STYLE Level 2
STYLE Level 2 is aimed to bridge the A1 and A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Here you’ll find information for Level 2 regarding:
Level
STYLE 2 is aimed to bridge the A1 and A2 level. For this reason, the overall descriptors of both levels of the CEFR have been used to guide the content and level of the examination. According to these descriptors, users at this level can:
- Follow speech that is very slow and carefully articulated, with long pauses for him/her to assimilate meaning.
- Understand phrases and expressions related to areas of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography) provided speech is clearly and slowly articulated.
- Understand short, simple texts containing the highest frequency vocabulary, including a proportion of shared international vocabulary items. - Write short, simple formulaic notes relating to matters in areas of immediate need. Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like “and", “but” and “because”.
- Interact in a simple way but communication is totally dependent on repetition at a slower rate of speech, rephrasing and repair. - Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters to do with work and free time.
- Handle very short social exchanges but is rarely able to understand enough to keep conversation going of his/her own accord.
Format & Content of STYLE Level 2
| Section | Time | Total marks | No. of Tasks | Tasks | No. of questions | Format (excluding examples) |
| Listening | 20 minutes | 24 | 4 | Task 1 | 6 |
6 short dialogues heard twice with 1 question per dialogue – candidates match the person with the picture |
| Task 2 | 6 |
1 dialogue heard twice – 6 short statements to which candidates choose True or False |
||||
| Task 3 | 6 |
1 dialogue heard twice with a description – candidates complete 6 gaps in a simple form |
||||
| Task 4 | 6 |
6 short dialogues heard twice with 1 question per dialogue and 3 picture answer choices per question |
||||
| Reading & Use of Language |
25 minutes | 25 | 6 | Task 1 | 4 |
1 short text with 4 multiple-choice questions, each with 4 answer choices |
| Task 2 | 5 |
3 short texts with 5 multiple-choice questions, each with 3 answer choices |
||||
| Task 3 | 5 |
5 short sentences, each with a gap and 4 answer choices |
||||
| Task 4 | 5 |
5 short sentences, each with a gap and 4 answer choices |
||||
|
Task 5 |
3 | 3 short dialogues, each with 1 gap – candidates choose the correct option from a list | ||||
| Task 6 | 3 | 1 dialogue with 3 gaps – candidates choose the correct option from a list | ||||
| Writing | 25 minutes | 18 | 2 | Task 1 | 1 |
Providing personal information |
| Task 2 | 1 |
Writing a short text |
||||
| Speaking | 5-7 minutes | 9 | 4 | Task 1 | - |
Answering personal questions |
| Task 2 | - |
Understanding and providing information in an information gap activity |
||||
| Task 3 | - |
Guided discussion in order to reach an agreement |
||||
| Task 4 | - | Follow-up questions asking about preferences |
Scoring
The results of STYLE 2 are given for each of the four sections: Listening, Reading and Use of Language, Writing, and Speaking. Candidates receive a scale score for each section expressed as a number of dolphins between one and five, with one dolphin as the lowest scoring result and five dolphins as the highest scoring result.
There is no pass or fail for the test and no overall score given. Candidates who receive a result of three, four or five dolphins for the four sections on the test are considered to be ready to proceed to the next level.
The Writing Section
The Writing Section is scored out of a total of nine marks. There are three criteria: Task Completion, Organization, and Linguistic Resources.
Each criterion provides between one and three marks: a candidate below the level for a criterion receives a score of 1 for that criterion; a candidate at the level receives a 2; while a candidate above the level receives a 3.
The number of marks from the two tasks is added together to give a total score out of eighteen. Candidates receive between one and five dolphins which shows their scale-score achievement for the Writing Section.
The Speaking Section
The Speaking Section is scored out of a total of nine marks. There are three criteria: Task Completion, Fluency and Interaction, and Linguistic Resources.
Each criterion provides between one and three marks: a candidate below the level for a criterion receives a score of 1 for that criterion; a candidate at the level receives a 2; while a candidate above the level receives a 3.
The number of marks is added together to give a total score out of nine. Candidates receive between one and five dolphins which shows their scale-score achievement for the Speaking Section.