TOEFL Primary^® Reading and Listening Test — Step 1 Level Proficiency Descriptors

Reading Comprehension

Level	Abilities
4 Out of 4 Stars	Students understand short descriptions, information in signs and short messages. They can: Understand common words and some less common words about objects, places, people, actions and ideas (examples: ring, adventures, whisper, double) Comprehend the meaning of complex sentences (examples: This is a friendly thing to do when you say goodbye. People do this when they talk quietly.) Connect information in longer sentences and across different sentences to infer information, identify main ideas and understand the meaning of unfamiliar words Locate key information in texts
3 Out of 4 Stars	Students understand short descriptions and find information in signs, forms and schedules. They can: Understand common words and social expressions (examples: play a game, go to a museum, wave goodbye) Comprehend simple descriptions of current and past events (examples: The mouse is on top of the table. He is washing his hands.) Recognize relationships among words and phrases within familiar categories (examples: food, fruit, strawberries; rain, sky, clouds; one more time, again) Make connections across simple sentences (example: Clouds are in the sky. Rain comes from them. Sometimes they cover the sun.)
2 Out of 4 Stars	Students begin to understand words and some short descriptions. They can: Understand common words in familiar categories such as home, school, family, colors, body parts, animals and actions Recognize key words for understanding simple sentences; understand everyday actions in the present (examples: The children play. She is eating.)
1 Out of 4 Stars	Students begin to recognize some basic words. They may be able to: Identify basic vocabulary with visual support

Listening Comprehension

Level	Abilities
4 Out of 4 Stars	Students understand simple descriptions, instructions, conversations and messages. They can: Understand less common words that describe familiar topics, settings and actions (examples: pocket, pour, lamp, branch) Understand indirect responses to questions in conversations Understand messages in which information is not explicitly stated Connect information to infer the main idea or topic of messages, stories and informational texts Synthesize information from multiple locations in a longer, spoken text
3 Out of 4 Stars	Students understand short, simple descriptions, conversations and messages. They can: Understand common expressions used in everyday conversations Understand a simple, single instruction spoken in familiar words, with key words repeated Understand the purpose of messages in which key information is repeated Understand the main ideas of simple stories in which key information is explicitly stated and repeated
2 Out of 4 Stars	Students begin to recognize some familiar words in speech. They can: Understand words for objects and people in familiar categories such as school, home, family, colors, body parts and animals Recognize action words in simple sentences (examples: The children play. He is eating.)
1 Out of 4 Stars	Students begin to recognize some familiar words in speech such as words for objects, places and people. They may be able to: Understand familiar words with visual support