TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT OF a. They are b.

There
GRAMMAR
c. They’re d. Their
FORMATS FOR TESTING GRAMMAR
1.1. It is a poor test as it is just a
Presented by: spelling item.

Del Rosario, Kryscyl 1.2. Teachers should avoid such

distractions that sound alike.
Dela Rosa, Caryl Marcell
2. Another source of distractors is
Solomon, Abegail errors on composition. This is done by
Tansiongco, John Kyle students mostly on exercises or close
passages.
Some of the common types of objective items used to
test awareness of the grammatical features of the Test should be like this:
language are multiple choice tests, error recognition Several years ago I ______ English
tests, rearrangement tests, completion tests,
transformation tests, pairing and matching tests, and a. studied b. study
combination and addition texts. (Jabu, 2008).
c. have studied d. will study
A. Multiple Choice
3. Unnecessary material confuses the
This is a question which consists of a so called stem students so it should not be added in the
and four options from which only one is correct. The tests. For example:
examinee has to choose the right answer.
If I had a new fur coat, __________
1. In this test, an incomplete sentence is
followed by four multiple choice options for Its options should be:
completing the sentence. For example: a. I showed b. I’d show
John usually _______ from Monday to Friday. c. I’ve shown d. I’ll show
a. works b. worked d) Prepare clear, simple instructions
c. has worked d. is working All the instructions for solving the
2. It is an efficient way to test grammar but questions should be clear.
teacher should follow specific procedure in its B. Error Recognition Tests
preparation. This test may be conducted in the form of
a) Choose the grammar points that they multiple-choice format. The following are two
need to test comparable types of error recognition multiple-
choice items. The first type is used in testing
Choosing grammar points to test is structure and written expression part of TOEFL
usually easy. test.

b) Prepare the right kind of sentence 1. Each sentence contains four words or
context for the grammar structure. phrases underlined, marked A, B, C, and D.
A good context is very important. For Select the underlined one which is
example: incorrect.

They left at seven. They …… be home by a. This is a example of a sentence with

now. A B C
an error underlined.
Yes, but we can’t count on it, can we?
D
a. can b. could b. I’m worried that you’ll be angry to me.
A B C D.
c. will d. must
Item type 2 allows the test constructor to test
c) Select three logical distractors error caused by emission, which cannot be
tested by test item type 1 of the error
1. These are the incorrect options
recognition. However, there is more than one
which we put with the correct word or
way of correcting sentences.
phrase to complete the sentence. For
example: C. Rearrangement Tests
This test can be in the form of multiple-choice
____ the once who know the answers
items or in other forms. Consider the following
different examples:
 Sentences Lette Possible Answers
Well, you know how _______ r
a. warm is it today b. today it is Going to see a film A. No, I didn’t
D
warm tonight?
How was the film? ____ B. So do I
c. is it warm today d. warm it is I like war films C. All right.
today _____
Nothing Special
So you went to the D. Yes I probably
This type of arrangement may be more _____
cinema will
confusing and may be written in word-order G. Combination and Addition Tests
form: In combination items, the students are required
Complete each sentence by putting the to join each pair of sentences, using the words
words below it in the right order. in brackets. For example:
I bought a book. It is very interesting to
Not only ____, but she also took me to his house. read. (WHICH)

In additional items, the students are required to

a. me b. he insert the words on capitals in the most
appropriate place in each sentence. For
c. did d. meet example:
YET Have you answered all the questions?
The multiple-choice item format can be changed
to a format involving some actual writing. The
arrangement item can be used to test the same
features of the word order, but the item format
becomes a little less artificial.

D. Completion Tests
It is useful means of testing the student’s ability
to produce acceptable and appropriate forms of
language. It measures production rather than
recognition, testing the ability to insert the most
appropriate words in selected blanks in
sentences.

Completion items may be in form of dialogue

completion or omission of sentence parts. They
provide a useful way of testing the ability to
manipulate the grammar and patterns of the
language context.

E. Transformation Tests
This test means rewrite each the following
sentences in another way, beginning each new
sentences with the words given. Make any
changes that necessary but do not change the
general meaning of the sentence.

1. I haven’t written to you for a long time.

It’s a long time _____________________
2. James can sing better than you.
You cannot________________________

Sometimes it is difficult to elicit what we wish to test

because the students may avoid using the actual
grammatical pattern being tested. Therefore, we need
to rewrite the items and give them enough clues and
clear directions.

F. Pairing and Matching Tests

It is used to test the ability to select appropriate
responses to stimulate which would be
presented orally in normal everyday situations.
For example: