Examiners use assessment/marking criteria to award a score for each of the three parts: listening, reading and writing.
Mark
|
Task Achievement
|
Coherence and Cohesion
|
Lexical Resource
|
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
|
Exceptional 1:96
High 1: 89
Mid 1: 81
Low 1: 74
Writing score:
17-20
|
fully addresses all parts of the
task
presents a fully developed
position in answer to the
question with relevant, fully
extended and well supported
ideas
|
uses cohesion in such a way that it
attracts no attention
skilfully manages paragraphing
|
uses a wide range of vocabulary
with very natural and
sophisticated control of lexical
features; rare minor errors occur
only as ‘slips’
|
uses a wide range of structures with full
flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors
occur only as ‘slips’
|
High 2.1: 68
Mid 2.1: 65
Low 2.1: 62
Writing score:
13-16
|
sufficiently addresses all parts
of the task
presents a well-developed
response to the question with
relevant, extended and
supported ideas
|
sequences information and ideas
logically
manages all aspects of cohesion well
uses paragraphing sufficiently and
appropriately
|
uses a wide range of vocabulary
fluently and flexibly to convey
precise meanings
skilfully uses uncommon lexical
items but there may be
occasional inaccuracies in word
choice and collocation
produces rare errors in spelling
and/or word formation
|
uses a wide range of structures
the majority of sentences are error-free
makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
|
High 2.2: 58
Mid 2.2: 55
Low 2.2: 52
Writing score:
10-12
|
addresses all parts of the task
presents a clear position
throughout the response
presents, extends and
supports main ideas, but there
may be a tendency to
overgeneralise and/or
supporting ideas may lack
focus
|
logically organises information and
ideas; there is clear progression
throughout
uses a range of cohesive devices
appropriately although there may be
some under-/over-use
presents a clear central topic within
each paragraph
|
uses a sufficient range of
vocabulary to allow some
flexibility and precision
uses less common lexical items
with some awareness of style
and collocation
may produce occasional errors
in word choice, spelling and/or
word formation
|
uses a variety of complex structures
produces frequent error-free sentences
has good control of grammar and
punctuation but may make a few errors
|
High 3rd: 48
Mid 3: 45
Low 3: 42
Writing score:
8-9
|
addresses all parts of the task
although some parts may be
more fully covered than others
presents a relevant position
although the conclusions may
become unclear or repetitive
presents relevant main ideas
but some may be
inadequately
developed/unclear
|
arranges information and ideas
coherently and there is a clear overall
progression
uses cohesive devices effectively, but
cohesion within and/or between
sentences may be faulty or mechanical
may not always use referencing clearly
or appropriately
uses paragraphing, but not always
logically
|
uses an adequate range of
vocabulary for the task
attempts to use less common
vocabulary but with some
inaccuracy
makes some errors in spelling
and/or word formation, but they
do not impede communication
|
uses a mix of simple and complex
sentence forms
makes some errors in grammar and
punctuation but they rarely reduce
communication
|
Marginal Fail: 35
Writing score:
7
|
addresses the task only
partially; the format may be
inappropriate in places
expresses a position but the
development is not always
clear and there may be no
conclusions drawn
presents some main ideas but
these are limited and not
sufficiently developed; there
may be irrelevant detail
|
presents information with some
organisation but there may be a lack of
overall progression
makes inadequate, inaccurate or over
use of cohesive devices
may be repetitive because of lack of
referencing and substitution
may not write in paragraphs, or
paragraphing may be inadequate
|
uses a limited range of
vocabulary, but this is minimally
adequate for the task
may make noticeable errors in
spelling and/or word formation
that may cause some difficulty
for the reader
|
uses only a limited range of structures
attempts complex sentences but these
tend to be less accurate than simple
sentences
may make frequent grammatical errors
and punctuation may be faulty; errors can
cause some difficulty for the reader
|
Mid Fail: 30*
Writing score:
6
|
responds to the task only in a
minimal way or the answer is
tangential; the format may be
inappropriate
presents a position but this is
unclear
presents some main ideas but
these are difficult to identify
and may be repetitive,
irrelevant or not well
supported
|
presents information and ideas but
these are not arranged coherently and
there is no clear progression in the
response
uses some basic cohesive devices but
these may be inaccurate or repetitive
may not write in paragraphs or their
use may be confusing
|
uses only basic vocabulary
which may be used repetitively
or which may be inappropriate
for the task
has limited control of word
formation and/or spelling; errors
may cause strain for the reader
|
uses only a very limited range of structures
with only rare use of subordinate clauses
some structures are accurate but errors
predominate, and punctuation is often
faulty
|
Low Fail: 25
Writing score:
5
|
does not adequately address
any part of the task
does not express a clear
position
presents few ideas, which are
largely undeveloped or
irrelevant
|
does not organise ideas logically
may use a very limited range of
cohesive devices, and those used may
not indicate a logical relationship
between ideas
|
uses only a very limited range of
words and expressions with
very limited control of word
formation and/or spelling
errors may severely distort the
message
|
attempts sentence forms but errors in
grammar and punctuation predominate
and distort the meaning
|
Fail: 10
Writing score:
4
|
barely responds to the task
does not express a position
may attempt to present one or
two ideas but there is no
development
|
has very little control of organisational
features
|
uses an extremely limited range
of vocabulary; essentially no
control of word formation and/or
spelling
|
cannot use sentence forms except in
memorised phrases
|
Fail: 5
Writing score:
2-3
|
answer is completely
unrelated to the task
|
fails to communicate any message
|
can only use a few isolated
words
|
cannot use sentence forms at all
|
Non-submission: 0
Writing score:
0
|
does not attend
does not attempt the task in any way
|