The ways in which achievement in a foreign language is assessed in German secondary schools are outlined and illustrated with examples from the testing of English. The overall organization of assessment procedures is described, the situations for forms 5-10 and 11-13 are differentiated, and the regulations governing conditions for the "Abitur" (pre-university, school-leaving) examination are discussed. Problems in the testing system are examined in some detail; it is noted that the system has the advantage of flexibility and freedom, which allow teachers to tailor their assessment procedures to their teaching methods. It is suggested that the system contains an untapped potential for criterion-referenced testing, and questions are raised about the degree of norm- referencing found in the system. (MSE)