convey my ideas to others when I speak
When
I speak with peers or authority figures
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Well I can sure understand that you don’t wanna have the experience to be so far away from your family. I totally see that and I miss my family, too; but you know, it gives you a great opportunity um to learn something that you’ve always wanted to learn. You’ve gone so far already with your business degree. You want to learn a lot more, get into more knowledge, better skills, you want to be there for other people, you wanna explore the world. So, I think this job to go overseas is just a great opportunity for you. You will meet new friends, you will enjoy the land, the country there, the weather is beautiful. Um, and later on, when you come back in two, three years, uh that is just looking great on your resume. So, you’ll have a lot of uh experience and start in a better job here then, because you can say, “Yes, I have already gotten a lot of experience uh in that other country overseas.” Yeah, so I think it would be a great opportunity, but I’m sure gonna miss you and I will try to visit [laughs] cuz I’ve always wanted to go to the country that you’re going to. And I know nowadays a plane is not too far and you can go back and we can see each other and come home for Christmas and stuff. So, I hope you can really take that job and do the best with it.
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Maddie, I saw this really cool chair. It’s almost futuristic looking. Um, it’d be a great piece for your office. It looks like a half-moon shape and it’s blue. And it has a seat for where you would sit. And then, on the side is like um an end table with, that’s attached to the main piece of the chair. And it has a clip where you put your drinks in. And there’s also, it looks to be almost like, like a … a desk … shelf type of, type of thing. And it’s just very interesting looking [laughs]. Um, it’s blue and it’s, it sits on the ground, it looks like maybe it’s like about like four feet above the ground. It’s a big chair.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can communicate in moderately demanding non-routine situations. In Task B, the speaker finds words and phrases to describe the strange object and then makes several comparisons with more common objects (e.g., end table, desk, shelf, etc.) to describe it more accurately for the listener.
Speakers can present information and develop ideas with clear descriptions or reasons. In Task A, the speaker provides several ideas to support the opinion expressed (e.g., learn more, improve skills, and explore the world) and develops these ideas with related details and examples.
Vocabulary
Speakers can use a range of concrete and abstract language as well as figures of speech or idioms. In Task A, the speaker indicates that the other person has already “gone so far” in their studies and states, “I’m sure gonna miss you.” In Task B, the speaker describes the chair as “futuristic looking” and as having a “half-moon shape.”
Listenability
Speakers have good control over a broad range of grammatical structures. In Task A, the speaker states, “I totally see that and I miss my family, too; but you know, it gives you…” and “later on, when you come back …”
Speakers can speak intelligibly with mostly fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation. The speaker’s intonation effectively expresses a preference to take the job, and also that the other person will be missed.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can adjust their speaking style to a broad range of audiences and situations and convey their intentions and ideas. In Task A, the speaker empathizes with the other person (“I totally see that and I miss my family, too”). The speaker also imagines what the other person could say afterwards (e.g., “You can say, ‘Yes, I have already gotten a lot of experience in another country overseas’”). In Task B, the speaker communicates in an informal manner (e.g. “Maddie, I saw this really cool chair”), which is suitable for the situation.
Level 9. Effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Present information and support ideas with moderately complex reasons
Vocabulary
Use common or context-specific vocabulary
Use some figures of speech and idioms
Listenability
Speak with some control of complex grammatical structures
Speak intelligibly with mostly fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Task Fulfillment
Adjust my speaking style and tone to a range of audiences and situations
Convey my ideas to others when I speak
When
I speak with peers or authority figures
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Hey Joanne, congratulations on graduating with a business degree and getting a job. I understand the job is an excellent opportunity. Though it is overseas, uh you shouldn’t be worried about moving away from your friends and family. I think this job would be a great fit for your skillset and you’ll be able to grow higher in the organization in a much faster pace. I understand that staying away from your family is causing you a lot of discomfort, but there is always vacation where they could travel to your place or you could travel back home. In a way it’s good because if your parents come to you, you can show them around the new country, they haven’t been there before. I’m thinking, and I believe that this job will be a perfect fit for you and you will be able to grow to great heights through this job. All the things that you have learned during business school will be applicable to this job role. Looking at any of the other job offers that you might get, I’m not sure they would be as good as this and give you the pay and the lifestyle that this job would give you. Moving away from your family for a short time I think is a, is a trade-off that we will have to make for a brighter and better future. So, I would say take the job and go.
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hello Maddie, I called you to tell you about this amazing furniture that I just saw at the furniture fair. Oh, I got spellbound to look to the design of this furniture. It .. and I’m sure it’s going to be the best fit for your home office. And it contains a lamp that provides you light for reading purposes. It has a backrest, a good round chair, it even has a small stool on which you can put your snacks, something to eat. And there’s also a glass holder. And it’s amazing blue colour with even the switch for the lamp is given on the backrest. And quite comfortable, and looks the option that you can even turn in in any direction as you want. And yeah, when I saw this, the first thought that came to my mind is about you. I think you should go for it. It’s amazing design, really great, great work of architecture.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can present information clearly and support ideas with moderately complex reasons. In Task A, the speaker offers several supporting reasons why it’s preferable to take the job (e.g., vacations, professional growth, applying knowledge, etc.). This is organized with the use of several linking words (e.g., and, but, so) and useful phrases that assist listeners in making logical connections (e.g., “Though it is overseas …” and “Looking at any of the other job offers …”).
Vocabulary
Speakers can incorporate common and more context-specific vocabulary, figures of speech, and idioms into their responses. In Task A, the speaker uses “skillset,” “show them around,” and “grow to great heights” to communicate with more precision. In Task B, the speaker uses “spellbound” and “first thought that came to my mind.”
Listenability
Speakers have control over simple grammatical structures and some complex structures. In Task A, the speaker produces several complex sentences (e.g., “In a way it’s good because if your parents come to you, you can show them around the new country, they haven’t been there before”).
Compared to Level 8, speakers are also able to extend responses with fewer pauses and maintain understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can adjust their speaking style to a range of audiences and situations and are able to convey their intentions and ideas. In Task A, the speaker creates a friendly tone but maintains a serious attitude given the situation involves making an important decision (e.g., “you shouldn’t be worried,” “I understand that,” and “I believe that …”). In Task B, the speaker creates a friendly tone and tries to persuade the other person that the chair is exceptional (e.g., “amazing” and “go for it”).
Level 8. Good proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Present concrete and some abstract information that is supported with moderately complex reasons
Vocabulary
Use common words and some context-specific vocabulary to communicate meaning
Use some figures of speech and idioms
Listenability
Speak with some control of complex grammatical structures
Speak intelligibly with consistently fluent rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Speak with very few self-corrections, repetitions, or inappropriate pauses
Task Fulfillment
Adjust my speaking style and tone to some audiences and situations
Convey my intended meaning to others when I speak
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
I really think that you should take that job offer, um even it’s far away. Um, these will help you to start your um professional development. And also, being far will help you to be stronger. And you will learn from your mistakes and make um better decisions. Um now with the technology, um then we can use the Skype or the FaceTime with our phones, you won’t feel that you are that far away. However, the payment is really good. And you have to start getting more um references for future jobs. And this is the perfect job to start. The payment is good! The company is really well-known company cuz they have a lot of benefits, they have a really good environment. And if you miss the opportunity, later on you will regret it. And then, there’s no time to, to go back. Um, you know you can always be in a new place, uh see the new culture, from city to city. And uh never be scared, I’m pretty sure you will meet new people there that will be there to help you if you have any trouble. Or you can always contact—
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hey Maddie, um I found this chair at this uh furniture fair the other day and I thought you might be interested and wanna have a look at it, it might fit actually your, your collection of interesting furniture items. It’s, it’s blue in shape, uh it got lots of curves, has a light on top of it so it’s very good for reading. Uh it has a back stand on it as well, on this side of it there is a coffee stand as well as a little table for, you know, food. So it’s, it’s, it could, basically you could do everything in this uh chair. Food, you could eat, you could drink, you could lay back, you could uh read a book. Um one thing I noticed is the size of it is actually reasonable, it’s not as big as you may think it is. So, yeah I would recommend that you visit uh the store and have a look at this chair. You might like it and add it to your collection—
Content/Coherence
Speakers can present concrete and some abstract information and provide moderately complex reasons for their opinions. In Task A, the speaker specifies that by taking the job, the other person will gain “professional development,” become “stronger,” and “learn from [their] mistakes.” The speaker also persuades the other person to take the job by indicating, “the payment is really good,” there are “a lot of benefits,” and that the company is “well-known.”
Vocabulary
Speakers can use common words more precisely than lower levels and incorporate some context-specific vocabulary, figures of speech, or idioms. In Task A, the speaker uses “professional development” and “benefits” appropriately. In Task B, the speaker adds words or phrases such as “best fit,” “backrest,” and “lay back.”
Listenability
Speaker have control over simple grammatical structures and some control over complex structures. In Task A, the speaker states, “And if you miss the opportunity, later on you will regret it.” In Task B, the speaker states, “One thing I noticed is the size of it is actually reasonable, it’s not as big as you may think it is.”
Speakers can also produce extended responses with fewer pauses than lower levels and speak with understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can adjust their speaking style and tone to suit some audiences and situations and can convey their intentions to others. In Task A, the speaker establishes a firm but friendly tone when advising, “I really think you should take that job offer” and that it is a “tradeoff” for a “brighter and better future.” However, the speaker also reassures the other person to “never be scared” because there will be new people to meet there.
Level 7. Adequate proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Present concrete and some abstract information that is supported with moderately complex reasons
Vocabulary
Use common words and some more precise vocabulary to communicate meaning
Use some figures of speech and idioms
Listenability
Speak with good control of simple grammatical structures
Speak clearly with understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Speak with very few self-corrections, repetitions, or inappropriate pauses
Task Fulfillment
Adjust my speaking style and tone to some familiar listeners and situations
Convey my intended meaning to others when I speak
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is formal or informal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Well congratulations on getting a new job, I am really excited for you! And I know you are very considerate about moving so far away from your friends and your family. But, if I were you, I would take this opportunity because first of all, it’s a new job, sounds very exciting, and you can earn a lot of money. And if … the best thing is you get to go to a different country within a different city. You’ll meet different people and you’ll meet, you’ll make new friends, and you’ll also get exposed to the different cultures and different foods and beverages. Um, I would definitely take this opportunity even if you feel sometimes you feel lonely and you miss your home and your friends, but even then, this opportunity will help you to be more independent and explore more opportunities that you would have never thought of before. So um I highly suggest that you take this opportunity and work hard and I’m sure you’ll make a lot of new friends. And you will have, you’ll establish yourself really well in the new city [15 seconds left].
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hi Maddie. I saw this very interesting looking chair online and I would like to recommend this chair to you. It looks like a swing. It’s [unintelligible] in the shape of a C. It has two places to keep um whatever you wanna put, like a holder, and it has a coffee holder as well. It has a lamp at the top that can help you to read books or focus on whatever task you are doing at night. And at the same time, you can use this as a swing to give your body a relaxed feeling. I think it’s a very fancy looking furniture and it’s gonna attract additional attention to your drawing room. So, I would definitely recommend this piece to you.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can present concrete and some abstract information and provide moderately complex reasons for their opinions. In Task A, the speaker provides several reasons for advising the other person to take the job (e.g., it’s exciting, meeting new people, getting exposed to different cultures and food, etc.). In Task B, the speaker supports the recommendation to buy the chair by stating, “it’s gonna attract additional attention to your drawing room.”
Vocabulary
Speakers can use common words and phrases to communicate meaning with more precision than speakers at lower levels and are able to use some figures of speech or idioms. In Task A, the speaker states, “You’ll establish yourself really well in the new city.” In Task B, the speaker describes the chair as “fancy looking” and one that will “attract attention.”
Listenability
Speakers have good control over simple grammatical structures. In Task A, the speaker states, “If I were you, I would take this opportunity” and “take this opportunity even if you feel …” In Task B, the speaker states, “It has a lamp at the top that can help you to read books or focus on whatever task you are doing at night.”
Speakers speak clearly with understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation.
Speakers speak with very few self-corrections, repetitions, or inappropriate pauses.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can adjust their speaking style and tone to familiar listeners and situations. They are also able to convey their intentions clearly to others. In Task A, the speaker exclaims, “Well congratulations on getting a new job, I am really excited for you!” The speaker also effectively expresses empathy for the other person by stating, “Sometimes you feel lonely and you miss your home and your friends, but even then, this opportunity will help you.”
Level 6. Developing proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Support my opinions and feelings with reasons
Relate factual information
Vocabulary
Use common words
Listenability
Speak with control of simple grammatical structures
Usually speak with understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation
Speak with some self-corrections, repetitions, or inappropriate pauses
Task Fulfillment
Adjust my speaking style suit to some familiar situations
Convey accurate information to others when I speak
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is casual or somewhat formal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Okay my friend, if you have uh a plan to go overseas, and uh work there, so don’t hesitate to grab it because if you like to have a good um a good family or … if you have a, if you like to have a good standard family living, you will uh grab that opportunity for your, for the future of your … families and for the future of your children. Don’t uh, don’t uh … don’t wait this opportunity to uh to go away from you because this opportunity is for your, for the future and the betterment of your family. Because oversea—uh—if you go overseas, you gain more money for your family. And uh make a lot of sacrifices and uh that is for your future family to overcome poverty in life, just like you are here right now. So, grab it, the opportunity for your—
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hey Maddie. I found this interesting collection of furniture. This is a chair and designed in blue and the structure is looking so different, like we get to see in the movies. This has a headlight and you have a coffee holder to hold the coffee. And it goes a good back support and adjustable seat, and it is circular, I see a circular cushion seat where you can uh … rest [unintelligible] legs and enjoy music and you can also read books. This structure is, the design is so interesting, like no one ever had, and this is the first time I am seeing this kind of design. The coffee holder stand—
Content/Coherence
Speakers can express preferences, feelings, and opinions and are able to sometimes support them with reasons. In Task A, the speaker is able to clearly express a preference for the other person to take the job for the “betterment of [their] family.”
Speakers can also relate factual information or events with some precision in most familiar contexts. In Task B, the speaker describes several details about the unusual chair and provides a personal observation when stating, “This structure is, the design is so interesting, like no one ever had.”
Vocabulary
Speakers can use common words and phrases to describe objects, express preferences, and relate events. In Task A, the speaker states, “if you have uh a plan to go overseas, and uh work there, so don’t hesitate to grab it.” In Task B, the speaker describes the chair as having, “an adjustable seat, and it is circular.” When describing the uniqueness of the chair, the speaker adds, “like we get to see in the movies.”
Listenability
Speakers can communicate with more control of simple grammatical structures than lower levels. In Task A, the speaker says, “if you like to have a good standard family living, you will uh grab that opportunity.”
Speakers can usually communicate with understandable rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation with some pauses, repetitions, and self-corrections. In Task B, there are a few pauses and pronunciation issues that occasionally interfere with understanding, but this is less distracting than responses at lower levels.
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can adjust their style of speaking to suit some familiar situations and are able to convey accurate information to others. In Task A, the speaker attempts to persuade a friend to take the job, but maintains a friendly and helpful tone. In Task B, the speaker conveys accurate information to a friend when describing the coffee holder, the back support, and the seat.
Level 5. Acquiring proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Communicate my feelings and preferences
Describe common objects, situations, and people that I know
Tell a simple story about something that happened to me
Vocabulary
Use common words
Listenability
Speak with some control of simple grammatical structures
Task Fulfillment
Convey information about a familiar topic
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is casual or somewhat formal
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
I can say that leaving our family, it’s le … to find our job, it’s very hard. But as I, as we all know that the opportunity knocks just once, so maybe if there’s, there’s uh opportunity that comes in your lap, just grab it regardless that you will leave your family and friends. Oh, we need … especially we are graduated. Don’t uh ignore all the opportunity that it comes in your life. It’s only kno, knocks only once, so, I can say that I would rather to choose to find a job rather to have a … to leave my family away and my friends. Nowadays, there’s lots of communications that we can have. So, we can still have talk to each other, we can still see our friends, especially for the computer system right now. This is the best way that we can have. Our life starts and our futures, and to help our family, too. So, I can say that this is the best chance that we need to—
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hey Maddie. I would describe to you something on a chair that I see here. There’s a funny-looking chair here that would suit you in your home office. Uh, it would be relaxing, it’s colored blue with uh just like a see-saw on it. There’s a … a glass holder on it with a round table with a, you can [unintelligible] on it also while there’s a light on top of it. It would fit to you because uh it’s very futuristic design and I know you like uh diff … collects interest … interesting furniture. So, it would be, it would be a good idea if you’re gonna take this. But this blue see-saw uh chair with lights, with uh … with a glass holder and a table, circle round table, also with a circle seat, and there’s also a back, can lie on your back also on this.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can communicate their feelings and preferences. In Task A, the speaker provides additional reasons for taking the job by adding, “Nowadays, there’s lots of communications that we can have.”
Speakers can describe common objects, situations, and people that they know. In Task B, the speaker says, “It would fit to you because uh it’s very futuristic design.”
Speakers can tell a story about something that happened to them. In Task A, the speaker draws on background experience when stating, “I can say that leaving our family, it’s le … to find our job, it’s very hard.”
Vocabulary
Speakers can use common words. In Task A, the speaker uses, “opportunity,” “communications,” and “computer system” appropriately. However, as with Level 4, speakers struggle to use vocabulary to accurately describe, express ideas, or provide reasons for their opinions.
Listenability
Speakers have some control over simple grammatical structures. In Task B, the speaker says, “There’s a funny-looking chair here that would suit you …”
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can convey information about a familiar topic. In Task A, the speaker says, “I can say that I would rather to find a job rather to have a … to leave my family away and my friends.”
Level 4. Adequate proficiency for daily life activities
Content/Coherence
Say what I like, dislike, and how I feel
Give a simple description of objects, situations, and people that I know
Tell a short, simple story about something that happened to me
Vocabulary
Use common words
Listenability
Speak with limited control of simple grammatical structures
Task Fulfillment
Convey some information about a very familiar topic
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is casual
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
Hi [unintelligible]. I know uh that we’re [unintelligible] your business degree and [unintelligible] offer a new job oversea. I thought this job is … the best way to [unintelligible] opportunities … is, is not sure about this. So, for me, how about this uh job for your future. I’m [unintelligible] good for you because you will be part of [unintelligible] your friends and uh family. And then uh this job is uh your first job, right? So, I think it’s uh the best way uh you need a friend and your family to advise when you are going in uh this uh job. I thought this job is uh very excellent opportunity for you, but uh I think uh you need uh more support [unintelligible] uh like me … you uh your friend and your family. I may consider uh you make a decision for your uh for, for yourself, but I think uh—
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Hi Maddie [unintelligible]. I’m just walking in the, I’m doing the shopping in the, in the furniture sh… uh store and just find a very interest things, interesting chair I think you might be interested. Uh, the chair is like uh, if you have been on the airplane, you will know it’s uh totally uh one … like a, like a ball but cut half. And in the middle, there’s chair and there’s a … there’s a support from the back. And uh at the top, there’s a light on that. So, it’s a whole body, it’s not separate with the table.
Content/Coherence
Speakers can say what they like, dislike, and how they feel. In Task B, the speaker finds an “interesting chair I think you might be interested.”
Speakers can provide simple descriptions of objects, situations, and people that they know. In Task A, the speaker says, “… you need a friend and your family to advise when you are going.” In Task B, the speaker says, “in the middle, there’s [a] chair” and “at the top, there’s a light.”
Speakers can tell a short, simple story about something that happened to them. In Task B, the speaker is able to describe the location (a furniture store) and what is seen (an interesting chair).
Vocabulary
Speakers can use common words. In Task A, the speaker says, “business degree” and “make a decision.“ In Task B, the speaker says, “on the airplane” and “like a ball.”
Listenability
Speakers have limited control of simple grammatical structures. In Task A, the speaker says, “… good for you because you will be part of …” In Task B, the speaker says, “… if you have been on the airplane, you will know.”
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can convey some information about a very familiar topic. In Task A, the speaker advises that taking the job will be the “best way.” In Task B, the speaker is able to explain that the chair will be of interest to the other person.
Level 3. Some proficiency in limited contexts
Content/Coherence
Say what I like, dislike, and what I need
Vocabulary
Use very common words
Listenability
Sometimes use correct grammar
Task Fulfillment
Talk about myself and what I need
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is casual
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
For my friend, it’s good opportunity because is the … big decision because he … he … he need new work, uh he need, he need new opportunity. He need … uh … new place for live. Um … because … because it’s good oppor, opportunity because for … is the more …… Every people want um every people want opportunity … He have new opportunity for your life. He have new opportunity for the … their … their family.
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Eh Dear Maddie. I calling you uh to tell you about some interesting object I eh see … on the … market. Because I see, I see because I’m really stay there and I … look this chair, is very interesting made. So, I know you collecting some uh interesting uh things and I’d like to describe what is this. It’s uh sold it [intending solid?] from the pipe, about one inches pipe. It’s uh bended eh … the legs is bended, is eh—
Content/Coherence
Speakers are able to express basic likes, dislikes and needs. In Task A, the speaker says, “It’s good opportunity.” In Task B, the speaker says, “[It] is very interesting made.”
Vocabulary
Speakers use very common words (e.g., opportunity, interesting), but these words are often repeated. In Task A, the speaker repeats the word “opportunity” several times.
Listenability
Speakers sometimes use correct grammar. In Task B, the speaker says, “tell you about” and “I’d like to describe.” However, there are several grammatical errors such as omitting auxiliary verbs (e.g., “So, I know you collecting …”) or improperly conjugating verbs (e.g., “he need new work”).
Task Fulfillment
Speakers can talk about themselves or what they need. In Task B, the speaker says, “I see, I see because I’m really stay there” and later expresses a desire to describe the chair when stating, “I’d like to describe.”
Level 0–2 (M). Minimal proficiency or insufficient information to assess
Content/Coherence
Sometimes say what I like, dislike, and what I need
Vocabulary
Use very common words and phrases
Listenability
Rarely use correct grammar
Task Fulfillment
Sometimes talk about myself and what I need
When
I speak face-to-face, online, or on the phone
The situation is casual
Task A
Your friend has just graduated with a business degree and has been offered a job overseas. Although the job would be an excellent opportunity, she is not sure about moving so far away from her friends and family. Give her advice on what she should consider when making her decision.
Sample Response A
Transcript.
My friends. This very [unintelligible]. Is … it has business. [Unintelligible] we coming together. We coming together [unintelligible]. Having [unintelligible], having [unintelligible]. [Unintelligible] he is excellent [unintelligible]. And the family [unintelligible].
Task B
You saw an interesting chair at a furniture fair. Your friend, Maddie, collects interesting furniture. Call Maddie and describe in detail what this chair looks like, and ask her if she would consider buying it for her home office.
Sample Response B
Transcript.
Wow, the chair is [unintelligible] and makes new, but it’s comfortable and [unintelligible], and coffee, some put in the coffee. It’s comfortable chair. I like that chair. [Unintelligible]. It’s comfortable for break, for work, something. I like the mirror and the lights. And—
Content/Coherence
Speakers are sometimes able to express basic likes, dislikes, and needs. In Task A, the speaker says, “He is excellent.” In Task B, the speaker says, “I like the mirror and the lights.”
Vocabulary
Speakers use very common words and phrases. In Task A, the speaker says, “business” and “family.” In Task B, the speaker says, “It’s comfortable for break, for work.”
Listenability
Speakers rarely use correct grammar. In Task A the speaker says, “We coming together.” In Task B, the speaker says, “Some put in the coffee.”
Task Fulfillment
Speakers sometimes talk about themselves or their needs. In both Task A and B, communication is limited to mention of self or others (e.g., I, you, he, etc.), simple objects (e.g., chair, coffee), and basic preferences or needs (e.g., “It’s comfortable chair”).
Level 12. Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write complex formal and informal texts for a full range of purposes, intentions, and objectives
Develop ideas with relevant and sufficient facts, extended descriptions, details, or quotations
Vocabulary
Choose specialized, formal, and common words to express my precise meaning
Readability
Connect ideas and make transitions within and between paragraphs
Write with very good control of a very broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style appropriate to the situation
Precisely communicate my ideas
When:
I write for a diverse and undefined audience and the situation is formal or informal
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear Ms. Sonora,
My name is Charles Stevens. As a longstanding resident of the neighbourhood, I have had an Annex Library Card for two decades. I truly appreciate the work that you do as the Chief Librarian, in making it such an inclusive environment and fostering the local community.
Now, as a parent of two children (Gary, 6, and Sofia, 4) it is clear to me that the library’s service to the community could be enhanced if opening hours were extended to Sundays and Mondays. As you know, many families have sports activities and shopping scheduled on Saturday mornings. Sunday is the only day on which we could all enjoy the library’s play rooms, youth groups, and creative programs. Monday is the only night on which all member of the Annex Theatrical Troupe can practice in the auditorium.
These opinions are widely shared: parents at Annex Kindergarten are unanimous in their desire to share a Sunday cappuccino in the downstairs coffee shop, and to rehearse their lines in the auditorium on Mondays.
Please consider opening the library seven days a week; I hope to raise the issue at your next steering committee meeting.
Warm regards,
Charles Stevens
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
There are two primary reasons that I prefer to pick up my mail at the local post office: security and availability.
As a person who regularly sends and receives confidential documents, security is a crucial aspect of my use of Canada Post. The standard mailboxes attached to duplexes in downtown Toronto are insecure. In contrast, the postal storage in Canada Post locations (and pharmacies throughout the city) are protected from casual theft.
The second primary reason that I prefer to pick up my mail is that, even though receiving the mail would require a short walk, it would remain available daily. In my line of work as a commissioner of oaths, two-day delay in receiving a document can be a serious professional problem. Furthermore, a good walk never did anyone any harm, even, perhaps especially, in the teeth of the February winter.
Finally, I would hope that — should the government institute the new pick-up-your-mail policy — they will also lengthen the hours at Canada Post locations, and broaden the range of pharmacies that can serve as mail handling locations.
Content/Coherence
Writers can compose complex texts for a full range of purposes, intentions, and objectives. Both Task A and Task B exhibit consistently high clarity, depth, and precision. Every sentence of Task A includes precise details, such as the name of the library, the programs it offers, and exactly who is hoping for a change in opening hours. These details strengthen the writer’s case for expanding the opening hours of the library. Likewise, Task B contains precise details about the writer’s profession and housing situation that fulfill the purpose of explaining why picking up his mail would be a more desirable option.
Writers can develop ideas with relevant and sufficient facts, extended descriptions, details, or quotations. All of the main ideas are developed thoroughly in both tasks. No examples of disorganized ideas, irrelevant details, or vague information can be found in either Task A or Task B.
Vocabulary
Writers can choose specialized, formal, and common words to express their precise meaning. The writer’s use of vocabulary is precise throughout both responses. The writer uses everyday language fluently, and uses specialized language where appropriate (e.g., “longstanding resident,” “inclusive environment,” “confidential documents,” and “commissioner of oaths”). There is even some figurative language: “never did anyone any harm” and “the teeth of the February winter.” The language use is overall more vivid and specific than in the Level 11 responses below.
Readability
Writers can connect ideas and make transitions within and between paragraphs. In both tasks, ideas are connected via transitions that communicate precise meaning and an appropriate tone: e.g., “Now” and “As you know” in Task A; “In contrast,” “The second primary reason,” and “Finally” in Task B.
Writers have very good control of a very broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. Tasks A and B contain longer and shorter sentences, sentences using a range of verb tenses, coordinate and subordinate clauses, a relative pronoun used as the object of a preposition (“the only day on which we could all enjoy”), and hypotheticals (“if the library’s opening hours were extended,” “should the government institute the new pick-up-your-mail policy”). The very few minor errors (e.g., the missing “s” in “member” in Task A and a couple of misused commas) have little/no impact on comprehension.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information using a tone and style appropriate to the situation. In both responses, the writer’s tone is not just appropriate but ideal. For example, in Task A, the statement of appreciation for the Chief Librarian “making it such an inclusive environment and fostering the local community” is directly applicable to the objective of arguing for expanded opening hours. In Task B, the personal information provided by the writer never exceeds the amount required for explaining why he prefers to pick up his mail.
Level 11. Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write formal and informal texts for a range of purposes
Develop ideas with relevant facts, descriptions, details, or quotations
Vocabulary
Choose specialized, formal, and common words to express my meaning
Readability
Connect ideas and make transitions within and between paragraphs
Write with good control of a broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style usually appropriate to the situation
Accurately communicate my ideas
When:
I write for an undefined audience and the situation is formal or informal
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am an avid user of my local public library. I visit the library several times a week, and would like to use it more, but I find the opening hours somewhat restrictive.
I am a single mother currently studying for a Masters at the Open University. As I am undertaking my studies from home, I don’t have access to a university library. Unfortunately I have very poor internet connection where I live and so rely heavily on the public library to conduct online research.
In addition, my daughter is book fanatic – she simply loves to read. Our favourite thing to do together is to spend time in the library at weekends. However, her swimming lessons have now been scheduled for Saturdays, on the opposite side of town. She does not have time to visit the library on the same day. As the library is closed on Sundays, we have to live without our weekly library visit together.
I feel the library should be open to the public every day of the week. It is an important resource for people looking for work, studying, or for those who simply wish to expand their minds.
B. Smith
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
It is very important to me to have my mail delivered to my home. I have a very stressful job and often work long hours, well after the post office closing time. As I work such long hours, I tend to purchase most of my groceries and clothing online. Thus, I receive a lot of mail through the post.
There has been times where I have not been home to sign for a registered mail and have had to pick up a package from the post office. The post office is located down town on a street with very limited parking facilities. I often find myself circling the block several times waiting for a space to open up. On numerous occasions I have been forced to park in a loading zone, which has resulted in a parking fine more than once. Visiting my local post office, is both time consuming and expensive!
I must admit, I am not happy that the government plans to cut back on the postal service. If I must choose, I absolutely prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week, as opposed to not at all!
Content/Coherence
Writers can produce formal and informal texts for a range of purposes. Task A is appropriately formal for its situation: the writer uses a suitably respectful greeting to the Head Librarian and makes his request courteously. Likewise, in Task B, the writer maintains a polite register throughout the survey response.
Writers can develop ideas with relevant facts, descriptions, details, or quotations. Both responses achieve their purpose through an appropriate mix of personal details and more general/conceptual facts and ideas.
Vocabulary
Writers can choose specialized, formal, and common words to express their meaning. Examples of specialized language include “rely heavily” and “book fanatic” in Task A and “circling the block,” “loading zone,” and “parking fine” in Task B. Examples of formal language include “somewhat restrictive” (Task A) and “I must admit” (Task B). On some occasions, language choice could be more precise or varied: for example, in Task A, “studying for a Masters,” “spend time in the library,” and the repetition of “visit the library,” “work long hours,” and in Task B, “have mail delivered to my home.”
Readability
Writers can connect ideas within and between paragraphs. In Tasks A and B, this is achieved through many strategies, including conjunctions (“As”), transition words and phrases (“Unfortunately,” “I must admit,” “In addition,” “Thus”), and relative pronouns (“which”).
Writers have good control of a broad range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. Only minor errors occur in these responses: e.g., in Task A, “a Masters” and “my daughter is book fanatic”; in Task B, “There has been times,” “a registered mail,” ”down town,” and the unneeded comma after “local post office” in the second paragraph.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information using a tone and style that is usually appropriate to the situation. The tone suits the context in both Task A and Task B: among other strategies, the writer makes adept use of restrained language (e.g., “somewhat restrictive” in Task A and “I must admit” in Task B) to maintain appropriate formality. The tone of Task B is arguably less than ideal in some isolated places: the use of exclamation points, for example, could be considered inappropriate.
Level 10. Highly effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short formal and informal texts of some complexity
Support key ideas with a range of facts, descriptions, details, or quotations
Vocabulary
Choose words and phrases to provide precise details, descriptions, and comparisons
Readability
Connect ideas and make transitions within and between paragraphs
Write with good control of a range of complex and diverse grammatical structures
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style that follows most formal and informal writing conventions
Convey my intended meaning
When:
I write for a defined audience and the situation is formal or informal
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear Chief Librarian,
I use the local public library several times a week to research material, and access word processing for my studies. Access to the library is integral to my schooling, and as such, flexible opening hours are vital.
I recently started a part-time job which requires me to cover shifts on the weekend, and varying week days. Unfortunately, this restricts my ability to access the library given the current opening hours. I feel that if the hours were extended to be open 7 days a week, it would enhance the experience of many patrons.
For many people, the library is a place of leisure and recreation; as such, if it were to open on both Saturday’s and Sunday’s, kids and adults alike could enjoy the enriching activities offered at your facility over the entire weekend. 7 day access would make this possible for all persons, regardless of their weekly work/study structure.
Thank you for reviewing this request, and I hope you will consider extending opening hours to 7 days a week.
Kind regards,
Vanessa
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
I would prefer option B be implemented, rather than option A. The convenience of having mail and packages delivered to my home outweighs the option of ready access to the items at my own discretion.
Typically I only check the mail box at my apartment 2-3 times a week, so the delivery restrictions would not affect me greatly. So long as there were assigned delivery days, I would be able to obtain my mail at regular intervals and not waste time checking an empty post box.
If option A were implemented, the onus to collect the post would be on me. Realistically, there wouldn’t be time to make the trip to the post office more than once or twice a week, which makes option B all the more appealing.
The time saving method of mail delivery (option B) is a much preferred option. Please c
Content/Coherence
Writers can support key ideas with a range of facts, descriptions, details, or quotations. Task B includes a number of contextually suitable facts (e.g., “If option A were implemented, the onus to collect the post would be on me“). Task A includes support in the form of descriptions (e.g., the third paragraph) and details (e.g., the first paragraph). Task B is incomplete, but the text is still coherent: its purpose is fully and clearly expressed.
Vocabulary
Writers can choose words and phrases to provide precise details, descriptions, and comparisons. Tasks A and B demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary than the Level 9 responses below. The word choice is more varied, concise, and precise; e.g., “integral,” “enriching activities,” “ready access,” “at my own discretion,” “the onus,” and “realistically.” In Task B, the writer also uses an array of comparative language; e.g., “The convenience…outweighs,” “all the more appealing,” and “much preferred.”
Readability
Writers can connect ideas and make transitions within and between paragraphs. A range of transitions and connectors are used appropriately throughout Task A and Task B to link ideas: e.g., “as such,” “given,” “So long as,” and “which.”
Writers have good control of a range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. These include subjunctive mood and conditional statements: e.g., “if it were to open” in Task A, and “If option A were implemented,” “So long as there were assigned delivery days,” and “there wouldn’t be time” in Task B.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information in a tone and style that follows most formal and informal writing conventions. A suitable level of formality is achieved in each task through considered use of vocabulary (e.g., “Thank you for reviewing this request,” “I hope you will consider,” “Please”) and grammatical structures (e.g., polite use of modal verbs).
Level 9. Effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short formal and informal texts of some complexity
Support key ideas with relevant facts, descriptions, details, or quotations
Vocabulary
Choose words and phrases to provide accurate details, descriptions, and comparisons
Readability
Write well-organized paragraphs
Write with control of a range of complex and diverse grammatical structures
Write with good control of spelling and punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style that follows some formal and most informal writing conventions
Convey my intended meaning
When:
I write for a defined audience and the situation is formal or informal
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
To whom it may concern,
My name is Seth and I am writing to you today regarding the opening hours for the library. I am an English student and my course requires me to read many books throughout the year. As a result, I visit the library several times a week to rent the required books. Books can be very expensive, so the library is a great benefit to me as instead of spending lots of money buying these expensive books I can rent them instead at a much lower cost.
I have recently started a new part-time job. Now, my only days off are Sundays and Tuesdays. The library is closed on Sundays which leaves Tuesday evenings after school as the only time I can visit the library. As the library closes early on Tuesdays, I have to rush down after school. This is very stressful for me and it would be much easier if the Library was open on Sundays as then I would have all day to visit.
I feel that many other people have the same problem and would benefit greatly if the library was open every day. I hope you will consider this.
Thanks,
Seth
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
I would prefer to have my mail delivered to my home twice a week as opposed to me collecting it myself at the local post office. The reason I would prefer this is because I have a very busy schedule and having to collect my own mail from the post office would just take up more of my spare time. Also, the closest post office to my house is a twenty minute walk. I do not own a car so I would have to walk this distance in order to collect my mail.
I feel that having my mail delivered to my home twice a week is a more efficient way of delivering mail to homes as it limits the amounts of trips the post office has to take in order to deliver mail. This in turn will save money for the government as instead of spending money on gas and wages for the employees that deliver the mail every day, they will be only spending this money two days per week.
These are the reason I would prefer to have my mail sent out to my home twice a week.
Content/Coherence
Writers can write short formal and informal texts of some complexity. Both of these texts are complex, and the complexity is more consistent than in the Level 8 responses below.
Writers can support key ideas with relevant facts, descriptions, details or quotations. In Tasks A and B, ideas are supported both with relevant personal details (e.g., the information about school and work schedules in both tasks), and with facts/descriptions (e.g., the explanation of the results of cutting back mail service in Task B).
Vocabulary
Writers can choose words and phrases to provide precise details, descriptions, and comparisons. Here the writer’s vocabulary facilitates communication of accurate details about both personal matters and broader issues. There are few errors in vocabulary, the most noticeable one being the use of “rent” instead of “borrow.” Words that effectively indicate a comparison are used in Task B: “as opposed to,” “more efficient.”
Readability
Writers can produce well-organized paragraphs. Each paragraph in Task A and Task B contains one clear main idea that is developed with supporting details in an easy-to-read way.
Writers have control of a range of complex and diverse grammatical structures. Control of grammatical structures is noticeably stronger in these responses than in the Level 8 responses below: there are some errors here, but they are infrequent and have a minimal impact on readability. The writer creates complex sentences using a range of structures, including conditional and hypothetical statements (e.g., “it would be much easier,” “if the library was open every day”) and a wide variety of transitions and conjunctions (e.g., “as a result,” “as,” “instead of,” “in turn”).
Writers have good control of spelling and capitalization. There are noticeably fewer punctuation errors than in the Level 8 responses below.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information using a tone and style that follows some formal and most informal writing conventions. The tone of both responses is consistently appropriate. In each response, the writer uses many standard phrases and devices for more formal correspondence; e.g., “I am writing to you today regarding…,” polite use of modal verbs (e.g., “it would be much easier,” “would benefit greatly”), and clear opening and closing statements.
Writers can convey their intended meaning. In each response, the writer successfully conveys everything they intended to communicate. This is true even though Task A is somewhat incomplete (the third sub-task is not addressed) and off topic (the second paragraph focuses on Tuesdays, not Mondays).
Level 8. Good proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short, moderately complex texts
Develop a main idea with supporting details
Vocabulary
Use common or context-specific words to communicate meaning
Readability
Write well-organized paragraphs
Write with good control of complex grammatical structures, spelling, and punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style that follows common writing conventions
Convey and support my main ideas about a topic
When:
I write for or to a familiar or clearly defined audience
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear Chief Librarian,
I am writing to you with regards to the operating hours of your library. I would appreciate that the library committee will consider operating on Sundays and Mondays as well.
I am a regular patron of your library. I need to visit the library for my research and self study sessions required for my part time MBA course. Occasionally, I would be required to work late for meetings and overtime, and would not be meet the library operating hours. I could only use the library on Saturday, which is a day I would need to complete other household chores.
By opening your library daily, it can benefit not just me, but the entire community. Most families will spend their Sundays doing things together. The library can certainly organize story telling sessions or talks/workshops that are family friendly on Sundays. There are also many schools surrounding your library. Your library is an excellent place for highschoolers to hang out after school for self studies or project meetings. Therefore, there is every reason to open on Mondays too!
I hope my suggestions can be considered by the committee. I will look forward to your favourable response soon.
Regards
Wendy
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
My option is to have my mails delivered to my home twice a week. Though it’s only twice a week, but it does not change my daily routine. We do not need to allocate time for post office pick up. Sometimes, both my husband and myself may be too occupied at work, and may miss picking up the mails. I sincerely do not want to miss out important mails for that reason.
Base on our mailing records, we do not receive mails daily. At least for relevant mails. We do have junk mails delivered daily, which is not favoured. We had opted for electronic mails for most of our banking and financial institutions. So we will not be expecting regular mails from them. Government bodies are also starting to mail electronically, which is the our preferred mode of correspondence. Twice a week of mail delivery is about right for our family. In fact, we do not require to clear our mailbox stuffed with junk mails everyday anymore!
Content/Coherence
Writers can develop a main idea with supporting details. Tasks A and B include an appropriate number of main ideas that are supported with specific details. There is more complexity in the ideas than in the Level 7 responses below. The supporting details are more specific and less repetitive.
Vocabulary
Writers can use common words and phrases appropriately. Examples in Task A include “work late,” “hang out,” “community,” and “every reason.” Examples in Task B include “at work” and “about right.” In both tasks, meaning is communicated more precisely through common language than in the Level 7 responses below. Ideas are expressed with more concise words and phrases.
Writers can use some context-specific words and expressions. In Task A, examples include “a regular patron” and “family friendly,” and in Task B, “junk mails,” “miss out,” and “preferred mode of correspondence.”
Readability
Writers have good control of complex grammatical structures, spelling, and punctuation. There are quite a few errors in both Task A and Task B, but they generally don’t impede comprehension of the ideas.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information in a tone and style that follows common writing conventions. These responses contain an appropriate mix of relevant personal information (e.g., the ideas concerning the writer’s school situation and work schedule in Task A) and ideas with a wider/less personal scope (e.g., the points about major institutions shifting to electronic communication in Task B). Examples of contextually appropriate style include “I am writing to you with regards to,” “I would appreciate,” and “I will look forward to your favourable response” in Task A, and “Both my husband and myself may be too occupied” in Task B.
Level 7. Adequate proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short, moderately complex, factual texts
Express a main idea with supporting details
Vocabulary
Use common and some context-specific words to communicate meaning
Readability
Organize related ideas into paragraphs
Write with adequate control of complex grammatical structures
Write with good control of simple grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style that follows most common writing conventions
Convey factual information about a topic
When:
I write for or to a familiar or clearly defined audience
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Respected Sir,
Library is the best source of information and knowledge, easily accessible to public. I visit library 4 to 5 times a week spending a minimum of 2 hours on each visit. I would like to put forth my request request to keep the library open every day of a week, in public interest.
People work in different environments with different schedule. For instance, my work shifts enables me to take Sunday/Monday offs whereas, my wife gets Saturday/Sunday offs. These are the days which are most comfortable and convenient us to visit and more time in library reading. But unfortunately, the public library is not open on Sundays and Mondays which keeps most of the public away from library especially on Sunday and for people like me on Monday too.
As said, library being the source of information for most of the public should be accessible to public every day to ensure we cover interests of interested people
Thanks,
XYZ
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
I appreciate this move to reduce and save the money spent by government on mailing infrastructure. We live in a world ruled by electronic mails. Most of the communications from/to people happen via emails including the critical ones, so I believe there is a huge scope for cost savings, if we optimize the mail delivery system properly.
I would prefer the mails to be delivered to my home versus collecting them by myself since I work 7 days a week with shifts placed between 8 AM to 6 PM. This schedule does not permit me to collect the mails at the local post office with the commuting time accounted. Any material delivery can be easily handed over to my wife or mother at home and mails can be dropped into my personal mailbox installed at the door.
To conclude, I believe delivering mail twice a week would keep both government and public in a win-win situation saving significant money without causing inconvenience to the public. Mails still act as an important communication way
Content/Coherence
Writers can produce short, moderately complex, factual texts. In Tasks A and B, some of the ideas are complex; e.g., “Most of the communications from/to people happen via emails including the critical ones, so I believe there is a huge scope for cost savings, if we optimize the mail delivery system properly.” Other ideas in the responses are simpler: e.g., “People work in different environments with different schedule” and “to ensure we cover interests of interested people.” Overall, these responses demonstrate greater ability to support ideas factually and precisely than the Level 6 responses below.
Writers can express a main idea with supporting details. There is a clear purpose in Task A (“I would like to put forth my request request to keep the library open every day of a week, in public interest”). Task B also includes a main idea: “I would prefer the mails to be delivered to my home versus collecting them by myself.” In each task, there are details to support the main idea.
Vocabulary
Writers can use some context-specific words to communicate meaning. Examples from Tasks A and B include “put forth,” “public interest,” “source of information,” “accessible,” “optimize,” “does not permit me,” and “personal mailbox.” Word choice is noticeably more specific, accurate, and varied than in the Level 6 responses below.
Readability
Writers can organize ideas appropriately into paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately in both of these responses, although the formatting—indenting each paragraph and leaving an empty line between each—is not ideal.
Writers can demonstrate good control of simple grammar, and developing control of complex grammar. There are errors throughout both Task A and Task B (missing articles, some missing/incorrect punctuation, some awkward syntax), but the ideas can still be understood.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can use a tone and style that follows most common writing conventions. The style of these responses is more consistent and suitable than that of the Level 6 responses below, where the tone occasionally becomes too formal and essay-like, or too simple and personal, for the situation.
Level 6. Developing proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short, coherent texts
Express a main idea with some supporting details
Vocabulary
Use common words and phrases
Readability
Organize related ideas into paragraphs
Write with good control of simple grammar
Write with adequate control of spelling and punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Present information using a tone and style that are sometimes appropriate to the situation
Convey some factual information about a topic
When:
I write for or to a familiar or clearly defined audience
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Date: 13 june 2016
To: Chief Librarian
Topic: Importance of Library
I believe that library is very important in our society. Library is where we find all the information that want to see. It is important to everyone specially for the student to give an extra ideas and searching and learning from their assignments. Even for ordinary people is very useful and helpful. Sometime people will came to library to read books during their spare times and they feel good after they read their favourite books.
The library is closed every Sunday and Monday and it will not work for me. I am a full time employee and work in weekdays. And Sundays is just my spare time to visit library.
I hope that you will find a solution for the schedule of the opening Hours of the library special during
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
I prefer to get my mail at the post office. It is also useful to me to come in the post office to pick my mail. Through this I am giving a small amount of contribution to the government. And by doing so, I believe that that government will do something in return in the society for the save money.
It also give benefit to me to get may mail in the post office to keep me updated on my daily routine.
And it also an extra time for me to walk and it will be good exercise to me. In this opinion it will help a lot to keep me updated to my mail and also to may bill payment.
Content/Coherence
Writers can produce short, coherent texts that express a main idea with some supporting details. Task B achieves this, as does Task A, despite being unfinished: the writer describes the problem and proposes a solution.
Vocabulary
Writers can use common words and phrases. In Tasks A and B, attempts to use more precise, colloquial, or context-specific language result in unclear ideas: e.g., “Sundays is just my spare time,” “a small amount of contribution,” “keep me updated on my daily routine,” and “in this opinion.”
Readability
Writers can organize related ideas into paragraphs. Both Task A and Task B are organized into paragraphs, though the paragraphing of Task A is more successful than that of Task B.
Writers have good control of simple grammar. Although both Task A and Task B contain errors, they usually do not prevent comprehension. Many of the errors arise from the same weakness: preposition use. Writers at this level may run into difficulties when attempting more complex structures: e.g., in Task A, “specially for the student to give an extra ideas and searching and learning from their assignments,” and in Task B, “do something in return in the society for the save money.”
Writers have adequate control of spelling and punctuation. The spelling is correct throughout both tasks. There are some punctuation errors, but they don’t have an ongoing negative impact on readability.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can present information using a tone and style that are sometimes appropriate. In Task A, a number of phrases use an appropriate tone and style, e.g., “Even for ordinary people is very useful and helpful” and “I hope that you will find a solution.” However, sometimes it is a bit too formal/essay-like (“library is very important in our society”), and sometimes it is too personal/simplistic for the context (“And Sundays is just my spare time,” “it also an extra time for me to walk”).
Writers can convey some factual information about a topic. Factual information is conveyed throughout the first paragraphs of Tasks A and B.
Level 5. Acquiring proficiency in workplace and community contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short, simple to moderately complex texts
Express a main idea and some related ideas
Vocabulary
Use common words and phrases
Readability
Connect two or more related ideas
Write with good control of simple grammar
Write with adequate control of spelling and punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Use common phrases that are appropriate to the situation
Convey some information about familiar topics
When:
I write for or to familiar people
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear chief librarian,
The reason for I’m write this email is because I think that the library is very important for all people, it is a place where people can be study, learn and relax. I think is one of the most important place into a community and the education.
I need explain that I work every day long, and every week long too, and I don’t have much time en weekdays for go to the library, just I have some free time on weekends, and is the only place where actually I can relax and enjoy reading a interesting book or something especial.
I suggest and ask you, if it is possible keep open the library on weekends also. I’m sure people could be use more frecuently, and perhaps, can be use for more younger people as a place for to make homework, also on weekends.
Regards.
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
I think it is not necessary more than that time because anyway I go for my mail once or twice a week. In general, I don’t have more time for pick it up, and I suppose that people do it the same way.
I think it’s not many people need for mail every day, obviously should be exceptions, but if with this action we can save money as a country, I think is a good decision, because is not a big change in your life, and we will necessary be adapt our habits, just a minimum change for maybe better quality in health, educaction, etc,
I think many people support that choice and I hope will be a good choice
Content/Coherence
Writers can express a main idea and some related ideas. Tasks A and B each express main ideas and some related ideas (supporting details, examples, etc.). The attempt at related ideas in Task B is less successful than in Task A: the phrase “I go for my mail once or twice a week” is not clear, considering that the mail is currently being delivered and the writer is asking for it to continue to be delivered. Coherence decreases further in the second paragraph: it isn’t clear what the writer means by “a minimum change for maybe better quality in health, educaction, etc.”
Vocabulary
Writers can use common words and phrases. There is a noticeably broader range of vocabulary in Tasks A and B than in the Level 4 responses below, not only because the Level 5 responses are longer but because the vocabulary use here is more varied.
Readability
Writers can connect two or more related ideas. Tasks A and B include appropriate, though fairly simple, transitions and conjunctions; e.g., “and,” “because,” “if,” and “In general.” The use of transitions is somewhat more effective and sophisticated than in the Level 4 responses below.
Writers have adequate control of punctuation. In Tasks A and B, the writer makes one particular error several times by using commas where there should be periods. However, the ideas are comprehensible despite the errors.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can use common phrases that are appropriate to the situation. For example, Tasks A and B include the phrases “I suggest,” “if it is possible,” “Regards,” “I suppose that,” “a good decision,” and “support that choice.”
Writers can convey some information about familiar topics. The Task A sample focuses on familiar personal information. For this reason, the ideas in Task A are more relevant and better supported than in the Task B sample, where the writer attempts to express more abstract, less personal concepts but does so with less supporting details.
Level 4. Adequate proficiency for daily life activities
Content/Coherence
Write simple sentences and short, simple paragraphs
Communicate personal information
Vocabulary
Use common words
Readability
Write with some control of simple grammar
Use capital letters and simple punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Use some common phrases that are appropriate to the situation
Convey some information about very familiar topics
When:
I write for or to a familiar person
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150>–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Hi,my name is Gareth!
I will try to tell you about my problem. Why do not work library on Sundays and Mondays?
I use the local public library every day when it local public library is opening,and I think the local public library should be open every day.I like read books and I like riding books in the library,because in the library is a quiet and my brain there is relaxed. If you can duet everything about my problem please help me and answer me trough my e mail.I think local public library will have much more people witch like reading books in the library. Thank you!
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
My name is Gareth!
I will tray to explain why I prefer to get my mail at the local posts office.
I think if I get my mail at the local posts office it is better or delivered only twice a week,because the government like that save money,save deliver trucks and cars,save postman.If my mail delivered to my home twice a week I think government will spend to much money and to much time.I think to much of people think like me and I think this question about post mail is very good for changes some in this Country.My suggestion is for all people in this Country need to writing mail for prefer to get post mail at the local post office. Thank
Content/Coherence
Writers can produce simple sentences and short, simple paragraphs. In Tasks A and B, the ideas are organized into simple paragraphs.
Writers can communicate some personal information. For example, in Task A, the writer explains what he likes to do at the library and why.
Vocabulary
Writers can use common words. In Tasks A and B, the vocabulary is common, and in some cases repetitive: the repetition of “local public library” and “read books (in the library)” in Task A, and the repetition of “save,” “to much,” and several phrases from the question in Task B.
Readability
Writers can sometimes use simple grammar correctly. Only one sentence in these responses has correct grammar throughout (“I will try to tell you about my problem” in Task A), but there are moments of correct or nearly correct grammar within some sentences: e.g., “I use the local public library every day,” “I think this question about post mail is very good.”
Writers can use capital letters. In both Task A and Task B, every sentence begins with a capital letter, and there are few errors in capitalization (e.g., “Country” in Task B).
Writers can use simple punctuation. Punctuation is used in both tasks, but with persistent errors in spacing; e.g., “…I think the local public library should be open every day.I like read books…” (Task A).
Task Fulfillment
Writers can use some appropriate common phrases. For example, Task A includes “please help me” and “answer me trough my email,” and Task B includes “it is better,” “spend to much money,” and “My suggestion is.”
Writers can convey some information about very familiar topics. In Task A, the writer states that he likes the library “because in the library is a quiet and my brain there is relaxed.”
Level 3. Some proficiency in limited contexts
Content/Coherence
Write short, simple sentences
Vocabulary
Use very common words
Readability
Sometimes use correct grammar
Use capital letters and some punctuation
Task Fulfillment
Write some information about me
When:
I write for or to a familiar person
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Dear chief librarian
My name is Jeremy Patel, I hope you will be filling very good at this moment.
I and my family live and work in Edmond. WE very like to reed, that why we use the local public library several times every week. I study English with my wife and my daughter, eight years old likes to read science works and other.
I with my wife can to cam to the public library only on Sundays, but however, the library is closed. After work usualy I have not
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
Dear government,
My name is Jeremy Patel, I leave in Edmond, 7 Maple St.
I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Everyday, when I came from the work, I can pick up my own mail at the post office, because I am wait everyday from my lots of friends their mail and other to me. If government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week, I choose to get my mail at the post office, because any way this will save the government money, I am understand that.
So, in other choice I see next, I will can not to read everyday my mail from my frinds.
Content/Coherence
Writers can produce short, simple sentences. An example is “I and my family live and work in [town name]” in Task A. Some of the sentences in Tasks A and B appear longer, but they are in fact run-on sentences resulting from misused punctuation.
Vocabulary
Writers can express ideas using common words. For example, Task A includes “very good,” “like,” “my wife,” and “my daughter.”
Note: The vocabulary used in Task B sometimes seems more sophisticated, but this is because the writer has copied key phrases—in fact, entire sentences—from the question and the two options: “I prefer to get my mail at the local post office,” “The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week,” “save the government money.”
Readability
Writers can sometimes use correct grammar. These responses are noticeably more readable than the Level M examples below. Note, however, that the grammatically correct phrases and sentences in Task B are copied from the question, as mentioned in the Vocabulary analysis above.
Writers can use capital letters and some punctuation. Most sentences in Tasks A and B begin with a capital letter and end with a period.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can express some information about themselves. Aside from the material taken from the question and the options, the information communicated in both tasks is simple and personal.
Level 0–2 (M). Minimal proficiency or insufficient information to assess
Content/Coherence
Write very short, simple phrases
Vocabulary
Write the alphabet and numbers
Use very common words
Readability
Rarely use correct grammar
Task Fulfillment
Write some very simple information about me
When:
I write for or to a familiar person
Task A: Writing an Email
You use the local public library several times every week. However, the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. You think the library should be open every day.
Write an email to the chief librarian in about 150–200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the importance of the library for you.
- Explain why the opening hours don’t work for you.
- Suggest how people could use the library if it were open every day.
Sample Response A
Very important aim need this books for school ,
because aim do not needed Sundays and Mondays .
Use awry day except Sundays and Mondays.
Task B: Responding to Survey Questions
Mail Delivery Survey
The government wants to either make people pick up their own mail at the post office or have it delivered only twice a week. This will save the government money. The government is asking your opinion of the change.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
Option A: I prefer to get my mail at the local post office.
Option B: I prefer to have mail delivered to my home twice a week.
Sample Response B
aim very byssi in week ,end van aim coming home aim weary tiered .
Aim spend allots time with may children .
Content/Coherence
Writers can use simple phrases. Examples in Task A include “books for sale” and “except Sundays and Mondays,” and in Task B, ”coming home.”
Vocabulary
Writers can use very common words. Some examples in Task A are “books,” “school,” and “day.”
Readability
Writers rarely use correct grammar. This makes the ideas difficult or impossible to understand. Tasks A and B contain no grammatically correct sentences.
Task Fulfillment
Writers can express very simple information about themselves. The information in both tasks is simple and personal (e.g., “Aim spend allots time with may children”).
Next Steps: Review The Test Format
Next Steps: Take The Free Online Sample Test
CELPIP Levels & CLB Level Equivalencies
Below is a chart of each CELPIP level and its corresponding description. Since the CELPIP test scores have been calibrated against the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels, we have included the CLB level equivalencies for your information.
| Test Level Descriptor | CELPIP Level | CLB Level |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 12 | 12 |
| Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 11 | 11 |
| Highly effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 10 | 10 |
| Effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 9 | 9 |
| Good proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 8 | 8 |
| Adequate proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 7 | 7 |
| Developing proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 6 | 6 |
| Acquiring proficiency in workplace and community contexts | 5 | 5 |
| Adequate proficiency for daily life activities | 4 | 4 |
| Some proficiency in limited contexts | 3 | 3 |
| Minimal proficiency or insufficient information to assess | M | 0, 1, 2 |
| Not Administered: test taker did not receive this test component | NA | / |
