Note: Grammar and vocabulary are not tested per se in the STANAG 6001 English test. However, both are of necessity in the background of any language test. Errors are expected. They become problematic when the assessors see either a large number of errors or patterns of errors. Everyone will make mistakes; a level 3 test-taker will make less of them and will not show any patterns of errors.
The listening test has approximately 40 items in 6 tasks and takes about 50 minutes. There are some texts you will hear once and others twice. The different types of audio materials that you might hear include: people talking, news stories, military briefings, radio programs, lectures, and interviews. In the different tasks, you may be asked to: identify speakers’ emotions; complete sentences; fill in a chart; match news items to headlines; and answer multiple-choice questions. There are many types of listening you might hear – everything from monologues to lectures to news stories. Be prepared for several different types of tasks and texts within the test.
The speaking test takes up to 25 minutes. We will record it, for your benefit. In case any questions arise, we can listen again or have it reviewed by an outside expert. There will be two testers: one will speak with you and the other one will listen and evaluate. They will give you a rating together. There are four sections in the test: a warm-up where you talk about yourself and your job (about 4 minutes); picture description (about 5 minutes); discussion (about 10 minutes); and mini presentation (about 6 minutes, including preparation time).
The reading test takes 105 minutes and usually has 7 tasks. Some of the different types of texts you might see include: simple paragraphs, essays, news stories, book reviews, brochures, letters, articles, and newspaper announcements. You may be asked to: answer multiple-choice questions; put missing sentences where they belong; put missing paragraphs where they belong; identify the attitude and opinion of the author; identify plotlines in books; scan for information; complete sentences; match items, and write short answers to questions.
The writing test takes 90 minutes and has three tasks to choose from: a description, a job-related letter, and an essay.