Assessment of Grammar

Assessment of Grammar
Helen Huntley
Senior English Language Fellow
Ministry of Education and Training
Hanoi, Vietnam
Workshop Goals

To review the components of grammatical knowledge, ability, and performance
To explore grammar test tasks
To review types of multiple choice grammar questions
To design multiple choice questions and answers to test specific grammar points
What is Grammar?


Form-based perspective
Form and use-based perspective
Communication-based perspective
A Grammar ‘Chart’
Grammar Form > Pragmatic Meaning
Grammatical knowledge, ability, and performance 2004. Purpura, J. Assessing Grammar. Cambridge UP
Grammar Test Tasks
Selected-response tasks
Multiple-choice
True/false
Matching
Discrimination activities
Word lists’ activities
Grammaticality judgment activities
Noticing activities
Grammar Test Tasks
2. Limited production tasks
Gap-filling
Cloze
Short answer
Dictation
Information transfer
Dialog completion
Grammar Test Tasks
3. Extended-production tasks
Essays, summaries
Dialogs, interviews
Role-plays, simulations
Stories, reports
Information-gap
Problem-solving
Decision making
Multiple-choice I
To test grammatical form (word order)

Can’t Jim drive us to the restaurant?
He has _____ to take us all.

a. such small a car
b. very small a car
c. a too small car
d. too small a car
Multiple-choice II
To test grammatical form and meaning

A. Will you and Steven take a vacation this year?
B. I imagine _____.

a. it
b. so
c. that
d. we’ll
Multiple-choice III
To test grammatical form and meaning (multiple meanings?)

A. Wow! You got a new hairdo. I love it!
B. Thanks, but ____________________
A. No, you don’t. You look great!

a. I liked it the other way.
b. What happened to you?
c. You look great!
d. I look ridiculous!
Multiple-choice error identification
To measure grammatical form

As my car had broken down, I decided to go there by foot.
Multiple choice IV
To test grammatical form: parallelism


We all admire James for his honesty, positive attitude, and he is intelligent.
Multiple choice V
To test grammatical form of sentence completion: logical clause connectors

Harry will be ill __________.

A. if he takes a few days’ rest
B. unless he takes a few days’ rest
C. in case he takes a few days’ rest
D. provided he takes a few days’ rest
Multiple choice VI
To test grammatical form: paraphrase of meaning

No sooner had he put down the telephone than his wife rang back.

A. Hardly he had hung up, he rang his wife at once.
B. Scarcely had he put the telephone down when his wife rang back.
C. He had hardly put the telephone down without his wife rang back.
D. As soon as his wife rang back, he put down the telephone.
EVALUATION OF GRAMMAR ITEMS: PROBLEM AREAS

Evaluate the following multiple choice grammar items.
Identify problem areas
Correct/improve problem areas
#1

1. My boyfriend hates __________ a lie.
A. telling
B. tell
C. told
D. to tell
#2

2. Adults are also interested __________ watching cartoons.
A. in
B. at
C. to
D. on
#3

3. You will fail the exams __________
A. if you study hard
B. unless you study hard
C. unless you studied hard
D. in case you are studious
#4

4. __________ __________ he works, __________ __________ he becomes.
A. the harder/cleverer
B. the harder/the cleverer
C. the hardest/the cleverest
D. harder/cleverer
#5


5. This table is very hard because it is made from stone.
#6


6. Getting of the car, Mary ran into her room and turned on the television to watch the match.
Your turn!
Partner Activity
30 minutes

Write AT LEAST 5 multiple choice questions following the directions provided