Comprehensibility — how easily a listener can understand a speaker — lies at the heart of successful communication. Yet in language testing, it has often been treated inconsistently. Sometimes it’s broken down into isolated linguistic features, disconnected from real-world communication. Other times, it’s judged intuitively, based on an assessor’s general impression, without considering the listener’s role or broader context.

Discover the 5,000 words learners know best. The Knowledge-based Vocabulary Lists (KVL) were created as part of an innovative research project sponsored by the British Council.

Speaking and writing are key skills in language learning, but scoring these performances is complex and has attracted a lot of attention in both first and second language learning contexts.

A deep dive into what makes a test valid, from theory to real-world practice, highlighting the evidence needed to prove test quality.

This monograph explores common myths about listening tests and offers fresh, practical ideas for how they can be rethought.

Linking language levels to age, this research explores how assessment, especially formative testing, can align with young learners’ linguistic, cognitive, and social development.