COMMON TEST
TECHNIQUES
FROM TESTING FOR
LANGUAGE TEACHERs
What are Test Techniques?
Means of eliciting behavior from candidates that
will tell us about their language abilities.
 We need techniques that :
* will elicit behaviour which is reliable and
valid indicator of the ability in which we are
interested
* will elicit behaviour which can reliably
scored
* are as economical of time and efforts as
possible
*will have a beneficial backwash effect,
where this is relevant.

Multiple-choice test
Definition

A standard multiple-choice test
item consists of two basic parts: a
problem (stem) and a list of
suggested solutions (alternatives).
The stem may be in the form of
either a question or an
incomplete statement, and the list
of alternatives contains one
correct or best alternative
(answer) and a number of
incorrect or inferior alternatives
(distractors).

What is chiefly responsible for the
increase in the average length of
life in the USA during the last fifty
years?
Stem
a. Compulsory health and
physical education courses in
public schools.
*b. The reduced death rate
among infants and young
children
c. The safety movement, which
has greatly reduced the
number of deaths from
accidents.
d. The substitution of machines
for human labor..
alternatives
Multiple Choice
John has been here ______ half an hour.
stem
( complete statement, incomplete statement, question)
a.
during
b. for
c. while
d. since
Options
( one correct – distracters)
(The distracters should not be too long, nor too difficult
The Difficulties with Multiple Choice:
The techniques test only recognition knowledge.
There is a gap between knowledge and use
especially with grammar and productive skills.
Guessing may have a considerable but
unknowable effect on test scores:
We do not know whether the correct answers are
the result of guessing as guessing may achieve on
third of the correct answers.
Cheating may be facilitated
Responses make it easy to communicate to others
nonverbally. There should be two versions of the
test.
The Difficulties with Multiple
Choice tests
The technique severely restricts what can be
tested:
Multiple choice items require distractors which
are not always available
It is very difficult to write successful items:
common mistakes: more than one answer, no
correct answer, clues in the option, ineffective
distracters)
Backwash may be harmful:
It’s not the best way to improve ss’ command of
language. The technique may only improve ss’
guessing
Test techniques
2. YES/NO and TRUE/FALSE items

The test taker has merely to choose between YES
and NO, or between TRUE and FALSE, are
effectively multiple choice items with only two
options.
Disadvantage:
 Encourage guessing (50%)
So..??
We can ask the students to correct the false statement…however.
this might be problematic??
1- writing is not meant to be tested here. (validity problem)
2- difficult to score (reliability and validity)
Short-answer items
 Items
in which the test taker has to
provide a short answer are common,
particularly in listening and reading
tests.
 Examples :
(1) what does It in the last sentence
refer to?
(2) how old was Hannibal when he
started eating human beings?
The advantages of shortanswer items over Multiple
Choice
 Scoring
can be perfectly reliable,
rapid and economical
 Guessing will (or should) contribute less
to test scores
 The technique is not restricted by the
need for distractors
 Cheating is likely to be more difficult
 Though great care must still be taken,
items should be easier to write.
The Disadvantage of short
answer items:
 Responses
may take longer and so
reduce the possible number of items
 The test taker has to produce language in
order to respond
 Scoring may be invalid or unreliable, if
judgement is required.
 Scoring may take longer
GAP FILLING ITEMS

Pattern :
Hannibal particularly liked to eat brains
because of their ……….and ………..
The answer can be found in the text (texture,
color)
Gap filling items for listening or reading work
best if the missing words are to be found in
the text or are straightforward, high frequency
words which should not present spelling
problems
Gap Filling Items
 Also
used for tests of grammar and
vocabulary
 Examples :
He asked me for money, …..…….. he
knows I earn a lot less than him.
Gap filling Items
 The
advantage :
* it has the advantages of the short
answer techniques