Discourse Level	Sentence Level	Word/Phrase Level
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms and Conventions	Vocabulary Usage
Level 6 — Reaching: Language that meets all criteria through Level 5, Bridiging
Level 5 Bridging	Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences Cohesive and organized related ideas	Compound, complex grammatical constructions (e.g. multiple phrases and clauses) A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Technical and abstract content-area language, including content-specific collocations Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas
Level 4 Expanding	Connected discourse with a variety of sentences Expanded related ideas	A variety of complex grammatical constructions Sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Specific and some technical content-area language Words or expressions with multiple meanings across content areas
Level 3 Developing	Discourse with a series of extended sentences Related ideas	Compound and some complex (e.g. noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase) grammatical constructions Sentence patterns across content areas	Specific content language, including expressions Words and expressions with common collocations and idioms across content areas
Level 2 Emerging	Multiple related simple sentences An idea with details	Compound grammatical constructions Repetitive phrasal and sentence patterns across content areas	General content words and expressions, including cognates Social and instructional words and expressions across content areas
Level 1 Entering	Single statements or questions An idea within words, phrases, or chunks of language	Simple grammatical constructions (e.g. commands, Wh-questions, delcaratives) Common social and instructional forms and patterns	General content-related words Everyday social and instructional words and expressions