Choose your level of English

A1

‘Breakthrough’

You are at this BEGINNER level if you can…

• Understand and use familiar expressions and very basic phrases aimed at meeting your everyday needs.
• Introduce yourself to others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where you live, people you know and things you have.
• Interact in a simple way if the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2

‘Waystage’

You are at this Elementary level if you can…

• Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (for example, very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
• Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
• Describe in simple terms aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B1

‘Threshold’

You are at this Lower Intermediate level if you can…

• Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
• Deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
• Produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
• Describe experiences, events, dreams, hopes and ambitions, and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
• Communicate with reasonable accuracy in familiar contexts.

B2

‘Vantage’

You are at this Upper Intermediate level if you can…

• Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialization.
• Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
• 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.
• Use language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of general, academic, vocational and leisure topics.

C1

‘Effective operational proficiency’

You are at this Advanced level if you can…

• Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning.
• Express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
• Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
• Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
• Express yourself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly.

C2

‘Mastery’

You are at this Proficiency level if you can…

• Understand with ease virtually everything heard or read
• Summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation
• Express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning, even in the most complex situations