Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Speaking ‘The Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Speaking has been, developed to help users to: “+ interpret lavels of performance in the Cambridge tests from beginner to advanced ‘+ identify typical performance qualities at particular levels + locate performance in one examination against performance in another. ‘The Common Scale is designed to be useful to test candidates and other test users (e.g. admissions officers or employers). ‘The description at each levol of the Common Seale aims to provide a brief, general description of the nature of spoken language ability ata particular level in real-world contexts. In this way the wording offers an easily understandable {description of performance which can be used, for example, in specifying requirements to language trainers, formulating job descriptions and spacifying language requirements for new Posts. LeveL masrERY ‘CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY M ENGLISH: Fully operational command ofthe spoken tangs ge ‘ Ableto handle communication in most stuatons, including Unfamilie o: unexpected ones, + Ableto use accurate and appropiate linguistic resources to express complex ideas and concepts and procuce extenced scours tat is coherent and alnaye e32/ felon. ‘s Rarlyprasues inaccuracies and inappropriacies, + Prorunciation seesiy understood ard prosodic Features re sed effectively: mary features, inal ng pausing and hesittio, are ative Uke. [LEVEL EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY (C4 cenriricare m apvancen ENGLISH: Good operational command ofthe spoken language ‘eAblete handle communicaton in most stuatons. | ableto use aceurate and appropri linguist erources to express leas ad produce dscoursethat ls generaly coherent + Occesiorally produces inaccaracies and inapprapietes. ‘Maintains a fowot onguage wth only natural hesitation resulting Fom considerations of=ppropracy or expression ‘+ Lizceent maybe eudent but doesnot affect he any ofthe message LEVEL VANTAGE B2 mst cerrincare m excuse: Generally effective command of the spoken (anguage “sable to handle communieation in fanilskustiens. ‘hie to oyanise tended discourse but occasionally produces Uterances that ck echerence an some inaccuracies and ‘naporosrite usage occu. ‘sMaintain a fowoflarguage,athough hestaton mayoceut wails searching fr language resources, ‘Although pronunciation is easy unde-svod,Lfetures maybe ‘naive. “+ Does nat recuire major zsetanc or prompting by an nteieeuor. LEVEL THRESHOLD 1 prcuminary encuisu test: Limited bet effective command ofthe speken language “+ Abate manele communication in mast fami stuatons, ‘sable te constuction ger uterances but spot able 0 use complee language exeptin wellreearsed utterences. ‘Hes problems searchingfor language resources toexpress ideas and concepts esting in peusesardhesitation. ‘+ onuncatin is gorealy tlie, but Ls eatues may puta sstainontre istenee ‘+ 2s some abil 0 compensate fo communication dificuties using repr tategies but may require prompting and assistance byanicetoat. LeveL WAYSTAGE A2 wcvencusutest: ‘Basic command ofthe spoken languase *Ableto convey basi mearing in vey familia or highly predictable stustons. 1s Proaices uterances which tendo be vey short- words oF phrases wih fequent eskatlons ae pauses. + Dependenton rehearsed or formulaic phrases with ited sgerentivecapacy. “+ Only abe to produce limited otended discourse. ‘+s Prcunciaton sheavly influenced ts features and may at tes be dificult to understand + Requires prompting and assistance byan interlocutor to prevent communication fom braking dove,