Your English language level

Beginners level

• Can understand simple greetings and some individual words but cannot understand the basic topic of a conversation.
• Can only produce simple greetings and a few international words.
• In reading they may understand simple signs and in writing be able to write disconnected words with spelling errors.  (CEFR = A1)

Elementary level

• Can understand many simple expressions of everyday basic functions in familiar situations and sometimes understand what the basic topic of a conversation in English is.
• Can produce understandable questions and answers involving more than basic information.
• In reading can follow very simplified stories or information and can write a few simple but connected sentences on a given topic.
• Grammar is not always correct but the writing can be understood.  (CEFR = A1-A2)

Intermediate level

• Can understand general conversation involving fluent speakers, provided that some allowances are made, or occasional help given.
• Can produce well enough to make relevant contributions and to get satisfactory information from other speakers by questioning as necessary.
• Is functionally competent for all everyday negotiations except when there are completely unpredictable problems.
• In reading can understand the general idea of authentic texts and can write effective communications of information or opinion, but with a number of errors, or problems because of inability to handle some of the more complex structures.  (CEFR = B1)

Upper-Intermediate level

• Can understand well enough to hold a continuous conversation with a native speaker.
• Can produce language well enough to start new topics, change the subject, and generally take part in the management of the conversation rather than just responding.
• Can manage all normal life functions with ease, and manage linguistically with completely new situations.  In reading, can understand the majority of any non-specialist, modern text and begin to respond to different ‘registers’ or types of writing.
• Can produce fluent writing on most kinds of topic and can use complex sentence structures without many errors.

A learner at this level should be able to achieve a good pass in the Cambridge First Certificate exam.  (CEFR = B2)

Pre-Advanced level

• Can understand native speakers of everyday standard English, though may still experience difficulties with more complex interaction and themes.
• Can produce speech fluent enough to express feeling, to argue and maintain a point of view.
• In reading, can easily understand the majority of non-specialist modern text and respond to different ‘registers’ or types of writing.
• Can produce fluent writing on most topics and can use complex sentence structures accurately.

A learner at this level would be a suitable candidate for the Cambridge Advanced exam. (CEFR = C1)

Advanced level

• Can understand native speakers of everyday standard English, even when not being directly addressed, and can take part in normal interaction on almost the same terms as a native speaker.
• Can produce speech fluent enough to express feeling, to argue and maintain a point of view, or to express complex information to a listener.
• In reading, can use specialist books written in English to obtain specialist knowledge, can recognise and respond to different styles of writing.
• Can write fluently and with relatively few errors, not only on any topic but also in a range of styles.

A learner at the top of this level should be able to achieve a good pass in the Cambridge Advanced exam.  (CEFR = C1-C2)