English 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.

English 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.

kids home and TV or play read. Favorite movie Moana.

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.

kids play home and watch TV or play games. read. play watch movies. watch jungle book

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.

kids play games. home I watch TV or play video games. I read books. Kids play Kids watch movies. Favorite movie is frozen.

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.

Some kids play games or hopskotch with other kids. Some kids stay at home and watch TV or play video games in family room. Lots of kids play Video games with friends. Kids play sports after scholl. Kids watch cartoons on satrday.

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.

I have had many good things happen to me in my life. I have so many good memories. One that I feel is the best is playing golf. I played golf since I was 5 years old. My father and mother like to play golf since they were young. They taught me many things about golf. When I was in highschool for the first time, I played on the school team. We were very good. My coach taught me more things. I learned many thing that is important to me now. I learned to not get mad. Sometimes I would hit a bad ball and it would make me mad. I would play bad the rest of the round. My couch was a good teacher.

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.

One of the best experiences that I have had so far in my life was my trip to France for the student exchange. It has been memorable to see students whose way of life was different from Americans. During the trip, we visited multiple historical sites and museums and restaurants and city shops. The most amazing part was being with a exchange student at their house and living the life they would. Food is a big part of the trip to France, but there was so much more as well. I still think of the fact that our home country is often seen as the one and only. However, the trip to a European country where everything is different has proved people wrong. I know this experience will be one that I will remember forever.

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.

I think one of the worst, and best things to happen to me was my concussion. The date was January 4th, 2016. It was the first day back to school from winter break, and I didn't want to get out of bed. I quietly went downstairs and made myself some peanut butter toast in the dark, I felt too lazy to cross the room and turn on the light. I needed to get some schoolwork resting on my bed so I could put it in my bookbag. I tiptoed up the stairs and entered my room. I grabbed my school supplies and with my arms completely full I went down the stairs. I crossed the dark hallway, thinking about what assignments I needed to finish. I still hadn't turned on the light and that was the worst mistake I made that morning. I tripped over a broomstick that was laying on the floor. I couldn't use my arms to catch myself because they were full of schoolwork. I fell flat on my forehead. Felt the floor press into my head and aching pain. I don't remember much of what happened after that, but I eventually arrived at the doctor's office. This concussion lead to great depression and greif for me. I couldn't use technology. It hurt to move. I had almost constant headaches. I slept so much, almost 22 hours a day. But I eventually recovered, I pushed through. However, it permanantly destroyed some of my mental speed so I'm now slower at math and language than I used to be. Even when I got over the concussion, I still had a heavy, heavy depression to deal with. But I'm glad I went through all of that. Thinking back, it's something horrible, absolutely devistating that happened to me. But I can look back with a light, knowing that I'm strong enough to lay in bed feeling grim for so long , and still stand up again.

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.

One of my best experiences in life happened when I was 18 years old. It was when I first began working as a cleaning lady at a conference center for a summer job. The summer after my freshman year of college, I was looking for a job, and unsure if I would find one. My brother told me about a previous place where he had worked, and told me that they were hiring for the summer. I decided to apply and hope for the best. I was soon in contact with the employers and soon had a job lined up. I however did not get the position I initially had hoped for. Instead, I received the job of a cleaning lady. I was going to be a housekeeper at a conference center for the summer. The summer was filled with many taxing events. I often had to deal with problems I had never before thought about as a hotel guest before. I made beds, I cleaned bathrooms, I washed windows, I vacuumed, and I did countless other odd jobs. It was during this time, though, that I realized just how capable I was. It was no uncommon occurrence to work six days a week instead of five, or to have an extra shift at the beginning or end of the day. I was constantly working, and yet I enjoyed myself. I took a lot of pride in my work, at least as much as a person who cleans can. I would push myself to not only clean better but to clean faster. Soon I was cleaning things in half the time it took others to clean. Regardless of this though, I was still surprised when I received employee of the month at only my second month at the job. This made me realize that my work was appreciated and, as I said before, that I was capable of much more than I had ever thought. So even though this was not the most glamorous experience, it has been my most rewarding. I learned the value of hard work and realized just how much I can do. Altogether, this has been an experience that has opened up a world of possibilities to me and for that reason, it is one of my best experiences.