Placement Test

Instructions

This Placement Test is designed to help teachers accurately place students onto the correct level or class
based on their existing knowledge of English.
Students are assessed on all four skills at each level and the test is divided into two sections: Speaking and
Listening and the Reading and Writing. Grammatical structures and vocabulary increase in difficulty
throughout the test. A student at a lower level will probably not be able to complete the final pages of the
test and it is better to allow this student to stop if he or she is not ready for higher levels.
Allow students approximately ten minutes for the Speaking and Listening section and up to twenty
minutes for the Reading and Writing section.

Speaking and Listening

When evaluating oral proficiency it is important to set up a relaxed and stress-free environment. The best
outcome will come from a child who feels confident and engaged. The Speaking and Listening part of
this placement test consists of fifteen oral questions which increase in difficulty, both in language
structures and cognitive challenge. Encourage children to answer in full sentences so that you can
measure their ability to use different verb tenses in their speaking. If a child stops being able to answer
questions at any stage in the oral interview, then halt this part of the test and mark according to the
questions already answered. The questions will give you a general overview of the student’s
communicative competence which should be balanced against the score and level in the rest of the
placement test.

Reading and Writing

These skills are combined as much as possible in order to evaluate student’s general reading
comprehension and productive writing skills. Students are expected to write complete sentences using the
correct structures. If a child stops being able to answer questions at any stage in the reading and writing
test, then stop the test and mark according to the questions already answered.

To achieve the total number of points available in the writing questions, the student’s writing should
meet the following criteria:

• The writing is focused, well-organized, and sufficiently long.

• The student communicates clearly with few, if any, grammatical mistakes.
• The student shows good command of spelling and mechanics.
• The student’s hand writing is easily legible.

Grammar and vocabulary

Grammatical structures and vocabulary are integrated all the way through this test. Every question
evaluates and underlying structure and word knowledge. Grammar and vocabulary cannot be separated
from four skills, at this is how language is properly formed in the real world.
Scoring Guide

Score ISS level Score ISS level

0-9 ISS 1A 50 - 59 ISS 3B
10 - 19 ISS 1B 60 - 69 ISS 4A
20 - 29 ISS 2A 70 - 79 ISS 4B
30 - 39 ISS 2B 80 - 89 ISS 5A
40 - 49 ISS 3A 90 – 100 ISS 5B
Picture Card
Placement Test
Name: ______________________
Date: _____________________________
Speaking and Listening

Questions Possible Answer Score

1 Hello. What’s your name? My name is … /1

2 How old are you? I am (seven) years old. /1

Can you show me the dog?

3 (Pointing only) /1
(Picture card)

What is it? (poin to a rabbit in Picture

4 It’s a rabbit. /1
card)

How many birds can you see?

5 Three birds. /1
(Picture card)

6 Can you ride a bicycle? Yes, I can./No, I can’t. /2

What can you see?

7 I can see a … /2
(Look around the room)

8 What is your favorite subject? (English) /2

9 How was the weather yesterday? It was (sunny). /2

10 What did you do on the weekend? I (visited my grandmother). /2

What do you want to be when you grow

11 I want to be a (doctor). /3
up?
Yes, I have been to Australia./No, I
12 Have you been to Australia? /3
haven’t been to Australia.

How long have you been studying at I have been studying at my school
13 /3
your school? for (five years)/since (2010).

I came here today because (my

14 Why did you come here today? /3
parents want me to study English)

What should you do if you want to

15 You/I should (study hard). /3
speak English well?

/30
Placement Test
page 1 Name: _____________________

Reading and Writing

A Write the letters.

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee
__ f Gg __ h Ii J __
Kk Ll __ m N __ Oo
Pp __ q Rr Ss __ __
Uu Vv __ w Xx Y __ Zz

/10
B Look and read. Put a tick (✔) or a cross (✖) in the box .There are two examples.

Examples

This is a chicken. ✔ This is an eraser. ✖

Questions

1 This is a motorbike.

2 This is a backpack.

3 This is a mango.

4 This is a train.

5 This is a kite. /10

Placement Test
page 2

C Read this. Choose a word from the box. Write the correct word next to number 1-5.
There is one example.

trees
I am an animal and I am brown. I live in __________________________. My favorite

food is a (1) ___________________________. I have two (2) _____________________ and

two legs. I have a long (3) ___________________________ too. I can run and jump or

play with a big round (4) ___________________________ . I live with giraffes and

(5) ___________________________ . What am I? I am a monkey.

trees cat banana elephants

ball arms tail glasses

/10
Placement Test
page 3

D Look at the pictures. Look at the letter. Write the words. There is one example.

Example

co e
c ___
___ r ___
o ___
c ___
o ___
d ___
i ___
l ___
e r c i
o l
d

Questions

r
b c
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ d
u a o
1
p

d n
a
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ h i
2 s
w
c

m a s
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ o
n
3 w n

b u e
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ t f t
4 l y
r

c o
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ c
s t h
5 s
i k p

/10
Placement Test
page 4

E Look and read. Choose the correct words and write them on the lines.
There is one example.

moon a dining room stars elephants

a toothbrush a bathroom bottles bolws

Example

This is where you eat your breakfast. a dinning room

__________________

Questions

1. You see these above you at night. __________________

2. You eat soup out of these. __________________

3. You can put drinks in these to take on a picnic. __________________

4. This is big and sometimes round, and you see it at night. __________________

5. You can wash your hands and face in here. __________________

6. People use one of these to clean their teeth. __________________

/12
Placement Test
page 5

F Read the text and choose the best answer. There is one example.

Example
Ann: Are those new shoes, Jane?
Jane: A Yes, they do.
B Yes, they are.
C Yes, they’re shoes
Questions

1 Ann: Where did you find them?

Jane: A Yes, in town.
B Last week.
C In a shop in town.
2 Ann: Was it a good shop?
Jane: A Yes, well.
B Yes, very.
C Yes, it was.

3 Ann: Do you go shopping a lot?

Jane: A Every weekend!
B Next weekend!
C Last weekend!

4 Ann: And what do you buy?

Jane: A I like buying clothes.
B I’d like to buy clothes.
C I liked buying clothes.

5 Ann: Would you like to go shopping this weekend?

Jane: A I like to.
B I’d love to.
C I’d want to.

6 Ann: Where shall I see you?

Jane: A At the station.
B On the station.
C To the station.

/12
Placement Test
page 6

G Read the text and the example. Choose the right words and write them on the lines.

The Library
on
The library is a good place to be ________________________ a wet day. You can find the

answers to all your questions there. When you want to know (1) ________________

about the world you live in, there are a lot of books to read. You can learn about

mountains, rivers, animals or the stars. You can (2) ___________________ the books

home with you for three weeks. The library is a great place to do your homework

(3) _______________________ it is always very quiet so try (4) ________________________to

talk loudly when you are there. Some libraries have a shop and you can buy things

(5)________________________ pens and maps there. There’s sometimes a café. Try to go

to the library more often!

Example
on in at

Questions
1 something nothing sometimes
2 take took taking
3 so or because
4 not no now
5 like of on

/10
Placement Test A
page 7

H Read the story. Write some words to complete the sentences about the story. You can
use 1, 2, 3 or 4 words.

Trip to the museum

My name’s Harry. Last week my teacher took our class to the Museum of
History in the city. We went there by bus because it was cheaper than the train.
Before we went inside, the teacher gave us a map of the museum and said “It’s half
past nine now. You’re free to look round but you must meet me here at half past
eleven. Don’t be late!” I didn’t have a watch but my friend, Sam, did. We walked in!

There were clothes and things people used in the old days everywhere. It was
very interesting. You could read people’s old diaries too. But Sam said they
were boring. He looked at his map and saw there were some pyramids in the
basement so we went to find them. They were great! Then we went into the
museum shop to buy some things. There were pens, pencils, and books about
the museum. We couldn’t decide what to buy! In the end I bought a ruler for my
brother and Sam got a fan with a picture of the museum on it for his little sister.

Then Sam looked at his watch. We were very late! We ran up the stairs
to the front of the museum and looked for our teacher. He wasn’t there.
Suddenly a bus went past. All our friends from class were looking through
the window and laughing and waving at us. But our teacher wasn’t laughing!

Example

1. Harry went with his teacher and the class to a place in the city called the
Museum of History.
2. The bus was cheaper than the train so they all went by bus.

Questions

1. The teacher told the children to come back again at _________________________ .

2. Sam said that the ___________________________________ were boring.
3. The boys went to ___________________________________ to find some pyramids.
4. Next, the boys decided to _________________________ from the museum shop.
5. Sam bought a fan for _____________________________.
6. The boys went to the front of the museum but their teacher ___________________ .
7. The boys saw that their ____________________________ were already on the bus!

/14
Placement Test
Answer Key

A. Write the letters. G. Read the text. Choose the right words and
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff write them on the line.
Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll 1. something
Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr 2. take
Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx 3. because
Yy Zz 4. not
5. like
B. Look and read. Put a tick (✔) or a cross (✖)
in the box. H. Read the story. Write some words to com-
1. ✖ plete the sentences about the story. You can
2. ✔ use 1, 2, 3 or 4 words.
3. ✔ 1. half past eleven
4. ✖ 2. old diaries
5. ✔ 3. the basement
4. buy some things
C. Look at the pictures. Look at the letters. 5. his (little) sister
Write the words. 6. wasn’t there
1. cupboard 7. friends (from class)
2. snowman
3. sandwich
4. butterfly
5. chopsticks

D. Read this. Choose a word from the box.

Write the correct word next to numbers 1-5.
1. banana
2. arms
3. tail
4. ball
5. elephants

E. Look and read. Choose the correct words

and write them on the lines.
1. stars
2. bowls
3. bottles
4. a moon
5. a bathroom
6. a toothbrush

F. Read the text and choose the best answer.

1. C – In a shop in town.
2. C – Yes, it was.
3. A – Every weekend!
4. A – I like buying clothes.
5. B – I’d love to.
6. A – At the station.