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This paper proposes a method to automatically measure the timing characteristics of a second-language learners speech as a means to evaluate language proficiency in speech production. We used the durational differences from native speakers speech as an objective measure to evaluate the learners timing characteristics. To provide flexible evaluation without the need to collect any additional English reference speech, we employed predicted segmental durations using a statistical duration model instead of measured raw durations of natives speech. The proposed evaluation method was tested using English speech data uttered by Thai-native learners with different English-study experiences. An evaluation experiment shows that the proposed measure based on duration differences closely correlates to the subjects Englishstudy experiences. Moreover, segmental duration differences revealed Thai learners speech-control characteristics in word-final stress assignment. These results support the effectiveness of the proposed model-based objective evaluation.