CILS - SCOPE OF REQUIREMENTS

CILS UNO
Duration: approx. 3 hours 30 minutes
Grammar issues:

gender and number (the singular / the plural) of nouns and adjectives
definite and indefinite articles
conjugation of regular verbs and some irregular verbs in the present tense (indicativo presente), in the past tenses (passato prossimo, imperfetto), the imperative mode (imperativo) and in the conditional mode (condizionale presente)
use of auxiliary and modal verbs (verbi ausiliari, verbi modali)
personal, reflexive, relative pronouns (pronomi personali, riflessivi, relativi)
adjectives and possessive, demonstrative and interrogative pronouns (pronomi possessivi, dimostrativi, interrogativi)
adverbs (avverbi)
cardinal numbers
prepositions (preposizioni semplici e articolate)
simple and compound sentences, use of conjunctions

Vocabulary:
A candidate should demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary taken mainly from everyday life. They should be able to respond to basic communication situations, understand the meaning of the most often verbal and written information.

I. Listening comprehension
Most often these are dialogues from everyday life or from mass media (e.g. the radio) and monologues. These can be instructions, descriptions, news aimed at providing the information, description, explanation, expression of one’s own opinions and description of impressions.

II. Written text comprehension
Most often the texts are taken from books, newspapers, catalogues, operating manuals. They are in the form of letters, informative articles, fragments of narrations.

III. Analysis of language structures
A candidate should possess a skill of making an analysis, synthesis, reformulation, etc. of language structures at the level of vocabulary and inflection, syntax, word formation and sentence structure. Types of exercises:
• Completing gaps in a text
• Formation of clauses
• Transformation of texts from the singular into the plural, from the present tense into the past tense and the other way round
• Choosing or providing a proper expression, production relevant to a given communication situation

IV. Written production
A candidate should be able to compose simple texts, by providing the information in a clear and effective way. Types of texts:
• Description of people and places, description of a trip or an event
• Unofficial letter to a family or friends

V. Oral production
A candidate should be able to express oneself in a clear way and easily use language structures of a spoken language. The productions may be aimed at: description, information, transfer of information, comparison, proposals, maintenance of a dialogue, expression of one’s own opinions. The first part is a dialogue with an examiner, while the second part is a monologue.

CILS DUE

Duration: approx. 4 hours

Grammar issues:

conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the following tenses: passato remoto, trapassato prossimo, futuro semplice and anteriore, congiuntivo presente and imperfetto, condizionale passato.
the passive (forma passiva)
impersonal form (forma impresonale)
auxiliary verbs (verbi ausiliari) and modal verbs (verbi modali)
adjective
combined pronouns (pronomi combinati)
indefinite pronouns and adjectives (pronomi e aggettivi indefiniti)
adverb
pronouns (preposizioni semplici e articolate)
simple sentence (with use of congiuntivo, indicativo presente and infinito)
compound sentence

Vocabulary:
A candidate should demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary taken from everyday life. They should be able to respond to basic communication situations, understand the meaning of the most often verbal and written information, also those unrelated to everyday life.

I. Listening comprehension
Most often these are dialogues taken from everyday life or from mass media (e.g. the radio) and monologues. These can be instructions, descriptions, news aimed at providing the information, description, explanation, expression of one’s own opinions and impressions.

II. Written text comprehension
Most often the examination texts are taken from books, newspapers, catalogues, operating manuals. They are in the form of letters, informative articles, fragments of narrations.

III. Analysis of language structures
A candidate should possess a skill of making an analysis, synthesis, reformulation, etc. of language structures at the level of vocabulary and inflection, syntax, word formation and sentence structure. Types of exercises:
• completing gaps in a text (prepositions, conjunctions, pronouns, verbs in correct form)
• formation or completion of sentences
• transformation of texts from the singular into the plural, from the present tense into the past tense and the other way round
• choosing or providing a proper expression, production relevant to a given communication situation

IV. Written production
A candidate should be able to compose simple texts, by providing the information in a clear and effective way. Types of texts:
• Description of people and places, description of a trip, an event or typical holidays of one’s own country, by expressing one’s own opinions and hypotheses
• Official letter to companies or institutions aimed at obtaining explanations or information

V. Oral production
A candidate should express oneself in a clear and fluent way, make longer, coherent productions of various subjects related to everyday life. Productions may be aimed at: description, information, transfer of information, comparison, proposals, maintenance of a dialogue, expression of opinions. The first part is a dialogue with an examiner, while the second part is a monologue.

CILS TRE

Duration: approx. 4 hours 30 minutes

Grammar issues:
Apart from issues from lower levels, a candidate should be familiar with:

conjugation in the active and reflexive form of regular and irregular verbs on the following tenses and modes: congiuntivo passato i trapassato, gerundio presente and passato, infinito passato, participio;
use of passive form (forma passiva)
verbi pronominali, difettivi, fraseologici
compound sentence: conditional sentences (ipotesi possibile o irreale, esplicite e implicite), consenting sentences (with use of congiuntivo), purpose sentences (esplicite), consecutive clauses (implicite), modal, opposing, interjection, limiting sentences
transformation from independent into dependent speech.

Vocabulary:
A candidate should have perfect knowledge of vocabulary from everyday life but also more sophisticated vocabulary. They should also demonstrate that they are familiar with rules and practical use of vocabulary in formal situations.

I. Listening comprehension
A candidate should understand a general meaning and carry out a detailed analysis of various oral productions and be able to interpret the intentions of speaking individuals.
Suggested texts are dialogues or monologues from everyday life, related to professional work and mass media releases. The texts are taken from television and radio transmissions. These are recorded phone conversations, conferences and also lessons and dialogues. They are structured so as to provide a candidate with sufficient information on speaking people, place and subject of a production. Suggested texts are usually: advertisements, comments, description of professional work, radio interviews, talks. Interlocutors express themselves in standard Italian language, there are also possible minute regional accents. Speed of production: average. Texts are not longer than 1200 words. Texts may be of multiple choice, consist in completion of sentences and short texts, searching of information.

II. Written text comprehension
A candidate should understand the meaning of texts, be able to interpret them and reach conclusions and to formulate hypotheses.
Suggested texts are fragments from books, newspapers, catalogues, instructions, mass media releases. These texts can be understood by the Italians with secondary education.
Approximate length of texts: 1500 – 2000 words. Types of tests are: completion of sentences, multiple choice texts, reproduction of texts, isolation of information and data, completion of text.

III. Analysis of language structures
A candidate should have a skill to carry out an analysis, synthesis, reformulation, etc. of language structures on the level of vocabulary and inflection, syntax, word formation and sentence structure. Types of tests:
• completion of gaps in a text (prepositions, conjunctions, pronouns, verbs in correct form) by means of words chosen from suggested ones or chosen by oneself
• transformation of sentences from the passive into the active form
• transformation of sentences with a verb in impersonal form into sentences with a verb in personal form (implicita and esplicita forms)
• formation or completion of sentences
• transformation of texts from one register into another one.

IV. Written production
A candidate should be able to compose quite complex texts, in which they express their own opinions. Texts should be clear and coherent. Types of texts:
• essay on a given subject, usually concerning the present time
• formal letter to magazines, publishing houses, companies or institutions; texts of advertisements and catalogues, short letters relevant to a given situation.
There is always a possibility to choose between two given subjects. The length of texts oscillates between 100 and 170 words.

V. Oral production
A candidate should be able to express themselves in a clear and fluent way, compose longer, coherent formal and informal productions in the context of everyday life and also in professional work. Vocabulary should suit a situation. The productions may be aimed at: description, information, transfer of information, comparison, proposals, maintenance of a dialogue, expression of opinions, convincing. The first part is a dialogue with an examiner, while the second part is a monologue. There are always two or three subjects to choose from. A candidate can also have a few minutes for preparing their speech.

CILS QUATTRO

Duration: approx. 5 hours 20 minutes

Grammar issues:
A candidate should know the whole inflection and syntax of modern Italian language and mechanisms typical of spoken language.

Vocabulary:
A candidate should perfectly know a vast vocabulary of various sectors and different registers of Italian language and also use vocabulary in a proper and precise way. They should also know synonyms and use them properly in their speeches.

I. Listening comprehension
A candidate should understand a general meaning and carry out a detailed analysis of various oral productions and be able to interpret them.
Suggested texts are dialogues or monologues. Usually these are television, radio transmissions, interviews, phone calls, conferences and mass media releases. Most often the texts are aimed at: description, information, explanation, comments, argumentation, planning. Speed of speech: normal. Texts are not longer than 2000 words. Texts may be of multiple choice, consist in completion of sentences and short texts, completion of tables, answers to questions, summary of a text that has been listened to, isolation of information.
The candidates listen to the texts twice, they have also a possibility to make notes.

II. Written text comprehension
A candidate should understand the meaning of texts, be able to interpret them and reach conclusions and to formulate hypotheses.
Suggested texts are taken from advertisements, books, novels, newspapers, magazines, catalogues, instructions, mass media releases. These texts can be understood by the Italian with secondary and higher education.
Approximate length of tests: 2500 – 3000 words. Types of tests: completion of sentences, multiple choice tests, reproduction of texts, isolation of information and data, completion of text, answers to questions, putting dialogues in order.

III. Analysis of language structures
A candidate should possess a skill to carry out an analysis, synthesis, reformulation, etc. of language structures on the level of inflection, syntax, word formation and sentence structure. Types of tests:
• completion of gaps in a text by means of words chosen from the suggested ones or chosen by an examinee
• composing sentences (or their reformulation) by beginning with given words and expressions
• reformulation of sentences
• explanation of the meaning of short texts
• changing the direct speech (discorso diretto) for the indirect speech (discorso indiretto)
• transformation of texts from one type into another

IV. Written production
A candidate should be able to compose quite complex texts, in which they express their own opinions. Texts should be clear and coherent. Types of texts:
• essay on a given subject, usually concerning social or cultural issues
• formal letter (complaint, objection) or a project for solving world problems (e.g. environment protection), rules for board and team games, recipe of a traditional dish.
There is always a possibility to choose between two subjects. The length of texts oscillates between 120 and 250 words.

V. Oral production
A candidate should be able to express themselves in a clear and fluent way, compose longer, coherent formal and informal productions in the context of everyday life and also professional work. Vocabulary should suit a given situation. A candidate should demonstrate fluent language familiarity. The productions may be aimed at: description, information, transfer of information, comparison, proposals, maintenance of a dialogue, expression of opinions, convincing. The first part is a dialogue with an examiner, while the second part is a monologue. There are always two or three subjects to choose from. A candidate may also have a few minutes to prepare for a speech.