How to Grade Yourself

Review the aspects of a speaking grade
Watch the explanation video to understand what a good answer includes
Listen to student samples of different grades
Read the explanation for why each example deserves the grade
Listen to your answers
Compare your answers to the sample answers

Aspects to grade

Click on each aspect to see guiding questions for evaluating each part of your response. If you are strong in one aspect, but weaker in another, average your scores to determine the final score.

Speaking

ASPECT	GRADE
Quality of Content	1 to 4
Quality of Speech	1 to 4
Quality of Language	1 to 4
Final score	Average of three scores above

Explanation Videos

Watch to learn the most important aspects of a good answer and hear a teacher's example.

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

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Real Student Samples

GRADE	EXAMPLES	EXPLANATION
4	Independent Task Sample Integrated Task Sample	Independent Task Sample Although there are a few points in which the student's pronunciation isn't perfect, she speaks fluently, without pausing, and tells a clear story with specific details. She includes advanced grammar, such as in the sentence "having found the theory so difficult, I found the lab even more difficult" and makes no significant grammar or vocabulary errors. Integrated Task Sample This student speaks with very clear pronunciation and intonation, including all the key details from the listening and his own opinion. There are a few minor grammar errors, but they do not cause confusion, and his vocabulary is advanced in a conversational way, as in the phrase "it's next to guaranteed."
3	Independent Task Sample Integrated Task Sample	Independent Task Sample The meaning of everything this student says is clear, and her answer is organized, but her vocabulary is quite basic, and she does not speak continuously. There are many small pauses as she chooses words. There is also not quite enough detail in the explanation. Integrated Task Sample Although his pronunciation is quite clear and he speaks at a natural speed with conversational phrasing, this student's response becomes hard to follow in the final 15 seconds, as he seems to have trouble finding the right words. The sentence at the end, "And she feel like if she got into that, it's seemingly like take her bribe for like compete in very good group of people," has vocabulary and grammar problems that make it very hard to understand.
2	Independent Task Sample Integrated Task Sample	Independent Task Sample In her response, this student has a lot of trouble finding the right words, as is shown when she says "front desk" to mean the teacher's desk and "have a little bit speak" to mean "give a small speech." Her frequent repetition of the phrase "at that time" is confusing, and she does not use the correct past tenses for most verbs. Integrated Task Sample In his response, the student does not summarize the details of the lecture at all. He does not explain the two examples of altruism that were most important for a high grade. What's more, the frequent repetition of the word "also," is confusing and unnatural. Still, his pronunciation is relatively clear, and he uses mostly correct grammar and vocabulary, so his main point is understandable.
1	Integrated Task Sample	Integrated Task Sample The pronunciation is very unclear, and it is difficult to separate thoughts. The student speaks too quickly and does not make clear sentences, with very little grammatical structure. He frequently uses incorrect vocabulary, as in "His mother was associated," and "he was sadness."