SPEAKING TEST SCORING CRITERIA (EGC)
| Score | Fluency | Vocabulary | Grammar | Pronunciation |
| 5 | Speaks fluently with only minor pauses or hesitation for content. Uses appropriate linkers with fully developed ideas. | Uses a full range of accurate vocabularies and forms for all topics. Collocations are natural and precisely used. | Uses a wide range of structures. (>Foundation 2) Sentences are mostly error free with minor errors which do not affect meaning. Sounds characteristically native. | Clear and easy to understand. Appropriate intonation is used. All ending sounds are clear. L1 accent is barely noticeable. |
| 4.5 | Speaks fluently with little repetition or self-correction for content. Idea is fully developed and coherent with details. A range of linkers are correctly used. | All lexes used convey exact meaning appropriate to topic. Few if any mistakes occur as slips with immediate correction. | Variability in structures is present. Uses mostly error free sentences with minor errors occurring irregularly, not throughout speech. | Able to keep clarity in sounds and annunciate ending sounds and features. L1 is not noticeable. Minor errors do not affect intelligibility. |
| 4 | Can maintain flow of speech but has some repetition, self-correction and slight hesitations due to L1 interference. Mostly correct linkers are used with little flexibility. | Uses a good range of vocabulary to discuss familiar topics. Some collocations are inappropriate. Errors in accuracy for unfamiliar topics. Awareness of common collocations. | Mostly error free simple sentences (all levels), with frequent attempts at complex ones, but with errors (> Foundation 2). | Can be generally understood. Uses a range of pronunciation features such as stress and intonation, but not always accurately. Some L1 interference, especially with word endings. |
| 3.5 | Some hesitation and pauses are present due to L1 interference. Speech is a bit slow. A variety of linkers are used with few errors. | A good vocabulary range is used with few errors in word forms and choice for unfamiliar topics. | Uses less flexibility in range of complex and simple structures. Some systematic errors occur for complex sentences, but meaning is not obscured.
(< Foundation 2: some systematic errors occur for simple sentences.) |
Some stress and intonation is present, but not always. Some word endings are unclear or not present. Some words have incorrect syllable stress. |
| 3 | Speech flow is slow but continuous. Repetition and correction are frequent. Few linkers are used in speech. Coherence is lost at times. | Errors in word form and choice are frequent with unfamiliar topics, but mostly correct for familiar topics. Still uses enough vocabularies to form complete sentences. | Limited flexibility in range with some systematic errors in simple sentences (>Foundation 2). Errors rarely cause comprehension problems. (<Foundation 2: some errors cause confusion of meaning.) | Most words are pronounced correctly but ending sounds are mostly missing. Intelligibility is not difficult, but is clarity is reduced. |
| 2.5 | Speech is not continuous with more frequent hesitations and repetition. Linking if present, but errors are more frequent. | Limited flexibility in vocabulary choice for both familiar and unfamiliar topics. Inappropriate forms and collocations are frequent. | Some attempts at complex structures, but these mainly have errors (>Foundation 2). Simple sentences are frequently correct, and errors do not confuse the meaning. | Limited stress or intonation used. Mostly incorrect ending sounds. Some difficulty to understand for the listening due to mispronunciation. |
| 2 | Cannot respond without pauses and may speak slowly. Coherence is difficult due to repetition and self-correction. Little or no linking is used. | Uses more common words to express meaning for familiar topics. Errors are frequent with form and word choice. Repeats familiar words throughout with no flexibility. | Some simple sentences are correct (>Foundation 2), but misunderstandings are frequent. No attempts at complex structures. (>Foundation 2: some main meaning is conveyed, but misunderstandings are frequent.) | No stress or intonation used. Inappropriate ending sounds. Very difficult to understand, and some words may be confused with other words due to mispronunciation. |
| 1.5 | Long pauses dominate and only simple sentences are used (>EGC 2). Some meaning is conveyed, but very confusing. | Uses only familiar words to convey personal information. Few words are used appropriately even with familiar topics. Meaning is confusing due to errors in word choice. | Frequent errors even in simple forms. Sentence structure is often missing preposition. Confusion or misunderstanding is frequent due to errors. | Mispronunciation is very frequent and very difficult to understand. Word are often confused and misunderstood by the listener. |
| 1 | Hesitates with long pauses between each word. Conversation flow is not possible. | Uses isolated words with little meaning or connection to the topic. | Errors are predominant, except in memorized expressions. Words are strung with no structure. | Mostly unintelligible because of mispronunciation, even to a sympathetic listener. |
| 0.5 | Speech is not ratable. Utters 1 or 2 words at a time with no coherence. | No communication possible. | No ratable grammar. | No ratable speech because of unintelligibility. |
| 0 | Does not attend |
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