The parts of the exam, time and points, and how your answers are marked.
From the official exam specification (Harno, eristuskiri). The digital exam is on a computer. Descriptions below are the official marking scales in short, simple English.
| Part | Time | Tasks | Points | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I · Listening | 105 min together | 5 | 30 | Multiple choice, gap fill, matching |
| II · Reading | 6 | 40 | Multiple choice (A/B/C), matching, missing sentences, word bank, word formation | |
| III · Writing | 2 | 28 | Email to a friend (~120 words) · story (~100 words) | |
| IV · Speaking | 20 min | 5 | 28 | Read aloud · answer questions · describe a picture · ask a question · voice message |
| Total | 18 | 126 | Written part 98 points + speaking 28 points |
Marked automatically: a point for each correct answer. Spelling counts in gap fill and word formation, so a wrongly spelled word gets no point.
Practise: Reading Trainer.
Four criteria, 0–4 points each. Under 60 words = 0 for content and organisation. Copying phrases from the poster loses vocabulary points.
| Content | Organisation | Vocabulary | Grammar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | All three points mentioned and well developed. | Easy to follow, reads like an email. Opening and closing remarks (Thank you for your email…, Hope to hear from you soon…). Greeting and sign-off suitable and on separate lines. Clear paragraphs. Linking words (and, but, or, since, because, so). | Well controlled and suitable for the task. Correct spelling and capital letters. Only a few mistakes. | Well controlled. Basic punctuation (. ? ! ’) correct. Only a few mistakes. |
| 3 | All three points mentioned, only two developed. Maybe a few off-topic remarks. | Mostly easy to follow. Opening OR closing remark, not both. Paragraphs not always logical or linking words missing / mechanical. OR one paragraph but logical. OR greeting/sign-off not suitable but on a separate line. | Mostly suitable. Several vocabulary, spelling or capital-letter mistakes. OR a couple of long phrases copied from the poster/task. | Mostly controlled. Several grammar or punctuation mistakes. |
| 2 | Two points, both developed. OR three points, only one developed. Maybe off-topic information. | Organisation visible but needs re-reading. Paragraphs sometimes illogical (no linking words). Opening and closing remarks missing or not suitable. OR greeting and sign-off both unsuitable, not on separate lines, or one missing. | Limited. Frequent mistakes but the meaning is clear. OR good, but whole phrases often copied from the poster/task. OR good, but fewer than 60 words. | Limited control. Frequent mistakes but the meaning is clear. OR good, but fewer than 60 words. |
| 1 | One or two points, only one developed. OR three points, none developed. OR task mostly misunderstood. A lot of off-topic information. | Unclear, ideas not connected. Opening and closing remarks missing. OR greeting and sign-off missing. | Very limited. Mistakes make it hard to understand. OR mostly copied from the poster/task. OR fewer than 60 words with mistakes. | Very limited. Mistakes make it hard to understand. OR fewer than 60 words with mistakes. |
| 0 | Fewer than 60 words. OR ignores the task. | Fewer than 60 words. OR not a connected text. OR ignores the task. | Impossible to understand. OR ignores the task. OR fewer than 20 words. | Impossible to understand. OR ignores the task. OR fewer than 20 words. |
Three criteria, 0–4 points each. Under 50 words = 0 for content. One paragraph is OK, but it needs a beginning, a middle and an end.
| Content | Vocabulary | Grammar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Easy to follow and answers the questions in the task. Ideas logically connected with linking words. Can be one paragraph. Has a beginning, a middle and an end. | Well controlled and suitable. Correct spelling and capitals. Only a few mistakes. | Well controlled. Basic punctuation correct. Only a few mistakes. |
| 3 | Generally easy to follow, answers at least one of the questions. Not always logical (linking words missing or mechanical). Mostly logical format. | Mostly suitable. Several mistakes. | Mostly controlled. Several mistakes. |
| 2 | Needs re-reading. Doesn’t answer the questions. Sometimes illogical, few linking words. Some off-topic information. | Limited, frequent mistakes but the meaning is clear. OR good, but fewer than 50 words. | Limited, frequent mistakes but the meaning is clear. OR good, but fewer than 50 words. |
| 1 | Hard to follow without re-reading many times. Doesn’t answer the questions. A lot of off-topic information. | Very limited. Mistakes make it hard to understand. OR fewer than 50 words with mistakes. | Very limited. Mistakes make it hard to understand. OR fewer than 50 words with mistakes. |
| 0 | Not a connected text. OR fewer than 50 words. OR ignores the task. | Impossible to understand. OR fewer than 20 words. | Impossible to understand. OR fewer than 20 words. |
Two criteria, 0–3 each. The total is multiplied by 0.5.
| Pronunciation | Stress and pausing | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Reads the whole text correctly (no words left out, mixed up or added). Correct pronunciation of words and sounds. | Sentence stress, intonation and pauses are right. |
| 2 | Mostly correct (a word left out or added now and then). Slips in some words or sounds. | Mostly right, some slips. |
| 1 | Leaves out, mixes up or adds a number of words. Frequent pronunciation mistakes. | Frequent stress, intonation and pausing mistakes. OR reads in one flat tone. |
| 0 | Reads less than half of the text or says nothing. Mostly wrong pronunciation. | Reads less than half or says nothing. OR mostly wrong stress and pauses. |
Each question: three criteria, 0–2 each. All answers together (max 24) are multiplied by 0.25. Long answers matter: a one-word answer gets only 1 for content.
| Content | Vocabulary and grammar | Fluency and pronunciation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A long, relevant answer to the question. | Mostly suitable and correct. Small slips OK. | Mostly correct pronunciation and intonation. Mostly natural pauses. |
| 1 | A very short answer. OR partly off-topic (e.g. talks about now when asked about the future). | Basic words and grammar. Some mistakes. | Some pronunciation mistakes, problems with intonation and pauses. |
| 0 | Says nothing. OR the answer is not relevant. | Not enough language. OR most sentences have a mistake and are hard to understand. | Not enough language. OR very frequent problems, hard to understand. |
Three criteria, 0–3 each. Cover all four points: the picture, feelings, before, after.
| Task completion | Vocabulary and grammar | Fluency and pronunciation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Talks about ALL the points (the picture, people’s feelings, what they were doing before, what they are going to do after) in an organised way and develops the ideas. | Uses a range of words and structures. Small slips OK. | Fluent, even tempo most of the time. Mostly correct pronunciation, intonation and rhythm. Pauses only to think about content. |
| 2 | Two or three points well, problems with the rest. OR all points but only briefly, or in a muddled order. Maybe some off-topic information. | Mostly suitable. Mistakes occur. | Hesitant. Some pronunciation and intonation mistakes. Sometimes stops to find words or grammar. |
| 1 | One or two points in a limited way, the rest missing. A lot of off-topic information. | Limited. Basic mistakes all the time. May use the mother tongue for missing words. OR very short but understandable. | Uneven, speaks with difficulty. Hard to follow. Often stops to find words. Long pauses. OR very short answer but understandable. |
| 0 | Says nothing. OR misunderstands the task. OR not enough language. | Not enough language. OR misunderstands the task. | Not enough language. OR misunderstands the task. OR impossible to follow. |
One question. The score is multiplied by 0.5.
| Vocabulary and grammar | |
|---|---|
| 2 | Asks a question with suitable words and correct grammar (word order!). |
| 1 | Asks a question with mostly correct words and grammar. Some mistakes. |
| 0 | Not a question. OR not enough language. OR impossible to understand. |
Three criteria, 0–3 each. Talk about both options, compare them, choose one and say why.
| Task completion | Vocabulary and grammar | Fluency and pronunciation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Talks about BOTH options (all the information), compares them in an organised way, chooses one and gives reasons. | Uses a range of words and structures. Small slips OK. | Fluent, even tempo most of the time. Mostly correct pronunciation, intonation and rhythm. Pauses only to think about content. |
| 2 | Both options, but leaves out some points. Chooses one, maybe without reasons. Maybe some off-topic information. | Mostly suitable. Mistakes occur. | Hesitant. Some pronunciation and intonation mistakes. Sometimes stops to find words or grammar. |
| 1 | Both options only briefly and chooses one without reasons. OR all the information but does NOT choose. OR only one option. A lot of off-topic information. | Limited. Basic mistakes all the time. May use the mother tongue for missing words. OR very short but understandable. | Uneven, speaks with difficulty. Hard to follow. Often stops to find words. Long pauses. OR very short answer but understandable. |
| 0 | Says nothing. OR misunderstands the task. OR not enough language. | Not enough language. OR misunderstands the task. | Not enough language. OR misunderstands the task. OR impossible to follow. |