ABSTRACT
This chapter relates the areas of psycholinguistics and SLA to second language assessment. The chapter outlines the Levelt model of speech productions and covers findings from the field of second language task-based spoken performance. These findings are then related to the stages of the Levelt model, especially Conceptualisation and Formulation, and four general types of influence are discussed: complexifying, pressuring, easing, and focussing. These influences are related to the tasks that can be used in second language proficiency assessment. It is argued that the four influences in question provide a framework within which assessment choices can be more effectively made.
