The progress made by adults in dedicated mainstream basic skills provision in England and Wales and factors associated with students' progress were examined. Of the 2,135 students from 71 colleges of further education and local education authorities who took the reading pretest, 1,224 (57%) took the reading posttest. Writing scripts were received from 1,724 students at pretest and 937 (54%) at posttest. Background data were collected on the students, and 177 adult literacy tutors completed a questionnaire. Students achieved small but statistically significant improvements in reading and very small but statistically significant improvements in writing. Students' writing improved only in terms of length of script and quality of handwriting--not in terms of reduction of errors or increase in complexity. Students' writing skills were generally much poorer than their reading skills. No factors associated with differential progress in writing were found. The following factors appeared linked to differential progress in reading: regular attendance, all tutors in an area having qualified teacher status, and tutors having help in the classroom. Nine recommendations were presented. (Sixty-one tables/figures and 22 references are included. The following items are appended: descriptions of the study methodology and method used to devise the reading tests, the student profile instrument, and the tutor questionnaire.) (MN)