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The Language Centre

Marking criteria (Reading & Writing) levels 6 & 7

Each category may also be affected by considerations such as:
  • The willingness to take risks
  • The attempt to introduce sophisticated/complex arguments
  • The relevance of points made
  • The readability of the text produced
  • The completeness of the text produced

*text can be multimodal (i.e. can include picture, spoken text, print text, etc.)

Class Scale

Mark

30%

 Language:
accuracy, vocabulary, sophistication

Mark

30%

 Communication:
Coherence, structure and ability to convey ideas clearly and effectively

Mark

40%

 Content:
Task understanding & fulfilment, relevance, depth of ideas and analysis
First Excellent 1st

100

(30)

 An exceptional piece of writing
Virtually flawless command of the language.
A stylish and ingenious manipulation of the structures of the language even in complex contexts.
Exceptional in every aspect

100

(30)

Highly persuasive, sophisticated argument.
Expertly structured piece of writing.
Fully coherent and effective argumentation.
Excellent use of register, fully appropriate to task.

100

(40)

Outstanding understanding of the text*.
Task fulfilled to the highest expectations.
Highly original, intellectually challenging ideas.
Original and/or sophisticated illustration/evidence

94

(28)

94

(28)

94

(38)
High 1st 88
(26.5)		 An outstanding piece of writing
Outstanding command of syntax.
Stylish manipulation of the structures of the language with consistent flair.
Virtually error-free.
Wide-ranging and sophisticated topic-specific vocabulary.
Rhetorical strategies are used idiomatically and with flair.		 88
(26.5)

Expertly structured piece of writing.
Coherent and effective argumentation.
Fully appropriate use or register throughout.

88

(35)

An outstandingly persuasive argument.
Excellent grasp of subject matter.
Excellent understanding of the text*.
Excellent analytical approach to the subject.
Task fulfilled to very high expectations.
Excellent range of ideas and illustration/evidence.
High Mid 1st 82
(24.5)		 82
(24.5)

82

(33)
Low Mid 1st 78
(23.5)		 An excellent piece of writing
Excellent command of syntax.
An excellent manipulation of the structures of the language with consistent flair.
Highly accurate and fluent with few minor errors and/or isolated major errors.
Wide-ranging and varied topic-specific vocabulary.
A broad range of rhetorical strategies are used to great effect		 78
(23.5)

Rigorously structured piece of writing.
Coherent and effective argumentation.
Appropriate use of register throughout

 78

(31)

Excellent grasp of subject matter.
A highly persuasive argument.
Excellent grasp of subject matter.
Excellent understanding of the text*.
Excellent analytical approach to the subject.
Task fulfilled to high expectations.
Excellent range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
Low 1st 74
(22)		 74
(22)

74

(30)
Upper second High 2:1

68

(20.5)		 A very good piece of writing
Very good command of syntax.
Very confident manipulation of the language.
Very good range of complex sentences.
Very good range of vocabulary and idioms.
Generally accurate and fluent with a few minor and occasional major grammatical and/or lexical errors.
A variety of rhetorical strategies are used to great effect.

68

(20.5)		 Coherent and reasonably effective argumentation.
Very well-structured piece of writing.
Appropriate use of register throughout.

68

(27)

A very persuasive argument.br />A very good grasp of the subject matter.
A very good understanding of the text*.
Very good analytical approach to the subject.
A very good response to the task.
Very good range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
Mid 2:1 65
(19.5)		 A good piece of writing
Good command of syntax.
Confident manipulation of the language.>
A good range of complex sentence structures are used.
Good range of vocabulary and idioms.>
Generally accurate and fluent with some minor and occasional major grammatical and/or lexical errors.		 65
(19.5)		 Well-structured piece of writing.
Mostly appropriate register.

65

(26)

A persuasive argument.
A good grasp of the subject matter.
A good understanding of the text*.
A good response to the task. Good analytical approach to the subject.
Good range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
Low 2:1 62
(18.5)

A mostly persuasive argument.
Mostly good grasp of the subject matter.
Mostly good understanding of the text*.
Mostly good response to the task.
Mostly good analytical skills.
A fair range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.

 62
(18.5)		 Reasonably well-structured piece of writing.
Mostly appropriate register.

62

(25)

A mostly persuasive argument.
Mostly good grasp of the subject matter.
Mostly good understanding of the text*.
Mostly good response to the task.
Mostly good analytical skills.
A fair range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
Lower second High 2:2 58
(17.5)		 A reasonable piece of writing
Reasonable command of syntax.
Reasonable manipulation of the language with some awkwardness of expression.
Lacking fluency in some places.
Complex sentences may be attempted but these are error prone.
Reasonable range of vocabulary and idioms, but some imprecision occurs.
Some anglicisms may be present in syntax and vocabulary.
Reasonably accurate but more regular minor and with several major grammatical and/or lexical errors.		 58
(17.5)		 A fair attempt to produce a structured argument though its focus may be erratic.
Some occasional inconsistencies in register may be present.		 58
(23)

Reasonable grasp of the main issues.
Reasonable understanding of the text*.
Reasonable response to the task but some points may not have been addressed.
Illustration may not always be consistently provided.
Ideas may not always be sufficiently developed.
Satisfactory analytical skills, though these may be uneven.
Mid 2:2 55
(16.5)		 An inconsistent piece of writing
Inconsistent command of syntax, which may be anglicised and/or clumsy in places.
Inconsistent manipulation of the language with frequent awkwardness of expression.
Lacking fluency, stilted in places.
Few attempts to create complex sentences, and these are frequently error-prone; or largely accurate but rather simple sentences.
Reasonable range of vocabulary and idioms, but imprecisions frequently occur.
Frequent minor and a number of major grammatical and/or lexical errors are present.		 55
(16.5)

Structure may be weak and/or unconvincing.
Lacks focus and/or argumentative reach.
Some inconsistencies in register may be present.

 55
(22)

An erratic and/or pedestrian argument.Limited grasp of main issues.
Incomplete response to the task.
Inconsistent understanding of the text*.
Patchy evidence of analytical skills.
Limited range of ideas.
Illustration may be weak, inaccurate and/or not always to the point.
Low 2:2 52
(15.5)		 An insecure piece of writing
Insecure command of syntax, frequently anglicised and/or clumsy.
Limited manipulation of the language with frequent awkwardness of expression.
Lacking fluency, stilted.
Rare attempts to create complex sentences, and these are error prone.
Limited range of vocabulary and idioms.
Persistent minor and regular major grammatical and/or lexical errors.		 52
(15.5)		 Little evidence of a structured approach.br />Inconsistencies in register may be present. 52
(21)

A consistently weak argument.Some awareness of the main issues but poor grasp of overall picture.
Limited understanding of the text*.
Inconsistent response to the task.
Very little evidence of analytical skills.
May contain some material that is irrelevant.
Illustration is weak, not to the point, inaccurate and/or offered in lieu of argument.
Third High 3rd 48
(14.5)		 A poor piece of writing
Poor command of syntax, which may compromise comprehension in places.
Frequent inability to manipulate the language.
Very rare attempts to create complex sentences and these are largely unsuccessful.
Some sections are affected by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors.
Poor range of vocabulary.		 48
(14.5)

Vague understanding of how to present the ideas.
Struggles to convey an intelligible argument.
Inconsistencies in register may be present.
Occasional recourse to padding.

 48
(19)

A rather simplistic, superficial approach.
Rather vague awareness of the main issues.Vague understanding of the text*.
Poor task fulfilment.
Little evidence of analytical capacity.
Key information is missing and/or inaccurate.
May contain some material that is irrelevant.
Little appropriate illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument.
Mid 3rd 45
(13.5)		 A very poor piece of writing
Poor command of syntax, which may occasionally impede comprehension.
Very rare attempts to create complex sentences and these are nearly always unsuccessful.
Some sections are seriously affected by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors.
Very poor range of vocabulary.		 45
(13.5)

Frequent recourse to padding.
Vague understanding of how to present the issues.
Very poor structure.
Inconsistencies in register may be present.
Struggles to convey an intelligible argument.

 45
(18)

A simplistic, superficial approach.
Little awareness of the main issues.
Little understanding of the text*.
Very poor fulfilment of the task.
Very poor illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument.
Contains some material that is irrelevant.
Key information is missing and/or inaccurate.
Low 3rd 42
(12.5)		 An extremely poor piece of writing
Poor command of syntax, which occasionally impedes comprehension.
Overall performance is affected by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors.
Extremely poor range of vocabulary.		 42
(12.5)

Frequent recourse to padding.
Very vague understanding of how to present the issues.
Very poor structure.
Inconsistencies in register may be present.
Often struggles to convey an intelligible argument.

 42
(17)

A very simplistic, superficial approach.
Very limited understanding of the text*.
Very limited task performance.
Contains a significant amount of material that is irrelevant.
Key information is missing and/or inaccurate.
Hardly any illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument.
Fail High Fail (sub honours) 38
(11.5)		 An unsatisfactory piece of writing 
Very poor command of syntax, which hinders comprehension. 
Widespread inability to manipulate the language. 
No successful attempts to create complex sentences. 
Persistent minor and major lexical and grammatical errors predominate. 
Very poor range of vocabulary. 
Comprehension is hindered by awkward expression and anglicisms. 
May fall short of the length required. 		 38
(11.5)		 The argument is generally incoherent and/ or irrelevant. 
Very poor or no structure. 
Work fails to meet the required standards. 
Inappropriate register. 
May fall short of the length required. 		 38
(15)

Largely inadequate awareness of the main issues. 

Largely inadequate understanding of the text*. 

Inadequate task fulfilment. 
Key information is missing and/or inaccurate. 
Extremely poor or no illustration. 
Fail 32
(9.5)		 A very unsatisfactory piece of writing
Extremely poor command of syntax which nearly always hinders comprehension.
Severely limited in every aspect: grammar, vocabulary, spelling.
Falls short of the length required.		 32
(9.5)		 The argument is incoherent and/or irrelevant, to the point that comprehension is hindered.
Poor or no structure.
Poor or no illustration.
Work is significantly below the standard required at this level.
Inappropriate register.
May fall short of the length required.		 32
13)

Little or no awareness of the main issues.
Unsatisfactory understanding of the text.
Unsatisfactory task fulfilment.
Key information is missing and /or inaccurate.
25
(7.5)		 A wholly inadequate piece of writing
Little evidence of grammatical / lexical competence.
Comprehension is near impossible.
Or not enough language to assess.		 25
(7.5)		 Work that falls well below the standards required at this level, and a total inability to write to the conventions of the task set. 25
(10)

Wholly inadequate grasp of the main issues.
Wholly inadequate understanding of the text.
Wholly inadequate task fulfilment.
  Low Fail 12
(3.5)		 12
(3.5)		 12
(5)
Zero Zero 0 Essentially nothing of value. 0 Work of no merit OR Absent OR Work not submitted OR Penalty in some misconduct cases 0 Work of no merit OR Absent OR Work not submitted OR Penalty in some misconduct cases

 

 

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