© Hellenic American University & Hellenic American Union 9

Writing Section - Scoring Rubrics Speaking Section - Scoring Rubrics

WR

ITIN

G S

ECTI

ON

SC

OR

ING

RU

BR

ICS:

DES

CR

IPTO

RS

OF

SALI

ENT

FEAT

UR

ES

Topi

c De

velo

pmen

tOr

gani

zatio

nRa

nge

of L

angu

age

Accu

racy

FOCU

S

Relev

ance

to th

e ta

sk s

etEl

abor

atio

n

Appr

opria

cy o

f sty

le &

form

at fo

r the

gen

re

Text

org

aniza

tion:

● in

trodu

ctio

n wi

th th

esis

stat

emen

t ● c

onclu

sion

● c

onne

ctio

ns b

etwe

en p

arag

raph

s

& be

twee

n se

nten

ces

● re

fere

nce

word

s

Com

plex

ity o

f:● g

ram

mar

● s

ynta

x● v

ocab

ular

y

Accu

racy

of:

● g

ram

mar

● s

ynta

x● v

ocab

ular

y

5

HIGH

PAS

S

High

ly Ef

fect

iveW

ritin

g

Comp

letes

the

task f

ully a

nd re

levan

tly, c

over

ing a

ll asp

ects

of the

topic

effe

ctive

ly.

Effec

tively

des

cribe

s, su

ppor

ts, a

nd e

xpan

ds a

t leng

th,

using

well

-chos

en e

xamp

les a

nd/or

deta

iled

reas

ons.

Cons

isten

tly u

ses a

n ap

prop

riate

style

and

forma

t.

Prov

ides a

n eff

ectiv

e int

rodu

ction

and

conc

lusion

.

Cons

isten

tly u

ses a

wide

rang

e of

orga

nizati

onal

patte

rns a

nd co

hesiv

e de

vices

in a

n eff

ectiv

e ma

nner.

Cons

isten

tly sh

ows g

reat

flexib

ility

in for

mulat

ing id

eas b

y usin

g a

wide

ra

nge

of lin

guist

ic for

ms e

ffecti

vely.

Cons

isten

tly u

ses a

bro

ad ra

nge

of sy

ntacti

cal s

tructu

res,

and

displa

ys

a wi

de le

xical

rang

e.

Cons

isten

tly m

aintai

ns a

high

deg

ree

of gr

amma

tical

and

synta

ctica

l acc

urac

y, ev

en in

co

mplex

stru

cture

s.

Cons

isten

tly ch

oose

s voc

abula

ry ap

prop

riate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

Mino

r erro

rs ma

y occ

ur.

4

PASS

Effe

ctive

Writ

ing

Deve

lops t

he to

pic e

ffecti

vely

and

mostl

y rele

vantl

y.

Mostl

y des

cribe

s, su

ppor

ts, a

nd e

xpan

ds a

t som

e len

gth,

using

relev

ant e

xamp

les a

nd/or

reas

ons.

Style

and

form

at ar

e mo

stly a

ppro

priat

e for

the

genr

e.

Prov

ides a

relev

ant in

trodu

ction

and

an

appr

opria

te co

nclus

ion.

Mostl

y use

s a ra

nge

of or

ganiz

ation

al pa

ttern

s and

lin

king

devic

es in

ord

er to

ach

ieve

the sm

ooth

flow

of the

text.

Mostl

y disp

lays a

goo

d co

mman

d of

a ra

nge

of lan

guag

e to

acco

mplis

h the

task

.

Mostl

y use

s som

e va

riety

of sy

ntacti

cal s

tructu

res a

nd d

isplay

s su

fficien

t lexic

al ra

nge

to ac

comp

lish

the ta

sk.

Mostl

y main

tains

a fa

irly h

igh d

egre

e of

gram

matic

al an

d sy

ntacti

cal a

ccur

acy.

Mostl

y cho

oses

voca

bular

y app

ropr

iate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

Some

erro

rs ma

y occ

ur in

mor

e co

mplex

str

uctur

es, b

ut do

not

impe

de co

mmun

icatio

n.

3

LOW

PAS

S

Satis

fact

ory

Writ

ing

Deve

lops t

he to

pic sa

tisfac

torily

and

relev

antly

, cov

ering

so

me a

spec

ts of

the to

pic m

ore

effec

tively

than

othe

rs.

Often

des

cribe

s, su

ppor

ts, a

nd e

xpan

ds a

t som

e len

gth,

using

relev

ant e

xamp

les a

nd/or

reas

ons.

Flexib

ility i

n sty

le is

some

what

limite

d, bu

t styl

e an

d for

mat

are

often

app

ropr

iate

for th

e ge

nre.

Prov

ides a

n int

rodu

ction

and

conc

lusion

, but

they

may n

ot be

comp

letely

relev

ant o

r app

ropr

iate.

Often

use

s a ra

nge

of or

ganiz

ation

al pa

ttern

s and

lin

king

devic

es in

ord

er to

ach

ieve

the sm

ooth

flow

of the

text.

Often

disp

lays a

goo

d co

mman

d of

a sa

tisfac

tory r

ange

of la

ngua

ge to

ac

comp

lish

the ta

sk.

Often

use

s som

e va

riety

of sy

ntacti

cal s

tructu

res a

nd d

isplay

s su

fficien

t lexic

al ra

nge

to ac

comp

lish

the ta

sk sa

tisfac

torily

.

Maint

ains a

satis

factor

y deg

ree

of gr

amma

tical

and

synta

ctica

l acc

urac

y.

Often

choo

ses v

ocab

ulary

appr

opria

te for

the

topic

and

style.

Erro

rs ma

y occ

ur in

simp

le an

d mo

re co

mplex

str

uctur

es, b

ut do

not

impe

de co

mmun

icatio

n.

2

NARR

OW F

AIL

Inef

fect

ive

Writ

ing

Often

doe

s not

deve

lop th

e top

ic sa

tisfac

torily

bec

ause

of

irrele

vanc

y, ine

ffecti

ve u

se o

f the

pro

mpts

or th

roug

h mi

sund

ersta

nding

the

task.

May m

entio

n the

pro

mpts,

but

often

doe

s not

prov

ide

suffic

ient s

ubsid

iary p

oints,

deta

il, re

ason

s or r

eleva

nt ex

ample

s.

Style

and

form

at ar

e oft

en n

ot ap

prop

riate

for th

e ge

nre.

Does

not

prov

ide a

relev

ant o

r app

ropr

iate

intro

ducti

on a

nd co

nclus

ion.

Often

use

s a lim

ited

rang

e of

cohe

sive

devic

es to

link

sente

nces

and

par

agra

phs.

Inapp

ropr

iate

linkin

g be

twee

n se

ntenc

es a

nd

para

grap

hs m

ay o

ften

hinde

r the

smoo

th flo

w of

the

text.

Often

use

s a lim

ited

rang

e of

langu

age

in att

empti

ng to

ac

comp

lish

the ta

sk.

Often

use

s a lim

ited

varie

ty of

comp

lex sy

ntacti

cal fo

rms a

nd

displa

ys a

lack

of le

xical

rang

e.

Erro

rs ma

y ofte

n oc

cur i

n bo

th sim

ple a

nd

comp

lex st

ructu

res,

which

may

some

times

im

pede

comm

unica

tion.

Some

voca

bular

y may

be

inapp

ropr

iate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

1 FAIL

High

ly In

effe

ctive

Writ

ing

Mostl

y doe

s not

deve

lop th

e top

ic sa

tisfac

torily

bec

ause

of

irrele

vanc

y, ine

ffecti

ve u

se o

f the

pro

mpts

or th

roug

h mi

sund

ersta

nding

the

task.

May m

entio

n the

pro

mpts,

but

mostl

y doe

s not

prov

ide

suffic

ient s

ubsid

iary p

oints,

deta

il, re

ason

s or r

eleva

nt ex

ample

s.

Style

and

form

at ar

e mo

stly n

ot ap

prop

riate

for th

e ge

nre.

Ther

e is

no in

trodu

ction

or c

onclu

sion

to the

topic

of

the te

xt.

Mostl

y use

s a ve

ry lim

ited

rang

e of

cohe

sive

devic

es

to lin

k sen

tence

s and

par

agra

phs.

Inapp

ropr

iate

linkin

g be

twee

n se

ntenc

es a

nd

para

grap

hs m

ostly

hind

ers t

he sm

ooth

flow

of the

tex

t.

Mostl

y use

s a lim

ited

rang

e of

langu

age

in att

empti

ng to

ac

comp

lish

the ta

sk.

Mostl

y use

s a ve

ry lim

ited

varie

ty of

comp

lex sy

ntacti

cal fo

rms a

nd

displa

ys a

lack

of le

xical

rang

e.

Erro

rs oc

cur i

n bo

th sim

ple a

nd

comp

lex st

ructu

res,

frequ

ently

impe

ding

comm

unica

tion.

Voca

bular

y may

freq

uentl

y be

inapp

ropr

iate

for

the to

pic a

nd st

yle.

SPEA

KIN

G S

ECTI

ON

SC

OR

ING

RU

BR

ICS:

DES

CR

IPTO

RS

OF

SALI

ENT

FEAT

UR

ES

Rang

e of

Lan

guag

eAc

cura

cyFl

uenc

yIn

tera

ctio

n

FOCU

S

Com

plex

ity o

f:● g

ram

mar

● s

ynta

x● v

ocab

ular

y

Accu

racy

of:

● g

ram

mar

● s

ynta

x

● v

ocab

ular

y

Leng

th o

f utte

ranc

esHe

sitat

ions

Flow

of s

peec

h

Cont

ribut

ion

Unde

rsta

ndin

g

5

HIGH

PAS

S

High

ly Ef

fect

iveSp

eake

r

Cons

isten

tly sh

ows g

reat

flexib

ility i

n for

mulat

ing id

eas b

y usin

g a

wide

rang

e of

lingu

istic

forms

effe

ctive

ly.

Cons

isten

tly u

ses a

bro

ad ra

nge

of sy

ntacti

cal

struc

tures

app

ropr

iately

, and

disp

lays a

wide

lex

ical r

ange

.

Cons

isten

tly m

aintai

ns a

high

deg

ree

of gr

amma

tical

and

synta

ctica

l acc

urac

y, ev

en in

co

mplex

stru

cture

s.

Cons

isten

tly ch

oose

s voc

abula

ry ap

prop

riate

for

the to

pic a

nd st

yle.

Mino

r erro

rs ma

y occ

ur.

Cons

isten

tly e

xpre

sses

him

/herse

lf effe

ctive

ly on

comp

lex to

pics a

t leng

th.

Hesit

ation

s are

rare

. Only

a co

ncep

tually

ch

allen

ging

topic

can

hinde

r a n

atura

l, smo

oth

flow

of lan

guag

e.

Cons

isten

tly co

ntribu

tes to

the

deve

lopme

nt of

comp

lex to

pics e

asily

and

effe

ctive

ly.

Cons

isten

tly u

nder

stand

s the

inter

locuto

r.

4

PASS

Effe

ctive

Spea

ker

Mostl

y use

s a va

riety

of gr

amma

tical

and

synta

ctica

l stru

cture

s, an

d mo

stly d

isplay

s su

fficien

t lexic

al ra

nge

to ac

comp

lish

the ta

sks

effec

tively

.

Mostl

y main

tains

a fa

irly h

igh d

egre

e of

gram

matic

al an

d sy

ntacti

cal a

ccur

acy.

Mostl

y cho

oses

voca

bular

y app

ropr

iate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

Erro

rs ma

y occ

asion

ally o

ccur

in m

ore

comp

lex

struc

tures

, but

do n

ot im

pede

comm

unica

tion.

Mostl

y exp

ress

es h

im/he

rself w

ith e

ase

using

bo

th sh

ort a

nd lo

nger

utte

ranc

es sp

ontan

eous

ly.

Some

hes

itatio

ns m

ay o

ccas

ionall

y occ

ur,

partic

ularly

whe

n the

topic

is co

ncep

tually

ch

allen

ging.

Mostl

y con

tribute

s to

the d

evelo

pmen

t of

comp

lex to

pics e

ffecti

vely.

Mostl

y und

ersta

nds t

he in

terloc

utor,

thoug

h ma

y see

k ver

y occ

asion

al cla

rifica

tion.

3

LOW

PAS

S

Satis

fact

ory

Spea

ker

Often

use

s som

e va

riety

of gr

amma

tical

and

synta

ctica

l stru

cture

s, an

d oft

en d

isplay

s su

fficien

t lexic

al ra

nge

to ac

comp

lish

the ta

sks

satis

factor

ily.

Often

main

tains

a sa

tisfac

tory d

egre

e of

gram

matic

al an

d sy

ntacti

cal a

ccur

acy.

Often

choo

ses v

ocab

ulary

appr

opria

te for

the

topic

and

style.

Erro

rs ma

y som

etime

s occ

ur in

mor

e co

mplex

str

uctur

es, b

ut do

not

impe

de co

mmun

icatio

n.

Often

exp

ress

es h

im/he

rself w

ith e

ase

using

bo

th sh

ort a

nd lo

nger

utte

ranc

es sp

ontan

eous

ly.

Some

hes

itatio

ns m

ay o

ccur.

Con

ceptu

ally

chall

engin

g top

ics m

ay so

metim

es h

inder

a

natur

al, sm

ooth

flow

of lan

guag

e.

Often

contr

ibutes

to th

e de

velop

ment

of co

mplex

topic

s sati

sfacto

rily.

Mostl

y und

ersta

nds t

he in

terloc

utor,

thoug

h ma

y see

k occ

asion

al cla

rifica

tion.

2

NARR

OW F

AIL

Lim

ited

Spea

ker

Often

use

s a lim

ited

varie

ty of

comp

lex

gram

matic

al an

d sy

ntacti

cal fo

rms,

and

often

dis

plays

a la

ck o

f lexic

al ra

nge

in att

empti

ng to

ac

comp

lish

the ta

sks.

Erro

rs ma

y occ

ur in

both

simp

le an

d co

mplex

str

uctur

es, w

hich

may s

ometi

mes i

mped

e co

mmun

icatio

n.

Some

voca

bular

y may

be

inapp

ropr

iate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

Often

pro

duce

s both

shor

t and

long

er

utter

ance

s on

familia

r top

ics, b

ut en

coun

ters

diffic

ulty w

hen

deali

ng w

ith co

mplex

topic

s.

Hesit

ation

s are

freq

uent

enou

gh to

disr

upt t

he

flow

of sp

eech

noti

ceab

ly.

Often

contr

ibutes

to th

e de

velop

ment

of fam

iliar t

opics

, but

has d

ifficu

lty d

evelo

ping

comp

lex to

pics.

Can

often

follo

w sp

eech

on

familia

r top

ics,

but h

as d

ifficu

lty fo

llowi

ng th

e int

erloc

utor o

n co

mplex

topic

s.

1 FAIL

High

ly Li

mite

dSp

eake

r

Mostl

y use

s a ve

ry lim

ited

varie

ty of

gram

matic

al an

d sy

ntacti

cal fo

rms,

and

mostl

y dis

plays

a la

ck o

f lexic

al ra

nge

in att

empti

ng to

ac

comp

lish

the ta

sks.

Erro

rs ma

y occ

ur in

both

simp

le an

d co

mplex

stru

cture

s, wh

ich fr

eque

ntly i

mped

e co

mmun

icatio

n.

Voca

bular

y may

freq

uentl

y be

inapp

ropr

iate

for th

e top

ic an

d sty

le.

Prod

uces

shor

t and

occ

asion

ally l

onge

r utt

eran

ces o

n fam

iliar t

opics

, but

mostl

y en

coun

ters d

ifficu

lty w

hen

deali

ng w

ith co

mplex

top

ics.

Hesit

ation

s are

freq

uent

enou

gh to

disr

upt t

he

flow

of sp

eech

very

notic

eably

.

Contr

ibutes

to th

e de

velop

ment

of fam

iliar

topics

, but

has g

reat

diffic

ulty d

evelo

ping

comp

lex to

pics.

Can

follow

spee

ch o

n fam

iliar t

opics

, but

has

grea

t diffi

culty

follo

wing

the

inter

locuto

r on

comp

lex to

pics.

ALCE PRACTICE TESTS.indd 9 2/14/11 5:48 PM

© 2011 Hellenic American UniversityOffice of Language Assessment and Test Development

Adv

ance

d Le

vel Cer

tifica

te in

English

(ALC

E)Spe

akin

g S

ection

Sco

ring

Rub

rics

: Des

crip

tors

of Sal

ient

Fea

ture

s