Criteria concerning what a learner can successfully do with language in the real world, against which they can be assessed or self-assess themselves, is called what?

Criteria concerning what a learner can successfully do with language in the real world, against which they can be assessed or self-assess themselves, is called what?

• A. Can-do statement
• B. Rubric
• C. Benchmark
• D. Proficiency criterion

Answer: (A)

A can-do statement describes what a learner can actually do with language in real-world situations, and it is used for assessment or self-assessment. This approach focuses on concrete, observable tasks in meaningful contexts, making progress easy to see and measure. For example, a statement like “I can order food in a restaurant in English” sets a clear, real-life goal and can be used to check whether the learner can perform that task.

Why this fits best: it centers on practical ability in real situations, is learner-facing, and supports both evaluation and self-reflection. Rubrics describe scoring criteria and levels for performance, not a single concrete, real-world task. A benchmark is a reference point for comparison, not a direct description of what a learner can do in a real scenario. Proficiency criterion is a less common term and doesn’t capture the task-based, observable nature of a can-do statement.