Some research has shown that dictation is a remarkably accurate indicator of overall language proficiency, with dictation performance correlating well with both receptive and productive abilities...

Some research has shown that dictation is a remarkably accurate indicator of overall language proficiency, with dictation performance correlating well with both receptive and productive abilities (Buck, 2001). Why is that? What abilities or skills, beyond simply writing what you hear and spelling it correctly, are required to succeed in dictation?