A good knowledge of English vocabulary is important for anyone who wants to use the language, so knowledge of vocabulary is often tested. A test may test one or all of the types of vocabulary (active spoken, active written, passive listening, and passive reading), but the test maker should be aware of the differences among the types and which is being tested. Vocabulary content to be tested should be derived from appropriate materials, suitable for the needs of the students being assessed. Appropriate test content items can be placed into various types of multiple-choice formats or can be used in set items in which the examinee selects the word that fits or doesn't fit. Matching items, completion items, and word formation items are other ways to test student vocabulary. Another vocabulary-related skill to test is the ability to guess the meaning of an item from context. These items are particularly difficult to evaluate, but test a skill students need to develop. In evaluating vocabulary, it is useful to be able to test from various points of view: (1) knowledge of word meanings; (2) knowledge of word forms; and (3) knowledge of how to surmise meanings of unknown words from the context. (SLD)