The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) establishes a uniform approach towards describing language proficiency levels. These levels range from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient). Each level is discussed in detail below:
A1 Level: Beginner
OverviewA1 is the entry stage of any language learning process such that students get basic vocabulary items and structures necessary for simple communication.
Skills:Listening: Can understand familiar words and very basic phrases involving themselves as well as their families or immediate surroundings when people speak slowly and plainly.
Reading: Can comprehend familiar names, words, and extremely straightforward sentences such as those found on notices, posters or in catalogues.
Speaking: Can converse simply provided that the other person speaks slowly and enunciates clearly. Can ask and answer elementary questions concerning well-known subjects.
Writing: Can write brief, uncomplicated postcards for instance sending vacation greetings. Can complete forms requesting personal information like name, citizenship and place of residency in hotel registration forms.
Typical Scenarios:Introducing oneself or others.
Questioning and answering inquiries about personal data such as where one resides, acquaintances or possessions.
Applying routine expressions as well as simple phrases to satisfy certain needs.
A2 Level: Elementary English
Overview:Learners at A2 can handle uncomplicated tasks which require trading of information based on familiar subjects or activities.
Skills:Listening: Can grasp basic expressions and the most commonly used vocabulary connected to their personal lives such as simple details about families, shopping, local areas and working places.
Reading: Reads extremely short and uncomplicated articles. Find particular predictable information concerning simple everyday options such as ads, menus, brochures or schedules.
Speaking: Carries out routine conversations whose nature involves exchange of information in a simple and direct manner on familiar topics and activities. Handles very short social exchanges.
Writing: Communicates through extremely brief notes related to urgent needs; writes very simple letters like appreciation letters.
Typical Topics:Simple discussions about one’s background information, environment details or urgent matters.
Conversation starters regarding family, retailing issues or nearby places.
Directions provision.
B1 Level: Intermediate
OverviewLearners commence engaging in more complex communication at B1 level, being able to handle most situations that could possibly arise while travelling when the language is spoken.
Skills:Listening: Can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
Reading: Can comprehend texts that comprise predominantly high frequency everyday or job related language. Knows the presentation of events, feelings and wishes contained within personal letters.
Speaking: Can manage with most situations likely to prevail while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics that are known to them or of personal interest.
Writing: Can write basic connected text concerning topics which they know about or are personally interested in. Additionally, can write personal letters discussing experiences and impressions.
Typical Scenarios:Handling common situations while travelling or living abroad such as asking for directions; ordering food; making reservations.
Discussing experiences, events or dreams and expressing desires or ambitions as well as providing brief reasons and explanations for one’s opinions and plans.
Talking about hobbies, interests work travel current events etc.
B2 Level: Upper Intermediate
OverviewAt B2, learners can express themselves fluently paving ways for dialogue with native speakers which are devoid of any stress from either party.
Skills:Listening: Can understand lengthy speeches and lectures therefore following intricate reasoning routes as long as the topic is more or less familiar. Can comprehend most television news channels and current affairs programs.
Reading: Can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. Can understand contemporary literary prose.
Speaking: Can interact freely making it possible to maintain regular conversations with native speakers without any pressure on either person involved. Can actively participate in discussions within familiar contexts by justifying and sustaining their opinions.
Writing: Can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to their interests. Can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view.
Typical Scenarios:
Taking part in debates regarding work, school, hobbies as well as present-day issues.
Presenting arguments on contemporary subjects while highlighting the pros and cons of alternative choices.
Creating concise yet elaborate written works
C1: Advanced English
OverviewLevel C1 is the highest level in learning English language according to Cambridge scale. It entails fluency and spontaneity without searching for expressions that are commonly known (Elder, 2007). Additionally, it encompasses flexibility with respect to its use in different situations affecting social lives or academic purposes.
Listening: Can listen to a variety of challenging longer texts and get the unexpressed meaning within them. In addition, they can follow discussions done by different people without any concrete structure even when their relationship can only be implied but not shown clearly.
Reading: Can go through difficult lengthier content that contains hidden meanings. In general C1 learners are able to talk smoothly without hinting or having any difficulty finding words (Cambridge English).
Writing: With the ability to control various patterns such as internal arrangements among other things writing becomes an easy task. For example, logical order or coherence are important aspects that underlie cohesion (Bhatia et al., 2012).
Typical Scenarios:
Participating in difficult arguments regarding specific topics while providing information, opinions and counter-arguments.
Being able to detect hidden meaning in spoken or written texts like irony, metaphor and subtle position about serious issues.
C2 Level: Expert
A C2 student indicates that he/she can comprehend almost everything that is said or written. They summarize information obtained from different spoken and written sources while presenting arguments and accounts in a structured manner. He or she also speaks spontaneously with great fluency as well as accuracy even in the most complex situations.
SkillsListening: Comprehending virtually everything heard or read despite any speed boundaries can be manageable for them at all levels. They can summarize different spoken and written materials, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.
Reading: Read with ease almost all kinds of written language including abstract, structurally or linguistically complicated texts such as manuals, specialized articles and literary works.
Speaking: The person differentiates even finer shades of meanings between the words when articulating himself or herself fluently enough except where it turns out to be really hard.
Writing: He also knows how to write fluidly flowing texts in appropriate styles or formats making everything clear. Moreover, he can write multifaceted letters, reports or articles which convince all associates of a statistical case by means of an effective logical structure making the main points vibrant in people’s minds.
Typical Scenarios
Understanding virtually all spoken languages, no matter how fast they are delivered by natives.
Reading within a split secondWide comprehension on complex academic and literary (the intended use may not be attended), can expect difficulties.
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