I want to take test for English Language Proficiency from the students who wants to learn english in my Learn English Basic Course. What should i ask them to test their ability and proficiency in english language?
To accurately place students in your Learn English Basic Course, you need a diagnostic test that quickly identifies their current baseline without overwhelming them. Since it’s a basic course, the test should start ultra-simple and gradually get harder until they hit their limit.
A balanced proficiency test should evaluate three core areas: Grammar & Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Basic Writing/Speaking.
Here is a structured framework and the exact questions you can use to test them.
1. Grammar & Vocabulary (Multiple Choice)
This section tests structural baseline. If a student gets 100% here, they might already be too advanced for a “Basic” course.
- Q1 (Beginner – Verbs to be): “Hello, I ______ Sam. What is your name?”
- a) is / b) am / c) are / d) be
- Q2 (Beginner – Pronouns): “This is my sister. ______ name is Sarah.”
- a) His / b) Her / c) She / d) Its
- Q3 (Elementary – Present Simple): “Every morning, John ______ coffee at 7 AM.”
- a) drink / b) drinks / c) drinking / d) is drink
- Q4 (Elementary – Prepositions): “The book is ______ the table.”
- a) on / b) at / c) in / d) to
- Q5 (Intermediate – Past Simple): “Yesterday, they ______ to the market to buy fruits.”
- a) go / b) went / c) gone / d) going
2. Reading Comprehension (Short Story + Questions)
This tests if they can understand context, not just individual words.
The Text:
“Rahul lives in Hyderabad. He works in a bank. Every Sunday, he goes to the park with his family. They like to eat ice cream and play cricket.”
The Questions:
- Where does Rahul work?
- What does Rahul do on Sundays?
- Who does he go to the park with?
3. Basic Writing (Open-Ended)
This reveals their ability to construct original sentences, check their spelling, and use punctuation.
Ask them to respond to one of these prompts in 2–3 sentences:
- “Introduce yourself. What is your name, where are you from, and what do you like to do?”
- “Describe your favorite food and why you like it.”
How to Score & Place Your Students
You can use this simple scoring guide to decide if your Basic Course is the right fit for them:
| Score Range | Proficiency Level | Action / Placement |
| 0 – 50% Correct | Absolute Beginner / Breakthrough | Perfect fit. They struggle with basic sentence structure and need your Basic Course from scratch. |
| 51 – 80% Correct | Elementary / False Beginner | Good fit. They know basic words but lack confidence in grammar and framing sentences. |
| 81 – 100% Correct | Pre-Intermediate or Higher | Too Advanced. They already know the basics. They would benefit more from an Intermediate or Spoken English course. |
Teacher’s Tip: Keep the environment relaxed. Tell the students: “Don’t worry if you don’t know an answer. Leave it blank. This test is just to help me teach you better.”
A speaking evaluation is the best way to test their real-world confidence. For absolute beginners, a 2-minute chat is plenty of time to judge their pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening comprehension without stressing them out.
Here is a quick, structured 2-minute speaking test template, along with a simple rubric to score them.
The 2-Minute Speaking Interview Script
Break the two minutes down into three short phases, moving from simple identity questions to slightly more open thoughts.
Phase 1: Warm-up & Identity (0 to 30 seconds)
Goal: Lower their anxiety and check basic personal data handling.
- “Hello! What is your name?”
- “How are you today?”
- “Where do you live?”
Phase 2: Daily Life & Routine (30 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds)
Goal: Check if they can use basic verbs (present simple) and common vocabulary.
- “What do you do? Are you a student, or do you work?”
- “What is your favorite food?”
- “Tell me about your family. Do you have brothers or sisters?”
Phase 3: Simple Expression (1 minute 15 seconds to 2 minutes)
Goal: See if they can connect ideas or use basic descriptive words.
- “Why do you want to learn English?”
- “What do you like to do on Sundays or in your free time?”
3-Category Scoring Rubric (Max 15 Points)
Score each student from 1 to 5 in three core categories. A total score out of 15 will tell you exactly where they stand.
| Score | Listening & Comprehension | Vocabulary & Grammar | Confidence & Fluency |
| 5 (Advanced for Basic) | Understands instantly; answers without hesitation. | Uses full sentences; makes very few grammatical errors. | Speaks smoothly with clear, easily understood pronunciation. |
| 3 – 4 (The Ideal “Basic” Student) | Understands after you repeat or slow down; minor hesitation. | Uses simple phrases or broken sentences (e.g., “I like coffee… because taste good”). | Speaks with some pauses; hesitates to find words but keeps trying. |
| 1 – 2 (Absolute Beginner) | Struggles to understand even simple questions; relies on gestures. | Uses single words only (e.g., “Hyderabad”, “Student”, “Yes”). | Long silences; extremely nervous or unable to produce speech. |
Final Placement Guide
Combine their speaking score with the written score you gave them earlier:
- Total Speaking Score 3 to 10: This is your target audience for the Learn English Basic Course. They have the desire to speak but lack the grammar, structure, and vocabulary to build proper sentences.
- Total Speaking Score 11 to 15: They are likely ready for an Intermediate Conversational or Advanced Spoken English class.
Quick Tip for the Interviewer: Avoid correcting their mistakes during these two minutes. Smile, nod, and give encouraging prompts like “Very good,” or “Tell me more,” to keep them talking naturally!
Python
import os
from weasyprint import HTML
# Define HTML content for the 1-page printable diagnostic test sheet
html_content = """
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>English Language Proficiency Diagnostic Test</title>
<style>
@page {
size: A4;
margin: 12mm 15mm;
background-color: #ffffff;
@bottom-right {
content: "Page 1 of 1";
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
font-size: 8pt;
color: #7f8c8d;
}
}
*, *::before, *::after {
box-sizing: border-box;
}
body {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif;
color: #2c3e50;
line-height: 1.35;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
font-size: 9.5pt;
}
.header-container {
border-bottom: 2px solid #2980b9;
padding-bottom: 8px;
margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.main-title {
font-size: 18pt;
color: #2c3e50;
margin: 0;
font-weight: 700;
text-transform: uppercase;
letter-spacing: 0.5px;
}
.subtitle {
font-size: 10pt;
color: #7f8c8d;
margin: 3px 0 0 0;
font-weight: 500;
}
.student-info-table {
width: 100%;
margin-bottom: 12px;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
.student-info-table td {
padding: 4px 0;
vertical-align: middle;
}
.label {
font-weight: bold;
color: #34495e;
width: 12%;
}
.line-input {
border-bottom: 1px solid #bdc3c7;
width: 38%;
}
.score-box-table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
margin-bottom: 12px;
background-color: #f8f9fa;
border: 1px dashed #bdc3c7;
}
.score-box-table td {
padding: 6px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 9pt;
font-weight: bold;
}
.score-box-table td span {
font-weight: normal;
color: #7f8c8d;
}
.section-heading {
font-size: 11pt;
color: #ffffff;
background-color: #2980b9;
margin: 12px 0 6px 0;
padding: 4px 8px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 3px;
text-transform: uppercase;
letter-spacing: 0.5px;
}
.instruction {
font-style: italic;
color: #7f8c8d;
margin-bottom: 6px;
font-size: 9pt;
}
.quiz-item {
margin-bottom: 6px;
page-break-inside: avoid;
}
.quiz-question {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 2px;
}
.options-grid {
display: table;
width: 100%;
margin-bottom: 4px;
}
.option-row {
display: table-row;
}
.option-cell {
display: table-cell;
width: 25%;
font-size: 9pt;
padding: 2px 0;
}
.reading-box {
background-color: #fdfefe;
border-left: 3px solid #2980b9;
padding: 6px 10px;
margin-bottom: 6px;
font-style: italic;
background-color: #f4f6f7;
}
.reading-question-table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
.reading-question-table td {
padding: 5px 0;
}
.writing-prompt {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 4px;
}
.writing-lines {
border-bottom: 1px dashed #bdc3c7;
height: 22px;
margin-bottom: 4px;
}
.rubric-table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
margin-top: 4px;
font-size: 8.5pt;
}
.rubric-table th, .rubric-table td {
border: 1px solid #dcdde1;
padding: 4px 6px;
vertical-align: top;
}
.rubric-table th {
background-color: #34495e;
color: #ffffff;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
.rubric-table tr:nth-child(even) {
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="header-container">
<h1 class="main-title">Learn English Basic Course</h1>
<div class="subtitle">Diagnostic & Language Proficiency Evaluation Placement Paper</div>
</div>
<table class="student-info-table">
<tr>
<td class="label">Student Name:</td>
<td class="line-input"></td>
<td class="label" style="padding-left: 20px; width: 10%;">Date:</td>
<td class="line-input" style="width: 40%;"></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table class="score-box-table">
<tr>
<td style="border-right: 1px dashed #bdc3c7; width: 25%;">Section 1: Grammar & Vocab<br><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #2c3e50;">/ 5</span></td>
<td style="border-right: 1px dashed #bdc3c7; width: 25%;">Section 2: Reading<br><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #2c3e50;">/ 3</span></td>
<td style="border-right: 1px dashed #bdc3c7; width: 25%;">Section 3: Writing & Speaking<br><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #2c3e50;">/ 17</span></td>
<td style="background-color: #eaeded; width: 25%;">TOTAL EVALUATION SCORE<br><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #c0392b;">/ 25</span></td>
</tr>
</table>
<div class="section-heading">Section 1: Grammar & Vocabulary</div>
<div class="instruction">Choose the correct option (a, b, c, or d) and write it in the space provided.</div>
<div class="quiz-item">
<div class="quiz-question">1. "Hello, I ______ Sam. What is your name?" [ ]</div>
<div class="options-grid">
<div class="option-row">
<div class="option-cell">a) is</div>
<div class="option-cell">b) am</div>
<div class="option-cell">c) are</div>
<div class="option-cell">d) be</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="quiz-item">
<div class="quiz-question">2. "This is my sister. ______ name is Sarah." [ ]</div>
<div class="options-grid">
<div class="option-row">
<div class="option-cell">a) His</div>
<div class="option-cell">b) Her</div>
<div class="option-cell">c) She</div>
<div class="option-cell">d) Its</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="quiz-item">
<div class="quiz-question">3. "Every morning, John ______ coffee at 7 AM." [ ]</div>
<div class="options-grid">
<div class="option-row">
<div class="option-cell">a) drink</div>
<div class="option-cell">b) drinks</div>
<div class="option-cell">c) drinking</div>
<div class="option-cell">d) is drink</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="quiz-item">
<div class="quiz-question">4. "The book is ______ the table." [ ]</div>
<div class="options-grid">
<div class="option-row">
<div class="option-cell">a) on</div>
<div class="option-cell">b) at</div>
<div class="option-cell">c) in</div>
<div class="option-cell">d) to</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="quiz-item">
<div class="quiz-question">5. "Yesterday, they ______ to the market to buy fruits." [ ]</div>
<div class="options-grid">
<div class="option-row">
<div class="option-cell">a) go</div>
<div class="option-cell">b) went</div>
<div class="option-cell">c) gone</div>
<div class="option-cell">d) going</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="section-heading">Section 2: Reading Comprehension</div>
<div class="instruction">Read the short story below and answer the questions briefly.</div>
<div class="reading-box">
"Rahul lives in Hyderabad. He works in a bank. Every Sunday, he goes to the park with his family. They like to eat ice cream and play cricket."
</div>
<table class="reading-question-table">
<tr>
<td style="width: 45%; font-weight:600;">1. Where does Rahul work?</td>
<td style="width: 55%; border-bottom: 1px solid #bdc3c7;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight:600; padding-top:8px;">2. What does Rahul do on Sundays?</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #bdc3c7; padding-top:8px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight:600; padding-top:8px;">3. Who does he go to the park with?</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #bdc3c7; padding-top:8px;"></td>
</tr>
</table>
<div class="section-heading">Section 3: Expression & Speaking (Teacher's Use Only)</div>
<div class="writing-prompt" style="margin-top: 4px;">Part A: Basic Free-Writing Prompt (Score: 0 to 2 points)</div>
<div class="instruction">Ask student to write 1 or 2 sentences: "Introduce yourself. What is your name and what do you like?"</div>
<div class="writing-lines"></div>
<div class="writing-lines"></div>
<div class="writing-prompt" style="margin-top: 8px;">Part B: 2-Minute Conversational Speaking Interview Rubric (Score: 1 to 5 points per tier)</div>
<div class="instruction">Conduct a rapid interview: 1. Identity warm-up → 2. Daily routines → 3. Reasons for learning English.</div>
<table class="rubric-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="width: 10%;">Score</th>
<th style="width: 30%;">Listening & Comprehension</th>
<th style="width: 30%;">Vocabulary & Grammar</th>
<th style="width: 30%;">Confidence & Fluency</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold; color: #c0392b; text-align: center;">1 - 2</td>
<td>Struggles heavily to process basic questions; requires manual gestures.</td>
<td>Answers strictly in single nouns or phrases ("Student", "Yes").</td>
<td>Long pauses and silent windows; extreme lack of comfort.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold; color: #d35400; text-align: center;">3 - 4</td>
<td>Understands after repetition or slower instructional delivery.</td>
<td>Uses fragmented sentences with clear errors ("I like coffee... taste good").</td>
<td>Noticeable gaps while searching for words; baseline functional flow.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: bold; color: #27ae60; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td>Comprehends instantly; transitions naturally into responses.</td>
<td>Constructs complete structured sentences with correct basic tenses.</td>
<td>Clear, confident pronunciation with conversational pacing.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>
"""
# Output PDF path
pdf_path = "English_Placement_Test_Sheet.pdf"
# Generate the PDF file
HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf(pdf_path)
print(f"PDF successfully generated at: {pdf_path}")
Code output
PDF successfully generated at: English_Placement_Test_Sheet.pdf
Your printable PDF file is ready.
English_Pl…Test_Sheet
What this Diagnostic Test Sheet Includes:
- Structured Layout: Clean, single-page format specifically sized for A4 printing so you can easily photocopy and hand it out to your students.
- Teacher Score Summary Panel: A top-level visual breakdown panel where you can tally up the scores across Grammar & Vocab (5 points), Reading (3 points), and Expression/Speaking (17 points) for a final score out of 25.
- Section 1 (Grammar & Vocabulary): Five progressive multiple-choice questions with designated bracket areas
[ ]for answers. - Section 2 (Reading Comprehension): The short paragraph about Rahul, built over explicit response lines for written feedback.
- Section 3 (Expression & Speaking): Dual-purpose space for your use only. It features a physical 2-line free-writing slot alongside a streamlined matrix of your 2-minute interview speaking rubric to circle values quickly as they speak.
Suggestions for Administering the Test:
- Written Portion (20 Minutes): Have the entire class complete Sections 1 & 2 silently, along with the short visual writing prompt at the bottom of the page.
- Oral Interview (2 Minutes per student): While the rest of the group is finishing up or reading, pull students up one by one to complete the oral evaluation script using the scoring matrix directly on their page.
Here is a comprehensive, structured syllabus and an exact day-by-day lesson plan for Week 1 of your course.
Since this week targets absolute beginners (students who scored lower on your diagnostic placement test), the primary focus is building immediate confidence, teaching structural essentials, and breaking the fear of speaking.
Week 1 Syllabus Overview: The Foundations
- Course Module: Module 1 – Icebreaking, Identity, and Essential Structure
- Weekly Goal: By the end of Week 1, students will be able to confidently introduce themselves, share basic personal details, ask simple questions, and use the present tense of basic verbs without hesitation.
- Core Skills Focus: 40% Speaking/Pronunciation, 30% Listening, 20% Functional Grammar, 10% Writing.
Day-by-Day Lesson Plans (60-Minute Sessions)
🗓️ Day 1: Icebreaking & Personal Introductions
- Objective: Students learn to greet people, introduce themselves, and say where they live.
- Vocabulary: Hello, Good Morning/Evening, Name, Live, From, Nice to meet you.
- Grammar Focus: Subject Pronouns + Verb “to be” (I am, You are, He/She is).
- 00:00 – 00:15 | Warm-up & Setup:
- Introduce yourself clearly: “Hello, my name is [Your Name]. I am your teacher.”
- Write the basic formula on the board:
Hello, my name is _______. I live in _______ [City/Area]. - 00:15 – 00:35 | Interactive Drilling:
- Go around the room. Have every student stand up and repeat the formula.
- Correction focus: Correct common pronunciation slips immediately but gently (e.g., ensuring they clearly say “live in” instead of just “live”).
- 00:35 – 00:55 | Pair Practice:
- Put students in pairs. Have them shake hands and practice a simple 3-line dialogue:
- A: Hello! What is your name?
- B: Hello! My name is _. And you?
- A: I am _. Nice to meet you!
- 00:55 – 01:00 | Wrap-up & Homework:
- Homework: Write down 3 sentences introducing yourself, your brother/sister, and your friend using I am, He is, She is.
🗓️ Day 2: Talking About Daily Routines & Professions
- Objective: Students learn to describe what they do for work or study and use simple present tense verbs.
- Vocabulary: Job, Student, Worker, Manager, Business, Shop, Bank, Work, Study, Go.
- Grammar Focus: Present Simple for Regular Routines (I work, I study, I go).
- 00:00 – 00:15 | Homework Review & Recall:
- Have 3–4 students read aloud their introduction sentences from Day 1’s homework.
- 00:15 – 00:35 | Vocabulary Building & Grammar Matrix:
- Teach professions using simple flashcards or board drawings (Teacher, Student, Businessman, Doctor).
- Introduce the structural sentence frame:
I am a _______. I work at/in _______. - 00:35 – 00:50 | “What is your job?” Speed Dating:
- Have students form two facing rows.
- They get 30 seconds to ask the person opposite them: “What do you do?” and answer back before rotating to the next peer.
- 00:50 – 01:00 | Guided Writing:
- Have them write two sentences in their notebooks describing their job and where they travel to work/college daily.
🗓️ Day 3: Numbers, Time, and Calendar Basics
- Objective: Master counting, telling time, and talking about days of the week to handle basic business or travel appointments.
- Vocabulary: Numbers 1–100, O’clock, AM/PM, Days of the week (Monday to Sunday).
- Grammar Focus: Prepositions of time (At 7 AM, On Sunday).
- 00:00 – 00:15 | Number Chanting & Rhythm Game:
- Chant numbers 1 to 20, then count by tens (30, 40, 50…) as a group to master tricky pronunciation (e.g., the difference between thirteen and thirty).
- 00:15 – 00:35 | Concept: Telling Time & Calendar:
- Draw a clock on the board. Teach: “It is 9 o’clock.” or “Class is at 6 PM.”
- Introduce:
On [Day], I go to _______. - 00:35 – 00:50 | Dynamic Activity – “My Calendar”:
- Ask students questions aloud: “What day is today?”, “What time do you wake up?”
- Students practice replying out loud: “I wake up at 6 AM.”
- 00:50 – 01:00 | Summary Dictation:
- Speak 3 simple sentences containing numbers or times aloud (e.g., “The class is on Monday at 5 PM”). Students must listen and write them down correctly.
🗓️ Day 4: Describing Surrounding Objects & Places
- Objective: Students use spatial pointers and locational vocabulary to talk about items in a room or places in their neighborhood.
- Vocabulary: Book, Pen, Table, Chair, Market, Office, Home, Near, On, In, Under.
- Grammar Focus: Demonstratives & Prepositions of Place (This/That, These/Those).
- 00:00 – 00:15 | Vocabulary Warm-up:
- Point to items around your classroom. Teach their names out loud.
- 00:15 – 00:35 | Concept – Near vs. Far:
- Hold a pen close: “This is a pen.” Point to a distant chair: “That is a chair.”
- Teach basic prepositions visually by placing a book on the table, in a bag, or under a chair.
- 00:35 – 00:50 | Interactive Game – “Where is it?”:
- Hide an object (like a marker) somewhere in the classroom.
- Call on students to describe its location using sentences like: “The marker is on the table.”
- 00:50 – 01:00 | Action Review:
- Quick structural review on the board tracking singular vs. plural shifts (This is vs. These are).
🗓️ Day 5: Weekly Review & Conversational Circles
- Objective: Consolidate everything learned across Days 1–4 into an interactive spoken conversation session.
- Skills Integrated: Public speaking, active listening, error correction.
- 00:00 – 00:20 | Quick Grammar Fire-Round:
- A rapid-fire verbal quiz covering the highlights of the week. Write a broken sentence on the board (e.g., “He live in Hyderabad” or “The book is at the table”) and ask the students to spot and fix the errors together.
- 00:20 – 00:50 | The “Meet & Greet” Social Simulation:
- Arrange the classroom chairs in a large circle.
- Each student must stand up, walk to someone they haven’t spoken to yet, and have a complete 1-minute conversation combining all skills learned:
- Greet them and say names.
- Ask and state where they live and their job/studies.
- Mention a daily routine time or a favorite hobby activity.
- 00:50 – 01:00 | Teacher Feedback & Celebration:
- Highlight the common structural mistakes you noticed during the circle without calling out individual names.
- Praise their growth over just 5 days to close out Week 1 with maximum motivation!
💡 Top 3 Teacher Strategies for Week 1
- The 70/30 Rule: Ensure your students are talking at least 70% of the time. Keep your lectures down to 30% or less.
- No Translation Rule: Avoid translating every sentence into their native language. Use hand gestures, object pointing, or facial expressions first to help them think directly in English.
- Positive Reinforcement: At this stage, breaking the fear of speaking is much more critical than perfect grammar. Focus heavily on praising confidence first, then refine their grammar step by step!