Pr,wisional Spanish Descriptions-Speaking
Novice-Low
Unableto functionin spokenspanish.oral production
limited to occasionalisolatedwordsor expressions
which havebeenborrowedinto English
or whichare cognaresof Englishwords. Some
examplesare:solnbrero, taco, ;rold/ Essentiallyno .orn-uni."tiue
ability.
Novice-Mid
Able to operateonly in a very limited capacity
within very predictableareasof need.Vocabulary
is limited
to that necessary
to expresssimpleelementaryneedsand basic
courtesyformulae,suchas Buenosdias;
;Qud tal? Muy bien, gracias;;Cudnto esr synta* is fragmented,
uerbsa.e usuallyusedin the infinitive
form' and thereis little or no subject-verb
or noun-adjectiveagreem.rr,.rl. majority of
utterancesconsist
of isolatedwords or short formulae. Utterances
are markea and often flawed by repetition of
an interlocutor,s
words (Q; iQud comespor la mafiana?*A:
comespor la maiona cereal.)"nd fr.qu.n, long pauses;
speakers
at this levelcannotcreateoriginal sentences
or cope with the simplestsituation. pronunciation
is frequently unintelligibleand is strongly
influenced by the first language.can be understood
only with dif_
ficulty' evenby p€rsonssuch as teacherswho
are usedto dealing wiih non-nativespeakers,
or in inreractions where the context strongly supports
the utrerance.
r Denotesan error
characteristic of speakersat this level.
Novice-High
Able to satisfy immed'iateneedsusing learned
utterances.There is no consistentability to
createoriginal
sentencesor cope with simple survival situations,
although there are some emergingsignsof
spontaneity
and flexibility' Can ask questionsor make
statementswith reasonabre
accuracyonly wherethis involves
short memorizedutterancesor formulae.There
is someincreasein utterancelength, but frequent
long pauses
and repetitionof the interlocutor'swords
still occur. Most utterancesare teregraphic,
and
errors
often
occur when word endingsand verbsare
omitted or confused(..g., ir:-.Co"o pequefio. *Cuatros
cuar_
tos)' Speechis characterizedby enumeration,
rather than by senteices.vocabulary is limited
to common
areas' such as colors, days of the week, months
of the yeai, n".., of b"ric objects, numbers
up to 100,
and nameso[ immediatefamily members.
There is some concept or *ra pr.r"nt tense
forms of regurar
verbs, particular -ar verbs, and somecommon
irregular verbs (sea quir"r, tener) although
use is limited
primarily to first personsingular. There
is someuse of articler, inaiotirrg a concept gender,
of
although
mistakesareconstantand numerous.Useof quC
a nd,ccjmo, and questionsare often syntactically
incorrect
and semanticallyinaccurate'May be able to'pronounce
sounds correctly in isolation (rr, r, lt, cidn)
but
cannot do so in wordsor groupsof words.
Eirors are frequentand, in ipite of repetirion,
may severely
inhibit communicationevenwith persons
usedto dealingwith suchlearners.unable to
make one,sneeds
known and communicateessentiarinformation
in a simpresurvival situation.
* Denotesan error
characteristicof speakersat this level.
Intermediate-Low
Intermediate-Mid
Able to satisfy basicsurvival needsand minimum
courtesy requirements.In areasof immediate
need or
on very familiar topics' can ask and answer
simplequestionr, *n ,.rporra to and sometimes
initiate simple
statemcnts'and can maintain simple facc-tefacsconversation.
can asi ano answerquestionssuch as
tos afios tienes?2Crimo se llamq usrcd?
lcutinlCurintas personashay en tufamitia? andieud esrudia usted?.
Can sustain a short conversationon such familiar
topics as "ir"r""*i*i"s
of self and family members
(name' age,physicaldescription),location
and descriptironof home, Joot, or work place,
and other topics
that involve an exchangeof simple factual information.
can make one,sneedsknown with great difficulty
in a simple survival situation, such as ordering
a mea.l,getting a hotel room, and asking for
directions.
vocabulary is inadequatet9 expressanything
beyond basic information on familiar subjects
and
elementary needs'Little precisionin information can be
conveyedand misunderstandingsfrequentlyarise
because
of limited vocabulary,numerousgrammaticalerrors,
and poor pronunciationand intonation. There
is
some control of the presenttenseof regularand-some
common'irregut". u.ru. and of gender,number
and subject-verbagreement'Misundersiandings
frequently arise frori limited vocabulary
and grammar
and erroneousphonology,but, with repetition]can
generallybe understood by native speakers
in regular
contact with foreignersattempting to speak
spanish. Little precision i,rinfor^"rion conveyed
owing to
tentative state of grammaticaldevelopment
una tirtt. or no use of modifiers.
Able to satisfymost routinetravel and survival
needsand somelimited socialdemands.can
ask and answer
questions on very famitiar topics and in
areas of immediate need. can initiate and respond
to simple
statements'and can maintain simple face-to-face
conversation.Can ask and answerquestions
and carry
on a conversationon topicsbeyondbasicsurvival
needsor involving the exchangeof basicpersonal
information, i'e', can talk simplyabout autobiographical
details, l.ir;;.;i;
activities, daily schedule,and
some future plans' In a simple situation, such
as ordering a meal, making purchases,and
requestinga
hotel room' can deal with details,suchas requesting
a table for two in a quiet corner, asking for
an article
27
of clothing of a particular color, getting a hotel room with a private bath for a given length of time, or
inquiring about modesof payment.Can handlesimple transactionsat the post office, bank, drugsrore,
etc. Misunderstandingsarise becauseof limited vocabulary, frequent grammaticalerrors, and poor pronunciation and intonation, although speakersat this level have broader vocabularyandlor greater grammatical and phonological control than speakersat Intermediate-Low. Speechis often characterizedby
long pauses.Somegrammaticalaccuracyin basicconstructions, e.g., subject- verb agreement,noun-adjective
and genderagreementfor familiar vocabulary, pres€nttenseof regular and someirregular verbs such as
tener, poner, ser, estsr, ir. Can expressfuture time by using rr a plus infinitive. May have a concept of
past time, but can useonly isolatedpast tenseforms which have beenlearnedas vocabularyitems. Syntax
in most simple declarativesentencesis generally"d.t""t including placementof most common adjectives.
Is generally undersoodby personsused to dealing with foreigners.
Intermediate-High
Able to satisfy most survival needsand limited social demands.Developingflexibility in languageproduction although fluenry is still uneven. Can initiarc and sustain a generalconversationon factual topics beyond
basicsurvival needs.Can give autobiographicalinformation and discussleisuretime activities.To a lesser
degree,can tdk about some past activities and future plans and non-personaltopics, such as activities
of organizations and descriptions of events, dthough ability to describe and give precise information in
these areasis limited. Can provide sporadically, although not consistently, simple description and narration of present,past, and future wents, although limited vocabulary range and insufficient control of grammar lead to much hesitation and inaccuracy.Extended discourseis largely a seriesof short, discreteutterances;cannot sustaincoherentstructuresin longer utterancesby the useofconjunctions or relative clauses.
Has basicknowledgeof the differencesbetweenser and estar (physicaldescription,nationality, profession
vs. location, temporary health condition), although errors are frequent. Can control the presenttenseof
most regularand the commonirregularverbs,and has somecontrol of basicreflexiveverbs.May be able
to usesomedirect and indirect object pronouns and occasionallyuse some knowledgeof the preterite of
someregular and common irregular verbs$ui/fue, vi/vio'5, but usesthem only sporadically.Comprehensible to native speakersusedto dealingwith foreigners,but still has to repeatutterancesfrequently to be
understoodby the generalpublic.
Advanced
Able to Satisfyroutine social demandsand limited work requirements.Can handle with confrdencebut
not with facility most socialand generalconversations.Can narrate, describe,and explain in past, presenr,
and future time. Can communicatefacts-what, who, when, where, how much-and can explain points
of view, in an uncomplicatedfashion but cannot conjecture or coherently support an opinion. Can talk
in a generalway about topicsof current public interest(e.g., current events,studentrules and regulations),
as well as personal interest (work, leisure time activities) and can give autobiographical information. Can
make factual comparisons flife in a city vs. life in a rural area, for example). Can handle limilsd welk
requirernents, nceding help in handling any complications or difficulties. Can make a point forcefully and
comnunicate nceds and thoughts in a situation with a complication (e.g., finding a bug in the soup in
a restaurant,losing traveler'schecks).Has a speakingvocabulary sufficient to respondsimply with some
circtmlocutions. Can be understood by native speakers not used to dealing with foreigners, in spite of
some pronunciation difficulties. Can usually handle elementary constructions quite accurately such as the
present tenseof regular and irregular verbs, and preterite and imperfect forms. Can use imperative forms
and can occasionallyusethe subjunctivein indirect commands.Controls comparativeand superlativeadjectives, relative, interrogative, and simple and double object pronouns, and negatives(nadie, nada, nunca, etc.). Syntax, including position ofadjectives, is usually correct. Graspsbut doesnot control the basic
differences in usagebetween the preterite and the imperfect (repeated or continuous vs. single action in
the past, description vs. narration in the past) so that many mistakes are to be expected.Can link sentences
together in limited discourse by using conjunctions and subordinate clauses.
Advanced Plus
Able to satisfy most work requirementsand show someability to communicateon concretetopics relating
to palticular interestsand specialfields ofcompetence.Can narrate, describe,and explain in past, present,
and future time. Can communicatefacts and explain points of view in an uncomplicatedfashion consistently.
Showssome ability to support opinions, explain in detail, and hypothesize,although only sporadically.
Can discuss topics of current interest and personal interest, and can handle routine work requirements
and some complications. Can handle situations involving complications that arise in everyday life (seeAdvanced Level examples)but will have difficulty with unfamiliar situations (e.g., losing a contact lens in
a sink driin and going to a neighbor to borrow a wrench). Normally controls generalvocabulary with
some groping still evident. Speakingperformanceis often uneven(e.g., strong in either grammar or
vocabulary, but not in both). Areas of weaknessin grammar can range from simple constructionssuch
as noun-adjective,gender,and subject-verbagreementto more complexstructuressuchas tenseusage(imperfect vs. preterite)ser and estar, and relative clauses.Only sporadic ability to usethe presentsubjunc-
28
tive' can regularlyusethe simplefuture,or ria plus
infinitive to expressthe future, as well as the presenr
progressive
and past progressive
tenses.controls possessive
and demonstrativeadjectives,and idiomatic
expressions
suchasacabarde plus infinitive,hacepluspreterite(ago),
and haaa plusimperfect.Usescorrect word order ofall pronouns(includingdouble
objectpronounsjand adverbs,suchasya, rodavra,atin.
often showsremarkablefluencyandeaseof speech,
but undertensionor pressure
languagemay breakdown.
Superior
Able to speak the languagewith sufficient structural
accuracyand vocabulary to participate effectively
in most formal and informal conversationson practical,
sociai, and professionaltopics. Can discussparticular interestsand specialfields of competencewith
reasonabre.rr.. c"n support opinions, hypothesize,
and conjecture'May not be ableto tailor languageto
fit variousaudiences
or discusshighly abstractropics
in depth' vocabulary is broad enoughthat sp-eak-er
rarely has to grope for a word; good use of circumrocution' Pronunciationmay still be obviouslyforeign.
control of giammaris good. Good control of preterire
and imperfect (about 7090of the timex usesth; present
subjunctive appropriately mosr of the time and
the imperfect subjectivecorrectly about half the time.
can usealt compo'undtenses,and can make simple
contrary-to-fact statements'ser and estararc almost
completelycontiolled, as are reflexives and passive
usages'Errors never interfere with understanding
and rarely disturb the native speaker.
hovisional Spanish Decriptions_Listenrng
Novice-Low
No practical understanding of spokenspanish.
Understanding is limited to cognates, borrowed words,
high frequency social conventions, and oocasional
isolated wordl, suctr", univenidad, restauronte, gractas,
taco, sefior. Essentially no ability to comprehend
even short uiterances.
Novice-Mid
Sufficient comprehensionto understandsomememorizcd
words within predictableareasof need. Vocabulary
for comprehensionis limited to simpleelementary
needs,basic.ourtoy fo..ulae and very simple memorized
material relating to everyday objects and situations,
such as leui'tai? lcdmo te llomas? or
lcdmo se
llama usted?Utterancesunderstoodrarely exceed
more than t*-o o. three words at a time, and ability
to
understandis characteiizedby long pausesfor assimilation
ano uy .epearedrequestson rhe listener,spart
forrepetition'and/oraslowerrateofspeech.confusesrrordsthaisoundsimilar,suchas
""*_- ""'"''^ ' Juur i1rcusu/
cosa/casa,homcl
bre/ hambre, pero/perro.
Novice-High
sufficient comprehensionto understanda number
of memorizedutterancesin areasof immediateneed.
comprehendsslightly longerutterances
in situationswherethe contextaids understanding,
suchas at the
table' in a restaurant/store, in a train/bus. Phrases
recognizedhave for the most part been memo.zed:
qud
hora saleel ten?^2En que le puedoservir?,Iaa
2A
m.antequiua,
porfavor. comprehendsvocabulary
commonto daily needs'Comprehends
simplequestions,/statementi
loout tamlly members,age, acrdress,
weather, time, daily activities and interesis:
l'Cudntoshermanos tiene usted? 2euc tiempo hace hoy?
Misunderstandingsarise from failure to perceivecritical
soundsor endings-.Understandseven tailored speech
with difficulty but getssomemain ideas.often requires
repetition uni/ora srowedrate of speedfor comprehension' even when listening to persons
such as teacherswho are used to speaking with non-natives.
Intermediate-Low
Sufficient comprehensionto understandutterancesabout
basic survivar needs,minimum courtesy and travel
requirements'In areasof immediateneedor on very familiar
topics, can understandnon-memorized material,
such as simplequestionsand answers'statements,and
face+o-faceconversationsin Spanish. comprehension areasinclude basic needs:meals,lodging, transportation,
time, simple instructions (e.g., route directions' such as srga derechopor tres kitdmetios. pobte
a to izquieria.)"ia routirr" commands (e.g., from
custonrsofficials, police, such as Posepor lq aduqna.
Abra'las ^iti*,
por favor.). Understandsmain
ideas' Misunderstandingsfrequently ariie from lack
of vocabulary o. from faulty processingof syntactic
information often causedby strong interference
from the native ianguaie or by the imperfect or partial
acquisition of the target gramm.u.
Intermediate-Mid
Sufficient comprehensionto understandsimpleconversations
about somesurvival needsand some limited
social conventions' vocabulary permits understand.ing
on topics beyond basic survival needs (e.g., personal history and leisure time activities), such as
2Ddide noito ^r"az 2-cutil es su pasotiempo favorito?
lQudpiensaustedhacerestefindesemana?Evidence.of
understandingtasicconstructions,e.g., subjectverb and noun-adjectiveagreement;someiaflection
is understood. cindidate,s understand.ingof grammatical structure allows recognition of future and past
referenceseither by verb forms or by adverbs,adjectives, or prepositions of time
Qtronto, moriono, oyer, el arto pasado, antes,despuds).
Intermediate-High
sufficient comprehensionto understandshort conversations
about most survival needsand limited
29
social
)
conventions. Increasingly able to understand topics beyond immediate survival needs,such as biographical
information in which both past and present,/implied future tensesare used (Yo viv{a en el campo caando
ero ioven.). Able to comprehend most sentencesthat feature familiar vocabulary and situations (home,
office, school and daily activities; simple purchases;directions). Shows spontaneity in understanding, but
speed and consistency of understanding uneven. Limited vocabulary range necessitatesrepetition for
understanding.Understandscommoner tenseforms, including most question forms, but miscommunication still occurswith more complex patterns QQu€ te va a regolar tu novia?). Can get the gist of conversations, but cannot sustain comprehensionin longer utterancesor in unfamiliar situations. Understanding
of descriptionsand detailedinformation is limited. Aware of basiccohesivefeatures,e.g., pronouns, verb
inflections, but many are unreliably understood,especiallyif other materialintervenes(La camisaque tiene
el profesor no me porece muy bonita.). Still has to ask for utterancesto be repeated.
Advanced
Sufficient comprehensionto understand conversationsabout routine social conventionsand limited school
or work requirements. Able to understand face-to-face speechin standard Spanish spoken at a normal
rate, with some repetition and rewording, by a native speaker not used to dealing with foreigners. Able
to get the gist of some radio broadcasts. Understandseveryday topics, common personal and family news,
well-known current ev€nts,and routine matters involving school or work; descriptionsand narration about
culrent, past and future events; the essential points of a discussion or speechat an elementary level on
topics in special fields of interest. For example: lQuiCn gan6 las iltimos eleccionq locales?El Secretario
de Btado viajani a Chile mafiana pora asistir a uno reunifin con el przsidente de ue pais; La clase medio
sufrini el impacto de lo inflacidn.
AdvancedPlus
Sufficient comprehensionto understandmost routine socialconventions,conversationson school or work
requirements, and discussionson concrete topics related to particular interests and special fields of competence.Often showsremarkable ability and easeof understanding,but comprehensionmay break down
under tensionor pressure(including unfavorable listeningconditions). May display weaknessor deficiency due to inadequatevocabulary baseor less-than-secure
knowledgeof grammar and syntax. May be deficient or unevenin completely comprehendingconversationsor discussionsby educatednative speakers
due to a less-than-adequate
knowledge of more complex syntactic structures(tenseusagein simple and
complexstatements,passivevoice constructions,relativeclauses,word order, subjea-objectrelationships).
Still has somedifficulty following radio broadcasts.Can sometimesdetectemotional overtones.Increasing ability to understandbetween the lines (i.e., to mafe inferences).
Superior
Sufficient comprehensionto understand the essentialsofall speechin standard dialects, including technicd
discussionswithin a special field. Has suffisient understanding of face-to'face speech,delivered with normal clarity and speed in standard dialects on general topics and areas of spccial intcrest; understands
hypothesizing and supported opinions. Has broad enougb vocabulary that rarely hasto ask for paraphrasing or explanation. Can follow accurately the essentialsofconversations betrpeeneducatednative speakers,
reasonably clear telephone calls, radio broadcasts, standard news items, oral reports, some oral technical
reports, and public addresseson non-technical subjects. May not understand native speakersif they speak
very quickly or use some slang or unfamiliar dialect. Can often detect emotional overtones. Can understand "between the lines" (i.e., make inferences).
Pr,odsionalSpanistrD€cripdons-Reading
Novice-Low
No functional ability in reading Spanish.
Novice-Mid
Sufficient understanding of written Spanish to interpret highly contextualized words or cognates within
predictable areas. Vocabulary for comprehension limited to simple elementary needs,such as names, addresses,dates, signs indicating names of streets and avenues; building namLes
(hotel, farmacia, edificio);
short informative signs (Prohibido Fumar, Entrada and Salida, Se Hobla Ingk) and sigru with graphic
explanations (Damas and Coballeros with drawings, Una V{a with arrow). Material understood rarely exceedsa single phraseand comprehensionrequiressuccessiverereading and checking.
Novice-High
Sufficient comprehensionof written languageto interpret set expressionsin areasof immediateneed. Can
recognizeall lettersof printed and written Spanish,including fi, rr, ll, and is familiar with Spanishpunc', ").Where
tuation and diacritical marks (;?, i!,
vocabulary has been mastered,can read for instructional and directional purposesstandardized messages,phrasesor expressions,suchas someitems on menus
(pollo, bistec,ensalado,rd), schedules,timetables,maps, signsindicating hours of operation (Abierto de
9 s 12, Cenado de 12 a 2), social codes (Mantengo Limpia Su Ciudod), and street signs(///o, Ferrocarril,
30
Hombres Trabaiando)' Vocabulary
and grammar limited to the most common
nouns, adjectives,question
verb forms' Materii is reaa for
essenriarinro.-ation. Detal is overlooked
Iirtlj;.Tr1i.few
or
Intermediate-Low
Sufficientcomprehension.to
undersrandin printed form the simplest
connectedmaterial, eitherauthentic
or speciallyprepared'dealingwith
basicsurviua.tor socialnoar. aii.-ro
understandboth masteredmateriar
and recombinationsof the mastered
.t.*.ni, kept to trresamereuei.Understands
main ideasin material
when structureand syntaxparallel
the native language.can read brief messages
in simple language,either
typewrittenor in very clearhandwriting,
suchas.terephone
-arr"go "nd personalnotesabout toprcs
to the reader. Recognizeswritten gree-tings
familiar
ano othe, social amenities
ters'such
assreetinss.extended
,o ,n. ri-iiv, queries
Intermediate-Mid
Intermediate-High
Advanced
aboutthe;.rl-iXfft"}:iJ::?:lH?1:1,5;
or friends'and expressions
usedin closings-Can interpretrrt"",
,i.pl narrativescontainingrhe highesrfrequencyvocabularyand learnedgr",n.n"uii.ur
pauerns.Th.r;;;;l-;;common
verbs in the presenttense,
hay/no hay' many descriptiveaojJctiu"r,
co.mon adverbsof time and manner,
and memorized expressionsreferringto time' weather,etc.
Misunderstandings
ariseoften, when syntax divergesfrom
the nativelanguage'whengrammati.ur
that of
.u., u* overlookedor misinterpreted(e.g.,
tenseand agreement
markersor object pronouns),or when
,ir. r,yr. of handwriting is unfamiliar
to the reader.
Sufficientcomprehension
to understandin printed form simple
discoursefor informative or social purposes'In responseto perceived
needs,can read public "nnolna.aants
to determinewho, what, when,
where' why' and how much information
about such subjects* ,po.,ing even6,
concerts,parades,and
celebrations'Can also identify products,
prices,and somecondition, or r"t.
in popular, illustrated adver_
tising for everydayitems,suchas food,
.totting, work or schoorsupfles, and
rravel. can comprehend
a note or letter in which a writer used
to dealing with non-natiu. .."11., describes
self and family, ages,
occupations'residence'-personality
traits, and common preferences
when high frequencyvocabutaryor
cognatesare used' understandsgeneral
content of heailines in n.*rp"p.rs
or article titles in popular
magazines'suchas semana'Hola, and
cambio16, if the contentis ramitiaror
of
high interest.understands
factsand follows eventsin simple""t.utio",
u"thentico, ,p..i"tty *.0"..0 or edited
when discourseconsistsof basicNP + vP + Ni constructi;;;
c- in,..pr., n"g",-roniln,.r.o*ation
in various forms. Is
fairly consistentin interpretingpresent
time with o..r.nu,"r,r.-J|ril, ruru.. with
rr a + infinitive, and
pastwith basicregularand the eight
to l0 most common irregular preterite-tense
verbs,but still reriesgreatry
on adverbs(ayer' antes'despuds)to verify
relationsof eventsin time. Hu, ,o-.
difficulty
with the cohesive
factorsin discourse'suchas matchingp.ono*r
with referentsand connectingideas
brought togetherby
relativepronouns'usesguessing'tt"Lii.,
to interpretvocabularyconsisring
-have
of regurarcognateparrerns,
and highly contextualizeditems. May
to read several ti.., u.ro.. understanding.
sufficient comprehension
to understanda simpleparagraphfor personal
communication,iqformation or
recreationalpurposes' Can read with
understandinginvitationr, ,o.i"i"otes,
personal retters and some
simple businessletterson familiar topi.r.
Cun iaentify the ,n"in rJi* in rwo to
three shorr paragraphs
of simple' non-technicalnarrative' cun io..rtirv
main ideasf.om st o.i it.ms of general
intereston familiar
topics in popular magazines,such as
sr^oii, Hora, Activa, in *r..niru-iliar
news items from major
newspapers'and in other informational
sourcessuchas travel anapJfi.jii u.o"t
u.o. can read for preasure
some uncomplicatedauthentic or edited prose
and.poe,.y -J rp'."i"ilv Jdir.d ,"*,r,
materiar on Hispanic
culture and civilizationdesignedfor the;;.;t
linguisticr"u"i. cuoro at meaningwhen
the conrexrrs
'clear' but reliesheavily on a bilingual aiction"ryBeginsto ur. rutu-.. -l past (particularly
preterite)verb
endingsto interpret timerelationi, and
can.""ognire some cohesive;;;r*
such as object pronouns and
simple clauseconnectors(cuondo,porque).
understandsstatements*a quotion, about
likes and dislikes,
although may be confusedabout ttns"
or rulj".i-ou;."t. Beginsto re;te-senrences
in the discourseto advancemeaning' but cannot sustainunderstanding
of longer or"ourr. on unfamiliar topics.
tion still occurswith more complex patterns
Misinterprera(longer sentenceswith subordinate
constructions; reflexives
and object pronouns;and mosi iaiomaticexp.ersions).
sufficient comprehension
to,readsimpleauthenticprinted materiar
or editedtextualmaterialwithin a famitar
ilil.,1_.,1.:?:"::i:TIIT:*,,iJi!.,1j:;ffi,j;11n
tn personalletterson family topics' Reads
within;he fimits oi ii.rriri"ir.locabulary
some unedited rexts,
such as prosefiction' from carefully chosen
authors, usually contemporary.Such
selectionsmight appear
in Sundaynewspapersupplements,ottrer
daitv paners,or specialanthologieson
modern culture. Sources
include most major newspapersfrom
Hispanic .i,i.r, popui"r ;";;;;:
"nd
news
maga,ines published
for the generalpublic (visirin, Tiempa).
viruno..rt"ndings may slem from rack
of comprehensionof the
cultural or situational context, or from
misinterpretationof gramm"tiJ.iu.,
that have beenonly partial3t
/
ly assimilatedto this point. Has someunderstandingof past time relationsinvolving preteritevs. imperfect,
but typically can recognizeonly limited presentsubjunctivemeanings.Can follow essentialpoints of written discussionat level of main ideasand somesupporting ones with topics in a field of interestor where
background exists, although will tend not to be able to draw inferences.
Advanced Plus
Sufficient comprehensionto understandmost factual information in non-technicalprose as well as some
discussionson concretetopics related to specialinterests.Able to read for information and description,
to follow sequenceof events,and to react to information read. Can separatemain ideasfrom lesserones
and magazines,can read internaand use that division to advanceunderstanding.ln major newspapers
tional itemsand socialand cultural news.Understandingof specializeditemsdependsupon individualinterestsand background, at this level can read material in own areas of interest. Within literary fields of
interest, can read non-esotericprose, including critical articles and books. Can read signs, posters,advertisements,and public announcements.Can follow simple printed directions for cooking and other projects
within areasof expertise.Guesseslogically at new words by using linguistic and nonlinguistic contexts
and prior knowledge.Is able to comprehendmost high-frequencyidiomatic expressions,but will still have
difficulty with figurative meanings.Can correctly interpret most indicators of time relations, including
indicative verb endings,adverbial expressions(antesde que, despuis de que, luego) and expressionswith
hacer. Has a good understandingof meaningsexpressedby the presentsubjunctive,and is able to interpret
imperfect subjunctive part of the time (e.g., with impersonal expressionssuch as era necesarioque, or
expressionsof volition or emotion suchasquibieraque or sentiaque'1.May react personallyto the material
but does not yet detect subjectiveattitudes, values, or judgments reflected in the style of writing.
Superior
Able to read standard newspaperitems addressedto the generalreader, routine correspondence,reports
and technicalmaterial in a field of interestat a normal rate of speed(at least 220 WPM). Can gain new
knowledgefrom material in a variety of publicationson a wide rangeof unfamiliar topics relatedto fields
supportedopinions,and documentedfacts,aswell as figurativedevices,
of interest.Can interprethypotheses,
Can
readmostliterarygenresin the original: novels,essays,poetry,short
and
humor.
stylisticdifferences,
srories,and most literaturewritten for the generalpublic. Readingability is not subjectdependent.Broad
generalvocabulary,knowledgeof most structures,and developmentof strategiesfor logical guessingallow
interpretationof unfamiliarwords,idioms, or structures.Verb tensesand moodshavebeen
for succassful
largely mastered,including irregular usesof pastsubjunctiveand conditional. Able to achieveoverall comprehensionof material, even though there may be some gaps in detail. Is generallyable to comprehend
facts, although misinttrpretation may still occur. Can draw inferences,but may be unable to appreciate
nuancesor stylistics.
ProdsionalSpanishDescrifiions-Writirg
Novice-Low
Novice-Mid
Novice-High
No functional ability in writing Spanish.
No practical communicative writing skills. Able.to copy isolated words and short phrases.Able to transcribe
previously studied words or phrases. Able to write name, address, dates and other numbers, as well as
common expressionssuch as those used in greetings and leave-takings'
Able to write simple fixed expressionsand limited memorized material. Can supply information when requestd on forms such as hotel registersand travel documents. Can write names' write out numbers from
f-20" d"t", (days of the week, months of the year), own nationality as well as other common adjectives
vocabulary
of nationality, addresses,and other simple biographical information. Can write limited learned
Yo me
Buenos
dfas;
as
such
expressions
write
Can
for common objects, short phrases,and simple lists.
objects;
some
corlmon
name
Can
formulae.
social
fixed
other
usted?
and
llomo plus naneaiC<imo estd
and can
knows somecornmon adjectivesand adverbs;can use the presenttenseof some common verbs,
letters
write interrogative sentenceswith words such as ddnde, c6mo, por qud, caondo- Can write all the
with
memorized,materid,
and unique punctuation and diacritical marks in Spanish..Ableto write simple,
'qua'orxquo'for
cao'
as
such
negatively,
frequenimisspellings.Somesound/lettercombinationstransfer
*c/asse,*natidn'
as
such
words
in
cognate
especially
or cuo-,and consonantsare often doubled or miswritten
and the other
Accent marks are frequently missed,especiallywhen one word of a pair has an accentmark
verbs' Has
for
conjugated
infinitives
joven/jrivenes.
uses
Sometimes
lecci1n/lecciones,
one doesnot, e.g.,
Often
inappropriately'
a conceptof gender,and can producedefinite and indefinite articles, though often
but
language,
in
the
sentences
own
forgetsio make adjectivo "gr." with irouns. Generally cannot create
patterns'
usesmemorizedmaterial or transformations of familiar
+Denotesan error characteristicof speakersat this levelJZ
Intermediate-Low
Has sufficient control of the writing systemto meetlimited practical needs.Can write short messages,
such
as simple questionsor notes,postcards,phone messages,
and the like. Can take simple notes on material
dealing with very familiar topics within the scopeof limited languageexperience.Material producedconsists of recombinationsof learnedvocabularyand structures into simple sentences.Can expresspresent
and future by usingthe presenttenseand adverbsof time such as mafiana, estanoche,la semonapr<ixima,
el afio pr<iximo. For example; Tengo un examenmofrana; Yo voy a Coracas la semanapr<ixima. Generally
curnot expresspast time by past tenses,but may incorrectly use the pres€nttenseand an adverb of time
such as ayer, la nochepasada, esta mafiana to convey past meaning. Uses sporadically forms such as
possessiveadjectives,demonstrativeand interrogativeadjectives,and partitive articles,but not alwayscorrectly. Vocabularyis limited to common objectsand cognates,and is inadequateto expressanything but
elementaryneeds.Can expressnumbersfrom l-100 with some misspellings.Often insertsnativeJanguage
vocabulary for unknown words, and is generallynot capable of circumlocution to get meaning across.
Writing tends to be a loose collection of sentencesor sentencefragments on very familiar topics (likes
and dislikes, generalroutine, everydayeventsor situations). Makes continual errors in spelling, grarnmar,
and punctuation, but writing can be readand understoodby a native readerusedto dealingwith foreigners.
Able to produceappropriatelysomefundamentalsociolinguisticdistinctions in formal and familiar style,
such as appropriate subject pronouns, titles of addressand basic social formulae.
Intermediate-Mid
Sufficient control of writing systemto meet somesurvival needsand some limited social demands.Able
to composeshort paragraphsor take noteson familiar topics grounded in personalexperience.Can discuss
likes and dislikes,daily routine, everydayevents,and the like. Can use correctly the presenttenseof most
reguliarverbs and someiregular verbs. Can useir a plus infinitive to expressfuture time. Can expresspast
time using content words and time expressions,with sporadically accurate verbs. Generally good control
of basic constructionsand inflections, suchas subject-vcrbagreement,and straightforward syntacticconstructions in presentor future time, but may make eirors where related forms are separatedin a sentence,
e.g., 'Mi mamd no esmuy atto. May make frequent errors when venturing beyond curent level of linguistic
competence(suchas when expressingopinions or emotions, where non-memorizedconditionals, subjunctives, and other advancedconceptsof grammarmay come into play.) When resortingto a dictionary, often
is unable to identify appropriate vocabulary, or usesdictionary entry in uninflected form.
rDenotesan error characteristic of speakersat this level.
Intermediate-High
Sufficient control of writing systemto meet most survival needsand limited social demands. Can take
notes in some detail on familiar topics (autobiographicalinformation, preferences,daily routine, simple
descriptionsand narration of everydayeventsand situations) and respond to personalquesti6nsusing elementary vocabulary and common structures.Can write simple letters, brief synopsesand paraphrases,summaries of biographicaldata and work experience,and short compositions on familiar topics. Can create
sentencesand short paragraphsrelating to most survival needs(food, lodsng, transportation, immediate surroundings and situations)and limited social demands.Can expressfairly accuratelypresent and future
tirne. Producessomepast verb forms, but not alwaysaccuratelyor with correct usage.Showsgood control
of elementaryvocabularyand somecontrol of basicsyntactic patterns, but major errors still occur when
expressingmore complexthoughts. Dictionary usagemay still yield incorrect vocabularyto expresssimple
ideas. Generally docs not use basic cohesiveelementsof discourse to advantage(relative constructions,
pronouns, connectors,and the like). Writing, though faulty, is comprehensibleto native speakersused
to reading Spanishwritten by non-natives.Is able to expressa few thoughts for which vocabulary is unknown
via circumlocution, but may insert nativeJanguagesyntactic patterns when expressingideas beyond current level of linguistic competence.
Advanced
Able to write routine socialcorrespondence
and simplediscourseof at leastseveralparagraphson familiar
topics. Can write simple social correspondence,take notes and write cohesivesummaries,resumes,and
short narratives and descriptionson factual topics in the past, present, and future time. Able to write about
everydaytopicsusingboth descriptionand narration. Has sufficient vocabulary to write simple statements
with somc circumlocution. Can write about a limited number of current eventsof daily situations and
can expresspersonalpreferencesand observationsin some detail using basic structures.Is able to recycle
new but meaningfulphraseswhether lexical or structural, i.e., lifts phrasesappropriately, writing appqus
more sophisticated. When writing own thoughts, is more likely to paraphrase according to native
languageat timcs. Still makeserrors in spellingand accentmarks, but controls the most common formats
and punctuation conventions.Good conbol of noun, adjective, and verb morphology, and of the most
frequently used syntactic structures. Elementary constructions are usually handled quite accurately, and
JJ
,)
writing is understandableto a native speaker not used to reading Spanishwritten by non-natives. Uses
a limited number of cohesivedevicessuch as direct-objectpronouns,and can deleteredundant words with
good accuracy.Has difficulty with indirect object constructions,however, typically treating the a-phrase
as obligatory and the indirect-object pronoun as optional (.Siempredoy regalosa mi novio.) Usesverbs
like gustor, importar, faltar, aad quedar in certain fixed formulae, but without confidence or flexibility,
and frequently follows English patterns: *Yofalto veinte dolora. Able to join sentencesin limited discourse,
but has difficulty and makes frequent errors in producing complex sentences.Paragraphs are reasonably
unified and coherent.
'Denotes an error characteristicof speakersat this level.
- Advanced Plus
Showsability to write abut most common topics with someprecisionand in somedetail. Can write fairly
detailed resum€sand summaries and take accurate notes. Can write most social and informal business
correspondence.Can describe and narrate personal experiencesand explain simply points of view in prose
discourse using simple and compound verb tenses.Can write about concrete topics relating to particular
interests and special fields of competence. Normally controls general vocabulary with some circumlocution. Often showsremarkablefluency and easeof expression,but under time constraints(e.g., no opportunity to rewrite), and pressure(e.g., testing), languagemay be inaccurateand./or incomprehensible.G€nerally strong in either gramrnar or vocabulary, but rarely in both. Weaknessesand unevennessin one of the
foregoing or in spelling result in occasional miscommunication. Areas of weaknessrange sporadically from
simpleconstructions,suchas articles, prepositions,negativesand agreement,to more complex structures,
such as tense usage(especially preterite and imperfect), passiveor impersonal constructions, word order,
relative clauscs,and basic subjunctive constructions. Preterite vs. imperfect errors are especialy likely with
haber atd ser, and when an arguably "ongoing" or "habitual" activity is circumscribed in time: Estuvimos
bailando toda la noche; Fui a la playa todos los dtas dursnte el mes que estuvimos a///. Some misuse of
vocabulary still evident, especiallywhen using dictionary for words with multiple meaningsor where related
words carry various functions, but does usea dictionary to advantagewhere a fairly direct bilingual translation and no intralingual ambiguity edst. Showsability to usecircumlocution. Writing is understandable
to native speakersnot usd to reading material written by non-natives,though the style is still obviously
foreign.
.
Superior
,
#*,";"trJff';:
['::i'##*fl:friT:H:H?"i'tri'*;:::"1,ili
i.li:::'#iH;[l.
(with appropriate formulaic introductions and closings),short researchpapers, and
posistatementsof
tion. Can expresshypothesesand conjectures,and presentargumentsor points of view accurately and
effectively. Can write about areasof special interest and handle topics in special fields. Has good control
of a full range of structures so that time, description and narration can be used to expand upon ideas.
Errors in basicstructuresare sporadic and not indicative of communicativecontrol. In addition to simple
tenses, can use compound tensesto show time relationships among events to expressideas clearly and
coherently,but errors are sometimesmade when using complexstructures,such as indefinite, relative. or
demonstrative pronotur when a range of tensesis necessarywithin a relatively short discourse. These errors are occasional and rarely disturb the native speaker. Has a wide enough vocabulary to convey the
messageaccurately, though style may be foreign. Usesdictionary with a high degreeof accuracy to supplement specializd vocabulary or to improve content or style. Although sensitive to differences in formal
and informal style, still may not tailor writing precisely or accurately to a variety of audiences(except for
personal vs. businesscorrespondence) or styles.
hodsional SpanistrOesalptons-Cullurc
Limited interaction. Behaveswith considerateness.Is resourceful in nonverbal communication, but does
not reliably interpret gestures or culturally specific nonverbal behavior, such as physical contacts with
greetings, proximity of speaker. Is limited in language(seelistening/speaking guidelines), but may be able
to manageshort phrasesof courtesy (gracios, con mucho gusto,de noda) and basic titles of respect(sefior,
seiiora, sefiorita). Lacks generally the knowledge of culture patterns requisite for survival situations.
Intermediate
Survival competence.Carrdeal with familiar survival situations and interact with a culture bearer accustomed
to foreigners.Is able to use conventional phraseswhen being introduced, such as mucho gusto, el gusto
es mfo as well as proper greetingsat different times of day or night: Buenos tardes (more extensiveperiod
of time, until sunset);Buenasnoches(both greeting and leave-takins); Holo Gimited to informal occasions
lunong friends). Can provide background information, such as personaladdress(streetfollowed by number:
Calle Norte ffiA, and telephone number (gtouping in pairs: 324943). Is able to expresswants in simple
un sello (or una estampilla)
por
situations:euiero un cuarto conbaio; euiero una coca-cola, favor; Quiero
(hotel,
correo' parque, estacton
(or
banco?
para M(xici.ls ableto ask directions:;Dondequedo estri)el
foods: carne inthe carto
buy
shops
specialty
go
different
to
de polic{a, etc.). Understandsthe need to
the dulceria' frutas at the fruteria' etc'
niceria, pan at Lhepanaderia, pescado atthe pescaderia,dulces at
phrases,suchas Quiero cien gramas de queso'
Is awareof the useof the metric systemand knows simple
meal. Breakfast:light, consistingof
Is awareof different meal schedulesas well as the contentof each
late' Kaowsthat public transporvery
generally
Dinner:
bread,milk and coffee in most cases;Lunch: heavy;
as
buseswith a conductor(driver)
such
to
country,
according
tation hasdifferentstructureor organization
El banco est(ia dos cuadras;El correo queda
responses:
anda cobrador(trcketcollector).Comprehends
,j':espesos:El hotel esttilleno; No tenemoshabitaciones(cuartos)
a la iZquierdadet Hotel Nacional;Cuesta
and other service
ls generallyawarethat tips areexpectedin restaurants'hotels'theaters'
disponibtes,'etc.
about the
assumptions
misapplying
or
situations.Yet may make errorsas the resultof misunderstanding
dinner'
for
early
too
arriving
or
attendant
gas
station
culture. suchas not tipping a
Advanced
successfullywith a culture bearer accustomedto
Limited social competence.Handles routine situations
of common rules of etiquette' such
foreigners.Though home culture predominates,showscomprehension
to the occasionin a more
according
dressing
of
as useof ti atd ustedandtitles oi rop""t, the importance
affairs' Also shows
family
and
salary
age'
about
questions
private
formal society,taboosand never asking
hosts on food and wine' keeping both hands
comprehensionof guest etiquette, such as complimenting
onthetablewhendining,holdingtheknifeintherighthand,understandingthatthekitchenis"offlimits"
offering food or cigarettesto others before takunlessinvited, not leaving immiiatety after dinnei, and
perddn
as well as usesof gusta and buen provecho as
ing them oneself.Knows usesof conpermbo vs.
commandsor first personol querer with
using
polite
requests
common phrasesof courtesy.Can mike
por favor' Quiero
un
polite intonation and/or foilowed by por fovor for requests'Deme J'ormulario'
unpasajedeidoyvuelta.Knowsconventionalphrasesforacceptinginvitations(Encantodo(a),accepto
' ot muchasgractas'
or refusingthem Gracr'as
conmucho gusto,es un placer para mi cenarcoi su famitia)
etc')' Is aware of
que
estudiar/trabajar'
or tengo
se lo agradeZcomucho, pero tengo otro compromiso
to accept gifts
how
Knows
gratitude'
or
personal
esteem
the use of gifts as an expressionof friendship,
mucho' nofue mi intenci'n molestarle'
graciously.Knowshow to apologize,usingphrasessuchas: lo siento
of Hispanics' reluctanceto apologize'
perd6neme,or ustedperdone, lamento lo sucedido,etc. Is aware
Knows how to answer the telephone: drga'
can make introductions in formal and informal situations.
recado?iQuidn lo llama, por favor? Knows how to
bueno, alti,si. Juan ni estd;1quiere deiarle algin
pstd Pedro?or Buenastardes,;puedo hablar
placea call and ask for a thirJ party:Habla Jick smith,
de decirle que Jack Smith lo llamo' rs able
conpedro Fernrindez?or leave a message:Hdgameelfavor
(or de ahorros);Quiero depositar$] '300; Necesito
to do routine banking: Deseoabrir una cuentoc,orrienteNecesitocambiar estechequepersonal; Quiero sacar
comprar 20 chequesde viaiero de $100(cadauno);
$60demicuentadeahorros;QuieroenviorungirobancarioalPeni.Knowshowtohandleroutinebusines
por favor; Deseoenviarun giro posra!de $50a Mdxico; ;Cudnro
at the post office:Deme l0 seitosadreos,
in a small or large store";Ddnde
make purchases
eselfranqueode uno tarieta postolo Boiivia?.lsableto
de nifios,etc.)?Deseouna camisadeportiva de raycin'
quedael deportmentoiiropi interior (de caballeros,
cuesta?iQud precio tiene? iEstri rebajado hoy?
tallo 34 or talla mediana; lCucil es el precio? icutinto
Canidentifyproducts,prices(inlocalcurrency),andconditionsofpromotionalsales'Understandsthat
b a r g a i n i n g i s l i m i t e d t o s * a u m a r k e t s a n d s t r e e t v e n d o r s a n d k n o w s h o w t ouse
b a rof
g alri
i n and
:Esm
u y c ars
ro...le
usted'
pesetas'Still makeserrors in the
ofrezco 40 pesos;No iu"io pagarle mds de 3(N
" group whereseveralpersonsare speakinginformalnot competentto take part in a formal meetingoi io
ly at the same time.
Superior
Workingsocialandprofessionalcompetence.Canparticipateinalmostallsocialsituationsandthosewithin
easeand sensitivity, including some involving conmon
one vocation. Handles unfamiliar situationswith
comprehendsmost nonverbal responses'Laughs
taboos, or someriru, "r. ort "r*ise emotionallycharged.
speech'plays on words' etc' In producat someculture-relatedhumor, such as imitation oisubstandard
use of cultural referencesand
appropriate
makes
tive skills, neither culture predominates;nevertheless,
(en
puntillas\' or sayhgs (alegre
phrases
libre!),idiomatic
te
expressions,suchas.oUoq"i"f phrasesQDios
comounasPascasas;loco.comounacabra).Generallydistinguishesbetweenformalandinformalre
(i'e.,correctuseofformalustedvs.informaltoartdproperuseoftitlesofrespect.Discussesabstract
cognitively of areasof difference' i'e" the imideasrelating the foreign and native culturesand is aware
the influence of the military in political
portanceof famitv ti.,ioc6naed family), the attitude toward animals,
of anticlericalismamong men, especiallyin Latin
affairs, the influenceof the church vs. the long tradition
personal interest and support opinions' Is generalAmerica. can discusscurrent eventsas well as helds of
know that Hispanic personsmight criticize their own
ly linited, however, in handling abstractions- would
foreigners'
"ouooy, but would not accept such criticism from
35
)
Near-Native
Competence
Native Competence
Full social and professional competence.Has internalized the concept that culture is relative and is always.
on the lookout to do the appropriate thi"g; no longer assumesthat own culture is "the way it is." Fits
behavior to audience,and Hispanic culture dominatesalmost entirely when using the language. Can counscl,
persuade,negotiate' represcnta point of view, describeand cornparefeanlresof the native and target cultures.
In such comparisons, can discussgeography, history, institutions, customs and bchavior patterns, c-urrent
eventsand national policies. Perceivesalm661all unverbalized responsesGpstures, emotionat reactions)
and recognizesalmost all allusions, including historical (B un Trujillo mds en el Caribe.) and literary commonplacespertaining to a particular country (Nos encontramoscon otro Tirano Banderas.). Laughs at
most culture-related humor, such as imitation of regional or ethnic speechpatterns and allusions to polirical
or comic strip figures. Useslow frequencyidiomatic expressions(opafiodosestamos),sayrngs(mtispobre
que uno roto de sscrisltiz) or proverbs (La gota de aguo homda la piedra.l. Controls formal and informal
register. Has lived in the culture for a long time or has studicd it extensivcly. Is inferior to the culture
bcarcr only in background inforrnation relatcd to the culture suctras childhood ef,periences,daailcd rcgional
geography and past wents of significancc.
Native competence. Examinee is indistinguishable from a pcrson brought up and educated in the culture.
36