Introducing LexEst - a quick and efficient vocabulary test for assessing vocabulary knowledge in L2 Estonian

Oct 1, 2026

This study presents the creation and validation of LexEst, a short 5-minute test to assess vocabulary knowledge in Estonian. LexEst is freely accessible and includes 90 items designed for L2 speakers of Estonian. Modeled on the Lexical Test for Advanced Learners of English, it has been adapted for different proficiency levels. Results show LexEst offers an objective measure of L2 Estonian vocabulary that aligns with self-assessed language proficiency indicators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background and need for efficient assessment

Existing tools and limitations

LexTALE-based adaptation and study focus

Applied Psycholinguistics (2025), 46, e39, 1–26 doi:10.1017/S0142716425100301 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Introducing LexEst: a quick and efficient vocabulary test for assessing vocabulary knowledge in L2 Estonian Kaidi Lõo1, Katrin Leppik1, Anton Malmi1, Agu Bleive1 and Raymond Bertram2 1University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia and 2University of Turku, Turku, Finland Corresponding author: Kaidi Lõo; Email: [kaidi.loo@ut.ee](kaidi.loo@ut.ee) (Received 20 January 2025; revised 9 July 2025; accepted 23 September 2025) Abstract This study presents the creation and validation of LexEst, a short 5-minute test to assess vocabulary knowledge in Estonian. Our freely accessible test consists of 90 items and is designed for L2 speakers of Estonian. LexEst is modeled after the original Lexical Test for Advanced Learners of English. Similarly to other test variants, our test has been adapted to assess vocabulary knowledge at varying proficiency levels. Our findings demonstrate that LexEst provides an objective measure of the Estonian vocabulary of L2 learners, aligning well with subjective language proficiency indicators, such as self-assessed skills. In addition, higher LexEst scores and shorter response times are associated with higher CEFR-level language courses and a greater daily use of Estonian. Higher LexEst scores are also associated with an earlier age of acquisition in Estonian and a higher perceived importance of learning Estonian. Keywords: Estonian; language proficiency; lexical decision; response times; vocabulary Introduction Estonian is a Finno-Ugric language of the Uralic language family, with approximately 1.1 million native speakers (L1) . Furthermore, according to the 2021 census, 1 a considerable part of the population in Estonia (about 17%) speaks Estonian as a second language (L2). This number is expected to grow in the coming years as Estonia transitions from a country with a negative net migration rate to one with a steady inflow of migrants who need to learn Estonian as an L2 . Additionally, Estonian schools are in transition from Russian and Estonian medium education to only Estonian medium education. With the increasing number of Estonian L2 speakers comes the need for researchers and educators to find means to measure Estonian language proficiency reliably. However, at the moment, there is no quick and easy way to achieve this. The current study introduces the Estonian version of © The Author(s), 2025 . Published by Cambridge University Press. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited. Downloaded from [https://www.cambridge.org/core](https://www.cambridge.org/core. 01)[. 01](https://www.cambridge.org/core. 01) Oct 2026 at 14:38:08, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use. 2 Lõo et al. the LexTALE vocabulary knowledge test (Lemhöfer & Broersma, 2012) . LexEst ([https://lexest.ut.ee/](https://lexest.ut.ee/)) is a freely available vocabulary test for speakers of Estonian as a second language. It offers a quick and easy way to measure learners’ proficiency through vocabulary assessment. So far, Estonian language skills, including vocabulary, have been measured via CEFR-level testing2 in schools and by the Education and Youth Board. Regarding freely available assessment options, the Estonian Integration Foundation3 offers online screening and diagnostic tests, allowing language learners to assess their Estonian knowledge by themselves. They include, among other skills tests, a vocabulary assessment test. The Institute of the Estonian Language has also developed several tools4 to aid teachers with Estonian as a second language (Kallaset al., 2021; Üksik et al., 2021), including modules on vocabulary, grammar, communicative language a

FAQs

What is LexEst designed to measure?

LexEst is designed to assess vocabulary knowledge in Estonian for L2 speakers using a brief testing format.

How long does the LexEst test take and how many items does it include?

LexEst is a short 5-minute test consisting of 90 items.

What factors were associated with higher LexEst performance?

Higher LexEst scores were linked to higher proficiency-course levels, greater daily use of Estonian, earlier age of acquisition, and higher perceived importance of learning Estonian.

Oct 1, 2026

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