What is my English Language Level?
Common European Reference Levels
The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions which can be divided into six levels:
A- Basic Speaker
A1 Breakthrough or beginner
A2 Waystage or elementary
B- Independent Speaker
B1 Threshold or intermediate
B2 Vantage or upper intermediate
C- Proficient Speaker
C1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced
C2 Mastery or proficiency
The CEFR describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level.
| level | description |
|---|---|
| A1 | Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. |
| A2 | Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. |
| B1 | Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. |
| B2 | Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. |
| C1 | Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. |
| C2 | Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. |
Self-evaluated equivalences
Language schools and certificate bodies evaluate their own equivalences against the framework. Differences of estimation have been found to exist, for example, with the same level on the PTE A, TOEFL, and IELTS, and is a cause of debate between test producers.
| CEFR level | City and Guilds | NQF (UK Only) | Cambridge exam | CIEP / Alliance française diplomas | DELE | Goethe Institute | IELTS | PTE Academic | PTE General (formerly LTE) | TOEIC | UNIcert (different languages) | Versant | YKI | ALTE level | TOEFL (IBT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 | Mastery | Level 7-8 | CPE / CAE grade A | TCF C2 / DALF C2 / DHEF | C2 (formerly "Superior") | Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung, Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom | IELTS 8.5-9.0 | 85 | Level 5 | - | UNIcert IV | 79-80 | 6.taso | Level 5 | - |
| C1 | Expert | Levels 4-6 | CAE, FCE grade A | TCF C1 / DALF C1 / DSLCF | C1 | Goethe-Zertifikat C1 | IELTS 7.0-8.0 | 76 | Level 4 | 945+ points | UNIcert III | 69-78 | 5.taso | Level 4 | 110+ |
| B2 | Communicator | Level 3 | FCE | TCF B2 / DELF B2 / Diplôme de Langue | B2 (formerly "Intermedio") | Goethe-Zertifikat B2, ZDfB | IELTS 5.5-6.5 | 59 | Level 3 | 785 - 945 points | UNIcert II | 58-68 | 4.taso | Level 3 | 87-109 |
| B1 | Achiever | Level 2 | PET | TCF B1 / DELF B1 / CEFP 2 | B1 (formerly "Inicial") | Zertifikat Deutsch | IELTS 4.0-5.0 | 43 | Level 2 | 550 - 785 points | UNIcert I | 47-57 | 3.taso | Level 2 | 57-86 |
| A2 | Access | Level 1 | KET | TCF A2 / DELF A2 / CEFP 1 | A2 | Start Deutsch 2 | 30 | Level 1 | 225 - 550 points | 36-46 | 2.taso | Level 1 | - | ||
| A1 | Preliminary | Entry Level | no scored | TCF A1 / DELF A1 | A1 | Start Deutsch 1 | Level A1 | 120 - 225 points | 26-35 | 1.taso | Breakthrough level | - |
Information cited from Wikipedia
