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English Language Competencies Tested on the ILTS
The ILTS Language Arts subtest consists of a 42 item multiple-choice test covering Grammar and Usage and Writing Skills and a Writing Assignment (essay). The skills addressed in this subtest require demonstration of the ability to write effectively at the college level.
An outline showing the objectives and descriptive statements is shown below. Each part includes one or more objectives and is expanded upon by descriptive statements. Descriptive statements provide examples of the range, type, and level of content that may appear on the test for questions measuring the objective.
Language Arts: Grammar and Usage
0007 Demonstrate Command of Standard Usage in Edited English in the United States
- Understand the Standard Use of Verbs (eg, Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Tense, Consistency of Tense)
- Identify and Apply the Standard Use of Pronouns (eg, Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement, Standard Pronoun Case, Use of Possessive Pronouns, Standard Use of Relative and Demonstrative Pronouns)
- Recognize and Apply the Standard Use of Modifiers (eg, Adverbs, Adjectives, Prepositional Phrases)
0008 Understand and Apply Knowledge of Mechanical Conventions in Edited English in the United States
- Recognize Instances in which Incorrect or Extraneous Punctuation Has Been Used or Necessary Punctuation Has Been Omitted
- Identify Standard Initial Capitalization and Standard Capitalization with Proper Words and Titles
- Recognize the Standard Spelling of Words
Language Arts: Writing
0009 Understand the Role of Purpose and Audience in Written Communication
- Assess the Appropriateness of Written Material for a Specific Purpose or Audience (eg, a Business Letter, a Communication to Parents)
- Determine the Likely Effect on an Audience of a Writer's Choice of a Particular Word or Words (eg, to Evoke Sympathy, to Raise Questions About an Opposing Point of View)
- Identify Persuasive Techniques Used by a Writer in a Passage
- Demonstrate the Ability to Adapt Forms, Organizational Strategies, and Styles for Different Audiences and Purposes
0010 Understand Unity, Focus, Development, and Organization in Writing
- Identify Organizational Methods Used by the Author of a Passage
- Distinguish Between Effective and Ineffective Thesis Statements
- Recognize Unnecessary Shifts in Point of View (eg, Shifts from First to Third Person) or Distracting Details that Impair Development of the Main Idea in a Passage
- Select Appropriate and Effective Supporting Material
- Recognize Examples of Focused, Concise, and Well-Developed Writing
0011 Understand and Apply Editing and Revision Strategies
- Apply Editing and Revision Strategies Affecting Diction, Syntax, Transitions, Organization, Clarity, Coherence, and Point of View
- Make Revisions that Improve the Unity and Focus of a Passage or that Improve Cohesion and the Effective Sequence of Ideas
- Improve the Clarity and Effectiveness of a Passage Through Changes in Word Choice
- Eliminate or Replace Unnecessary or Imprecise Words and Phrases
- Insert Appropriate Transitional Words or Phrases (eg, however, As a result) in a Passage to Convey the Structure of the Text and to Help Readers Understand the Sequence of a Writer's Ideas
0012 Recognize Sentences and Paragraphs that Effectively Communicate Intended Messages
- Demonstrate an Understanding of Unity Within Paragraphs and Apply Methods for Enhancing Paragraph Organization and Unity
- Recognize Effective Topic Sentences and Distinguish Between Effective and Ineffective Development of Ideas Within a Paragraph
- Identify Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences
- Recognize Wordiness, Redundancy, and Ineffective Repetition in Sentences and paragraphs
- Recognize Inefficiency in Sentence and Paragraph Construction
Written Assignment (Essay)
Prepare an organized, developed composition in edited English as used in the United States in response to instructions regarding content, purpose, and audience.
- Compose a unified, focused, and sustained piece of writing on a given topic using language and style appropriate to a specified audience, purpose, and occasion.
- Take a position on a contemporary social or political issue and defend that position with reasoned arguments and supporting examples.
- Use effective sentence structure and apply the standards of edited English in the United States.
- Demonstrate the ability to spell, capitalize, and punctuate according to the standards of edited English in the United States.
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