Americans, do they rate someone's English level based on their ability to use English in realistic situations?

I’m not sure I understand the question. As a native English speaker in an English-speaking country, none of my teachers ever doubted my ability to hold a simple conversation with them. So our English classes were mostly about literature and advanced vocabulary (with spelling and grammar being mostly an elementary school thing). But when I learned a non-English language, the teachers were definitely interested in whether I could hold a simple conversation (or read/write a simple story). Spelling and grammar still counted, but practical skills were definitely the goal.

I think @Mimishu1995 is asking what English tests for non-natives look like in the U.S. In Europe, like she said, tests will sort learners into different levels. Here’s a link – basically, there are six levels which rate proficiency. A1 is the lowest level, C2 is on par with a native speaker.

Students get tested in reading and listening comprehesion, as well as speaking and writing skills.

@Mimishu1995 Is that what you meant? What do traditional tests look like in Vietnam?

I’m not sure about being able to answer your question better than this.

Adequate vocabulary also plays an extremely important role in realistic situations. If I’m in a doctor’s office, he might ask me what kind of pain I have. Was it sharp, dull, throbbing, itching, burning, or vague? Does it hurt more at certain times of day or during certain activities? Is it relieved by certain positions or cold or heat?

And likewise when shopping for shoes, telling someone how to bake a cake, follow directions, or fill out a form, etc.

I think the majority of Americans would fail a formal English language evaluation.

That word practical is correct in day to day reality. Where I live, no one cares about evaluating English skills. The diversity of peoples and languages is such that we all dance to understand each other, and though I hadn’t thought about it til your question brought it up, it’s kind of wonderful. Out of the residents on the block where I live, I can only name 3 that are native English speakers. So interactions on the sidewalk are always a treat. This situation can’t last. The influx of white bread tech types with lots of money is destroying the character of the town.

I’m not clear what the OP is asking.

In school, in primary schools, teachers would watch for children having trouble communicating and have them evaluated. Some schools might even have a “grade” for communication skills. Something simple like excels, on level, needs improvement, that sort of thing.

In later years, high school, some schools have speech or even debate as part of their curriculum, and part of that grade would be communicating to an audience about a subject.

Otherwise, no, there isn’t really a verbal evaluation that I know of.

By contrast, when I studied a second language, Spanish, every week we had to memorize a passage in Spanish, and our pronunciation, articulation, and cadence were evaluated. However, this did not evaluate our understanding of what we were saying. The teacher did direct questions at times at each student to see if they could answer.

@longgone yes. That’s what I mean. And in a traditional test in Vietnam we have to gather in a room, and they give us excercises in reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking. But the point of my teacher is that tests like that aren’t accurate for rating someone’s real ability. You only need to know the structure of the test and that’s it. Apparently in Europe they don’t do tests, but they base their rating on how a person use their English in real life situation.

I’m sorry that the question isn’t clear. I will classify again that I’m asking about non-native English speakers.

Hm, no. I think your teacher is wrong there.

The tests I described earlier are done in a room, not real life. I agree with your teacher in that these exams are not necessarily accurate.

@longgone I know about the test you said (it’s actually one of my graduation requirement anyway). I just want to know if there is really the real life version of the tests like he said. And it just annoys me that someone can pass the test because they learned it by heart :/

I think you should ask a British person for this.

The English language has many words that can be used with much eloquence. It’s not that they might be able to describe something in English, but how beautifully it is said.

@Mimishu1995 Sorry for misunderstanding your question! I think I get it now. The only tests I know enough about to discuss are the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), which are primarily used in college admissions.

The TOEFL is a lot more like the kind of education you are receiving. There are spoken exercises, but the test-taker is responding to a written passage they have just read or a spoken lecture that they have heard. The exam is very formal, and you can get an advantage by being familiar with the structure of the test. You can also pick up a lot of the important words you’ll need to use from the written passages and spoken lectures.

The IELTS is more like what your teacher describes. The spoken exercise is conducted face-to-face, and the examiner asks basic questions like “what is your family like?” or “tell me about your favorite hobby.” This is much more open-ended, and so knowing what’s coming doesn’t help as much. You need to actually be able to have a simple conversation, and you won’t get much help from the examiner with the words you need except for the help you might get from an ordinary speaker.

@Mimishu1995 My test is can I convey a coherent thought to you so you understand it. That’s good enough for me.

@Adirondackwannabe I would like to use that test for my graduation requirement.

My version of English has held up over the years. I can speak in courtroom bullshit, or just old style relaxed language. I prefer the latter.