The purpose of LEMMA

The original purpose of LEMMA was to use the scientific studies on vocabulary frequency mentioned in Background to create reliable tests on language proficiency. Studies among adult students in Sweden have demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between the size of the vocabulary of a speaker of a foreign language and his or her mastery of that language in general. A reliable test on vocabulary size can thus be used as a diagnostic test on language proficiency.

The test words in LEMMA are presented in the order according to how frequent they are in modern English. The software records the student´s correct answers at different frequencies and the score gives an estimate of his or her total vocabulary size. To discourage guess work, wrong answers give minus points. Blank answers, however, give no reduction in points.

The tests are presented at three different levels, elementary, intermediate and advanced. To be able to get an accurate idea of the size of his/her vocabulary, the student needs to take a test that corresponds to what he/she believes to be his/her general language level. Normally, only native speakers get close to 100% right answers at Advanced level, which corresponds to a vocabulary of more than about 30,000 words.