1. Test specifications
1. General purpose
The achievement test of grammar, administered at the end of the course for upper-intermediate
students is designed to assess students’ ability to recognize and use language accurately and
appropriately. The test focuses on the grammatical points students have learned from the course:
Grammar 3.
2. Test content and language elements:
Grammatical points: Modals, the passive, Infinitives & - Ing forms, Noun Clause,
Adjectives & Adverb Clauses, Inversion;
Testing focuses on language accuracy of form, meaning and use of the grammatical
points.
3. Test takers’ characteristics
Age: 19-20 year olds
Level: upper-intermediate (sophomore English majors of University of Technical
Education, HCMC)
TLU: General English
4. Test rubrics
4.1. Instructions
Language: written in English
Channel: written form
Specifications of procedure and tasks:
Students are given the test paper and are required to answer in this test paper;
Students have 5 minutes to skim the test before starting to do it;
Students follow the instructions written in the test and mark their answers on the
answer sheet. They must follow the instruction for choosing, omitting and
choosing again the answer properly.
4.2. Structure:
4.2.1. Numbers and salience of parts: There are 3 parts in the test:
o Part 1 consists of multiple choice items with 1 stem and 3 distractors “Choose
the best answer for each of the following sentences”, generally focusing on

2. all grammar points: Modals, passive form, Infinitives & - Ing forms, noun Clause,
adjectives & adverb Clauses, inversion.
o Part 2 includes two subparts:
 A is “Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs provided
in the box (You may use a word more than once)” in which there are
5 verbs given =>to test students’ ability about infinitive and Ing-forms;
 B is “Choose the best answer provided in the parentheses and fill in
the blanks in each following sentence” with 3 options for each
item=> to test students’ ability to realize the correct form of modals.
o Part 3 as “Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the
first, using the word given” with one key word given in the parentheses is to
test students’ ability to apply all grammar points they have learned to create
another structure to express the same state of affairs of the sentences.
4.2.2. Sequence of parts: It is a discrete test, items are arranged from easier to more
difficult ones, from specific knowledge about each grammatical point to synthetic
knowledge to use all learned grammatical points appropriately.
4.2.3. Numbers of items per part
o Part 1 has 15 discrete items
o Part 2: A has 7 items in a paragraph and B has 8 discrete items
o Part 3 has 10 discrete items
4.3. Time allotment: 45 minutes for the whole test
4.4. Scoring method:
o 50 points for the whole test, part 1 and 2: 1 point per item, part 3: 2 points for
each item
o Scoring by teachers provided the answer key sheet.
o When scoring the test, if the testers find some acceptable responses which are
different from the answer keys provided, they can report to the committee of
teachers for recommendations.