TESTING

GRAMMAR

Karina Mendoza
Diana Monzn
Zonia Castro
Francis Merck

TESTING GRAMMAR

Why Test Grammar?

As far as proficiency tests are

concerned, there has been a
shift towards the view that
since it is language skills that
are usually of interest, then it
is these which should be
tested directly, not the
abilities that seem to underlie
them.

WHY TEST GRAMMAR?

Probably, most proficiency

tests that are administered on
a large scale still retain a
grammar section.

One reason for this must be

the ease with which large
number of items can be
administered and scored
within a short period of time.

The question of content

validity: if we decide to test
writing ability directly, then we
are severely limited in the
number of topics, style of
writing and the grammatical
elements that we can cover in
any version of the test.

SO, SHOULD WE TEST

GRAMMAR?

Wherever the teaching of

grammar is thought necessary,
then consideration should be
given to the advisability of
including a grammar
component in achievement
area.

Whether or not grammar has

an important place in an
institutions teaching, it has to
be accepted that grammatical
ability, or rather the lack of it,
sets limits to what can be
achieved in the way of skills
performance.

SAMPLING

Reflect an attempt to give the test

content validity by selecting widely
from the structures specified.

It should also take into account of

what are regarded as the most
important structures.

It should not deliberately

concentrate on the structure that
happen to be easiest to test.

WRITING ITEMS

Whichever techniques are chosen,

it is important for the text of the
item to be written grammatically
correct and in natural language.
E.g. We cant work in this class
because there isnt enough
silence.
To avoid unnatural language, it is
recommended to use corpus based
examples.

4 techniques are presented

here: gap filling, paraphrase,
completion and multiple
choice. The first 3 require the
candidates production, the
last calls only for recognition.

GAP FILLING

An item with two possible

correct responses may be
acceptable if the meaning is
the same, whichever is used.
E.g. My dad works in a
company _________ makes Nike
Shoes. [that/which]

GAP FILLING

This item may be improved by

including the words then, and
just so that it cannot fill the gap.
Doctor: Then _________ just let her
cry. Shell stop in the end. [Id ,
you]

PARAPHRASE

Require the student to write a

sentence equivalent in meaning
to one that is given.
It is helpful to give part of the
paraphrase in order to restrict
the students to the grammatical
structure being tested.
When I came, my mom was
setting up the dinner table.
When I came, the dinner
table____________

COMPLETION

Can be used to test a variety

of structures.
Usually in a form of
conversational transcript.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

There are times when gap

filling will not test what we
want to test because there are
too many possibilities.

Multiple Choice:
A: They left at 7. They _________
be home by now.
B: Yes, but we cant count on it,
cant we?

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Can be used to test discontinuous

elements.

A: Poor man, he ________at that for

days now.
B: Why doesnt he give up?
a)
b)
c)
d)

was working
has been working
is working
had worked

SCORING PRODUCTION
GRAMMAR TESTS

The important thing when scoring

is to be clear about what each item
is testing, and to award points for
that only.
Nothing should be deducted for
non-grammatical errors, or for
errors in elements of grammar
which are not being tested by the
item.
If two elements are being tested in
an item, then points may be

Alternatively, it can be
predetermined that both
elements have to be correct
for any points to be awarded.
To ensure scoring is valid and
reliable, careful preparation of
the scoring key is necessary.

TESTING PRODUCTION ABILITY

USING PICTURES

The main difficulty in testing

productive lexical ability is the
need to limit the candidate to
the lexical item that we have
in mind using only words. One
way around this is to use
pictures.
However, this method is
obviously restricted to
concrete nouns that can be

TESTING PRODUCTION ABILITY

DEFINITIONS

May work for a range of lexical

items.
But not all items can be
identified uniquely from a
definition
Not all words can de defined
entirely in words more
common or simpler than
themselves.

TESTING PRODUCTION ABILITY

GAP FILLING

This can take the form of one

or more sentences with a
single word missing.
Often there is an alternative
word to the one we have in
mind. This problem can be
solved by giving the first letter
of the word (possibly more)
and even an indication of the
number of letters.

REMINDERS:

While grammar contribute to

communicative skills, they are
rarely to be regarded as ends
in themselves.
It is essential that tests should
not accord them too much of
importance, and so create a
backwash effect that
undermines the achievement
of the objectives of teaching
and learning where these are
communicative in nature.