This document discusses various methods for testing English grammar. It begins by asking what aspects of grammar should be measured and whether the focus should be on structures, functions, usage, or descriptive vs. prescriptive rules. Common test formats are then outlined, including recognition through multiple choice, true/false, and gap-filling questions, as well as production through sentence building and editing exercises. The document recommends providing context and measuring a test-taker's ability to communicate grammatically for different audiences and tasks. Sample grammar testing activities are described, like split sentences, describing pictures, and story-building to evaluate understanding of various tenses and sentence construction.

1. TestingTesting
GrammarGrammar
Jonathan MagdalenaJonathan Magdalena

2. WhatWhat are we trying toare we trying to MEASUREMEASURE??
““EnglishEnglish grammargrammar is chiefly a system ofis chiefly a system of
syntaxsyntax that decidesthat decides
thethe orderorder andand
patternspatterns in whichin which
words are arrangedwords are arranged
into sentences.into sentences.”” ((Close, 1982)Close, 1982)

3. WhyWhy should we testshould we test grammargrammar??
 LinguisticLinguistic or communicative competence?or communicative competence?
 StructuresStructures or functions?or functions?
 UsageUsage or use?or use?
 PrescriptivePrescriptive or descriptive?or descriptive?

4. HowHow should we testshould we test grammargrammar??
 SeparatedSeparated from skills?from skills?
 DiscreteDiscrete pointpoint or integrative items?or integrative items?
 Focus onFocus on grammargrammar or meaning?or meaning?

5. What are the most commonWhat are the most common test formatstest formats forfor
testing grammar?testing grammar?
RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION
 Multiple choice items (Liu, 121)Multiple choice items (Liu, 121)
 Error-recognition items (Liu, 129)Error-recognition items (Liu, 129)
 True/False (Baxter, 35)True/False (Baxter, 35)
 Pairing and matching itemsPairing and matching items
 Cloze/Modified Cloze (Hughes, 144)Cloze/Modified Cloze (Hughes, 144)

6. What are the most commonWhat are the most common test formatstest formats forfor
testing grammar?testing grammar?
ProductionProduction
 Completion items (Hughes, 143)Completion items (Hughes, 143)
 Transformation items (Liu, 131)Transformation items (Liu, 131)
 Paraphrase (Hughes, 143)Paraphrase (Hughes, 143)
 RearrangementRearrangement
 EditingEditing
 Combination and addition itemsCombination and addition items
 Items involving the changing of wordsItems involving the changing of words

7. WhenWhen should we go forshould we go for grammargrammar
recognitionrecognition??
When…When…
 More material needs to be covered.More material needs to be covered.
 You want to test different levels ofYou want to test different levels of
learning.learning.
 You have little time for scoring.You have little time for scoring.
 You are not interested in evaluatingYou are not interested in evaluating
how well a test taker can formulate ahow well a test taker can formulate a
correct answer.correct answer.
 You have a large number of test takers.You have a large number of test takers.

8. WhenWhen should we go forshould we go for grammargrammar
productionproduction??
When…When…
 You want to evaluate a person’s abilityYou want to evaluate a person’s ability
to formulate a correct answer.to formulate a correct answer.
 You have more time to score the itemsYou have more time to score the items
 You want to test a persons ability toYou want to test a persons ability to
apply concepts and information to aapply concepts and information to a
new situation.new situation.
 You have a clear idea of the aspectsYou have a clear idea of the aspects
and concepts that should be tested.and concepts that should be tested.

9. True/FalseTrue/False
Is this sentences true or false?Is this sentences true or false?
““He works from Monday to Friday”He works from Monday to Friday”
 Does not demonstrate broader knowledgeDoes not demonstrate broader knowledge
 Difficult to construct in higher levelsDifficult to construct in higher levels
 Encourages guessing due to 50/50 chanceEncourages guessing due to 50/50 chance
 Difficult to test attitudes toward learningDifficult to test attitudes toward learning

10. Multiple ChoiceMultiple Choice
John usually ______from Monday to FridayJohn usually ______from Monday to Friday
a. works b. worked c. has worked d. is workinga. works b. worked c. has worked d. is working
 They can be tricky or too pickyThey can be tricky or too picky
 Difficult to test attitudes towards learningDifficult to test attitudes towards learning
 Knowledge is limited to options providedKnowledge is limited to options provided
 Difficult to construct at higher levelsDifficult to construct at higher levels
 Encourages guessing (25% chance)Encourages guessing (25% chance)
 More than one option may be possibleMore than one option may be possible
 All options must be grammatically possibleAll options must be grammatically possible

11. Gap-FillingGap-Filling
John usually ______(work) from Monday to FridayJohn usually ______(work) from Monday to Friday
 They must be part of a broader contextThey must be part of a broader context
 More than one option may be possibleMore than one option may be possible
 First gap may be offered as a sampleFirst gap may be offered as a sample
 Difficult to test attitudes towards learningDifficult to test attitudes towards learning
 Knowledge is limited to options providedKnowledge is limited to options provided
 Limitations result in negative backwashLimitations result in negative backwash
 Focus should be on the aspect assessed.Focus should be on the aspect assessed.

12. Cloze/C-testCloze/C-test
 Tests student’s understanding of the wholeTests student’s understanding of the whole
languagelanguage
 More than one option may be possibleMore than one option may be possible
 First letter may be offered as a sampleFirst letter may be offered as a sample
 Some words may be impossible to guessSome words may be impossible to guess
 Can test student’s IQ rather than languageCan test student’s IQ rather than language
proficiencyproficiency
John is new in town. He moved here for two reasons. First,John is new in town. He moved here for two reasons. First,
______ found a job in a food company ______ is______ found a job in a food company ______ is
established here; secondly, he desperately wantedestablished here; secondly, he desperately wanted
______ be closer to his girlfriend, Susan Sommers,______ be closer to his girlfriend, Susan Sommers,
______ recently moved to our neighboring town.______ recently moved to our neighboring town.

13. Sentence BuildingSentence Building
Friday/usually/to/John/Monday/workFriday/usually/to/John/Monday/work
 Tests recognition and/or productionTests recognition and/or production
 More than one option may be possibleMore than one option may be possible
 Capital letters and punctuation mayCapital letters and punctuation may
interfere in the production of the answerinterfere in the production of the answer
 It gives no context as reference toIt gives no context as reference to
grammar use.grammar use.
 It actually challenges knowledge of syntaxIt actually challenges knowledge of syntax

14. Sentence TransformationSentence Transformation
John is a doctor (Is John a doctor?)John is a doctor (Is John a doctor?)
 More than one option may be possibleMore than one option may be possible
 It may be too mechanical. Add elementsIt may be too mechanical. Add elements
to make them realistic.to make them realistic.
 It is limited in the provision of contextIt is limited in the provision of context
 Few aspects might be assessed (passive,Few aspects might be assessed (passive,
reported, comparatives, conditionals…)reported, comparatives, conditionals…)

15. Correction/EditingCorrection/Editing
John usually working from Monday to FridayJohn usually working from Monday to Friday
 Tests recognition of mistakesTests recognition of mistakes
 Can also test production throughCan also test production through
correctionscorrections
 More than one correction may be possibleMore than one correction may be possible
 Mistakes must be grammatically possibleMistakes must be grammatically possible
 Backwash may be negativeBackwash may be negative
 Context is essentialContext is essential

16. Five characteristics to measureFive characteristics to measure
communicativecommunicative grammargrammar
1.1. The test must provide more context than only aThe test must provide more context than only a
single sentence.single sentence.
2.2. The test taker should understand what theThe test taker should understand what the
communicative purpose of the task is.communicative purpose of the task is.
3.3. S/He should also know who the intendedS/He should also know who the intended
audience is.audience is.
4.4. Items should promote a focus on meaning andItems should promote a focus on meaning and
not just form to answer correctly.not just form to answer correctly.
5.5. Recognition is not sufficient. The test takerRecognition is not sufficient. The test taker
must be ablemust be able ““to produce grammatical responsesto produce grammatical responses
” adequate to the communicative situation given- (R.” adequate to the communicative situation given- (R.
Dickins)Dickins)

17. Therefore…Therefore…
 Have the test taker say or writeHave the test taker say or write
something of discourse length insomething of discourse length in
order to perform someorder to perform some
communicative task for a knowncommunicative task for a known
audience.audience.
 What is said or written must makeWhat is said or written must make
sense.sense.

18.  Sample activitiesSample activities

19. Split SentencesSplit Sentences
 Write out some sentences, and thenWrite out some sentences, and then
cut each sentence in half. Place thecut each sentence in half. Place the
two halves in two separate columnstwo halves in two separate columns
and ask students to find theand ask students to find the
matching half.matching half.
 StudentsStudents’’ abilities in combingabilities in combing
sentencessentences
 Grammar knowledge to all forms ofGrammar knowledge to all forms of
the sentencesthe sentences

20. ExamplesExamples
 If you eat thatIf you eat that
 If you touch theIf you touch the
dogdog
 If you steal myIf you steal my
boyfriendboyfriend
 If you go out nowIf you go out now
 If you donIf you don’’t leavet leave
 If you donIf you don’’t bookt book
a ticketa ticket
 youyou’’ll be sickll be sick
 itit’’ll bite youll bite you
 II’’ll never speakll never speak
to you againto you again
 youyou’’ll get soakedll get soaked
 II’’ll call the policell call the police
 youyou’’ll be luckyll be lucky
to get a seatto get a seat

21. Sentences from picturesSentences from pictures
 Hand out a sheet of pictures. AskHand out a sheet of pictures. Ask
students to come out sentences fromstudents to come out sentences from
the pictures or ask them to tell athe pictures or ask them to tell a
story.story.
 Enough grammar knowledge to makeEnough grammar knowledge to make
sentences by students.sentences by students.
 AccuracyAccuracy

23. Memory TestMemory Test
 Give limited time for students to seeGive limited time for students to see
the picture. Ask them to describethe picture. Ask them to describe
the picture without seeing it.the picture without seeing it.
 Testing studentsTesting students’’ ability of makingability of making
sentences.(enough grammarsentences.(enough grammar
knowledge)knowledge)
 AccuracyAccuracy
 The transformation of studentsThe transformation of students’’
sentencessentences

25. Picture DictationPicture Dictation
 A student try to describe the pictureA student try to describe the picture
to other students who havento other students who haven’’t seent seen
it.it.
 Testing if a student can makeTesting if a student can make
sentences which can help him/hersentences which can help him/her
communicate well.communicate well.
 AccuracyAccuracy

27. Strip StoryStrip Story
 Give students a text from a stripGive students a text from a strip
story. Ask them to find the orderstory. Ask them to find the order
and resolve the problem from theand resolve the problem from the
story.story.
 See if students can find the timeSee if students can find the time
order from the tenses of theorder from the tenses of the
sentences.sentences.
 AccuracyAccuracy

29. Miming an actionMiming an action
 Ask students to role play in a limitedAsk students to role play in a limited
situation.situation.
 Through acting, it can test studentsThrough acting, it can test students’’
ability of thinking of lines. (whichability of thinking of lines. (which
may contains different tenses.)may contains different tenses.)
 AccuracyAccuracy

30. Growing StoriesGrowing Stories
 Story-building activitiesStory-building activities
 StudentsStudents’’ ability of making sentencesability of making sentences
with different tenseswith different tenses

32. QuestionnairesQuestionnaires
 Turn what have taught in class into aTurn what have taught in class into a
questionnaire. Get students toquestionnaire. Get students to
survey each other. (does not containsurvey each other. (does not contain
fully-written-out questions.)fully-written-out questions.)
 It can see if studentsIt can see if students’’ totallytotally
understand what they have learnedunderstand what they have learned
in class. Also it can show if studentsin class. Also it can show if students’’
can use it well.can use it well.