Written Comprehension

The items measuring written comprehension are based on written texts, which vary in length and complexity depending on the target proficiency level. The texts serve as the foundation for the questions appearing in one or more items.

Each item in written comprehension includes:

  1. General instructions, given in words and images, which specify what the respondent must do, i.e., read the question and choice of answers BEFORE reading the text;
  2. The text, varying in type (invoice, birthday card, film poster, etc.), which provides the basis for the item question;
  3. The question;
  4. The choice of answers;
  5. The Continue button to go to the next item.

LEVELS 1-2 WC

Level 1

Conditions: Documents are very simple, relate to personal identity and refer to immediate needs. Students understand words, expressions or sentences.

More specifically, they can:

  • recognize everyday words and known names of people and places;
  • recognize common abbreviations;
  • identify the months of the year;
  • find elements related to personal identification to enter in a form. 

Level 2

Conditions: Documents are very simple, relate to personal identity and refer to immediate needs. Students partially understand brief, simple texts.

More specifically, they can:

  • find information in various documents;
  • recognize numbers written out in full;
  • recognize information used in weather forecasts.

LEVELS 3-4 WC

Level 3

Conditions: Documents are very simple or related to advertising and refer to daily life. Students understand the gist of brief, simple texts.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand informative documents;
  • understand brief descriptions;
  • understand information with the help of key words or visual cues;
  • identify basic grammar forms. 

Level 4

Conditions: Documents relate to concrete topics and refer to daily life. The language is simple and common. Students understand a few paragraphs.

More specifically, they can:

  • situate facts, academic events, classroom activities and instructions in time;
  • grasp the sequence of steps in directions;
  • answer general comprehension questions (who?, what?, when?, where?);
  • compare facts in order to make a choice.

LEVELS 5-6 WC

Level 5

Conditions: Documents relate to concrete topics and may include some complex elements, such as certain uncommon words. Students partially understand a few paragraphs.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify information in a news article;
  • identify information in an informative text;
  • demonstrate their understanding by associating information in a text;
  • find relevant information in a notice.

Level 6

Conditions: Documents relate to familiar topics and may include some complex elements, such as uncommon words. Students understand the main information in a one-page text.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify all the pertinent information in a news article;
  • infer the link between paragraphs;
  • identify certain cohesion markers in a text;
  • demonstrate their comprehension of a text made up of complex sentences that contain common relationship markers.

LEVELS 7-8 WC

Level 7

Conditions: Documents relate to subjects of general interest and may include complex elements, such as uncommon words or certain implicit concepts. Students understand the main idea in a text.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify the main idea and secondary ideas;
  • differentiate fact from opinion.

Level 8

Conditions: Documents relate to subjects of general interest and include arguments. Texts may relate to a specific field of study. They include complex elements, such as uncommon words, implicit concepts and abstract ideas. Students understand the main idea in documents of several pages.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify the main idea;
  • recognize different points of view;
  • understand an article related to their field of study;
  • understand a literary text.

LEVELS 9-10 WC

Level 9

Conditions: Documents include various complex elements, and may address unfamiliar or abstract topics. Students understand the main idea in complex documents.

More specifically, they can:

  • recount the author’s arguments;
  • recognize the function of linking words in a text;
  • identify the main idea and pinpoint some details.

Level 10

Conditions: Documents include various complex elements, and address abstract topics. Students understand the main idea, the tone and explanations in complex documents.

More specifically, they can:

  • recognize adjectives, adverbs and other words that convey tone;
  • recognize subtext;
  • recognize the links of cause, intention, time and consequence, expressed by the most common subordinating words.