C-WP/11963
A-1
1.1 ICAO language proficiency rating scale: Expert, Extended and Operational Levels.
LEVEL PRONUNCIATION
ASSUMES A DIALECT AND/OR
ACCENT INTELLIGIBLE TO THE
AERONAUTICAL COMMUNITY.
Pronunciation, stress,
rhythm, and intonation,
though possibly
EXPERT influenced by the first
language or regional
6 variation, almost never
interfere with ease of
understanding.
Pronunciation, stress,
rhythm, and intonation,
though influenced by
the first language or
EXTENDED regional variation,
rarely interfere with
5 ease of understanding.
Pronunciation, stress,
rhythm, and intonation
are influenced by the
first language or
OPERATIONAL regional variation but
LEVEL only sometimes
interfere with ease of
4 understanding.
Pronunciation, stress,
rhythm, and intonation
are influenced by the
first language or
PRE- regional variation and
STRUCTURE
RELEVANT GRAMMATICAL
STRUCTURES AND SENTENCE
PATTERNS ARE DETERMINED BY
LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS APPROPRIATE
TO THE TASK.
Both basic and complex
grammatical structures
and sentence patterns
are consistently well
controlled.
Basic grammatical
structures and sentence
patterns are consistently
well controlled. Complex
structures are attempted
but with errors which
sometimes interfere with
meaning.
Basic grammatical
structures and sentence
patterns are used
creatively and are
usually well controlled.
Errors may occur,
particularly in unusual
or unexpected
circumstances, but
rarely interfere with
meaning.
Basic grammatical
structures and sentence
patterns associated with
predictable situations
are not always well
Appendix A
ATTACHMENT TO ANNEX 1
VOCABULARY FLUENCY COMPREHENSION INTERACTIONS
Vocabulary range and Able to speak at length Comprehension is Interacts with ease in
accuracy are sufficient with a natural, effortless consistently accurate in nearly nearly all situations. Is
to communicate flow. Varies speech flow all contexts and includes sensitive to verbal and
effectively on a wide for stylistic effect, e.g. to comprehension of linguistic non-verbal cues, and
variety of familiar and emphasize a point. Uses and cultural subtleties. responds to them
unfamiliar topics. appropriate discourse appropriately.
Vocabulary is idiomatic, markers and connectors
nuanced, and sensitive spontaneously.
to register.
Vocabulary range and Able to speak at length Comprehension is accurate on Responses are immediate,
accuracy are sufficient with relative ease on common, concrete, and work appropriate, and
to communicate familiar topics, but may not related topics and mostly informative. Manages the
effectively on common, vary speech flow as a accurate when the speaker is speaker/listener
concrete, and work stylistic device. Can make confronted with a linguistic or relationship effectively.
related topics. use of appropriate situational complication or an
Paraphrases discourse markers or unexpected turn of events. Is
consistently and connectors. able to comprehend a range of
successfully. Vocabulary speech varieties (dialect
is sometimes idiomatic. and/or accent) or registers.
Vocabulary range and Produces stretches of Comprehension is mostly Responses are usually
accuracy are usually language at an appropriate accurate on common, immediate, appropriate,
sufficient to tempo. There may be concrete, and work related and informative. Initiates
communicate effectively occasional loss of fluency topics when the accent or and maintains exchanges
on common, concrete, on transition from variety used is sufficiently even when dealing with an
and work related topics. rehearsed or formulaic intelligible for an international unexpected turn of events.
Can often paraphrase speech to spontaneous community of users. When the Deals adequately with
successfully when interaction, but this does speaker is confronted with a apparent
lacking vocabulary in not prevent effective linguistic or situational misunderstandings by
unusual or unexpected communication. Can make complication or an unexpected checking, confirming, or
circumstances. limited use of discourse turn of events, comprehension clarifying.
markers or connectors. may be slower or require
Fillers are not distracting. clarification strategies.
Vocabulary range and Produces stretches of Comprehension is often Responses are sometimes
accuracy are often language, but phrasing accurate on common, immediate, appropriate,
sufficient to and pausing are often concrete, and work related and informative. Can
communicate on inappropriate. Hesitations topics when the accent or initiate and maintain
common, concrete, or or slowness in language variety used is sufficiently exchanges with reasonable
C-WP/11963
A-2 Appendix A

OPERATIONAL frequently interfere controlled. Errors work related topics but processing may prevent intelligible for an international ease on familiar topics and
with ease of frequently interfere with range is limited and the effective communication. community of in predictable situations.
3 understanding. meaning. word choice often Fillers are sometimes users. May fail to understand Generally inadequate when
inappropriate. Is often distracting. a linguistic or situational dealing with an unexpected
unable to paraphrase complication or an turn of events.
successfully when unexpected turn of events.
lacking vocabulary.
Pronunciation, stress, Shows only limited Limited vocabulary Can produce very short, Comprehension is limited to Response time is slow, and
rhythm, and intonation control of a few simple range consisting only of isolated, memorized isolated, memorized phrases often inappropriate.
ELEMENTARY are heavily influenced memorized grammatical isolated words and utterances with frequent when they are carefully and Interaction is limited to
by the first language or structures and sentence memorized phrases. pausing and a distracting slowly articulated. simple routine exchanges.
2 regional variation and patterns. use of fillers to search for
usually interfere with expressions and to
ease of understanding. articulate less familiar
words.
PRE- Performs at a level Performs at a level Performs at a level Performs at a level below Performs at a level below Performs at a level below
ELEMENTARY below the Elementary below the Elementary below the Elementary the Elementary level. the Elementary level. the Elementary level.
1
level. level. level.