WRITING CRITERIA

En el siguiente cuadro se muestra la cantidad de puntos posibles que cada estudiante puede alcanzar
en el nivel correspondiente al examen practicado. Este total de puntos es el resultado de la sumatoria
de todos los ítems expresados en las bandas 1 y 2.

Level Total Possible Marks

A2 18/18
B1 16/16
B2 11/11
C1 9/9

En la banda 1, cada ítem tiene un valor de 1 punto por ítem logrado. En la banda 2, cada ítem tiene un
valor de 2 puntos por cada ítem logrado.

Ejemplos de puntuación:

1) Un estudiante realiza el examen de práctica A2 logrando completar satisfactoriamente sólo 6

ítems de la banda A2.1 y ninguno de la banda A2.2. Resultado alcanzado: 6/18.
 2) Un estudiante realiza el examen de práctica A2 logrando alcanzar todos los ítems de la banda
A2.2. Resultado alcanzado: 18/18.

3) Un estudiante realiza el examen de práctica A2.

• En la categoría TASK FULFILMENT alcanza la banda A2.2 en cada ítem, por lo que se le
otorgan 4 puntos (2 puntos por cada ítem).
• En la categoría ORGANIZATION alcanza la banda A2.2 en cada ítem, por lo que se le
otorgan 2 puntos (2 puntos por cada ítem).
• En la categoría GRAMMAR alcanza la banda A2.1 en dos ítems y la banda A2.2 en un
ítem, por lo que se le otorgan 2 puntos y 2 puntos respectivamente. (Es decir, 1 punto
por cada ítem de la banda A2.1 y 2 puntos por un ítem de la banda A2.2)
• En la categoría LEXIS alcanza la banda A2.1 en cada ítem, por lo que se le otorgan 3
puntos (1 punto por cada ítem).

En total, el estudiante obtiene 13 de 18 puntos posibles.

A continuación, encontrarán el cuadro con los descriptores y las bandas correspondientes a cada
nivel.
CEFR Marks Task fulfilment Organization Grammar Lexis
C1.1 7 • content is well • ideas are well organized and the text is consistently • uses a wide range of • wide range of lexis
(1 mark developed and clearly coherent and well structured • uses a structures, including an relevant to the task
each) communicated wide range of cohesive features appropriately with appropriate proportion • lexis is chosen to
• register is consistently very rare instances of misuse or overuse of complex structures convey precise meaning;
appropriate to purpose • uses structures which any errors are rare and
of task and audience are appropriate and non-impeding
• overall impact on the natural
reader is consistently • consistently maintains
positive a high degree of
grammatical accuracy
and any errors are rare
and non-impeding
B2.2 6 • all task requirements • organization of ideas is mostly good • has a very good range • very good range of
(2marks are fulfilled and well • uses a good range of appropriate cohesive features and command of simple lexis, always relevant to
each) expanded where with rarely any occasional misuse or overuse and some complex the task
appropriate • the text is generally cohesive, with rarely any breaks in language structures • choice of lexis is
• register is always communication • uses complex always appropriate
appropriate to purpose grammatical structures, • few errors which rarely
of task and audience and these may be rarely impede communication
• the majority of the used unnaturally or
response is understood inaccurately
with no effort on the
part of the reader.
B2.1 5 • all task requirements • organization of ideas is generally good • has a good range and • good range of lexis
(1 mark are fulfilled and • uses a reasonable range of appropriate cohesive command of simple relevant to the task
each) reasonably expanded features with only occasional misuse or overuse language structures • choice of lexis is
where appropriate • the text is generally cohesive, with only occasional • uses some complex generally appropriate
• register is generally breaks in communication grammatical structures, • few errors which rarely
appropriate to purpose although these may be impede communication
of task and audience used unnaturally or
• the majority of the inaccurately
response is understood
 with little effort on the
part of the reader.
B1.2 4 • task requirements are • organization of ideas is mostly adequate • uses a reasonable • adequate range of
(2marks fulfilled and points • uses a variety of simple cohesive features and range of simple and a lexis relevant to the task
each) made are sufficiently occasionally more complex cohesive features. few complex language • errors do not impede
expanded structures communication and
• the response is • some grammatical usually occur when
understood with no errors, but these rarely trying to express more
effort required on the impede communication complex ideas
part of the reader
B1.1 3 • task requirements are • organization of ideas is generally adequate • uses a reasonable • adequate range of
(1 mark generally fulfilled but • uses a variety of simple cohesive features range of simple language lexis relevant to the task
each) points made are not structures • errors do not generally
always sufficiently • some grammatical impede communication
expanded errors, but these do not and usually occur when
• the response is generally impede trying to express more
understood with communication complex ideas
occasional effort
required on the part of
the reader
A2.2 2 • task requirements • links groups of words with simple connectors, such as • uses a range of simple • uses simple everyday
fully covered (2marks ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’ structures vocabulary and
(2marks each) • fairly good control of expressions
each) • the response is simple structures • vocabulary is rarely
understood with little or • errors sometimes used inappropriately to
no effort required on impede communication cover gaps in repertoire
the part of the reader at times • errors rarely impede
communication at times
A2.1 1 • task requirements • sometimes links groups of words with very simple • evidence of a range of • uses basic everyday
partly covered connectors, such as ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’ simple structures vocabulary and
(1 mark • the response is • some control of simple expressions
each) understood with effort structures • some vocabulary used
required on the part of • errors impede inappropriately to cover
the reader communication at times gaps in repertoire
 • errors impede
communication at times
N/A 0 Response does not fulfil Response does not fulfil all the positive descriptors of 1 Response does not fulfil Response does not fulfil
all the positive (A2) or task not attempted or 50% or more of the all the positive all the positive
descriptors of 1 (A2) or response is irrelevant descriptors of 1 (A2) or descriptors of 1 (A2) or
task not attempted or task not attempted or task not attempted or
50% or more of the 50% or more of the 50% or more of the
response is irrelevant response is irrelevant response is irrelevant
 3 Writing responses
See Appendix 1 for Writing marking criteria.

3.1 Writing: Example

This is an example of a Writing script 1 (Writing Part 1) response that was marked at A2 level.

Marks and commentary

Task fulfilment | 1
The test taker has only partly covered the task requirements, and the response needs quite a
lot of effort from the reader to understand what the test taker is trying to say.

Organization | 1
The organization of ideas is sufficient and the test taker uses an appropriate salutation for
an informal email. However, the response lacks the use of very simple cohesive features,
restricting their score to a Band 1.

Grammar | 1
The response shows the test taker’s ability to use simple structures. Errors do impede
communication at times, due to a lack of grammatical control, such as I write an your email
and you do like to go to the restaurants and museums?.

Lexis | 1
The test taker demonstrates that they have enough everyday vocabulary to deal with topic
of the task. The test taker attempts to use appropriate phrases for communicating in an
email, but lacks the control and awareness to communicate appropriately, such as Nice to
meet you Alex. , at the end of a written email.

29 Oxford Test of English Test specifications © Oxford University Press

 3.2 Writing: Example
This is an example of a Writing script 1 (Writing Part 1) response that was marked at B1 level.

Marks and commentary

Task fulfilment | 3
Task requirements are generally fulfilled. The test taker has expanded well on prompt 1
(Great!), expressing excitement over Sam’s decision. Prompt 2 (Yes, give details … ) has been
addressed reasonably well by suggesting things to do (there are lots of nice hotels). Prompt 3
(No, because … ) has been addressed, although not expanded on.

Organization | 3
The organization of ideas is generally good. Sentences are quite short though and the
response only minimally uses simple cohesive features, therefore, not obtaining a Band 4.

Grammar | 3
The test taker doesn’t make any attempt at using more complex structures, although there
is generally a good level of control of simple structures. Most grammatical errors do not
impede communication.

Lexis | 3
The test taker has an adequate range of lexis. Errors are present, but do not generally impede
communication, e.g. informacin (for information) and disko (for disco).

30 Oxford Test of English Test specifications © Oxford University Press

 3.3 Writing: Example
This is an example of a Writing script 2 (Writing Part 2) response that was marked at B2 level.

Marks and commentary

Task fulfilment | 5
The test taker’s response is fulfilling the task with reasonable detail and minimal effort is
required from the reader to understand the text. The register and format are generally
appropriate.

Organization | 5
The organization of ideas is consistently coherent and well structured. The test taker uses
a reasonable range of appropriate cohesive features, e.g. however, nowadays, although and
pronoun referencing.

Grammar | 5
The test taker uses a good range of language, with attempts at more complex sentences.
They occasionally make slips when using more complex structures, but overall there is a
good attempt at varying grammatical structures, by using a range of tense and aspect, i.e.
I have seen a lot of people, … if they have nothing to do, they may … , lots of young people make
themselves look better … .

Lexis | 5
There is a good range of vocabulary, including a range of phrasal verbs, such as catch up and
fill up. Their lexis is generally error-free and is used appropriately.

31 Oxford Test of English Test specifications © Oxford University Press