Chapter 4:
Tests of grammar & usage
Heaton, J.B. (1988). Writing English Language Tests. Longman
1. multiple - choice items
2. error recognition items
3. rearrange items
4. completion items
5. transformation items
6. items involving the changing of words
7. ‘broken sentence’ items
8. pairing and matching items
9. combination items
10. addition items
1. Multiple - choice items
the incomplete statement type with a choice of four
or five options
Seven types of multiple – choice items in the
textbook; however, item types 2 & 3 are preferable
because the options do not interrupt the flow of
meaning in the sentence: these items present the
entire sentence so that it can be read at a glance.
(read page 34 – 39)
Constructing multiple choice items
Use samples of students own written work to
provide the basis for the test items.
Constructors of classroom tests and school
achievement tests should take advantage of the
types of errors made by students in their free
composition and open-ended answers to
questions.
2. Constructing error recognition
multiple-choice items
Type 1: Each sentence contains 4 words or
phrases underlined, marked A, B, C and D. Select
the underlined word or phrase which is incorrect
or unacceptable. (TOEIC &TOEFL)
Type 2: Each sentence is divided into 4 parts by
slashes (//). Each part is marked by A, B, C and
D. This item type allows test writer to test errors
caused by omission. In practice, this method
doesn’t work well. (page 40)