Aptis Guide

5/21/2018 Aptis Guide

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Aptis Advanced Candidate Guide (Computer Version)

British Council 2014 1

CandidateGuideComputer Version

Aptis AdvancedThis Guide is for use only by candidates preparing totake the Aptis test as a part of the Pro-ELT project inMalaysia. It is not intended for publication ordissemination for any other purpose.


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About this Guide

This Guide is for candidates who wish to prepare for Aptis Advancedtests administered as a part of the Pro-ELT project in Malaysia. TheAptis testing service encourages users to work with the British Councilto adapt the Aptis testing system to make it appropriate for localcontexts. This version of the Aptis test, referred to as Aptis Advanced,has been created specifically for use with the Pro-ELT project.

This Guide gives a brief overview of the test, then looks at each of thetests in turn, and offers advice on how best to approach the items. It

also indicates how test items are scored, and indicates when an itemtype is specific to the Aptis Advanced version.

There is more information about the Aptis test, as well as interactivedemonstration versions, available on the Aptis website(www.britishcouncil.org/ aptis). Candidates should note, however, thatthe information on the website refers to the generally available versionof Aptis. Candidates planning to take Aptis Advanced should review theitem types in this guide specific to this version.


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CONTENTS

British Council .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Introducing Aptis ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Aptis Test Structure ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Quick Guide to the Aptis Advanced Tests........................................................................................ 6

Important............................................................................................................................................................. 7

Aptis Advanced Core Test......................................................................................................................... 8

Sample Grammar Questions .................................................................................................................... 9

Sample Vocabulary Questions ............................................................................................................. 11

Getting to grips with the online test ................................................................................................ 14

Aptis Advanced Reading Test .............................................................................................................. 16

Sample Reading Questions .................................................................................................................... 17

Aptis Advanced Listening Test ............................................................................................................ 22

The Aptis Advanced Writing Test ....................................................................................................... 26

Sample Writing Tests and Writing Scales ...................................................................................... 27

The Aptis Advanced Speaking Test .................................................................................................. 34

Sound Recording ......................................................................................................................................... 36

Speaking Scale ............................................................................................................................................. 38


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British Council

The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of

the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide.

We are on the ground in six continents and over 100 countries bringinginternational opportunity to life, every day. Each year we work withmillions of people, connecting them with the United Kingdom, sharing ourcultures and the UKs most attractive assets: English, the Arts, Educationand our ways of living and organising society. We have over 75 yearsexperience of doing this.

In line with ourRoyal Charter,we aim to bring high qualityEnglishmaterials to every learner or teacher who wants them around the world.

We work with governments to transform whole education systems toincrease opportunity and employability through English. We train teachersby radio, web and broadcast in developing and post conflict countries. Wealso deliver English teaching and offer a wide range of exams, fromEnglish tests to school and business qualifications, in more than 90countries worldwide

Go towww.britishcouncil.orgfor more information about the BritishCouncil.

Introducing Aptis

Aptis is a new and innovative global English assessment tool from theBritish Council. It is an English test for adults and young adults, which canbe used to assess ability in all four English skills - speaking, listening,reading and writing. It also allows organisations and individuals to developspecific English skills, with the ability to test just one skill, e.g. listening only(combined with the core grammar and vocabulary component).

Aptis is usually taken on a computer, but the Core Test, the Reading Testand the Writing Test can all be taken using the more traditional pen &paper test.

From late 2013, it will be possible in many parts of the world to take theSpeaking Test and the Listening Test using a phone while the new iPad andtablet versions will also appear in late 2013.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/about/our-statushttp://www.britishcouncil.org/englishhttp://www.britishcouncil.org/http://www.britishcouncil.org/http://www.britishcouncil.org/http://www.britishcouncil.org/http://www.britishcouncil.org/englishhttp://www.britishcouncil.org/about/our-status


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Level

Aptis does not test at a single level. Instead, it includes a range ofquestions, which are designed to allow the candidate to demonstrate hisor her best ability. The test results are reported either on a numerical

scale (0-50) or reported as a Common European Framework of Referencefor languages (CEFR) level. The Aptis Advanced version described in thisGuide reports CEFR levels ranging from A1C2. CEFR levels are reportedfor each of the four skillsReading, Listening, Speaking and Writingbutnot for the Core (grammar and vocabulary) component.

Recognition

Aptis is not a recognised test. It cannot be used for visa, universityentrance or other immigration purposes. The test is designed to be used

within institutions or companies, so the results are only of value to youwithin the client institution or company.

Aptis Test Structure

Aptis consists of five components: Core (grammar & vocabulary), Reading,Listening, Writing and Speaking. Different clients decide whichcomponents are needed for their situation, so you, the candidate, may bepreparing to take a single component package (e.g. Core + Reading) atwo-component package (e.g. Core + Reading + Listening) a three

component package (e.g. Core + Reading + Listening + Writing) or a fourcomponent package (Core + Reading + Listening + Writing + Speaking).There are 15 possible combinations:


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Quick Guide to the Aptis Advanced Tests

Test Test Design Format Activity

Core

25minutes

Part1

Grammar Complete a sentence orphrase.

Complete a short dialogue.

Three-option multiplechoice.

Part2

Vocabulary Word usage.

Word matching (similarmeaning).

Word pairs or wordcombinations (wordscommonly used together).

Match words.

Sets of five target wordswith ten options.

Reading

40minutes

Part1

Text cohesion Put sentences into thecorrect order.

Re-order a series ofsentences to form astory.

Part2

Short textcomprehension

Text completion usingappropriate words, focusingon text-level understanding.

Select words from a listto form a short text.

Part3

Long textcomprehension

A long text with a series ofheadings to be matched toeach paragraph (withdistractors).

Matching, focusing onglobal text levelunderstanding, andintegrating heading tomain text.

Part4


(Aptis Advanced)

A long text with a series ofshort summaries of the mainopinions in the text. Theideas that are expressed inthe text must be put in theorder they occur.

Selecting and reorderingthe summaries of ideascontained in the text.Part 4 is based on thesame reading text usedin Part 3.

Listening

25-50minutes

Literal meaning Listen to shortconversations with twospeakers or to monologuesto identify specificinformation.

Four-option multiplechoice for each item(may be listened totwice).

The minimum time(listening once) is 25minutes.

Inference meaning Listen to shortconversations with twospeakers or to monologuesto identify speaker attitude,intention, mood etc.

Inference / propositionalmeaning

(Aptis Advanced)

Listen to a longconversation and identifythe opinions expressed bythe speakers.

Matching. Identify whichspeaker/speakersexpress the opinions in alist (may only be listenedto once.)

Writing

40minutes

Part1

Word level writing Complete basic personalinformation on a form.

Form completion

Part2

Short text writing Personal informationquestions.

20-30 words

Part3

Three writtenresponses towritten input

Respond to written input ona social network-typewebsite.

40 words for eachquestion

Part4

Formal andinformal text

writing

Write an informal email to afriend and a more formal

email. Both emails are inreaction to informationabout a change.

50 words for part 1

120 - 150 words for part

2


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Speaking

11minutes

Part1

Personalinformation

Respond to three personalinformation questions.

30 seconds for eachresponse

Part2

Description ofpicture andcomparison withown situation

Describe a picture andanswer two relatedquestions.


Part3

Describe, compareand speculate.

Two contrasting picturespresented. Answer threequestions of increasingdifficulty.


Part4

Discuss personalexperience oropinion in relationto an abstracttopic.

Picture promptthoughpicture is not central toanswering the task. Answerthree questions related to asingle topic.

One minute preparationtime

Two minutes responsetime

Important

The Reading and Listening tests in Aptis Advanced contain item types not found

in the general version of Aptis. These items are labelled in the Quick Guide above.

Examples of these item types are provided in the Sample Questions section for

each component.

For both the Writing and Speaking tests, candidates performance is first rated

using the scales presented under each section later in the Guide. Candidates who

achieve a CEFR C level on these tests are re-marked by experienced raters to

distinguish between a C1 and C2 level of performance.

Practice

It is helpful to practise before taking the test. You can do this by taking thedemonstration tests on the Aptis website. Remember, however, that someitem types included in this version are not included in the publicdemonstration tests, which are based on the general version of Aptis.

The demonstration tests can be found on the Aptis website:www.britishcouncil.org/aptis


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Aptis Advanced Core Test

The Core Test consists of two parts. The first assesses your knowledge ofthe grammar of English. The second part assesses your knowledge ofEnglish vocabulary.

To know what parts of grammar to expect in the test see the BritishCouncil/EAQUALS Core Inventory. This is free, and is available online at:

http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/eaquals2011/documents/EAQUALS_British_Council_Core_Curriculum_April2011.pdf

Test Design Description Preparation

Part1

Grammar In this part of the test, you will bepresented with 25 questions, eachfocusing on a specific aspect of

English grammar. The actualaspects of grammar tested are tobe found in the Core Inventory (seeabove).

While most of the questions testformal written English, a smallnumber will focus on aspects ofspoken English, for example,knowing the appropriategrammatical form to use in aparticular situation (formal orinformal for example).

All 25 questions are in the format ofa three-option multiple-choice. Youcan see some typical examplesbelow.

There are a number of ways to preparefor this test.

One great way to prepare for thegrammar test is to use the BritishCouncils LearnEnglish Grammar App.

Visit the British Councils LearnEnglishwebsite for lots of very useful activitiesand tips (and more Apps):

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en

Part2

Vocabulary The vocabulary part of the CoreTest also contains 25 questions.These are presented in sets of 5target words (the words we aretesting) with ten options from whichto choose.

There are a number of question-types:

Word definition: match a definitionto a word.

Word usage: complete a sentenceby selecting the correct word.

Word matching: find a word with ameaning similar to the target word.

Word pairs or wordcombinations: these are usuallythe most difficult questions as youneed to know what word (from alist) is most commonly found withthe target word (e.g. birthday cardis common but blue cardis not).

To prepare for this part of the test theLearnEnglish website has almost 20different games, activities and Apps forvocabulary.

There are also many useful websites,for example English Club has somevery useful information and activities.The address is:

http://www.englishclub.com

Another useful tip is to take note of

interesting words or wordcombinations when you read Englishtexts.


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Sample Grammar Questions

There are two basic question types. The first focuses on formal writtenEnglish, and the second focuses on the grammar of English speaking.

Here are some examples:

1. Written Grammar

He ____________ me that the machine was broken.

told

spoke

said

My boss says that I ____________ to finish the report by Friday.

must

have

should

My new computer works ____________ faster than my old one.

many

more

much

I have worked for this company ____________ I left university.

since

after

from


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2. Spoken Grammar

John: Shes French, isnt she?

Ahmed: No, ____________ shes from Belgium.

exactly

actually

anyway

Zeynep: I really dont feel like going to see that movie tonight.Peter: Ok. ____________ we can go next week instead.

Maybe

However

Nevertheless


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Sample Vocabulary Questions

There are a number of question types. The first focuses on the definitionof a word (showing that you know what the word means).

In this format, move the cursor to the definition you wish to match. Then

select the correct answer and move on to the next definition.

The next question type tests your ability to identify words with a similarmeaning from a list of options.


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The final question type asks you to identify a word from a list that iscommonly used with the given word.

There is a final question type which asks you to complete a sentence usinga word from a list.


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Sample Questions Answer Keys

Grammar Sample Questions Answer Key

Correct answers told

have

much

since

Correct answers actually

Maybe

Vocabulary Sample Questions Answer Key

Correct answers urge

convert

rehearse

mend

Correct answers plain

not clear

painful

not real

Correct answers wall

fact

throat

light


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Getting to grips with the online test

When you start the test, the introductory screen looks like this:

On screen, the questions will appear like this:


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The different parts of the page are explained below:

The best approach to preparing for the test is to practice using thedemonstration tests on the Aptis website.


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Aptis Advanced Reading Test

The test is designed to assess your reading ability. The tasks becomemore difficult as the test progresses.


Part1

Text Cohesion In this task you will see a series ofseven sentences. They belong to asingle story that has been jumbledup. There is only one way that thesentences go together to form thestory and your task is to click onthe sentences and drag them tothe correct position in the story.

This task tests your knowledge ofthe cohesion of a text. So, you are

looking for the clues in eachsentence that show how it links toother sentences.

Read all of the sentences carefullyfirst. Then, decide on the order (thefirst sentence is identified for you).

Appropriate readers for this levelare:

Cambridge Bookworms Stage 1 & 2

Cambridge ReadersLevel 2

Penguin ReadersLevel 3

Macmillan ReadersElementary

Part2

Short textcomprehension

In this task you will need to read ashort text (about 150 words). Thetask is to complete the text byselecting the appropriate words(from a list) to fill in the gaps. Tocomplete all of the text you needto understand more than just asentence.

Read over the whole text beforestarting to attempt the questions.


Cambridge Bookworms Stage 2 & 3

Cambridge ReadersLevel 3, 4 & 5

Penguin ReadersLevel 4

Macmillan ReadersPreIntermediate

Part3


This task consists of a long text(about 750 words) with a series ofheadings. The task is to match theheadings to paragraphs in the text(there are 7 to be done). There isalways an extra heading that doesnot fit with any paragraph.

This task is designed to test yourability to read and understand along text. In addition you need tobe able to demonstrate anunderstanding of how theheadings reflect the paragraphs indifferent ways (sometimes using

similar words, other times similarideas, or by sharing a topicthough this is never obvious).

Read the main text carefully but asquickly as you can. Then carefullyread the headings. Do all this beforestarting the task. Look for clues toconnect the headings to theparagraphs; these might be similarwords, ideas or topics.


Cambridge Bookworms Stage 4, 5 &6

Cambridge ReadersLevel 4, 5 & 6

Penguin ReadersLevel 5 & 6

Macmillan ReadersIntermediate &Upper Intermediate

Part4


(AptisAdvanced)

For this task you use the samelong text (about 750 words) fromPart 3. There are a series of shortsummaries of the main opinions inthe text. The ideas that areexpressed in the text must be putin the order they occur.

Re-read the main text quickly toremind yourself of the content. Thencarefully read the summaries.Remember that the informationcontained in a single summarysentence may appear in more thanone paragraph. Two of thesentences are not correctsummaries of information in the text.


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Sample Reading Questions

Part 1

In the first task, the objective is to sort the sentences into the correct

order to make a story. Do this by clicking on a sentence and dragging it toits correct position. In the example below, we are moving the sentence atpoint 6 up to point 2. When we do this the sentence at point 2 swapsposition.


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Part 2

In the second task, you must select the word from the group at the bottomof the screen (in the green boxes) and drag the appropriate word intoeach of the seven empty boxes in the text. As you can see, there are 10

option words and only 7 spaces.If you change your mind, thats not a problem as you can move a word outof a box if necessary.

Part 3

For the third task, it is necessary to scroll the reading text to see all of it.Do this by clicking on the side bar (as shown) and move the bar up anddown.

Select the appropriate heading from the drop down list on the left handside.


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Part 4

For the final task it is necessary to scroll through the reading text to seeall of it as described above in Part 3. The summary sentences appear onthe left of the text and are identified by the letters A-H. To put thesentences in the correct sequence, click on the letters A-H in the redboxes and drag them to the appropriate empty boxes (1-6) on the far leftof the screen. There is an example (B) done for you.


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Reading Test Answer Key

Part 1

Part 2


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Part 3

Part 4


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Aptis Advanced Listening Test

The listening test has 25 separate questions focusing on different aspectsof listening.

There are a number of things to remember about the listening test:

1. Twenty questions (Question Type 1 and Question Type 2) use the 4-option multiple-choice format. The final task (Question Type 3)contains 5 questions using a drop down menu for you to chooseyour answer.

2. You may listen to the twenty 4-option multiple choice questions asecond time if you need to. You can listen to the final question onlyonce.

3. The types of questions are described below.


QuestionType 1

Literalmeaning

The emphasis in these questionsis on detail. The candidate listensto short conversations with twospeakers or to a monologue. Thefocus is on identifying specificinformation such as what to buyat the shop or what plan thespeakers decide on (e.g. go to amovie).

There are quite a few useful practicevideos and podcasts on theLearnEnglish website, so thats avery good starting point. Forteenagers, theres a specialLearnEnglish site, with a lot ofadditional practice material.

In addition, it may be useful to try tolisten to as much English in naturalor near natural settings (e.g. movies)as possible. If you have access to

the internet, you can easily findmaterials, for example on the BBCwebsite (http://www.bbc.co.uk). Ifnot, try radio stations such as theBBC World Service.

QuestionType 2

Inferencemeaning

In these questions the candidateagain listens to shortconversations with two speakersor to a monologue. The focushere is not on understanding themeaning of what the speakers aresaying, but on identifying clues intheir language or tone to helpidentify the attitude of thespeaker, their intention or mood.

There are a number of higher levelpodcasts on the LearnEnglishwebsite. Also try the BBC website orthe BBC World Service radio station.

The strategies you will need todevelop to draw inferences inlistening will include paying specificattention to intonation and stresswhen somebody is speaking tounderstand what mood they are in.Listening to authentic speech suchas television soap operas or moviesis a good way to help you with this.

QuestionType 3

Inference /propositionalmeaning

In this question you will listen to aman and a woman talking about atopic. You are shown fivedifferent opinions relating to thistopic on the screen. You have toidentify which person holds whichopinion (either the man or thewoman) or whether the opinion isnot expressed by either speaker.

There are a number of higher levelpodcasts on the LearnEnglishwebsite. Also try the BBC website orthe BBC World Service radio station.

Listen to discussions and interviewson the television, radio or theinternet.


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Sample Listening Questions

The first 20 listening questions (Question Type 1 and Question Type 2)look quite similar, though they are often focused on different aspects oflistening.

Remember that if youd like to hear a question for a second time justclickon the Play button:

The system will not allow you to listen more than twice. Note: You can onlylisten to the first 20 questions twice. For the final listening task (QuestionType 3) you will only be able to hear the recording once.

Question Type 1

Question Type 2


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Question Type 3

For the final task (Question Type 3) you will only be able to hear therecording once so make sure you understand the task and have read theinstructions before you click on the Play button. Once you click on thePlay button the recording will start, and you will only be able to listen to itonce. Choose your answer for each of the five questions by clicking on thesmall arrow on the right of each drop down box and then select thecorrect option. Each Aptis Advanced Listening test contains one QuestionType 3, and it always appears as the last item of the test.


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The Aptis Advanced Writing Test

The writing test is built around a series of inter-related activities. Typicalactivities include joining a club or applying for a visa.

There are 4 parts, which range from the very basic form filling to quite

complex email messages, they are explained below.

Make sure you fully understand the questions. Plan what you are going towrite and then edit your writing before clicking to the next question. Themost common mistakes are the following:

Not answering the questions (going off topic). Read the questionand understand what you are required to do.

Writing too much but with poor grammar, spelling and punctuation.Keep to the word count and focus on accuracy.

Not using a variety of sentence structures.

Not writing in sentences or paragraphs. Not capitalising months, cities, countries and names.

Using SMS spelling.

The total time allowed for the writing test is 50 minutes. The timings foreach section below are recommendations only.

Your performance is first rated using the scales presented in this section.Candidates who achieve a CEFR C level are re-marked by experiencedraters to distinguish between a C1 and C2 level of performance.


Part1

Word levelwriting

In the first task the candidate mustcomplete a form by filling in somebasic personal information. There isno extended writing in this task (nosentence writing), just individualwords.

Candidates should spend no morethan three minutes on this task.

Since the emphasis in this task is onthe accurate completion of a form, themost important things to focus onusing a capital letter if needed andspelling.

Common errors are to write in allcapital letters and to write the monthas a number instead of word.

There is an App on the LearnEnglishwebsite which helps you to practiceyour spelling.

Part

2

Short text

writing

This task is again about form filling

but this time the candidatesresponse should be in the form ofsentences.

Candidates should spend no morethan seven minutes on this task.

You are asked to write 20-30 words.

The focus is on writing sentences thatare on topic and have accurategrammar, punctuation and spelling.

A common error is to write more than30 words and make too manymistakes. Keep to the word limit andfocus on accuracy. Another commonerror is to write in all capital letters.

Part3

Threewrittenresponsesto writteninput

In this task you will have a socialnetwork-type interaction. You willreceive three questions and need torespond.

Candidates should spend no more

than ten minutes on this task.

Make sure you correctly answer allthree questions and dont go off topic.

Focus on accurate spelling andpunctuation and write text that iscohesive and coherent.

Keep to the word count ofapproximately 40 words per answer.


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Part4

Formal andinformaltext writing

This task requires that you write aninformal email to a friend and amore formal email. Both emails arein reaction to information about achange.

Candidates should spend no more

than twenty minutes on this task.

For this part, make sure you keep tothe word count of 50 words for thefirst email and 120-150 words for thesecond email.

Differentiate your two messages. Oneshould clearly be an informal email to

a friend or close family member, whilethe second should clearly be a formalemail to a company.

You are also assessed on how broadlyand accurately you can write so use awide range of vocabulary, grammarand cohesive devices.

Sample Writing Tests and Writing ScalesPart 1

This test is marked by an Examiner and five pieces of information areawarded points.

It is worth remembering that this task is the least valuable to thecandidate, with a conversion table being used to provide its contributionto the overall score. Even if you achieve 5 points, the maximum number ofmarks available is 3.

Example of a high level answer (5/5) for Part 1:

Uses capital letters for name, month, city and first language.

No spelling errors. Answers the five questions accurately.

Sanjay Gupta

14 May 1990

Mumbai

Hindi

architecture

reading

movies


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Example of low level answer (1/5) for Part 1:

No capital letters for name.

Does not write the month in full. No capital letter for city.

Spelling error (Hyndy should by Hindi).

It is ok to write your interests in small or capital letters.

sanjay gupta

14 05 1990

mumbai

Hyndy

Reading

Travelling

films


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Part 2

This test is marked by an examiner using a specific scale.

There may be one or two questions.

The weighting for this task is even, so the maximum mark available is 5.

5 Likely to be above A2 level

4 [A2.2] Clearly defined sentences all on topic. Mostly accurate grammar with fewserious errors of vocabulary usage (appropriateness and spelling). The textorganisation is completely appropriate. Attempts at textual cohesion andaccurate punctuation.

3 [A2.1] There are some serious issues with grammar and vocabulary usage. However,the meaning is still clear. Text is written in complete sentences, organisedappropriately for the text form and mostly accurate punctuation.

2 [A1.2] Numerous serious errors of grammar and vocabulary usage which make the

text sometimes difficult to follow. A series of phrases, not sentences. Poorpunctuation.

1 [A1.1] There is too little language or the usage is so poor that the text is almostimpossible to follow. There is no clear structure.

0 Little or no meaningful language or the work is off-topic.

Example of a high level 5/5 response for Part 2.

Keeps to the word count (20-30 words).

Clear sentences.

Answers on topic. Replies fully to the input.

Accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation. It is ok to havegrammar and spelling errors and still score 5/5 if the errors are notserious (i.e. the writing can be understood and the errors are notbasic).


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Part 3

The weighting for this task means that the maximum mark available is 7.

5 Likely to be above the B1 level

4 [B1.2] Replies fully to each piece of input. The grammar is appropriate to B1 and ismostly accurate, while there is a good range of vocabulary on general topics.Some errors but these dont impede communication. Cohesive & coherent textusing an appropriate range of linguistic devices. Few if any punctuation or

spelling errors.3 [B1.1] Replies well to at least two of the input texts. An adequate range of Grammar

used with no major errors which impact on understanding. There is goodcontrol of elementary vocabulary, though evidence of some major errors whenexpressing unfamiliar or complex topics. Cohesive & coherent text using anadequate range of linguistic devices. Spelling and/or punctuation errors do notimpede communication.

2 [A2.2] Replies to at least two of the input texts. Many errors which make the textsometimes difficult to follow. Narrow lexical repertoire with frequent errorsmaking the message difficult to follow. Some effort to use connecting devicesthough not always consistent. Errors, including punctuation and spelling, makethe text difficult to follow.

1 [A2.1] Does not reply to more than one input. There is little language with such poorcontrol as to make the text almost impossible to follow without considerableeffort. Very basic everyday vocabulary. Lacks cohesion and/or uses linguistic


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devices inappropriately. Spelling & Punctuation errors make the text almostimpossible to follow.

0 Little or no meaningful language or the work is off-topic.


Keeps to the word count (30-40 words for each answer).

Replies fully to each piece of input.

Sentences follow on from one another in a coherent manner.

Use a range of grammar and vocabulary.

Accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling. It is ok to have errorsbut the writing must be understood.


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Part 4

The weighting for this task means that the maximum mark available is 9.

5 Likely to be above the B2 level

4 [B2.2] Task fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register [i.e. two distinct registersused in the different messages written]. Evidence of a clear, assured andprecise use of a broad range of grammatical forms used. A good command of abroad lexicon. Good use of idiomatic expressions and no impeding errors ofgrammar or lexis. Few if any errors of cohesion or coherence.

3 [B2.1] Task partially fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register [i.e. fullyappropriate register used in one of the two different messages written]. Anadequate range of grammatical forms used, with no impeding errors. A goodrange of lexis with a high level of accuracy. Errors dont affect the message.Cohesive & coherent text using an adequate range of linguistic devices.Spelling &/or punctuation errors evident but these dont affect the message.

2 [B1.2] Task not fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register [i.e. appropriateregister not used in either of the two different messages written] A relativelynarrow range of grammatical forms used, with some impeding errors. Thelexical range adequate for the description of situations relating to him/herself.Some errors which tend to make understanding difficult. Attempts to uselinguistic devices though not always consistent. Errors, including punctuation &spelling, can make understanding difficult.

1 [B1.1] Task not fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register [i.e. no evidence ofawareness of register]. A limited range of grammatical forms and vocabularyused and not always with sufficient accuracy. Errors may make the text difficultto follow. Lacks systematic cohesion and/or uses linguistic devicesinappropriately. Spelling & Punctuation errors can make understandingdifficult.

0 Clearly below B level or work is off topic.

Register refers to the concept of adapting ones use of language to

conform to standards or traditions in a given professional or social

situation.

The first part is an intimate or casual register used among family members

and close friends. The second part is a formal register used between

strangers or in a technical context.

There should be language to show the test taker understands the

difference. In the second part it is appropriate to address the email more

formally.


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Understands the difference in writing to a friend as opposed to writingto an authority. The first text is casual and the second text is formal.

Answers the input in a coherent manner. The text makes sense.

Writing is clear, assured and precise using a range of cohesive devicesto make the writing flow.

Grammar and vocabulary is broad and accurate.

Hey Olga, what do you think about the fee increase at the sports club? I cant believe they

will increase the fees and close early. If you ask me the gym should offer a discount if they

plan to close early. I just signed up and already a fee increase! Not happy!! Maria

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about the fee increase to take effect from next month and your plan

to close early on Wednesdays.

I have been a member for only three months and feel it is unacceptable to increase the fee so

soon after signing up while also closing early on Wednesdays, which is one of the days when I

like to go to the sports club and meet my personal trainer.

I think you should rethink the fee increase if you are withdrawing services. One alternative is

to implement the fee increase after you have completed the maintenance. Another

alternative is to complete the maintenance after the gym is closed at 10pm.

I look forward to hearing back from you on if my recommendations are acceptable. If not, I

will look to another sports club for my membership.

Regards,

Maria


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The Aptis Advanced Speaking Test

The different parts are designed to assess your speaking ability indifferent ways, and test higher processes as the test progresses.

Each question has a maximum response time but candidates can choose

to end the recording before the allotted time up by clicking on a stopbutton. Note that if you finish early, you may not have given enough of arange to score at the highest levels.

The most common issues that cause candidates to lose marks are thefollowing:

Not doing a proper sound check.

Not speaking clearly.

Not answering the questions.

Giving under-length answers not using the full amount of time to

speak. Overusing words such as and and so.

Speaking in simple sentence lists.

Not using a variety of sentence structures.

Your performance is first rated using the scale presented at the end ofthis section. Candidates who achieve a CEFR C level are remarked byexperienced raters to distinguish between a C1 and C2 level ofperformance.


Part1

Personalinformationgiving

In this task, the candidate is askedto respond to three questions onpersonal topics. You are expectedto talk for 30 seconds per question.

To prepare for this task it is a goodidea to practice introducing yourselfand talking about your personalexperiences. Think about familiartopics (e.g. holidays, weekendactivities, sports) and practice givinggeneral information.

At the highest levels, try not to talk inlists but instead use connectingdevices, complex sentences and awide range of grammar.

Part2

Describeand

compare(concretetopic)

In this task the candidate is asked todescribe a photograph and then

answer two questions related to thetopic illustrated by the photo. Thetopic will be concrete in nature (e.g.a celebration).

The three questions increase incomplexity (from description toopinion). You are expected to talkfor 45 seconds per question.

You should try to be fluent andspontaneous, showing little sign of

effort. Try to vary your intonation andsentence stress to express finershades of meaning.

At the highest levels, errors should berare and difficult to spot.

Part3

Describe,compareandspeculate

In this task the candidate is asked tocompare two pictures and thenanswer two questions related to thetopic. The final question is likely toinvolve hypothesis and speculation.

You are expected to talk for 45seconds for each question.

To prepare for this task, it is a goodidea to practice comparing twodifferent things (e.g. two cities or twohouses). Focus on describing theiradvantages and disadvantages.

With speculation it is important tomake sure you are using the correctgrammatical structures to express


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yourself and your opinion.

Part4

Discuss anabstracttopic

In the final task theres a promptsupported by a picture, though thepicture is notcentral to answeringthe task.

The candidate is asked threequestions related to a single topicand is given one minute to preparean answer. You can take notes.

You are expected to talk for 2minutes.

A common error is to describe thephoto. You will not receive a highscore if you describe the photo. Thequestions are more abstract (e.g. afeeling).

Another common error is to go offtopic. Focus on answering eachquestion in a clear, smoothly flowing,well-structured speech.

To prepare for this task it is a goodidea to practice speaking for twominutes on a certain topic. Timeyourself.

Make sure you practice using yourplanning time wisely to structure whatyou are going to say.


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Sound Recording

Make sure your test is taken in a quiet room.

When you click to start the Speaking Test, screen A appears. This allowsyou to check the sound recording system on your computer. When you

have recorded a sample of speech, screen B opens. Replay the sound. Ifyou can hear it properly click on Yes (take me to the exam), if not clickone of the No button.

During the microphone check, make sure you say a whole sentence andnot just one or two words. Assessing the quality of the microphone needsmore than a few words.

The recording bar should look like this:


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If the line takes up all the space, then there is a loud noise (usually atechnical issue) and we are not able to hear the recording. You shouldalert the invigilator if the recording bar looks like this:

If the recording is a flat line then the recording is not loud enough. The

microphone may be too far from the mouth. A complete flat line meansthere is no recording, which is usually a technical issue. You shouldalert the invigilator if the recording looks like this:


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Speaking Scale

5 [C] Consistently high level of grammatical and lexical range and accuracy; errors are rareand difficult to spot.

Clear, effective pronunciation and intonation; varies intonation and sentence stresscorrectly to express finer shades of meaning.

Fluent and spontaneously, with little or no sign of effort.

Clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured speech, with controlled use of organisationalpatterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

4 [B2] Sufficient range and control of grammatical forms and lexis to express ideas withoutmuch conspicuous hesitation, using some complex forms to do so. No mistakes lead tomisunderstanding.

Has clear, effective pronunciation and intonation.

Stretches of language with fairly even tempo; can be hesitant when searching forpatterns and expressions, fairly long pauses possible.

Uses a limited number of cohesive devices to link utterances into clear, coherent

discourse; may be some 'jumpiness' in long turns.

3 [B1] Sufficient range and control of grammatical forms and lexis to get by, but there ishesitation, repetition and difficulty with formulation. A reasonably accuratelyrepertoire of frequently used 'routines', patterns and words associated with morepredictable situations, but major errors still occur when expressing more complexthoughts.

Pronunciation is intelligible though the accent means that occasionalmispronunciations occur.

Keeps going comprehensibly; pausing for grammatical and lexical planning and repairis very evident in longer stretches of production.

Links a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequenceof points.

2 [A2] Control of basic grammatical forms and lexis, but may have to compromise themessage and take time to formulate structures. Uses some simple structures and lexiscorrectly, but still systematically makes basic mistakes (e.g. tends to mix up tensesand forgets to mark agreement; sufficient vocabulary for the expression of basiccommunicative needs only). Meaning clear.

Pronunciation is generally clear enough to be understood despite a noticeable accentand occasional difficulty for the listener.

Constructs phrases on familiar topics despite very noticeable hesitation and falsestarts.

Links groups of words with simple connectors like 'and', 'but' and 'because'.

1 [A1] Very basic range of simple forms with only limited control of a few simple grammaticalstructures and sentence patterns in a learned repertoire. Basic vocabulary of isolated

words and phrases related to particular concrete situations.

Pronunciation of a very limited range of words and phrases can be understood withsome effort.

Manages very short, isolated utterances, with much pausing to search for expressions,to articulate less familiar words, and to repair communication.

Little attempt to link words or groups of words, when it happens uses very basic linearconnectors like 'and' or 'then'.

0 No or incomprehensible or irrelevant answer

The key things to notice here are:

Grammar accuracy.

Vocabulary accuracy.


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Good Pronunciation.

Fluencythe fewer hesitations and stops the better, but dont talktoo quickly.

Good structure it shouldnt sound like you are rambling withdifferent bits of unconnected speech.


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Part 1

In this task you first hear (and see) the question. Only box A appears onthe screen.

When this is finished you hear (and see) the first question (Box B). When

the time to record comes the recording box appears immediately belowthe question box. This tells you the amount of time you have beenrecording for (in this case just over 4 seconds) and the total time for thetask (in this case 30 seconds).

As each new question appears, the same procedure is followed (boxes Cand D)

When your response to the final question has been recorded, the testautomatically moves on to the next task. You do not need to click on anybutton to make this happen.


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Note: All Aptis Speaking questions follow this set of procedures. In thefollowing screenshots we have not included the recording boxes, but theywill appear in each case when the question has been read.


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Part 2

In this task you first hear the contents of the top box telling you aboutthe task.

When this has been heard, the first of the three questions appears. When

this question has been heard the recording box appears and you shouldbegin speaking. You will have up to 45 seconds for your answer.

When that question has been recorded, the next question automaticallyappears. Again, as soon as it has been heard, the recording box appearsand the recording begins. This question also allows for a response up to45 seconds.

When the recording time for the second question is done, the finalquestion appears. When you have heard the question, the recording boxappears and you again have 45 seconds to respond.

When your response to the third question has been recorded, the testautomatically moves on to the next task. You do not need to click on anybutton to make this happen.


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Part 3

In this task you will again hear the contents of the top box.

When this has been heard, the first of the three questions appears. Whenthis question has been heard the recording box appears and you should

begin speaking. You will have up to 45 seconds for your answer.

When that question has been recorded, the next question automaticallyappears. Again, as soon as it has been heard, the recording box appearsand the recording begins. This question also allows for a response up to45 seconds.

When the recording time for the second question is done, the finalquestion appears. When you have heard the question, the recording boxappears and you again have 45 seconds to respond.

When your response to the third question has been recorded, the test

automatically moves on to the next task. You do not need to click on anybutton to make this happen.


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Task 4

In this task you will yet again hear the contents of the top box.

When this has been heard, you will be read (and can see) the threequestions. When the questions have been heard, the voice tells you thatyou have one minute to prepare your responses. You will also be told thatyou may take notes. It is important to take notes as it will help you inorganising and remembering your responses. Rather than writing outexactly what you want to say, make brief notes and use these to helpstructure your speech.

There is a minutes silence as you prepare. A progress bar on the screenwill indicate how long you have left. When this time has passed, themessage at the bottom (You now have two minutes to talk) appears, as willthe recording box. You may speak until the recording automatically stops.


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Example of note taking for Part 4

1. Tell me about a personal achievement or award you have received.

Exam certificate

At school

Highest score in class

Teacher very pleased

Parents proud

2. How did you feel about this achievement?

Surprised

Exam was very difficult

Feelings of satisfaction and relief

3. Do awards encourage people to do their best?

Awards: a good thing

o Encourage excellence

o Evidence/recognition of success

Awards: a bad thing

o Make some people too competitive

o Can create disappointment if you dont win

When your response to the three questions has been recorded, the testautomatically finishes.

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Aptis Guide

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