WIDA LEVELS PERFORMANCE DEFINITIONS EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
linguistic complexity - Answers the amount and quality of speech or writing for a given situation
vocabulary usage - Answers the specificity of words or phrases for a given context
language control - Answers the comprehensibility of the communication based on the amounts and types of errors
ELP standards - Answers English Language Proficiency standards; are framed by the Performance Definitions
Performance Definitions - Answers language indicators at each given level of English language proficiency; what ELLs will be able to process, understand, produce, or use at each level
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers *pictorial or graphic representations of language of the content areas
*words, phrases, or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH-, choice or yes/not questions, or statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1 - Entering - Answers • Follow one-step oral commands/instructions
• Match social language to visual/graphic displays
• Identify objects, people, or places from oral statements/questions using gestures
(e.g., pointing)
• Match instructional language with visual
representation (e.g., "Use a
sharpened pencil.")
Speaking Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers • Answer yes/no and choice questions
• Begin to use general and high frequency vocabulary
• Repeat words, short phrases, memorized chunks
• Answer select WH- questions (e.g., "who,"
"what," "when," "where") within context of lessons or personal experiences
Reading Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers • Associate letters with sounds and objects
• Match content-related objects/pictures to words
• Identify common symbols, signs, and words
• Recognize concepts of print
• Find single word responses to WH- questions (e.g., "who," "what," "when," "where") related to illustrated text
• Use picture dictionaries/illustrated glossaries
Writing Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers •Draw content-related pictures
• produce high frequency words
• label pictures and graphs
• create vocabulary/concept cards
• generate lists from pre-taught words/phrases and word banks (e.g., create menu from list of food groups)
LEVEL 2- Beginning - Answers *general language related to the content areas
*phrases or short sentences
*oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one to multiple-step commands, directions, questions, or a series of statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2 - Beginning - Answers • Follow multi-step oral commands/instructions
• Classify/sort content-related visuals per oral descriptions
• Sequence visuals per oral directions
• Identify information on charts or tables based on
oral statements
Speaking Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2- Beginning - Answers • Convey content through high frequency words/
phrases
• State big/main ideas of classroom conversation
• Describe situations from modeled sentences
• Describe routines and everyday events
• Express everyday needs and wants
• Communicate in social situations
• Make requests
Reading Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2- Beginning - Answers • Sequence illustrated text of fictional and non-fictional events
• Locate main ideas in a series of simple sentences
• Find information from text structure (e.g., titles, graphs, glossary)
• Follow text read aloud (e.g., tapes, teacher, paired-readings)
• Sort/group pre-taught words/phrases
• Use pre-taught vocabulary (e.g., word banks) to
complete simple sentences
• Use L1 to support L2 (e.g., cognates)
• Use bilingual dictionaries/illustrated glosseries
Writing Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2 - Beginning - Answers • Complete pattern sentences
• Extend "sentence starters" with original ideas
• Connect simple sentences
• Complete graphic organizers/forms with personal information
• Respond to yes/no, choice, and some WH- questions
LEVEL 3- Developing - Answers *general and some specific language in the content areas
*expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs
*oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that may impede the communication, but retain most of its meaning, when presented with oral or written connected discourse with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 3 - Developing - Answers •Categorize content-based examples from oral directions
• Match main ideas of familiar text read aloud to
visuals
• Use learning strategies described orally
• Identify everyday examples of content-based concepts described orally
• Associate oral language with different time frames (e.g., past, present, future)
Speaking Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 3- Developing - Answers • Begin to express time through multiple tenses
• Retell/rephrase ideas from speech
• Give brief oral content-based presentations
• State opinions
• Connect ideas in discourse using transitions (e.g., "but," "then")
• Use different registers inside and outside of class
• State big/main ideas with some supporting details
• Ask for clarification (e.g., self-monitor)
Reading Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 3- Developing - Answers •Identify topic sentences, main ideas, and details in paragraphs
• Identify multiple meanings of words in context (e.g., "cell," "table")
• Use context clues
• Make predictions based on illustrated text
• Identify frequently used affixes and root words to
make/extract meaning (e.g., "un-," "re-," "-ed")
• Differentiate between fact and opinion
• Answer questions about explicit information in texts
• Use English dictionaries/illustrated glosseries
Writing Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 3- Developing - Answers • Produce short paragraphs with main ideas and some detail (e.g., column notes)
• Create compound sentences (e.g. with conjunctions)
• Explain steps in problem-solving
• Compare/contrast information, events, characters
• Give opinions, preferences, and reactions along with reasons
LEVEL 4- Expanding - Answers *specific and some technical language of the content areas
*a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse of multiple, related sentences or paragraphs
*oral or written language with minimal phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning in the communication when presented with oral or written connected discourse with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
Content preview
WIDA LEVELS PERFORMANCE DEFINITIONS EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST
UPDATE 2026
linguistic complexity - Answers the amount and quality of speech or writing for a given situation
vocabulary usage - Answers the specificity of words or phrases for a given context
language control - Answers the comprehensibility of the communication based on the amounts and
types of errors
ELP standards - Answers English Language Proficiency standards; are framed by the Performance
Definitions
Performance Definitions - Answers language indicators at each given level of English language
proficiency; what ELLs will be able to process, understand, produce, or use at each level
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers *pictorial or graphic representations of language of the content areas
*words, phrases, or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH-,
choice or yes/not questions, or statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1 - Entering - Answers • Follow one-step oral commands/instructions
• Match social language to visual/graphic displays
• Identify objects, people, or places from oral statements/questions using gestures
(e.g., pointing)
• Match instructional language with visual
representation (e.g., "Use a
sharpened pencil.")
Speaking Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers • Answer yes/no and choice questions
• Begin to use general and high frequency vocabulary
• Repeat words, short phrases, memorized chunks
• Answer select WH- questions (e.g., "who,"
"what," "when," "where") within context of lessons or personal experiences
Reading Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers • Associate letters with sounds and objects
• Match content-related objects/pictures to words
• Identify common symbols, signs, and words
• Recognize concepts of print
• Find single word responses to WH- questions (e.g., "who," "what," "when," "where") related to
illustrated text
• Use picture dictionaries/illustrated glossaries
Writing Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 1- Entering - Answers •Draw content-related pictures
• produce high frequency words
• label pictures and graphs
• create vocabulary/concept cards
• generate lists from pre-taught words/phrases and word banks (e.g., create menu from list of food
groups)
LEVEL 2- Beginning - Answers *general language related to the content areas
*phrases or short sentences
*oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that often impede the
meaning of the communication when presented with one to multiple-step commands, directions,
questions, or a series of statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support
Listening Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2 - Beginning - Answers • Follow multi-step oral commands/instructions
• Classify/sort content-related visuals per oral descriptions
• Sequence visuals per oral directions
• Identify information on charts or tables based on
oral statements
Speaking Can Do Descriptors
LEVEL 2- Beginning - Answers • Convey content through high frequency words/
phrases