Please note: “Students may demonstrate a range of abilities within and across each ELP level; second language acquisition does not necessarily occur in a linear fashion within or across proficiency levels.
Differences in abilities within ELP levels are based upon ELLs’ native language proficiency, their academic background in their first language, and their individual differences. For the purposes of
presentation and understanding, the Levels 1–5 descriptors describe proficiency at the end of each ELP level in terms of a linear progression across the proficiency levels of an aligned set of knowledge,
skills, and abilities. At any given point along their trajectories of English learning, ELLs may exhibit some abilities (e.g., speaking skills) at a higher proficiency level while exhibiting other abilities (e.g.,
writing skills) at a lower proficiency level. Additionally, a student may successfully perform a particular task at a lower proficiency level but need review at the next highest proficiency level when
presented with a new or more complex type of task. Since, by definition, ELL status is a temporary status, an ELP level does not categorize a student (e.g., ‘a Level 1 student’), but, rather, identifies what a
student knows and can do at a particular stage of ELP (e.g., ‘a student at Level 1’ or ‘a student whose listening performance is at Level 1’).” 1 In addition, when reviewing sentence frames and question
exemplars below, consider the complexity progression in tandem with language development goals and grade-appropriate or age-appropriate expectations.
MICRO FUNCTION: ELABORATE to explain, develop, or present an idea/theory/opinion in detail.
TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH FUNCTION: report, clarify, develop, explain, extend, expand, expand upon, add details to, enhance, describe, respond, specify, delineate, embellish, clarify the
meaning of, flesh out, list, recount in detail, retell in detail, make a case for or against, illustrate, recognize, show, point out, relate, categorize, combine, document, support, test, validate,
verify, refer, include, give/support your point of view, etc.
KEY WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH FUNCTION: because of, clearly, descriptive, detail, due to, evidence, explicit, for this reason, furthermore, moreover, refer to, through, etc.
I. COMMONLY EMBEDDED FORMS
Non-prescriptive, and when participating in grade-appropriate classroom activities
5
1
Elaborate showing independent control of English. Elaborate on a point using a complex sequence of
events, ideas, opinions, and/or steps in a process, using a wide variety of complex and sophisticated,
descriptive sentence structures and a wide vocabulary.
Discourse
Sentence
Word/Phrase
What is the amount of
How much information is
What is the range and specificity of
content-specific language that
packed within a sentence
words, phrases, and expressions used?
can be quickly processed or
structure (clause) or
easily produced?
sentence?
Elaborate using descriptive
Elaborate using a wide vocabulary,
• Elaborate on a point using
sentences characterized by
including:
complex sequences of
wide variety of sophisticated • A larger proportion of vivid, less
events, ideas, opinions,
sentence structures,
and/or steps. Demonstrate
frequently occurring words and
including:
stamina in receiving or
phrases.
providing an elaborated
• Verb forms such as passive • Precise derivations of words and
explanation.
voice and subjunctive.
phrases regardless of context, such
as general, specific, technical, and
• Modifiers such as phrases
• Elaborate on a point using
and clauses within a
multiple paragraphs,
abstract content-related vocabulary;
sentence (recognizing and
chapters, and essays on
cognates; content-specific
correcting misplaced and
grade-appropriate contentcollocations; and figurative language.
dangling modifiers).
area text.
• Precise use of intensive pronouns.
Opaque idioms (i.e., expressions with
• A wide range of idiomatic
• Elaborate on a point using
and unique sentence
accurate application of a
an undetectable link between literal
patterns characteristic of
variety of linking words and
and figurative language) with
content-area elaborations.
phrases to connect and
grammatical and metaphorical
organize ideas, information,
complexity.
or events.
II. SENTENCE FRAME EXAMPLES
Typical patterns, non-prescriptive; order is from more complex frames to less
(see note at top of page)
• Frequently associated with _____________, _____________ is understood as
___________.
• ________________ is widely acknowledged as _________ and _________.
• In lieu of _______________, the evidence supports…
• On the other hand/contrary…
• Then again, I think that…
• ______ can be justified by ____________.
• The ____________ can be further described as _______________.
• More precisely, ______________.
• _____________; consequently __________________.
• _______; thus we can see that __________________.
• In my opinion, ___ should ____ because ____.
• ______________; therefore ________.
• Because of _____________, the ___________ is __________.
• Moreover, _________________.
• Furthermore, ___________________.
• Going off __________’s point, _________________.
Shafer Willner, L. (2013). Proficiency level descriptors for English Language Proficiency Standards. Council of Chief State School Officers.
4
3
Elaborate showing increasingly independent control of English. Elaborate on a point using related
events, ideas, and/or opinions, using multiple related paragraphs with increasingly complex,
descriptive sentence structures and a wider vocabulary.
Discourse
Sentence
Word/Phrase
Elaborate using descriptive Elaborate using a wider vocabulary,
• Elaborate on a point using
sentences characterized by including:
related events, ideas,
increasingly complex
and/or opinions
• An increasing proportion of less
sentence structures,
(developing ability to
frequently occurring words and
including:
receive or provide a more
phrases; increasing use of vivid words
elaborated explanation).
and phrases.
• Verb tenses such as past
perfect.
• Elaborate on a point using
• Multiple meanings of words and
multiple paragraphs
phrases across contexts, such as
• Modifiers such as phrases
containing a variety of
specific and technical content-related
and clauses within a
sentences on gradeterms, cognates, and expressions and
sentence (recognizing
appropriate content-area
some content-specific collocations.
and correcting most
text.
misplaced and dangling
• An increasing number of intensive
modifiers).
pronouns to add emphasis to a
• Elaborate on a point using
increasingly accurate
• Expanded simple,
statement (e.g., myself, ourselves).
application of transitional
compound, and complex
• Semi-transparent idioms (i.e.,
words and phrases to
sentence patterns
expressions in which the link between
connect and organize
characteristic of contentliteral and figurative meaning is less
events, ideas, and opinions
area elaborations.
obvious) with increasing grammatical
(yet may struggle with
and figurative complexity.
naturalness of phrasing).
Elaborate showing developing control of English. Elaborate on a point using related paragraphs to
convey related events, ideas, and/or opinions, using frequently occurring complex sentence structures
and a developing vocabulary.
Discourse
Sentence
Word/Phrase
Elaborate
using
descriptive
Elaborate
using
a developing
• Elaborate on a point using
sentences characterized by
vocabulary, including:
related events, ideas,
frequently occurring
and/or opinions to
• Words and phrases in spoken and
complex sentence
elaborate (may retrace or
written forms in a growing number of
structures, including:
restart an elaborated
contexts, such as specific content-area
explanation being received • Verb tenses such as
terms, cognates, and expressions.
or produced).
present perfect.
• An emerging awareness of how to
create new words from familiar words
• Elaborate on a point using
• Modifiers such as
(e.g., electricity from electric),
related paragraphs on
subordinating
collocations (i.e., habitual
grade-appropriate
conjunctions, and
juxtaposition of a particular word with
content-area texts.
prepositional phrases.
another word or words, with a
Elaborate on a point using a • Simple, compound, and
frequency greater than chance) and
developing application of an
some complex
multipleincreasing range of
grammatical constructions
temporal and linking words
• meaning words.
(e.g., independent,
and phrases to connect and
dependent, relative, and
• Relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom,
organize events, ideas, and
adverbial) across contentwhich, that), relative adverbs (e.g.,
opinions.
area elaborations.
where, when, why).
Transparent idioms with developing
grammatical complexity.
• I want to expand upon your point about…
• To expand upon my earlier point______.
• X, which is perhaps the key fact, is the main reason why _______________.
• On top of it all, the compelling evidence to support this…
• One of the integral factors would have been ___________.
• One of the most important reasons was ______________.
• The primary reason for X is _____.
• For this reason __________________.
• Not only do I think _________ but I also think_______
• I would like to add to that ____________
• I would add that ____________________.
• A point often overlooked is __________________.
• In other words…
• Let me give you some other reasons: ___________.
• I think it means that ____________.
• _____ happened because of _______.
• ________ occurred because _________________.
• _____________________ is important because _________.
• I agree/disagree because ____ and ____.
• I agree/disagree because ____.
• It reminded me of ___________________ because _______.
• I liked it because ___________________.
• I think ___________ because_________________.
• I believe ___ and I believe _____.
• _________________ and _____________.
• I believe ______________.
2
1
Elaborate showing emerging control of English. Elaborate on a point using briefly sequenced and/or
simply detailed information, using combinations of simple sentence structures and simple vocabulary.
Discourse
Sentence
Word/Phrase
Elaborate
using
Elaborate
using
simple vocabulary,
• Elaborate on a point using
combinations of simple
including:
a brief sequence of events
sentence structures,
in order and/or of a topic
• Frequently occurring words and
including:
with supporting details.
phrases.
• Verb tenses such as past
• Elaborate on a point using
• One to two forms of words and
tense (irregular), past
multiple, related, simple
phrases based on specific context,
progressive, simple future.
sentences containing
such as social, instructional, and
content-area, gradegeneral terms, cognates, and
• Modifiers such as
appropriate text or word
expressions across content areas.
frequently occurring
problems.
prepositions, adjectives,
• Frequently occurring pronouns used
adverbs.
with increasingly precise control.
• Elaborate on a point using
a loose cohesion of
• Repetitive phrases and
• A few transparent idioms (i.e.,
information and/or ideas
sentence patterns across
expressions in which literal meaning
using frequently occurring
content-area elaborations.
is clearly linked to figurative meaning)
linking words,
that are grammatically simple in form.
accomplished by repetition
of words or phrases.
Elaborate showing limited control of English. Elaborate on a point using simple information using
simply constructed phrases and sentences with a limited range of vocabulary.
Discourse
Sentence
Word/Phrase
• Elaborate using simple
information about an
event, experience, and/or
topic.
• Elaborate on a point using
short sentences composed
of simple or predictable
phrases or sentences.
• Elaborate on a point using
limited (i.e., initial)
cohesion among sentence
structures.
Elaborate using syntactically
simple sentences, including:
• Verb tenses such as
present, present
progressive, simple future
(going to), simple past.
• Modifiers such as
adjectives, adverbs.
• Simple grammatical
constructions (e.g.,
commands, some whquestions, declaratives).
• Common social and
instructional patterns or
forms.
Elaborate using a limited (i.e., initial)
range of simple vocabulary, including:
• Very frequently occurring words and
phrases (everyday terms, cognates,
and expressions with clear, easily
demonstrated referents).
• A small number of frequently
occurring words, phrases, and
formulaic expressions based on literal
definitions of words.
• Frequently occurring pronouns used
with initial control (and occasional
misapplications).
• Nonverbal communication.
QUESTION STEM EXAMPLES
• How did you get to that answer ____?
• Why did you write/say___________?
• Have you also considered _________?
• What do you think about _________? Why?
• Can you tell me more about _______?
• Try telling me more about ____________.
• What do you mean by ____________?
What makes you think __________?