Empower Competency Tests

Scoring Information
Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................3
A1..................................................................................................................................................................4
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................4
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................4
A2..................................................................................................................................................................5
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................5
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................5
B1..................................................................................................................................................................6
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................6
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................6
B1+................................................................................................................................................................7
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................7
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................7
B2..................................................................................................................................................................8
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................8
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................8
C1..................................................................................................................................................................9
Mid Course Tests......................................................................................................................................9
End of Course Tests..................................................................................................................................9

2
 Introductio
The purpose of this document is to show how students’ results in Empower Competency Reading and
Listening Tests are measured and to explain the likely difference between results in the Competency
Tests and results in the Unit Progress Tests.

Percentages of marks correct will vary between the Unit Progress Tests and Competency Tests by
design, due to certain key differences in purpose of the two types of test.

Unit Progress Tests focus on a limited construct related to the material covered in the relevant unit of
the Empower course book; they test key lexis/grammar/functional language from a unit, in particular,
focusing on newly introduced structures and vocabulary. The purpose of Unit Progress Tests is to
provide feedback on learning in the unit in question; it would probably be expected that candidates
would get many items correct, with incorrect answers providing for immediate remedial action by
indicating particular structures and/or vocabulary which the learner could benefit from revisiting,
before moving on to the next unit or level.

Competency Tests, on the other hand, are designed to assess a much broader construct of language
proficiency based on a cognitive processing model of language use, in order to assess the learner’s
progress over a longer period of time and in terms of where they stand more generally in terms of
proficiency against the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).

Furthermore, since it is possible for candidates to perform better than ‘level achieved’ against the
CEFR band in question, there must be sufficient room (ie additional items) above the ‘level achieved’
threshold to accommodate this. For these reasons, a ‘level achieved’ threshold set at a percentage of
correct marks similar to those typical of Unit Progress Tests would not be appropriate, so the
Competency Tests include more difficult items in accordance with their purpose.

It is also important to note that the pass mark for Cambridge English’s general proficiency exams (e.g.
Cambridge English: First (FCE), Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) etc.) is usually around 60%.

Scoring information has been provided for the Reading and Listening Competency Tests at the
following levels:

o A1
o A2
o B1
o B1+
o B2
o C1

The paper-based Writing Competency Test is scored on a scale from 1 to 5; the assessment criteria are included
in the Marking Instructions for Teachers document at each level. The paper-based Speaking Competency Test is
also scored on a scale from 1 to 5; the rating scales are included in the Speaking Competency Test Instructions
document at each level.

3
A4
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening test scores
0-9 Progressing towards A1 0-5
10-12 Close to A1 6-7
13-15 A1 level achieved 8-10
16-17 Good performance 11-12
18-25 Strong performance 13-20

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-9 Progressing towards A1 0-8
10-12 Close to A1 9-11
13-15 A1 level achieved 12-13
16-17 Good performance 14-15
18-25 Strong performance 16-20

4
A5
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening test scores
0-13 Progressing towards A2 0-9
14-15 Close to A2 10-12
16-19 A2 level achieved 13-15
20-22 Good performance 16-17
23-25 Strong performance 18-20

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-11 Progressing towards A2 0-9
12-14 Close to A2 10-11
15-18 A2 level achieved 12-14
19-21 Good performance 15-17
22-25 Strong performance 18-20

5
B1
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test Scores
0-7 Working towards B1 0-6
8-12 Progressing towards B1 7-10
13-17 Close to B1 11-14
18-25 B1 level achieved 15-20

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-7 Working towards B1 0-6
8-12 Progressing towards B1 7-10
13-17 Close to B1 11-14
18-25 B1 level achieved 15-20

6
B1+
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-9 Progressing towards B1 0-8
10-14 Close to B1 9-12
15-18 B1 level achieved 13-15
19-21 Good performance 16-17
22-25 Strong performance 18-20

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-10 Progressing towards B1 0-8
11-16 Close to B1 9-12
17-19 B1 level achieved 13-15
20-22 Good performance 16-17
23-25 Strong performance 18-20

7
B2
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-16 Progressing towards B2 0-12
17-18 Close to B2 13-14
19-23 B2 level achieved 15-18
24-26 Good performance 19-21
27-30 Strong performance 22-25

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-16 Progressing towards B2 0-14
17-19 Close to B2 15-16
20-23 B2 level achieved 17-19
24-26 Good performance 20-22
27-30 Strong performance 23-25

8
C1
Mid Course
Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-16 Progressing towards C1 0-13
17-18 Close to C1 14-15
19-23 C1 level achieved 16-18
24-26 Good performance 19-21
27-32 Strong performance 22-26

End of Course Tests

Reading Test scores CEFR result Listening Test scores
0-16 Progressing towards C1 0-12
17 Close to C1 13
18-22 C1 level achieved 14-17
23-25 Good performance 18-20
26-32 Strong performance 21-26