This paper is a response to Paul Meara's (2005) critique of the Lexical Frequency Profile (LFP). Using simulated data, he challenges the claim that LFP is a sensitive and reliable tool for assessing vocabulary use in L2 speakers. In my response to his paper, I discuss the nature of lexical competence, in light of which LFP results should be interpreted. I question the robustness of computer generated artificial data on which the critique of LFP is based, and I show that Meara's criticisms contain various misrepresentations of our original work.