Test

specification
GROUP 9
 01. Test Specification

Overview
Comparision:
02. TOEFL
PTE
Specification for a
Language Proficiency
Test for Academic Study
A. PURPOSE
To evaluate the language proficiency of
students applying to study an academic
subject in a foreign language at an
overseas university. The test ensures that
applicants have the requisite language
skills for effective comprehension,
communication, and academic
performance in a foreign language.
B. STRUCTURE
The test consists of four main
components, each designed to assess
specific language skills necessary for
academic success.
 TEST
STRUCTURE
01 02 03 04
READING LISTENING SPEAKING WRITING
 Objective: Test Format:
Assess the ability to Sections: 4 passages
understand and interpret with 10 questions each.
written academic texts. Duration: 60 minutes.

Content: Question Types:

READING
Passages: Extracts from academic Multiple-choice questions
textbooks, journals, research articles, and True/False/Not Given statements
essays. Short answer questions
Topics: A range of academic subjects Summary completion
(e.g., science, humanities, social sciences). Matching headings to paragraphs

Skills Assessed:
Identifying main ideas and details
Scoring Criteria:
Understanding vocabulary in context
Base on the number of correct answers
Making inferences
Summarizing information
Recognizing argument structure and
author's purpose
 Test Format:
Objective: Sections: 4 listening passages
Evaluate the ability to understand (2 academic lectures, 2
spoken academic English. conversations), 40 questions
Duration: 40 minutes.

Content:
Question Types:

LISTENING
Lectures: Recordings from university
Multiple-choice questions
lectures on various academic subjects.
Note-taking exercises
Conversations: Dialogues between
Sentence completion
students and professors, or among
Short answer questions
students discussing academic topics.

Skills Assessed:
Identifying main ideas and supporting
details Scoring Criteria:
Understanding specific information Base on the number of correct answers
Following the structure of a lecture or
conversation
Interpreting speakers' attitudes and
intentions
 Objective: Test Format:
Measure the ability to speak fluently Sections: 3 tasks
and coherently on academic topics. Duration: 15 minutes.

SPEAKING
Content: Skills Assessed:
Task 1: Personal introduction and academic Pronunciation and clarity
interests (2 minutes). Grammar and vocabulary usage
Task 2: Description of a visual or graph Coherence and organization
related to an academic topic (4 minutes).
Fluency and spontaneity
Task 3: Discussion and argumentation on a
Ability to present and defend an argument
given academic issue (9 minutes).
Band Score Description

- Pronunciation is clear and natural with no effort required to understand.

- Uses a wide range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures accurately.
9-10
- Speaks fluently with a natural pace and no hesitation.
Expert
- Responses are well-organized, coherent, and relevant.
- Presents and defends arguments effectively with strong evidence and persuasive reasoning.

- Pronunciation is clear with minor inaccuracies that do not affect understanding.

- Uses a varied vocabulary and complex grammatical structures with occasional errors.
8-9
- Speaks fluently with minor hesitation.
Very Good
- Responses are well-organized and coherent.
- Presents and defends arguments effectively with relevant evidence.

- Pronunciation is generally clear with occasional mispronunciations.

- Uses a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures with some errors.
7-8
- Speaks fluently with occasional hesitation or repetition.
Good
- Responses are mostly organized and coherent.
- Presents and defends arguments with adequate evidence and reasoning.
Band Score Description

- Pronunciation is generally clear but may have noticeable accent or mispronunciations.

- Uses a moderate range of vocabulary and grammatical structures with errors.
6-7
- Speaks with some hesitation and repetition but can be understood.
Competent
- Responses are somewhat organized and coherent.
- Presents arguments with some relevant evidence but may lack depth in reasoning.

- Pronunciation has frequent mispronunciations that may require effort to understand.

- Uses limited vocabulary and simple grammatical structures with frequent errors.
5-6
- Speaks with noticeable hesitation and repetition.
Modest
- Responses are somewhat organized but may lack coherence.
- Presents basic arguments with limited evidence and reasoning.

- Pronunciation has frequent errors that make understanding difficult.

- Uses very limited vocabulary and makes frequent grammatical errors.
4-5
- Speaks with frequent pauses and repetition.
Limited
- Responses lack organization and coherence.
- Struggles to present arguments and provide relevant evidence.
Band Score Description

- Pronunciation is poor, making understanding very difficult.

- Uses minimal vocabulary and makes numerous grammatical errors.
3-4
- Speaks with constant pauses and repetition.
Extremely Limited
- Responses are disorganized and lack coherence.
- Unable to present arguments effectively or provide relevant evidence.

- Pronunciation is very poor with frequent mispronunciations that impede understanding.

- Uses very basic vocabulary and structures with constant errors.
2-3
- Speaks with long pauses, minimal output, and significant repetition.
Intermittent
- Responses are mostly unintelligible and lack coherence.
- Unable to present arguments.

- Pronunciation is incomprehensible.
- Uses almost no vocabulary and makes numerous grammatical errors.
1-2
- Unable to produce coherent speech.
Non-User
- Responses are unintelligible.
- Unable to present arguments.

0-1 - No answer.
Did Not Attempt - Speak a totally memorized response.
Explanation of Band Descriptions:
Pronunciation and Clarity: How well the test-taker's
pronunciation is understood.
Grammar and Vocabulary Usage: The range and accuracy of
vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Coherence and Organization: The ability to organize thoughts
and present them logically.
Fluency and Spontaneity: The naturalness of speech and ability
to speak without undue hesitation.
Ability to Present and Defend an Argument: The effectiveness
in presenting ideas and supporting them with evidence.
 Objective: Test Format:
Evaluate the ability to write clearly and Sections: 2 tasks

effectively in an academic context. Duration: 60 minutes.

WRITING
Content: Skills Assessed:
Task 1: Summarize and interpret information
Grammar and syntax
from a graph, chart, or table (150-200
Vocabulary range and accuracy
words).
Coherence and cohesion
Task 2: Write an essay on an academic topic,
Task fulfillment and relevance
presenting an argument and supporting it
Argumentation and use of evidence
with evidence (250-300 words).
 01. Comparison of the Test

COMPARISION
Specification with TOEFL

02. Comparision of the test with PTE

Comparison of the Test Specification
with TOEFL
A. Purpose

Both tests aim to evaluate the language

proficiency of students applying to study an
academic subject in a foreign language at an
overseas university. They ensure that applicants
possess the necessary language skills for
effective comprehension, communication, and
academic performance
B. Test Structure:
B. Test Structure:
B. Test Structure:
B. Test Structure:
C. Detailed Comparison:

1. Reading Comprehension:
Test Specification: Includes multiple question types (e.g., True/False/Not Given,
summary completion), broader range of topics.
TOEFL: Primarily multiple-choice, focuses on university-level textbooks.2
2. Listening Comprehension:
Test Specification: Includes note-taking exercises, more varied question types
(e.g., sentence completion, short answer).
TOEFL: Primarily multiple-choice, focuses on understanding details, purpose,
and structure.
3. Speaking:
Test Specification: Three tasks focusing on personal introduction, describing
visuals, and academic discussion.
TOEFL: Six tasks including independent and integrated speaking tasks, broader
range of academic contexts.
Band Descriptions (Speaking Test):
Band Descriptions (Speaking Test):
Band Descriptions (Speaking Test):
4. Writing:
Test Specification: Two tasks focusing on data
interpretation and argumentative essays.
TOEFL: Integrated task involving reading and listening
followed by writing, and an independent essay task.
D. Summary of Differences:
Question Type Diversity:
The test specification includes a broader range of question types in both reading and listening
sections.
TOEFL primarily uses multiple-choice questions in these sections but includes integrated tasks in
speaking and writing.

Integration Approach:
The test specification promotes skill integration indirectly through varied question types and tasks,
even without a dedicated section for this purpose.
TOEFL directly integrates skills within its structured sections, particularly in tasks that combine
reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
2.Comparision with PTE Academic
Reading Comprehension
• Objective: Similar goal of assessing understanding and analysis of academic texts.
• Format: Multiple-choice, re-order paragraphs, fill-in-the-blanks, and reading & writing fill-in-the-
blanks.
• Content: Academic texts.
• Skills Assessed: Main ideas, details, inferences, vocabulary in context, summarization.

Listening Comprehension

• Objective: Similar goal of assessing understanding of spoken academic English.

• Format: Summarize spoken text, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, highlight correct summary, select
missing word, highlight incorrect words, write from dictation.
• Content: Academic audio materials.
• Skills Assessed: Main ideas, details, inferences, note-taking.
2.Comparision with PTE Academic
Writing
• Objective: Similar goal of measuring academic writing skills.
• Format: Summarize written text, essay writing.
• Content: Academic prompts.
• Skills Assessed: Organization, clarity, grammar, vocabulary, summarization, argumentation.

Speaking
Objective: Similar goal of assessing speaking skills.
• Format: Personal introduction, read aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, re-tell lecture, answer
short questions.
• Content: Academic topics.
• Skills Assessed: Fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, coherence.
 Test Administration Scoring and Reporting

Mode Scoring
• General Test: Paper-based or • General Test: Combination of
computer-based. automated and human scoring.
• PTE Academic: Computer-based • PTE Academic: Fully automated
only. scoring using AI algorithms.
Duration Reporting
• General Test: Approximately 3-4 • General Test: Scores provided in
hours. each section, along with an overall
• PTE Academic: Approximately 3 proficiency level.
hours. • PTE Academic: Scores in each
skill (Listening, Reading, Speaking,
Writing) on a scale of 10-90, also
aligned with CEFR levels.
Essay scoring
guidlines
Thank you
very much!