CEFR Pragmatic Competence Analysis 2

Question 1

Which CEFR level is first described as being able to 'use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes'?

Accepted Answer

C1

Answer

C1 descriptors specifically include flexible and effective language use for social, academic, and professional purposes.

Question 2

In CEFR pragmatics, 'discourse coherence' refers primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Organizing ideas so they flow logically and are connected across a text

Answer

Discourse coherence concerns the logical organization and connection of ideas across a text or conversation, beyond sentence-level grammar.

Question 3

A learner at B1 asks for help by saying 'You help me?' instead of 'Could you help me?' — what pragmatic feature is underdeveloped?

Accepted Answer

Politeness mitigation through modal verbs

Answer

Using modal verbs like 'could' to soften requests is a pragmatic mitigation strategy associated with politeness, which B1 learners are still developing.

Question 4

Which concept describes the unspoken shared knowledge that speakers rely on to interpret utterances correctly?

Accepted Answer

Common ground

Answer

Common ground refers to the mutual knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions shared by interlocutors that underpin successful communication.

Question 5

When a CEFR descriptor says a learner can 'initiate, maintain and end discourse naturally,' which pragmatic skill is being assessed?

Accepted Answer

Conversational management

Answer

Conversational management encompasses the pragmatic skills of opening, sustaining, and closing discourse appropriately.

CEFR - Common European Framework Practice Test

CEFR - Common European Framework Practice Test

CEFR Pragmatic Competence Analysis 2