PAPER 3

Assessment
The interlocutor awards a mark for global achievement
using the global achievement scale.

B1 Global achievement
5 Handles communication on familiar topics,
Examiners and marking despite some hesitation.
The quality assurance of Speaking Examiners (SEs) is
Organises extended discourse but occasionally
managed by Team Leaders (TLs). TLs ensure all examiners
produces utterances that lack coherence, and
successfully complete examiner training and regular
some inaccuracies and inappropriate usage occur.
certification of procedure and assessment before they
examine. TLs are in turn responsible to a Professional 4 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5.
Support Leader (PSL) who is the professional representative 3 Handles communication in everyday situations,
of Cambridge English Language Assessment for the despite hesitation.
Speaking tests in a given country or region.
Constructs longer utterances but is not able
Annual examiner certification involves attendance at a to use complex language except in well-
face-to-face meeting to focus on and discuss assessment rehearsed utterances.
and procedure, followed by the marking of sample 2 Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3.
Speaking tests in an online environment. Examiners must
complete standardisation of assessment for all relevant 1 Conveys basic meaning in very familiar
levels each year and are regularly monitored during live everyday situations.
testing sessions.
Produces utterances which tend to be very short
– words or phrases – with frequent hesitation
Assessment scales and pauses.
0 Performance below Band 1.
Throughout the test candidates are assessed on their own
individual performance and not in relation to each other.
Assessment for Cambridge English: Preliminary is based on
They are awarded marks by two examiners: the assessor
performance across all parts of the test, and is achieved by
and the interlocutor. The assessor awards marks by applying
applying the relevant descriptors in the assessment scales.
performance descriptors from the analytical assessment
The assessment scales for Cambridge English: Preliminary
scales for the following criteria:
(shown on page 62) are extracted from the overall Speaking
• Grammar and Vocabulary scales on page 63.

• Discourse Management
• Pronunciation
• Interactive Communication.

Speaking | Assessment 61
Cambridge English: Preliminary Speaking Examiners use a more detailed version of the following assessment scales,
extracted from the overall Speaking scales on page 63.

Interactive
B1 Grammar and Vocabulary Discourse Management Pronunciation
Communication
5 Shows a good degree of control Produces extended stretches Is intelligible. Initiates and
of simple grammatical forms, of language despite responds appropriately.
Intonation is
and attempts some complex some hesitation.
generally appropriate. Maintains and develops
grammatical forms.
Contributions are relevant the interaction and
Sentence and word stress is
Uses a range of appropriate despite some repetition. negotiates towards
generally accurately placed.
vocabulary to give and an outcome with very
Uses a range of
exchange views on Individual sounds are generally little support.
cohesive devices.
familiar topics. articulated clearly.
4 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5.
3 Shows a good degree of control Produces responses which are Is mostly intelligible, and has Initiates and
of simple grammatical forms. extended beyond short phrases, some control of phonological responds appropriately.
despite hesitation. features at both utterance and
Uses a range of appropriate Keeps the interaction
word levels.
vocabulary when talking about Contributions are mostly going with very little
familiar topics. relevant, but there may be prompting and support.
some repetition.
Uses basic cohesive devices.
2 Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3.
1 Shows sufficient control of Produces responses which are Is mostly intelligible, Maintains simple
simple grammatical forms. characterised by short phrases despite limited control of exchanges, despite
and frequent hesitation. phonological features. some difficulty.
Uses a limited range of
appropriate vocabulary to talk Repeats information or Requires prompting
about familiar topics. digresses from the topic. and support.
0 Performance below Band 1.

62 Speaking | Assessment
 Overall Speaking scales
CEFR
Grammatical Resource Lexical Resource Discourse Management Pronunciation Interactive Communication
level
• Maintains control • Uses a wide range of • Produces extended stretches of language • Is intelligible. • Interacts with ease by skilfully
of a wide range of appropriate vocabulary with flexibility and ease and very • Phonological features are interweaving his/her contributions
grammatical forms with flexibility to give little hesitation. used effectively to convey and into the conversation.
and uses them and exchange views • Contributions are relevant, coherent, varied enhance meaning. • Widens the scope of the interaction
with flexibility. on unfamiliar and and detailed. and develops it fully and effectively
abstract topics. towards a negotiated outcome.
• Makes full and effective use of a wide range
of cohesive devices and discourse markers.
C2 • Maintains control • Uses a wide range of • Produces extended stretches of language • Is intelligible. • Interacts with ease, linking
of a wide range of appropriate vocabulary with ease and with very little hesitation. • Intonation is appropriate. contributions to those of other
grammatical forms. to give and exchange • Contributions are relevant, coherent speakers.
• Sentence and word stress is
views on unfamiliar and and varied. • Widens the scope of the interaction
accurately placed.
abstract topics. and negotiates towards an outcome.
• Uses a wide range of cohesive devices and • Individual sounds are articulated clearly.
discourse markers.
C1 • Shows a good • Uses a range of • Produces extended stretches of language • Is intelligible. • Initiates and responds appropriately,
degree of control of appropriate vocabulary with very little hesitation. • Intonation is appropriate. linking contributions to those of
a range of simple to give and exchange • Contributions are relevant and there is a other speakers.
• Sentence and word stress is
and some complex views on familiar and clear organisation of ideas. • Maintains and develops the
accurately placed.
grammatical forms. unfamiliar topics. interaction and negotiates towards
• Uses a range of cohesive devices and • Individual sounds are articulated clearly.
discourse markers. an outcome.

Grammar and Vocabulary

B2 • Shows a good degree of control of simple • Produces extended stretches of language • Is intelligible. • Initiates and responds appropriately.
grammatical forms, and attempts some complex despite some hesitation. • Intonation is generally appropriate. • Maintains and develops the
grammatical forms. • Contributions are relevant and there is very interaction and negotiates towards
• Sentence and word stress is generally
• Uses appropriate vocabulary to give and exchange little repetition. accurately placed. an outcome with very little support.
views, on a range of familiar topics. • Uses a range of cohesive devices. • Individual sounds are generally
articulated clearly.
B1 • Shows a good degree of control of simple • Produces responses which are extended • Is mostly intelligible, and has some • Initiates and responds appropriately.
grammatical forms. beyond short phrases, despite hesitation. control of phonological features at both • Keeps the interaction going with very
• Uses a range of appropriate vocabulary when talking • Contributions are mostly relevant, but utterance and word levels. little prompting and support.
about familiar topics. there may be some repetition.
• Uses basic cohesive devices.
Speaking | Assessment 63

PAPER 3
A2 • Shows sufficient control of simple grammatical forms. • Is mostly intelligible, despite limited • Maintains simple exchanges, despite
• Uses appropriate vocabulary to talk about control of phonological features. some difficulty.
everyday situations. • Requires prompting and support.
A1 • Shows only limited control of a few • Has very limited control of phonological • Has considerable difficulty
grammatical forms. features and is often unintelligible. maintaining simple exchanges.
• Uses a vocabulary of isolated words and phrases. • Requires additional prompting
and support.