Scoring System
Penmate uses a five-band scoring scale aligned with the Cambridge English assessment framework. Each of the four assessment criteria is scored independently.
The Band Scale
Scores range from 0 to 5, with 0.5 increments available:
| Band | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Exceptional performance — all aspects of the criterion are fully met |
| 4 | Good performance — criterion is met with only minor issues |
| 3 | Satisfactory performance — criterion is adequately met, with some areas for improvement |
| 2 | Below expectations — noticeable weaknesses in this area |
| 1 | Significant weaknesses — the criterion is poorly met |
| 0 | Not met — the response does not address this criterion at all |
Band 3: The Threshold
Band 3 is the key threshold in the Cambridge assessment system. A score of 3.0 or above in a criterion indicates that the student has met the expected standard for that level. Scores below 3.0 indicate areas that need further work.
Overall Score
The overall score is calculated as the average of the four individual criterion scores:
Overall = (Content + Communicative Achievement + Organisation + Language) / 4
For example, if a student scores Content 4.0, Communicative Achievement 3.5, Organisation 3.0, and Language 3.5, the overall score would be 3.5.
Score Increments
Scores are given in 0.5 increments (e.g. 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5). This provides enough granularity to distinguish between levels of performance while remaining easy to interpret.