CEFR Pragmatic Competence Analysis 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating pragmatic competence in CEFR, 'appropriacy' refers to:
- Using the most advanced grammar structures available
- Matching language choices to the context, purpose, and relationship of the interlocutors (Correct answer)
- Producing speech without any pauses or hesitations
- Demonstrating wide vocabulary range in every utterance
Correct answer: Matching language choices to the context, purpose, and relationship of the interlocutors
Appropriacy in CEFR pragmatics means selecting language that fits the social context, purpose, and relationship — not just what is linguistically accurate.
Question 2: Which of the following best illustrates a 'face-saving' strategy in Politeness Theory?
- Directly ordering someone to complete a task immediately
- Asking 'Would it be possible for you to...?' instead of 'Do this now' (Correct answer)
- Using simple vocabulary to ensure understanding
- Repeating key information for emphasis
Correct answer: Asking 'Would it be possible for you to...?' instead of 'Do this now'
Face-saving strategies protect the addressee's positive or negative face; indirect requests like 'Would it be possible...?' minimize imposition and protect autonomy.
Question 3: In CEFR-aligned assessment, which skill is being tested when candidates must interpret the implied attitude of a speaker from tone and context rather than literal words?
- Grammatical accuracy
- Inferential pragmatic comprehension (Correct answer)
- Phonological discrimination
- Lexical knowledge
Correct answer: Inferential pragmatic comprehension
Inferential pragmatic comprehension involves deriving meaning beyond the literal — understanding speaker intent, attitude, and implication from context and tone.
Question 4: A C1-level learner is described as able to 'express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.' Which pragmatic sub-competence does this reflect?
- Strategic competence for compensating gaps
- Fluency and automaticity in managing real-time discourse (Correct answer)
- Mastery of written register conventions
- Ability to self-correct grammatical errors
Correct answer: Fluency and automaticity in managing real-time discourse
This descriptor reflects high fluency and automaticity in discourse management — the ability to produce and manage language in real time without undue cognitive strain.
Question 5: Which of the following scenarios demonstrates 'positive politeness' as described in Brown and Levinson's framework?
- Giving someone a choice of whether to comply with a request
- Complimenting someone's work before making a request of them (Correct answer)
- Avoiding making a request altogether
- Using very indirect language to make a demand
Correct answer: Complimenting someone's work before making a request of them
Positive politeness strategies attend to the hearer's desire to be liked and admired, such as offering compliments or expressing solidarity before a request.
Question 6: In CEFR's 'Can Do' descriptor approach, why is pragmatic competence difficult to assess compared to grammatical competence?
- Pragmatic rules are universal across all languages
- Pragmatic appropriacy depends on contextual and cultural variables that resist standardized measurement (Correct answer)
- Pragmatic errors are always more serious than grammatical errors
- Learners acquire pragmatic competence before grammatical competence
Correct answer: Pragmatic appropriacy depends on contextual and cultural variables that resist standardized measurement
Pragmatic appropriacy is context- and culture-dependent, making it harder to define universal benchmarks compared to the more rule-governed domain of grammar.
Question 7: When a learner says 'I am not sure but I think the answer might possibly be...' before giving information they are confident about, they are using:
- Avoidance strategy due to lack of vocabulary
- Over-hedging, a pragmatic feature sometimes linked to L1 transfer or insecurity (Correct answer)
- A culturally neutral politeness strategy
- A C2-level rhetorical device
Correct answer: Over-hedging, a pragmatic feature sometimes linked to L1 transfer or insecurity
Over-hedging — using more epistemic markers than the context warrants — is a pragmatic feature often linked to L1 pragmatic transfer or lack of confidence in L2.
CEFR Pragmatic Competence Analysis 5
When evaluating pragmatic competence in CEFR, 'appropriacy' refers to: