Marshallese Writing Examples

The following shows writing examples at various proficiency levels. These were produced by real language learners and may contain errors. See Writing Section Tips at the bottom of this page.

Marshallese Proficiency Tests and Resources

Writing Examples

Level 1: | Novice-Low

At this level, I am able to create individual words that have no extended meaning.

I can share some simple vocabulary, which deals with the prompt/task/situation, but I tend to struggle to connect those words to create meaning.

Le m̗ōttā. Ippān doon eaorōk im kautiej er.j er.

Level 2: | Novice-Mid

At this level, I am beginning to develop the ability to create meaning by grammatically connecting words.

Specifically, I can connect some basic subjects and verbs or verbs and objects, but I may be inconsistent at doing this.

I am often limited in my vocabulary to Novice level topics that I experience in my every-day life or that I have recently learned.

M̗ōttā eaorōk. Kautiej. Io̗kwe. Rej jipan̄ kōj.

Level 3: | Novice-High

At this level, I can create simple sentences with very basic grammatical control and accuracy.

There are often errors in my responses, while at the same time I might have good control with some very simple structures and functions of the language that I have just learned or studied.

At the Novice levels, errors are expected as I try to create simple sentences. Generally, the sentences that I am able to create are very basic and simple with few, if any, added details.

Elukkuun aorōk bwe jen le m̗ōttā kōnke juon iien im juon raan jenaaj baj aikuji jipan̄ ko aer.

Level 4: | Intermediate-Low

At this level, I can create simple sentences with some added detail; such sentences help create VARIETY.

At the Intermediate Low level, simple sentences are enhanced by use of prepositional phrases, helping verb usage, as well as some adverbs and a variety of adjectives.

I generally create independent sentences (ideas) that can be moved around without affecting the overall meaning of the response. There are still a number of errors in my response, but I have fairly good control of more basic sentences. I am feeling more confident in using different structures and expanding vocabulary and taking more risks with my responses.

N̄e kwōkōn̗aan bwe en lōn̄ m̗ōttam̗, kwōj aikuj jel̗ā kautiej er. Ijo enaaj jino an lōn̄ m̗ōttam̗ ie ej ilo jikin jikuul̗ im ijeko jet. Ijeko kein komaron̄ etal im ikkure ippān ajiri ro im jujen jel̗ā kajjeem̗

Level 5: | Intermediate-Mid

At this level, I can now create enough language to show groupings of ideas.

My thoughts are loosely connected and cannot be moved around without affecting meaning.

I can also create a few sentences with complexity and am able to use some transition words.  I am also able to use more than just simple present tense, but often make mistakes when I try to use other tenses.

My vocabulary use is expanding and I am able to use more than the usual, high frequency or most common vocabulary. I feel that I am able to create new language on my own and communicate my everyday needs without too much difficulty.

Elōn̄ kain kilen m̗ōttā ippān armej. Kwōj aikuj juon eo ejouj, ejel̗ā jipan̄, im emaron̄ bōjrak l̗ak ippān rein m̗ōttaer jān iien n̄an iien im lale er. Em̗m̗anl̗o̗k n̄e kwōjab m̗ōttā tak wōt, akō kwōn lale ro me komaron̄ koba l̗ak ippān ro me renaaj jipan̄ im lale eok. Kwōn koba l̗ak ippān ro jet, akō kwōn lukkuun mejmej-karruo wōt im lale armej ro me remaron̄ kōm̗m̗an am̗ jorrāān. N̄e kwōj kappok m̗ōttam̗, jouj im pukot im lale ro me renaaj ukot bōkā eo n̄an eok (lale eok, jipan̄ eok, im wāween ko āierl̗akwōt).

Level 6: | Intermediate-High

At this level, I have good control of the language and feel quite confident about an increasing range of topics.

There are still some occasional errors in my language production, but that does not hinder my ability to communicate what I need to share.

I can use circumlocution to explain or describe things for which I do not know specific vocabulary or structures. I can understand and use different time frames and am just beginning to develop the ability to switch most time frames with accuracy. I can use transition words and concepts with some ease. My language has a more natural flow, but I still may have some unnatural pauses or hesitations.

Ilo mour in, elukkuun in pen ad kappok m̗ōttad. Epen ad jel̗ā wōn ro rem̗m̗an, rejouj, rejel̗ā kautiej, im wāween ko āierl̗akwōt. Armej ro me kwōnaaj kōn̗aan koba l̗ak im m̗ōttā ippāer rej kain armej ro me enaaj em̗m̗an am̗ pād ippāer. Armej rot rein epidodo am̗ kwal̗o̗ki l̗ak jipan̄ ko am̗ n̄an er. Armej rein eban likjab peier jān aer lale eok im reban ko̗kkure eok. Renaaj pād ippam̗ im jutak likūm ilo jabdewōt m̗akūtkūt. Jon̄an aer epaake eok ajiri ro nejier renaaj āinwōt bar ajiri ro nejim̗. Ajiri ro nejim̗ renaaj bareinwōt nejier.

Level 7: | Advanced-Low

At this level my response contains a number of complexities with higher degree of accuracy.

Such language allows me to address each aspect of the prompt more completely and with more depth of meaning.

I am able to use Advanced vocabulary or Advanced terms, conjugations etc. with confidence. I feel that I can create natural flow using as much detail and descriptive language as possible to create a clear picture. Errors with more complex structures may still occur. My ability to switch time frames begins to increase in accuracy.

Ta in ‘m̗ōttā’ ak ‘jerā’ Naan kein ‘m̗ōttā’ ak ‘jerā’, rej mel̗el̗e in ke rej jet armej ro im el̗ap aer epaake eok, el̗ap aer lōke eok, im el̗aptata rej io̗kwe eok. Ilo wāween rōt? Repaake eok im rejel̗ā būruōm̗. Epidodo am̗ kōnono ippāer kōn elōn̄ menin kōnono im appelon̄lon̄ ko me kwōjjab errā kaki ak ejjel̗o̗k am̗ maron̄ ioo-er. Ro m̗ōttam̗ im ro jeram̗ rej jet ro me el̗ap aer io̗kwe eok. Ekkar n̄an jet eoon ilo Bible, io̗kwe ejjab ebbanban im ejjab kōmjāje. Kōn men in, armej ro m̗ōttam̗ ak jeram̗ im kwepaake er rej jet ro rejjab ebbanbane eok, im rej jet ro rejjab kōmjāje kōn aer jeraam̗m̗an. Kappok m̗ōttad ejjel̗o̗k oktak jān ad kōm̗m̗ani jokāālōt ko ad ilo mour in. Juon-im-juon ej aikuj in pojak, im ej aikuj in jel̗ā ba ‘Jaab!’ n̄e ej loe ke ejjab ekkar. Āinwōt an wal̗o̗k ilo kōkadede ko ad ke “Nana l̗ak im nana tok, kan̄i ko!”; akō “Em̗m̗an l̗ak im em̗m̗an tok, dāj jej ba wōt m̗ool.” N̄e kwōj kōn̗aan bōk elōn̄l̗o̗k wōt mel̗el̗e, ekwe etōreen n̄an am̗ kiiō pitōk pein li-būbū im l̗a-jim̗m̗a – ak jabdewōt ilo nukwōn eo am̗. Komaron̄ kōnono ippān ro jeram̗ ak m̗ōttam̗.

Level 8: | Advanced-Mid

At this level my response demonstrates my ease with the language.

I am able to create a response which not only addresses each aspect of the prompt, but delves into each point with clarity and concise language.

I am able to incorporate a number of more complex structures as well as Advanced vocabulary and Advanced phrases with a higher degree of accuracy throughout the majority of the response.

The language I create has a natural flow due to the way I incorporate a variety of patterns and complexities into my response. My response shows my ability to create language that has sophistication of language skills and syntactical density. My ability to switch time frames accurately is evident, if called for in the prompt.

Aorōkin menin le m̗ōttā ilo mour in im ta ko jemaron̄ in kōm̗m̗ani bwe en lōn̄l̗o̗k m̗ōttad ren epaake kōj rej āinwōt kein. Juon, elukkuun in aorōk ilo mour in bwe jen pād iturin armej ro im rejitenbōro ippād. Eaorōk kōnke en wōr jet ro m̗ōttad im repaake kōj kōnke ilo mour in jelukkuun in jeraam̗m̗an el̗an̄n̄e elōn̄ ro repaake kōj im rejitenbōro ippād. Jejjab lale wōt doon, akō jej io̗kwe im jipan̄ doon. M̗anit eo ad ej kallikkar ke kōj armej in lale doon. Jej armej in tūriam̗o. Jej armej in jel̗ā n̗ae doon, kautiej doon im wāween ko āierl̗akwōt ekkar n̄an m̗antin M̗ajel̗. Ewōr juon jabōnkōnnaan an rūtto ro ad ej ba, “Ippān doon ej kwal̗o̗k juon kajoor. Jepel jān doon ej kwal̗o̗k m̗ōjn̗o.” El̗ap an aorōk bwe en wōr m̗ōttam̗ bwe kom̗in lale doon, tōl doon ilo m̗akūtkūt ko rem̗m̗an, jipan̄ doon ilo iien ko reppen ilo mour in. Pukot jet ro m̗ōttam̗ im rejel̗ā lale armej. Rejel̗ā tūriam̗o kōn ro jet. Rejouj im ettā būruoer. Remeaanwōd. Rejel̗ā m̗anit, im rejel̗ā kautiej rūtto ro - el̗aptata rej kautiej Anij. El̗an̄n̄e kwōnaaj aititōl juon eo ejjab em̗m̗an m̗wilin, innām komaron̄ in po ilo wāween im m̗akūtkūt renaaj jelōt eok. Juon eo em̗m̗an m̗wilin im kwōnaaj aetōle enaaj kōm̗m̗an bwe kwōn kōm̗m̗ani men ko rem̗m̗an. Eaorōk bwe kwōn pukot ro me reban kōm̗m̗an bwe kwōn oktam jorrāān ak jerata ilo aolepān am̗ m̗akūtkūt. Em̗m̗an ain tok doon n̄an m̗akūtkūt ko rem̗m̗an im el̗ap wōnm̗aanl̗o̗k ie. Kom̗in jipan̄ doon ilo katak ko ami ilo jikin jikuul̗, jipan̄ rūtto ro jinemi im jemāmi im ro jet iturumi ilo kapijuknen ko. Lukkuun mejmej-karruo kōn m̗wil ko m̗wilin rein m̗ōttam̗ im jeram̗. Lale el̗an̄n̄e rej jet ro im reirōōrmej, rej ke jet ro rej pukoj elōn̄ karōk im m̗akūtkūt ilo juon jukjuk-im-pād? Kwōn lale rej ke jet ri-kadek. Jet kein kajjitōk komaron̄ kajitūkini eok make m̗okta jān am̗ koba l̗ak im kappok m̗ōttam̗. Baj jān n̄an eo, ewōr juon m̗ōtta elukkuun in epaake eō ilo mour e aō. Juon iien jet m̗ōttamro ajiri raar itok im ba kōmro en etal ippāer n̄an juon bade. Kōnke ajiri rein el̗ap aer baj ebbadede, iar ba n̄an ledik eo m̗ōtta ke kōmro ejjab etal. Kōn an ledik eo lukkuun epaake ledik rein jet, eaar wōnm̗aanl̗o̗k wōt im etal. Raan eo juon, iar ron̄ tok ke ledik in m̗ōtta im ajiri ro jet m̗ōttamro raar itaak kōn wa eo waaer ippān bar juon wa. Aolepāer raar del̗o̗n̄ im pād ilo aujpitōl̗ ilo juon iien eo eaiitok kūtien. Juon iaer eaar jako. Keememej bwe elukkuun in aorōk le m̗ōttā n̄an am̗ lale er ak rej bar lale eok. Kom̗ij bareinwōt jipan̄ doon. Keememej im kāālōt ro me kwōj tōmak renaaj tōl eok n̄an m̗akūtkūt ko rem̗m̗an im lale doon toon wōt ami mour.