Test guide2 min read
How the CCL test is marked, and where the marks go
The CCL starts you at 90 and takes marks away. Here is what examiners deduct for, and what that means for how you practise.
By NAATI CCL Prep team
Most tests add up what you get right. The CCL does the opposite. Every candidate starts with 90 marks, 45 for each of the two dialogues, and examiners take marks off for each error. To pass you need 63 or more overall and at least 29 in each dialogue.
That second condition catches people out. A strong first dialogue can’t rescue a weak second one. Score 40 and 28 and you have 68 overall, which is above 63, but you still fail because one dialogue is below 29.
What examiners deduct for
NAATI groups errors into three broad areas.
Accuracy. Did the meaning arrive intact? Leaving something out, adding something that wasn’t said, or changing the meaning all cost marks. A dropped “not” or a wrong number can matter more than a clumsy sentence, because it changes what the other person understands.
Quality of language. Is your English and your other language natural and grammatical? Are you using the right level of formality for the speaker? Pronunciation counts here too.
Quality of delivery. Long pauses, lots of hesitation and repeated self-correction all suggest the message isn’t flowing. You need to start speaking within five seconds of the chime.
The size of each deduction depends on how much the error affects communication. A small slip that doesn’t change meaning costs less than an omission that leaves the listener missing a key fact.
Repeats are rationed
You may ask for one segment to be repeated in each dialogue without penalty. Anything beyond that costs marks. Treat the free repeat as an emergency tool. If you use it on segment two, you have nothing left for the long, number-heavy segment near the end.
What this means for practice
Because marks are deducted, the goal in practice is not a beautiful interpretation. It’s an interpretation with nothing missing. A few habits follow from that:
- After each attempt, check your recording against the source for omissions first, then for meaning changes, then for language quality. In that order.
- Practise starting within five seconds, even when you’re unsure. A complete, plain rendering beats a perfect one that starts late.
- Keep a running list of the words you hesitate on. Hesitation shows up as delivery errors, and it’s usually vocabulary.
Our CCL test guide has the full format, and NAATI’s own CCL page is the place to confirm current rules before you book.
