AAIE American Association of Teachers of Esperanto

Usona Ekzamena Servo
U.S. Testing Service
email to Dorothy Holland

The Usona Ekzamena Servo provides testing for Esperanto ability at three levels:

1. Komencgrada Ekzameno - The beginning level test
2. Duagrada Ekzameno - The intermediate level test
3. Supera Ekzameno - The advanced test

These standard Esperanto tests of the U.S. Testing Services are provided under the auspices of the American Association of Teachers of Esperanto (AAIE/AATE) and the Esperanto League for North America (ELNA).

The three levels of tests are managed by Dorothy Holland. Send all applications and inquiries to her at:

Usona Ekzamena Servo
5140 San Lorenzo Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93111-2521

Cost: $5.00 per test, per student, payable in advance.

Administration: The test can be given by any Esperantist or teacher. The teacher does not have to be an Esperantist, but must be able to administer the test according to instructions provided in English.

Equipment required:

1. Komencgrada Ekzameno (beginning level test): One cassette recorder
2. Duagrada Ekzameno (intermediate level test): Two cassette recorders
3. Supera Ekzameno (advanced test): One cassette recorder

Testing environment: Portions of the test must be administered "one-on-one" with the administrator and a single student because the tests involve tape recorders and responses by the person taking the test. If a class or other local group wish to take the test as a group, the testing must still be done individually, but the administrator should submit the requests to Dorothy Holland as a group, so that a single pre-recorded cassette can be used for all the students.

Submitting the tests: Upon receipt of the names and addresses of students and the adminstrator, and payment of $5.00 per student, the tests will be sent to the administrator, who will arrange for giving the tests to the students. After testing, the administrator will send the results including recorded cassettes by the students to the Usona Ekzamena Servo for grading.

Certificates: On successful completion of the test certificates will be sent to students. If the student did exceptionally well, the certificate will be marked "with distinction". Those who do not pass the test may take it again at a later date (resubmit application fee, names and address, etc, just as before).

Komencgrada Ekzameno

If you wish to take the elementary Esperanto examination, designed for those who have completed a beginning course, and called "Komencgrada Ekzameno", please send $5.00 (payable to Dorothy Holland) to the address below, together with the address of an Esperantist or a teacher (not necessarily an Esperantist) who has agreed to administer the test.

Usono Ekzamena Servo
5140 San Lorenzo Drive
Santa Barbara CA 93111-2521

A certificate will be sent to everyone who passes this examination. Those who do exceptionally well will receive a certificate marked "with distinction".

Material covered by the "Komencgrada Ekzameno" (besides a basic vocabulary):

1. Use of endings: a to show adjectives; e, adverbs; o, nouns; j, plural
2. Verb tenses: Simple present, past, and future; imperative; inifinitive.
The difference between devas and devus.
3. Use of the ending -n:
a. to indicate direct objects;
b. instead of prepositional phrases;
c. to show motion toward.
4. Use of the nominative case after estas and after prepositions.
5. Agreement of adjectives with nouns in case and number.
6. Use of da after expressions of quantity.
7. Formation of the comparative ( pli .. ol ) and superlative ( plej .. el ).
8. The following correlatives: neniu-nenio; tiu-tio; ciu-cio; kiu-kio; kiel-tiel.
9. The following affixes:
a. Prefixes: mal-, ek-, ge-, for-.
b. Suffixes: -in, -ig, -ig, -ist, -il, -ej, -ebl, -ind, -on, -an, -id, -aj, -ul, -ar.
10. How to ask the time.
11. When to use ke, cu, nek, and ci.
12. Impersonal use of estas.
13. Reflexive pronouns for the first and third persons.
14. Numbers (cardinal and ordinal).
15. How to express possession with nouns.
16. How to write Esperanto from dictation.
17. How to pronounce Esperanto. (A cassette tape-recorder will be necessary; a blank tape is sent to the test administrator).

Duagrada Ekzameno

The "Duagrada" (intermediate) Esperanto examination is designed for students who, after an elementary course, have completed at least a year at the high-school level, or a semester at the college level, and have concentrated on the four language skills:

1. Listening
2. Reading
3. Speaking
4. Writing

The listening section uses a tape to ask in Esperanto about pictures and to identify by multiple-choice questions the meaning of spoken Esperanto statements. The student answers by indicating the correct printed statement.

The reading section, which is completely in written Esperanto, consists of multiple-choice questions about statements and anecdotes.

The speaking section consists primarily of students' comments (recorded on tape) about pictures which tell a story. vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency are graded.

The writing section includes supplying missing Esperanto words; making verb, noun, and adjective forms agree; and composing sentences and a dialogue containing given words.

Equipment required for this examination consists of a pen or pencil, scratch paper, and two tape recorders. One blank cassette and one containing test material will be furnished to the test administrator.

The test takes approximately two hours, and may be administered locally by a teacher (not necessarily an Esperantist).

To apply for taking the "Duagrada Ekzameno", send $5.00 and the name and address of the student(s) and administrator to:

USONA EKZAMENA SERVO
5140 San Lorenzo Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93111-02521

Please make checks or money-orders payable to Dorothy Holland.

An official Four-Skills certificate will be mailed to everyone who passes this test. Those who do exceptionally well will receive one marked "with distinction". Those who do not succeed may take the examination at a later date.

Supera Ekzameno

The "Supera" (advanced) Esperanto examination is designed for those who have continued their study of Esperanto beyone an introductory course, have mastered the grammar, are able to speak the language, and have acquired a basic knowledge of Esperanto history and literature.

Anyone wishing to take this test should send $5.00 (payable to Dorothy Holland) to the address below, together with the name and address of an Esperantist or a teacher (not necessarily an Esperantist) who has agreed to administer the examination.

Usono Ekzamena Servo
5140 San Lorenzo Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93111-2521

A Certificant of Competence is mailed to everyone who passes this test. Those who do exceptionally well receive a certificate marked "with distinction".

The "Supera Ekzameno" assumes an extensive vocabulary and covers the following:
1. A through knowledge of Esperanto grammar, including
a. All compound verb tenses, participles, and participial adverbs.
b. All the prefixes and suffixes and the correlative words
c. The inifinitive after prepositions and the use of -u after por ke
d. The tenses in indirect quotations
e. Formation of compound words
2. Ability to express oneself orally in correct Esperanto. (This is tested by recording on a cassette tape sent to the test administrator. A Tape-recorder accommodating a cassette is necessary.)
3. Ability to write correct and chherent Esperanto, in both translation and original compositions.
4. Ability to translate Esperanto prose into idiomatic English.
5. A basic knowledge of the history and literature of Esperanto.

The following are recommended for reading and reference:

Privat: Vivo de Zamenhof **
Boulton: Zamenhof, Creator of Esperanto **
Zamenhof: Fundamenta Krestomatio **
SAT: Plena Ilustrita Vortaro or Plena Vortaro **
Butler: Step by Step in Esperanto **
U.E.A.: Jarlibro (available to members of the "Universala Esperanto-Asocio")

The Usono Ekzamena Servo is sponsored jointly by the American Association of Teachers of Esperanto (AAIE/AATE) and the Esperanto League for North America (ELNA)

** Available from
ELNA, Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Tel: 510-653-0998
Fax: 510-653-1468
email: elna@esperanto-usa.org