This research looks at new ways to design Aptis Speaking test items that better reflect how people actually use English in everyday situations. In addition to general speaking ability, real communication often involves things like making polite requests, picking up on implied meaning, and responding appropriately in different social settings.

To explore this, we created a set of new pragmatic speaking test items and tried them out with 50 learners of English at different proficiency levels. These tasks are designed for adults using English for study or work in English-speaking countries, as well as for those who need English for real-world communication in international settings.

Key findings

  • We developed practical new test items that focus on how people use English in real-life interactions.
  • These items show promise as a useful addition to test speaking alongside the Aptis test.
  • They produced a clear range of difficulty, helping distinguish between different proficiency levels.
  • Tasks that required understanding implied meaning or navigating complex social situations were the most challenging for test takers.
  • Adding a wider range of real-world scenarios to Aptis could make the test fairer and more accurate for adult learners.

Citation

Youn, S.J. (2025). The role of pragmatic variables and item characteristics of pragmatic speaking test. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/KKSM-2M56

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