Although testing language has traditionally taken the form of testing knowledge about language, the idea of testing communicative competence is becoming recognized as being of great importance in second language learning. Communicative language tests are intended to be a measure of how the testees are able to use language in real life situations. Communicative testing must consider both receptive and productive skills. Such tests are often very context-specific, as is appropriate. The assumption that the test should represent the context in which the student will use the language influences tasks chosen to test communicative competence. Speaking and listening tasks that are commonly used in testing communication skills are those that require completion of an information gap, role play, reading and writing tests, letter writing tests, summarizing tasks, and note taking tests. Communicative language tests must make an effort to test language in a way that reflects its use in real communication. (SLD)