Grade descriptions give a general indication of the standards of achievement likely to be shown by candidates awarded particular grades.

To achieve a Grade A, a candidate will be able to:

• understand and communicate information at both a straightforward and a complex level.
• understand facts, ideas and opinions, and order and present in detail what is relevant for specific purposes.
• describe and reflect upon experience and detail, analysing effectively what is felt and what is imagined.
• recognise implicit meanings and attitudes of a writer.
• show a clear sense of audience and an understanding of appropriate uses of language.
• write in well constructed paragraphs, using a full range of appropriate sentence structures, and show accuracy in spelling and punctuation.
• select and use appropriate spoken styles and registers. Candidates will vary their sentence structure, vocabulary and expression confidently for a range of purposes, sustaining discussion through the use of a variety of contributions, listening with sensitivity, and occasionally taking the initiative.

To achieve a Grade C, a candidate will be able to:

• understand and convey information both at a straightforward level and at a more complex level.
• understand basic facts, ideas and opinions, presenting them with a degree of clarity and accuracy.
• evaluate material from texts and select what is relevant for specific purposes.
• describe and reflect upon experience and express effectively what is felt and what is imagined.
• recognise the more obvious implicit meanings and attitudes of a writer.
• show a sense of audience and an awareness of appropriate uses of language.
• write in paragraphs, using a variety of types of sentence and taking care over spelling and punctuation.
• use varied vocabulary when speaking, and organise their Individual Task to communicate clearly, engaging the interest of the listener. In discussion, candidates make significant contributions, mostly
  in response to the directions of the speaker(s), showing a readiness to listen to others and to respond appropriately.

To achieve a Grade F, a candidate will be able to:

• understand and convey information at a straightforward level.
• understand basic facts, ideas and opinions, presenting them with a degree of coherence.
• select material from texts and comment upon it at a literal level.
• describe experience in concrete terms, expressing intelligibly what is felt and what is imagined.
• recognise clear meanings and explicit attitudes of a writer.
• show awareness that language is used in different ways in different circumstances.
• write at least in single sentences – weaknesses in spelling and punctuation and the construction of complex sentences will be apparent, but will not seriously impair communication.
• develop ideas, describe events and convey their opinions clearly when speaking. In discussion, they listen with concentration and make contributions in response to others’ ideas and views.