ACCUPLACER

Englis h as a
Second
Language (ESL)
Tes ts

2021
ACCUPLACER English as a Second
Language (ESL) Tes ts
Overview
The ACCUPLACER English as a Second Language (ESL) Tests were developed as a response to an
expressed need for an assessment measuring the skills of English language learners (ELLs) whose
language skills might not allow them to achieve meaningful and actionable scores on the college
placement ACCUPLACER tests. The primary purpose of the ACCUPLACER ESL Tests is to support the
placement of ELLs into English language courses so that they may receive appropriate and targeted
levels of instruction. Courses into which students could be placed on the basis of ESL performance
include ESL and developmental courses in reading, language arts, and English.
ACCUPLACER ESL Tests include Reading Skills, Sentence Meaning, Language Use, Listening, and
WritePlacer® ESL. With the exception of WritePlacer ESL, which is an essay test, all ACCUPLACER
ESL Tests are computer-adaptive, 20-question multiple-choice tests. (Their corresponding linear,
accommodated COMPANION™ tests have 35 questions each. COMPANION tests are available in the
form of regular, large print, and brailled booklets; audio CDs are also available.)
Students who have taken a multiple-choice ESL test receive a test score along with a set of
proficiency statements describing what they likely know and are able to do in relation to the
knowledge and skills assessed on each test. These statements are intended to help students,
teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders understand what a given ESL test score means.

This document describes the multiple-choice ESL Tests listed below and presents their
corresponding proficiency statements:
• ESL Reading Skills
• ESL Sentence Meaning
• ESL Language Use
• ESL Listening

The guide to WritePlacer ESL (the ESL Essay Test) is available at collegeboard.org.

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ESL Reading Skills Test
Test Description
The ESL Reading Skills Test is a computer-adaptive assessment of test takers’
Quick facts
developed ability to read and comprehend explicitly stated information as
well as infer information not directly stated in a passage. The test is made up
of 20 questions and is intended to collect evidence in support of the
following claim about student performance:
ELLs can demonstrate their developed ability to read and comprehend
appropriately challenging short passages and narratives in a variety
of content areas by referring to what the texts say explicitly and
drawing reasonable inferences from the passages to compensate for
gaps in their lexical and structural control of the language.
Passages on the test cover a range of contexts: science, history/social
science, arts/humanities, narratives, psychology/human relations, and
practical situations (the last typically dealing with familiar, everyday
contexts). Shorter passages are 50 or fewer words and moderate-length passages range from
51 to 90 words. Approximately half the questions on the test assess explicitly stated
information, and the remaining questions measure test takers’ developed ability to infer
information not directly stated in a passage. Questions are multiple-choice in format and are
either discrete (stand-alone) or part of sets built around a common passage. Specific
knowledge and skills assessed on this test are:
 Literal comprehension
o Paraphrasing
o Locating information
o Vocabulary on a phrase level
o Pronoun reference
 Inference
o Main idea
o Fact versus opinion
o Cause and effect logic
o Identifying irrelevant information
o Identifying author’s point of view
o Applying author’s logic to another situation

The following tables provide a synopsis of key content dimensions of the ESL Reading Skills Test.

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Table 1: ESL Reading Skills Test Content Specifications
Number of Questions Percentage of Test
Skills assessed
Literal Comprehension 6–14 30–70
Inference 6–14 30–70
Passages support either one or two questions
One-question passage 6–6 30–30
Two-question passage 7–7 35–35
Content areas
Science 2–5 10–25
History/Social Science 2–5 10–25
Arts/Humanities 2–5 10–25
Narratives 2–5 10–25
Psychology/Human Relations 2–5 10–25
Practical Situations 2–5 10–25
TOTAL 20 100

Table 2: ESL Reading Skills Test Question Content

Content Dimension Description
Literal Comprehension
These are straightforward comprehension questions that assess a test taker’s developed ability to
comprehend a text and include questions requiring the test taker to identify and locate explicitly
stated information and understand paraphrased information. Some literal comprehension questions
test understanding of pronoun references.
Inference
Inference questions assess test takers’ ability to make reasonable inferences. These include
questions that ask test takers to read passages closely and identify main ideas, distinguish facts from
opinions, determine cause-effect relationships, and infer the author’s purpose, tone, and point of
view. Some inference questions may ask test takers to determine the meanings of words and
phrases from the contexts in which they are used.

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Proficiency Statements
Scaled score of about 57
Test takers at this level demonstrate the following skills and can:
 Locate information in a passage by answering literal comprehension questions on even the

longest passages if the question posed and the answer to that question are in the same
sentence or in close proximity to one another
 Answer questions in which the wording in the answer is very similar to the wording in the

passage or uses minimal paraphrasing

 Answer some questions requiring small inferences (including questions asking for the main

idea of the passage) if the options don’t require new distinctions

 Answer questions based on maps and charts

Scaled score of about 82

Test takers at this level demonstrate the following additional skills and can:
 Answer questions that require drawing conclusions on the basis of the information presented
in the passage or making inferences from the information presented
 Recognize the main idea of a passage even when presented with wrong answer choices
mentioned in the passage as supporting information

Scaled score of about 102

Test takers at this level can demonstrate the following additional skills and can:
 Answer questions that require dealing with a passage as a whole or manipulating the
information presented in the passage
 Make generalizations on the basis of the information in the passage, recognize what was
implied, and answer questions about the author’s tone and purpose

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ESL Sentence Meaning Test
Test Description
The ESL Sentence Meaning Test is a computer-adaptive assessment of test
Quick facts
takers’ developed ability to read and comprehend words and phrases in
one- or two-sentence contexts. The test is made up of 20 questions and is
intended to collect evidence in support of the following claim about student
performance:
ELLs can demonstrate their developed ability to read and
comprehend sentences written in a variety of structures on a variety
of topics, compensating for gaps in their lexical and structural control
of the language by using contextual clues.
Sentences selected for use as stimuli are drawn from the content areas of
science, history/social studies, arts/humanities, psychology/human
relations, and practical situations (the last typically dealing with familiar,
everyday contexts). Some questions ask test takers to render a sentence meaningful or
grammatically correct by selecting a word or phrase from given options to fill in a blank. Other
questions present a short text made up of one or two sentences and may test students’
developed ability to understand the gist or a detail presented in the sentence. All questions are
multiple-choice in format and appear discretely (stand-alone) across the assessment. Four
content areas are measured on the Sentence Meaning Test:
 Particles, phrasal verbs, and prepositions
 Adverbs, adjectives, connectives, and sequences
 Basic nouns and verbs
 Common idioms
The following tables provide a synopsis of key content dimensions of the ESL Sentence Meaning Test.

Table 3: ESL Sentence Meaning Test Content Specifications

Number of Questions Percentage of Test
Question types
Fill in the blank 7–13 35–65
4-option multiple-choice 7–13 35–65
Content assessed
Particles, phrasal verbs, and prepositions 2–6 10–30
Adverbs, adjectives, connectives, and sequences 3–8 15–40
Basic nouns and verbs 8–13 40–65
Common idioms 1–3 5–15
TOTAL 20 100

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Table 4: ESL Sentence Meaning Test Question Content
Content Dimension Description
Fill in the blank
These questions ask test takers to render a sentence meaningful or grammatically correct by
selecting a word or phrase from given options to fill in a blank. Such questions may require test
takers to demonstrate an understanding of word order, word meaning, parts of speech, precedents
and antecedents, and relationships (e.g., compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequencing, time
frame, and chronology of events).
4-option multiple-choice
These questions present a short text made up of one or two sentences and may test students’
developed ability to understand the gist or a detail presented in the sentence. Such questions may
also ask test takers to show they are able to identify paraphrased information.

Proficiency Statements
Scaled score of about 61
Test takers at this level demonstrate the following skills and can:
 Handle sentences with simple structures characterized by everyday subjects and simple
vocabulary, including common nouns, adjectives, and verbs
 Select the appropriate vocabulary in sentences that provide multiple contextual clues

Scaled score of about 88

Test takers at this level demonstrate the following additional skills and can:
 Handle vocabulary in sentences that have compound or complex structures or present more
complex situations than the sentences at the level above
 Handle the following kinds of vocabulary:
o Two-word verbs
o Adverbs of comparison
o More extended idiomatic expressions
o Longer descriptions
 Select appropriate vocabulary in sentences that provide a single contextual clue

Scaled score of about 106

Test takers at this level demonstrate the following additional skills and can:
 Handle vocabulary in sentences with complex structures that are characterized by abstract
statements or idiomatic expressions
 Demonstrate knowledge of idioms that are two-word verbs or the use of idioms to express
the appropriate meaning
 Deduce the appropriate vocabulary from an entire sentence rather than from specific
contextual clues, often in situations where grammar and vocabulary intersect
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ESL Language Use Test
Test Description
The ESL Language Use Test is a computer-adaptive assessment of test
Quick facts
takers’ developed ability to identify and apply learned conventions of
standard written English. The test is made up of 20 questions and is
intended to collect evidence in support of the following claim about student
performance:
ELLs can demonstrate their developed ability to identify and apply
learned conventions of standard written English grammar, usage,
and punctuation to a range of English sentence structures on a
variety of topics.
Questions on the test are presented in two formats: filling in the blank with
a word or phrase, and choosing a sentence that best combines two discrete
sentences. All questions are multiple-choice in format and appear discretely
(stand-alone) across the assessment. Specific grammatical conventions assessed are:
 Nouns, pronouns, and pronoun case structure
 Sentence structure, including prepositions, parallelism, and sentence fragments/run-ons
 Subject-verb agreement
 Adjectives/adverbs, including modifiers and comparatives
 Verbs, including verb tenses and regular and irregular verb forms
 Subordination/coordination

The following tables provide a synopsis of key content dimensions of the ESL Language Use Test.

Table 5: ESL Language Use Test Content Specifications

Number of Questions Percentage of Test
Question types
Fill in the blank 10–10 50–50
Sentence combining 10–10 50–50
Content assessed
Nouns, pronouns, pronoun case structure 2–3 10–15
Sentence structure 4–5 20–25
Subject-verb agreement 2–2 10–10
Adjectives/adverbs 2–3 10–15
Verbs 4–4 20–20
Subordination/coordination 3–4 15–20
TOTAL 20 100

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Table 6: ESL Language Use Test Question Content
Content Dimension Description
Fill in the blank
These questions require test takers to make a sentence grammatically correct by filling in a blank
with a word or phrase from the choices provided.
Sentence combining
These questions present test takers with two sentences and ask them to select from the choices
presented the sentence that best combines them while maintaining the meaning and intent of the
two discrete sentences.

Proficiency Statements
Scaled score of about 55
Test takers scoring at this level can choose correct grammatical forms when they are controlled by
the basic rules of grammar. For example, in simple sentences, they can recognize basic grammatical
structures such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun case and form, noun forms (including
recognizing subject, case, and number), and verb forms. They can handle questions involving word
order, prepositional phrases, and simple clauses.
Scaled score of about 82
Test takers scoring at this level can handle a variety of complex structures such as comparatives at
the phrase level such as “so tall that,” relative clauses, structures at the clause level such as “not
only ... but also,” simple subordination, and function at the whole-sentence level.
Scaled score of about 100
Test takers scoring at this level demonstrate the following additional skills and can:
 Recognize irregular verb forms such as “draw/drawn,” fairly unusual idioms such as “couldn’t
get over it,” and indirect object structures such as “gave her one”
 Handle questions involving transformations of declarative sentences into questions, the
conditional, and mood parallelism
 Choose appropriate structures to state complex ideas, often in complex sentences using
subordination or coordination

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ESL Listening Test
Test Description
The ESL Listening Test is a computer-adaptive assessment of test takers’
developed ability to listen to a series of connected discourses, including Quick facts
lectures and conversations involving multiple speakers, and answer questions
that assess comprehension of the information and ideas conveyed. The test is
made up of 20 questions and is intended to collect evidence in support of the
following claim about student performance:
ELLs can demonstrate their developed ability to understand ideas and
information presented in connected discourse on a variety of topics,
compensating for gaps in their lexical and structural control of the
language by using contextual clues.
Listening passages on the test cover a range of contexts, including lectures
and conversations that take place in academic environments, such as
locations on a school or campus (e.g., a computer lab or library), and may reference academic
content students are expected to encounter in college. Conversations may include exchanges among
students or between a student and a professor or college administrator. Such exchanges typically
reflect language that college students can expect to hear either on campus or in social interactions,
such as common idioms and appropriate tone and register. Other conversations may reflect those
that occur in everyday environments, such as interactions that may happen at a restaurant, a
doctor’s office, at work, or at social events. Less challenging listening segments typically contain
familiar contexts and structures, high-frequency words and phrases, and clear underlying
organization. More challenging ones tend to be longer; focus on more complex discourse on less
familiar topics and situations using less familiar vocabulary; and use a wider and less predictable
range of grammatical, syntactic, and organizational structures.
As a direct measure of listening skills, the test presents test takers with pictures of the speakers and
then plays a conversation or lecture. Test takers then hear questions related to the lecture or
conversation and are asked to select the best answer from four options. Questions are multiple-
choice in format and are discrete (stand-alone). Specific listening knowledge and skills assessed on
this test are:
 Literal Comprehension

o Identifying the main subject of a conversation or lecture

o Identifying details and explicitly stated information
o Understanding instructions
 Implied Meaning

o Understanding relationships between ideas (e.g., cause and effect, compare and
contrast)
o Identifying speakers’ purpose, tone, and point of view
o Making reasonable inferences and predictions based on information heard
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The following tables provide a synopsis of key content dimensions of the ESL Listening Test.

Table 7: ESL Listening Test Content Specifications

Number of Questions Percentage of Test
Skills assessed
Literal Comprehension 8–12 40–60
Implied Information 8–12 40–60
Passage types
Conversation 14–16 70–80
Lecture 4–6 20–30
TOTAL 20 100

Table 8: ESL Listening Test Question Content

Content Dimension Description
Literal Comprehension
These questions focus on core listening skills ELLs need for access to and success in college-level
courses, including skills that aid understanding of information that is expressed explicitly.
Implied Meaning
These questions focus on listening skills ELLs need to make reasonable inferences, including those
that aid in identifying implied information (e.g., main idea, speaker’s purpose and point of view) in
utterances and spoken discourse on a range of topics in both academic and social contexts.

Proficiency Statements
Scaled score of about 50
Test takers at this level may show reasonable proficiency in literal comprehension but are likely to
encounter difficulty following instructions and may find it difficult to draw inferences. Although they
may show proficiency in understanding common everyday situations and simple academic
situations, they are likely to have difficulty comprehending more complex life situations and many
academic situations. At this level, they have a relatively small vocabulary of basic words.
Scaled score of about 70
Test takers at this level typically are skilled in literal comprehension and can make the more direct
inferences but may lack the ability to make more complex inferences and to follow instructions.
Although they may show proficiency in understanding most everyday situations and common
academic situations, they may have difficulty comprehending more complex academic situations,
including lectures. At this level, they have a working vocabulary to handle many everyday situations
but will have difficulty with more complex or infrequently used words.

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Scaled score of about 90 or higher
Test takers at this level are able to comprehend both literal and inferential meaning of spoken
material. They typically show proficiency in understanding everyday situations and all types of
academic situations. At this level, they can understand a large number of words and can handle more
complex vocabulary.

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College Board. COMPANION is a trademark owned by College Board. Visit College Board on the web:
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