Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic tests used for testing speaking proficiency of non-native speakers of English.

Couper's Citrus Birdbath Test*

Source: Graeme Couper, School of Languages, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Part 1: Record these sentences on the tape.

  1. It’s good to eat oranges and lemons in winter.
  2. He lit lots of cigarettes because he had to wait for a long time.
  3. Victoria walked all the way even though she wasn’t feeling very well.
  4. He speaks Spanish with a strong accent.
  5. We’ve got hot and cold baked potatoes for breakfast.
  6. Heat the beans and put them on a plate.
  7. I’ve been waiting since five to seven and now it’s ten past twelve.
  8. Many kind men and women live on the slopes of Mount Eden.
  9. Haven’t you ever seen girls and boys cheering and shouting for joy.
  10. He loves sailing through storms.
  11. The lawns in Greenlane are great.
  12. She threw her perfect birthday jumper in the birdbath.

Part 2: Introduce yourself. You have five minutes to prepare. Say your name and where you are from. Then you could tell me something about what you did before you came to New Zealand, your plans for the future, your family or anything else you want to talk about. One or two minutes will be long enough. You can make a few notes first but don’t write down everything you plan to say.

* Title is mine, It is taken from the author's name and words in the first and last sentences.