Vocabulary Levels Test and Word Associates Test: Can they Measure Language Proficiency?

The present study investigates whether it may be possible to use Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and Word Associates Test (WAT) for measuring language proficiency and placement purposes. In so doing, 85 upper-intermediate and 50 lower-intermediate EFL learners took Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), Word Associates Test (WAT), and Oxford Placement Test (OPT). Results of correlation and regression analyses indicated that (a) Word Associates Test could not predict performance on Oxford Placement Test neither for the lower-intermediate nor the upper-intermediate group, (b) Vocabulary Levels Test could significantly predict performance on Oxford Placement Test for both proficiency groups, and (c) while the 2,000 word level correlated with and predicted performance on Oxford Placement Test for the lower-intermediate group, the 5,000 word level predicted performance on proficiency test for the upper-intermediate group. The findings point to the possibility of using VLT for measuring language proficiency and placement purposes. The results have implications for test developers, teachers, and researchers to use VLT as a placement test since it’s easy to administer and score.