English Language Skills Assessment (ELSA)

from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Examinations Board (LCCIEB)

ELSA tests have been developed to meet the needs of employers for reliable
and consistent information on the language proficiency of current and
prospective employees. There are four independent tests in the ELSA
series all of which can be taken on demand:

• The Listening/Reading Test
• The Writing 1 Test
• The Writing 2 Test
• The Speaking Test

ELSA Tests...

• Provide quick turnaround of results.
• Give specific and reliable information.
• Are available in either British or American English.
• Offer the flexibility to test the specific language skills required by a company.
• Provide a ‘snapshot’ of English language proficiency.
• Measure the ability to use ‘real-life’ English, in the work place,
  at home, and in social and travel settings.
• Are of sufficient length to ensure that they reliably test a full
  range of language ability.

Overview of the English Language Skills Assessment
Tests

The Listening/Reading Test

The Listening/Reading Test is in multiple-choice format and takes 1 hour
and 15 minutes.

The Listening Test is scored on a scale of 0 - 250 and consists
of 60 questions in four sections:

1. Rejoinder
2. A-B-A exchange
3. A-B-A-B-A exchange
4. Announcement/Presentation

The Reading Test is scored on a scale of 0 - 250 and consists
of 60 questions in four sections:

1. Sentence completion and vocabulary
2. Cloze passages
3. Error recognition
4. Passages

The Writing 1 Test

The Writing 1 Test is in multiple-choice format and takes 45 minutes.
The test is scored on a scale of 0 - 100 and covers:

1. Sentence completion
2. Error recognition
3. Grammar and syntax

The Writing 2 Test

The Writing 2 Test requires an essay to be written on a specific topic.
Candidates will be required to write on a topic comparing or contrasting
two objects or positions on an issue, providing details and supporting
opinion. The Writing 2 Test is scored on a scale of 0 - 7 and the time
allowed is 40 minutes.

The Speaking Test

The Speaking Test takes 30 minutes. It is scored on a scale of Novice
Low to Superior and consists of 7 formats:

1. Introduction
2. Repetition
3. Short answers
4. Description
5. Extended discourse
6. Picture story
7. Candidate comments