Linguaskill General flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Linguaskill Speaking format

A computer-delivered test with five parts: Interview, Reading Aloud, Long Turn, Two-way Discussion and Personal Statement. Responses are recorded and later rated by examiners.

Long Turn timing

A 1 minute 30 second monologue on a given topic with two prompt points, preceded by roughly 40 seconds of preparation time to plan structure and vocabulary.

Reading Aloud task

A short text is displayed and read aloud. It is assessed for pronunciation, sentence stress, intonation and fluency, not for comprehension of the passage.

Personal Statement task

The final Speaking part: about 90 seconds on a topic the candidate selects from an on-screen list, assessed for coherence, range and fluency.

Speaking scoring criteria

Performance is rated on task fulfilment, coherence, vocabulary range, grammatical accuracy and pronunciation. A single strong area cannot compensate for weakness elsewhere.

Two-way Discussion

Three connected questions on a theme, answered in turn with no interlocutor replies. Answers need explicit development because no one prompts for more detail.

Interview part

The opening Speaking section: short personal questions delivered by the computer about work, study, free time and similar familiar topics, answered briefly but in full sentences.

Fillers in spoken answers

Long pauses and repeated hesitation markers lower fluency ratings. Natural linking phrases such as 'the reason is' or 'for example' sustain flow and add coherence.

Email word minimum

The shorter Writing task requires at least 50 words and must address three specified bullet points; omitting a bullet restricts the task fulfilment score.

Long Writing task options

Candidates choose one of two tasks, usually an opinion essay on a statement or a report or article on a situation, and write at least 180 words.

Writing register choice

Informal emails to friends allow contractions and colloquial phrases; emails to managers or tutors require neutral-formal wording, full forms and polite formulas.

Writing assessment criteria

Four areas are rated: task fulfilment, organisation, language resources (vocabulary and grammar) and mechanics, which covers spelling and punctuation.

Paragraphing in long task

Four or five short paragraphs, each with one controlling idea and a linking device, support the organisation score better than a single undivided block of text.

Essay conclusion function

The final paragraph restates the writer's position or recommendation in fresh wording. Introducing a new argument at this point weakens coherence.

Mechanics score

Spelling and punctuation are rated separately from grammar. Consistent British or consistent American spelling is accepted; mixed usage within one answer is not.

Bullet-point coverage

Each bullet in the email prompt represents a required content point. A response that covers only two of three cannot reach the top task fulfilment band.

Adaptive Reading and Listening

Item difficulty adjusts to running performance during the combined module, so early correct answers lead to harder items and influence the final reported band.

Paraphrase distractors

Correct options restate the passage in different words; wrong options often copy exact wording from the text but alter one detail such as a number or a subject.

Gap-fill word class check

Before choosing a word for a gap, identify whether a noun, verb, adjective or preposition is required; grammar and collocation decide the answer as much as meaning.

Matching task strategy

Locate keywords from the options in the passage first, then read the surrounding sentences to confirm the full meaning before committing to a match.

No negative marking

Incorrect answers do not reduce the score, so every item should be answered. A reasoned guess is always better than a blank response.

Shared Reading-Listening timing

Reading and Listening form one timed module. Time spent on a difficult Reading item is subtracted from the Listening section that follows.

Sequential question order

In most Reading and Listening task types, answers appear in the same order as the questions, so the previous answer marks where to start searching.

Short-text reading sources

Reading passages include notices, adverts, emails, articles and longer informative texts, and questions test gist, detail, inference and reference.

Single audio playback

Each Listening recording is heard once only. Notes must be taken during that single playing, as no replay option is available.

Listening accent range

Recordings use a range of native accents, including British and American, so candidates should be prepared for different vowel sounds and stress patterns.

Corrected information trap

A speaker may mention a time, price or option and then change it. The final stated version is the answer; the earlier mention is a distractor.

Gap-fill word limit

Listening completion items state a maximum, such as one word or a number. Exceeding the stated limit makes the answer incorrect even if the meaning is right.

Spelling in Listening answers

Completed words must be spelled correctly to score. Numbers, dates and prices should be written in the format the question expects.

Listening text types

Recordings include short exchanges, announcements, monologues and longer conversations or talks, followed by multiple-choice, completion or matching items.

Missed-answer recovery

Because answers come in order, a missed item should be abandoned at once and attention moved to the next question to avoid losing a further answer.

Automatic audio pacing

Listening audio starts and advances automatically within the shared module. Candidates cannot pause or rewind, so pacing is controlled by the recording, not the candidate.