This paper argues that the output of translators working into English as a second language can be evaluated by means of examining their ability to translate certain critical structures. These claims are made on the basis of data-based research with the support of a cognitive theory about language processing during translation, and an analytical procedure that models the decision pathways of translators. The paper begins with a discussion of the relevance and distinctiveness of translation into English as a second language (TRESL). A sketch of the underpinning theory is presented, followed by a study of translations by Arabic-English student translators. The paper ends with a discussion of the usefulness of critical structures in evaluating cross-clause processing and cognitive style in translators working into English as a second language.