Marking guidelines for oral exams

Specific assessment criteria and marking guidelines apply to oral exams for CCAFL and non-CCAFL Continuers languages. Find out how Continuers languages are assessed.

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Languages (non-CCAFL)

These marking guidelines apply to:

Conversation

Outcomes assessed

H1.1 uses a range of strategies to maintain communication.
H1.2 conveys information appropriate to context, purpose and audience.
H1.3 exchanges and justifies opinions and ideas.
H1.4 reflects on aspects of past, present and future experience.

Marking guidelines

Criteria	Marks
engages effectively and fluently in a conversation by responding in some depth to a range of questions uses consistently appropriate language features to enhance communication, such as intonation manipulates language with a high level of grammatical accuracy in a range of contexts demonstrates an excellent knowledge of vocabulary and language structures	17–20
responds fluently with relevant information in some depth to a range of questions uses appropriate language features to enhance communication, such as intonation manipulates language in a range of contexts demonstrates knowledge of a range of vocabulary and language structures	13–16
maintains satisfactory communication with some degree of fluency but with possible repetition and inaccuracies in grammar and vocabulary responds to questions with relevant information and opinions demonstrates some ability to manipulate language	9–12
maintains a basic level of communication using simple structures and vocabulary with pauses and errors presents some relevant information, opinions or ideas	5–8
responds to some questions using single words and formulaic expressions	1–4

Languages (CCAFL)

These marking guidelines come into effect in 2025 and apply to:

Outcomes assessed

1.1 applies a range of strategies to interact and sustain communication appropriate to different audiences, purposes, social and cultural contexts.
1.2 discusses and justifies opinions and ideas on prescribed topics and perspectives.
3.1 applies knowledge of language features and structures to create meaning in texts.
3.2 structures and sequences texts appropriate to different audiences, purposes, social and cultural contexts.
3.3 creates texts to express opinions, ideas and perspectives.

Marking guidelines

Criteria	Mark
communicates effectively and fluently using intonation and/or other authentic language features demonstrates a sophisticated and in-depth understanding of 2 or 3 prescribed topics presents and substantiates well-reasoned opinions and ideas effectively and consistently from personal, community and global perspectives demonstrates perceptive intercultural understanding, using appropriate idiomatic expressions, register and cultural concepts consistently demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy and sophistication in the use of vocabulary and language structures	13–15
communicates effectively using intonation and/or other language features demonstrates an in-depth understanding of 2 or 3 prescribed topics presents and substantiates opinions and ideas effectively from personal, community and global perspectives demonstrates a high level of intercultural understanding, using appropriate idiomatic expressions, register and cultural concepts demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy in the use of vocabulary and language structures	10–12
communicates using appropriate language features and/or intonation demonstrates a sound understanding of the prescribed topic(s) presents opinions and ideas from personal, community and/or global perspectives demonstrates sound intercultural understanding, using appropriate idiomatic expressions AND/OR register and cultural concepts demonstrates a sound level of grammatical accuracy in the use of vocabulary and language structure	7–9
communicates using some appropriate language features and/or intonation demonstrates a basic understanding of the prescribed topic(s) presents opinions and/or ideas from personal and/or community and/or global perspectives demonstrates basic intercultural understanding, using some appropriate register and/or cultural concepts uses simple vocabulary and language structures	4–6
communicates using simple language features and/or intonation demonstrates an elementary understanding of the prescribed topic(s) uses simple vocabulary and/or language structures	1–3

Modern Hebrew Continuers and Vietnamese Continuers

These marking guidelines apply to:

Conversation

Outcomes assessed

H1.1 uses a range of strategies to maintain communication.
H1.2 conveys information appropriate to context, purpose and audience.
H1.3 exchanges and justifies opinions and ideas on known topics.
H1.4 reflects on aspects of past, present and future experience.

Marking guidelines

Criteria	Marks
engages effectively and fluently in a conversation by responding in depth to a range of questions uses consistently appropriate language features to enhance communication, such as intonation manipulates language with a high level of grammatical accuracy in a range of contexts demonstrates an excellent knowledge of vocabulary and language structures	9–10
responds fluently with relevant information in some depth to a range of questions uses appropriate language features to enhance communication, such as intonation manipulates language in a range of contexts demonstrates knowledge of a range of vocabulary and language structures	7–8
maintains satisfactory communication with some degree of fluency but with possible repetition and inaccuracies in grammar and vocabulary responds to questions with relevant information and opinions demonstrates some ability to manipulate language	5–6
maintains a basic level of communication using simple structures and vocabulary with pauses and errors presents some relevant information, opinions or ideas	3–4
responds to some questions using single words and formulaic expressions	1–2

Discussion

Outcomes assessed

H1.1 uses a range of strategies to maintain communication.
H1.2 conveys information appropriate to context, purpose and audience.
H1.3 exchanges and justifies opinions and ideas on known topics.
H1.4 reflects on aspects of past, present and future experience.
H4.1 recognises and employs language appropriate to different social contexts.
H4.2 identifies values, attitudes and beliefs of cultural significance.
H4.3 reflects upon significant aspects of language and culture.

Marking guidelines

Criteria	Marks
demonstrates a sophisticated and in-depth understanding of the topic makes detailed and perceptive references to the texts studied demonstrates a highly developed ability to discuss and substantiate a point of view effectively and consistently demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy and sophistication in the use of vocabulary and sentence structures	13–15
demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the topic makes detailed references to the texts studied demonstrates an ability to discuss and substantiate a point of view effectively and consistently demonstrates breadth and accuracy in the use of vocabulary and sentence structures	10–12
presents information, and a range of ideas and/or opinions relevant to the topic makes specific references to the texts studied demonstrates some ability to discuss and justify a point of view effectively uses language effectively	7–9
presents information, and opinions or ideas relevant to the topic makes some appropriate references to the texts studied provides some evidence of the ability to discuss a point of view uses language structures comprehensibly	4–6
demonstrates a superficial understanding of the chosen topic makes some superficial references to texts responds using simple structures and vocabulary with frequent pauses and errors	1–3

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