US 28062 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 190 KB]

For Merit, the learner needs to participate in a formal interview to communicate ideas effectively.

This involves:

• using conventions and language features appropriate to a formal interview, with minor lapses
• speaking coherently, with a degree of fluency and spontaneity
• giving developed responses
• demonstrating good control of a wide range of appropriate language features
• conveying meaning of spoken text, with minor inconsistencies.

This learner has participated in an interview for a job as an apprentice builder.

Conventions and language features are consistently appropriate to a formal interview. Greeting and leave-taking are formal. Formal register is used, with minor lapses (‘you guys’, ‘yeh’). The learner’s demeanour is consistently polite and respectful. Eye contact is appropriate.

Spoken text is coherent and fluent, with a degree of spontaneity. There are no hesitations. Rephrasing is minimal. Responses are natural and unrehearsed.

Responses are developed by expanding on statements with supporting detail, e.g. ‘I’ve worked at a mechanical store… underneath the cars… I was working with my father, strip and assemble the cars… and I’m currently volunteering… working with a lot of customers…’.

Responses demonstrate control of a wide range of appropriate language features. These include word choice,  e.g. ‘active’, ‘creative’, and some collocations, e.g. ‘apprenticeship’, ‘fall in line’, ‘my mechanical side’, ‘professional builder’. Simple, compound and some complex sentences are used. A wide range of verb forms, including modals, are used with good control. Phonological features are strong. Pronunciation, stress, intonation, pace and rhythm are used effectively with good control. Inconsistencies are rare and minor.

Merit - Video

For Merit, the learner needs to participate in a formal interview to communicate ideas effectively.

This involves:

• using conventions and language features appropriate to a formal interview, with minor lapses
• speaking coherently, with a degree of fluency and spontaneity
• giving developed responses
• demonstrating good control of a wide range of appropriate language features
• conveying meaning of spoken text, with minor inconsistencies.

This learner has participated in an interview with a school dean.

Conventions and language features are appropriate to a formal interview, although formal greeting and leave-taking are not elicited. The speaker’s behaviour and register are consistently polite. Eye contact is appropriate.

Spoken text is coherent and fluent. There are no hesitations and responses are natural and unrehearsed.

All responses are developed and extended by linking and explaining additional details, e.g. ‘I think I will be working and living at my home country… because… I think I will… If I bring… that attitude and use that knowledge… I think I will…’.

Responses demonstrate control of a wide range of appropriate language features. These include some precise vocabulary, e.g. ‘location’, ‘gregarious’, ‘medium level’, ‘salary’, and complex sentence structures. Responses are usually clear and well-paced, with accurate pronunciation at word level, although there is little variation in intonation. Errors and inconsistencies in verb tenses and forms occur, e.g. ‘a person that like’, ‘it have’.

For a more secure Merit, the learner could greet and take leave formally, make fewer verb use errors, and use more variation in intonation.

Low Merit - Video

For Achieved, the learner needs to participate in a formal interview to communicate ideas.

This involves:

• using conventions and language features generally appropriate to a formal interview, with some lapses
• speaking coherently in general with evidence of emerging fluency and spontaneity
• demonstrating control of a range of appropriate language features
• conveying meaning of spoken text, with errors and inconsistencies which do not obscure meaning.

This learner has participated in an interview for a job in a hunting and fishing shop.

Conventions and language features are appropriate to a formal interview. The speaker’s demeanour is consistently respectful and polite, with appropriate eye contact. Greeting and leave-taking are formal. Formal register is used throughout.

Spoken text is coherent and fluent, with a degree of spontaneity. There are no hesitations, and rephrasing is minimal. Responses are natural and unrehearsed.

Responses are developed by expanding statements with supporting detail, e.g. ‘I’m hoping to do a building course next year and…get a building apprenticeship and… be a builder….my own business building houses’.

Responses demonstrate control of a range of appropriate language features. These include word choices and collocation, e.g. ‘equipment’, ‘communication skills’, ‘general duties’, and idiom (‘put yourself in their shoes’), as well as simple, compound and some complex sentences. A range of verb forms, including modals, is used with control, e.g. ‘used to live’, ‘had to deal with’. A range of phonological features are used – pronunciation, intonation, stress, and pace.

To reach Merit, the learner could use a wider range of language features.

High Achieved - Video

For Achieved, the learner needs to participate in a formal interview to communicate ideas.

This involves:

• using conventions and language features generally appropriate to a formal interview, with some lapses
• speaking coherently in general with evidence of emerging fluency and spontaneity
• demonstrating control of a range of appropriate language features
• conveying meaning of spoken text, with errors and inconsistencies which do not obscure meaning.

This learner has participated in an interview for a counter staff job at a fast food restaurant.

Conventions and language features are appropriate to a formal interview. The learner’s demeanour is respectful and polite throughout, with appropriate eye contact. Greeting and leave-taking are formal. Formal register is generally used, although ‘yep’ and ‘like’ as a filler occur.

Spoken text is coherent, with emerging spontaneity and fluency. Occasional pauses occur mid-sentence, as the learner searches for words. Responses are generally natural and unrehearsed. Some responses could be expanded in the context of the application, such as those relating to previous work experience and the ability to work under pressure.

Responses demonstrate control of a range of appropriate language features.

These include word choices and some collocation, e.g. ‘communication skills’, ‘customer service’, ‘gain work experience’, with occasional inconsistencies, e.g. ‘had option to get, like, hold money’, ‘interacting in front house’.  Simple, compound and some complex sentences, and a range of verb forms are used, e.g. ‘applied’, ‘it will help’, ‘I’m hoping’. A range of phonological features are used to communicate ideas – pronunciation, intonation and stress.

Achieved - Video