WHAT DO THE LEVELS MEAN?
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ENGLISH TESTING SYSTEM
THE CREDIBLE NEW APPROACH TO
MARITIME ENGLISH ASSESSMENT
IMETS is a test of English oral communication set in an international maritime context.
In each test, a candidate talks about:
work-specific topics
routine maritime-specific communications involving international speakers
non-routine / emergency maritime incidents
broad maritime topics
TESTING
LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
During the test, a typical candidate will:
provide basic information
describe how
explain why
compare
give opinions
demonstrate an understanding of:
suggest solutions / actions
report incidents
talk about the past / present / future
predict
speculate
•
instructions
•
advice
•
warnings
•
navigational / traffic information
•
questions
•
requests
•
navigational intentions
•
maritime incidents
TEST TOPICS include:
routine work tasks & duties
standards of work & behaviour
shore-side & on-board incidents
emergencies
Navigation
weather
GMDSS
teamwork & on-board communication
ship communication
survival procedures
health & fitness
pollution & environment
Level
Description
9 Management Advanced
Has full control over the language, and can communicate with some level of subtlety and sophistication. Can demonstrate full understanding of subtle details even in
linguistically demanding situations.
8 Management
Has almost complete command of the language, with occasional errors and inappropriateness, and can manage complex linguistic situations. Can often demonstrate full
understanding of language in a variety of situations.
7 Operational Advanced
Despite occasional inaccuracies and inappropriateness, can communicate in complex linguistic situations. Can demonstrate some understanding of gist and subtleties in
most situations.
6 Operational Intermediate
Can use some reasonably complex language and manage familiar situations with some ease. Can demonstrate some understanding of gist, and extract main points, in a
variety of situations.
5 Operational
Can communicate meaningfully in most situations, particularly in familiar situations, despite frequent mistakes. Can demonstrate understanding of gist and some details in
situations which are linguistically less demanding. May extract some information from more linguistically demanding situations, but not reliably or with confidence.
4 Support Advanced
Can maintain basic communication in familiar situations, and express some ideas in unfamiliar situations. Can demonstrate understanding in some situations which are less
linguistically demanding by identifying the gist or key words.
3 Support
Can express some general meanings on familiar topics, albeit in a limited way. Can demonstrate understanding of some basic situations by identifying certain key words.
2 Pre-support
Can express some simple, concrete ideas and understand simple meanings when these are delivered clearly. Can sometimes identify key words and basic gist.
1 Non-operational
Has no effective ability to communicate in or understand the spoken language. Can only demonstrate understanding of the most basic of situations.