Introduction to STASS: assessment of language skills
presented on 19 March 2008
STASS Phrases Level 2
STASS is only interested in certain phrase patterns:
DN: the cat a man my
hat
Adj N: red car big one nice cat
NN: book cover TV set
Prep N: in box at home
VV: come cry let know
Vpart: fall over ring up
Int X: very hard really sweet
Spot the Level 2 Phrases
turn up
a doggie
computer screen
on TV
extremely quick
turn up VPart
a doggie DN
computer screen NN
on TV PrepN
extremely quick IntX
STASS Phrases Level 3
D Adj N the old man my little dog
Adj Adj N big, old Ben new, red car
Prep D N in the kitchen on the roof
N Adj N top red car
Cop I am six.
Aux She is flying!
Pron she
Prep Adj N in big car
Spot the Level 3 Phrases
He is my brother.
We were cycling.
on black horsie
He is my brother.
Pron Cop
We were cycling.
Pron Aux
on black horsie
Prep Adj N
STASS Phrases Level 4
N Prep NP top of the cupboard
Prep D Adj N in the big box
cX and mummy
XcX Laurie and Ewan
Neg V don't know
Neg X not up
2 Aux has been driving
Spot the Level 4 Phrases
and Ella came
Dad didn't tell me.
Linda's been telling lies!
up the steep stairs
and Ella came cX
Dad didn’t tell me. Neg V
Linda’ s been telling lies! 2 Aux
up the steep stairs PrepDAdjN
Congratulations!
You now know about phrase level analysis!
Most STASS responses are predictable so less time needed on phrase level analysis.
Word level analysis
Five forms of the verb:
| walk | fly | |
| walks | flies | 3S |
| walking | flying | -ing |
| walked | flew | -ed |
| walked | flown | -en |
PL Plural: cars teeth
Gen Genitive: the cat's tail
belonging to
'aux contracted auxiliary: He's been here
-er Comparative: bigger, older
-est Superlative: biggest, oldest
-ly Adverb ending: quickly, loudly
Spot the word level features
The lady's playing football.
He bumped into Jenny's car.
She's the biggest girl.
The lady's playing football. ‘aux 3s
He bumped into mummy's car. Gen
She's the biggest girl. 'cop 3s
Expansions
My medicine / tastes / yummy.
S V C
The Subject is a phrase. It’s a NP.
XY+S:NP
Teddy / in box.
S A
The Adverbial element is a phrase.
It’s actually a preposition phrase but STASS records it as an adverbial
phrase.
X+A:AP
That's it!
Clause level eg; SVA
Phrase level eg; DAdjN
Word level eg; -ed
Expansions eg; XY+S:NP
You can now analyse anything!