ABLE B2

The Assessment Board for Language Examinations (ABLE B2) is a standardized 4-skill test at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR B2). It is a secure exam developed by the Hellenic American University and administered by authorized test centers worldwide.

The ABLE B2 is a standardized examination designed for candidates who wish to obtain certification of their competency in English as a second or other language at an intermediate level. ABLE B2 is aimed at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CERF).

The ABLE B2 examination is developed and scored by the Hellenic American University, a non-profit institution of higher education chartered in the state of New Hampshire, USA, in accordance with best practices in language assessment.

All parts of the examination are written following specific guidelines and test specification. Items are pretested to ensure the validity and reliability of the examination. Care is taken that the tests are fair and accessible to all candidates.

The ABLE B2 examination tests communicative competence in all four language skills –reading, writing, listening, and speaking – and includes tasks which test grammatical resources. As vocabulary is tested through all tasks in all sections, there is no separate vocabulary section.

The ABLE B2 is officially recognized in Greece by the state (Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) as a B2 level certification of English language competence. The ABLE B2 certificate can also be used for obtaining employment in the private sector and for further studies that require language competence certification of this level.

The Listening and Reading & Use of Language sections are scored by computer and the application of specialized software, using the principles of Item Response Theory.

Using scales and procedures established by Hellenic American University, the Writing section is scored by two independent raters. In the case of significant difference between the scores of the two raters, a third rater is called to determine the final score. The raters have been trained and certified according to Hellenic American University standards.

The Speaking section is scored using scales and procedures established by Hellenic American University. The oral examiners have been trained and certified according to Hellenic American University standards. All tests are recorded.

For each section, raw scores are converted into scaled scores ranging from 0 to 100.

Scaled scores allow each administration of the examination to be equated, ensuring that the ability required to pass or to achieve a high score remains the same from one administration to the next.

Listening and Reading & Use of Language sections

For the Listening and Reading & Use of Language sections, scaled scores are a product of the ability of each candidate and the difficulty of each item in these sections.

To pass either of these sections, candidates must have a scaled score of at least 55 out of 100 for that section.

Writing section

The Writing section is scored out of a total of 15 marks. There are three criteria: Task Completion, Organization, and Linguistic Resources. Each criterion provides between one and five marks. Candidates who receive a total of eight or more marks are awarded a Pass for this section of the test.

To pass this section, candidates must have a scaled score of at least 55 out of 100 for that section.

Speaking section

The Speaking section is scored out of a total of 15 marks. There are three criteria: Task Completion, Fluency and Interaction, and Linguistic Resources. Each criterion provides between one and five marks. Candidates who receive a total of eight or more marks are awarded a Pass for this section of the test.

To pass this section, candidates must have a scaled score of at least 55 out of 100 for that section.

Cut scores

The cut scores for each section of the ABLE B2 examination have been determined through standard setting procedures, as laid out in the Council of Europe manual: ‘Relating Language Examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR): A Manual’ (2009).

Candidates who achieve an averaged total scaled score of at least 55 out of a possible 100 are awarded an ABLE B2 certificate.

The ABLE B2 Certificate is valid for the holder’s lifetime.