Hi Fran,

You are probably right.

However, I wouldn't be so objective and precise when evaluating a human ability so complex, changeable and difficult to measure. Consider just the differences in learning pace that we can observe with different learners. In our school I interview students that sign up for classes who have studied English for years and are at a pre-intermediate level or worse. At the same time I interview a lot of young people that never sat in a classroom to "study" English, but are on upper intermediate or pre-advanced levels.

Ricardo - EMB