Vocabulary Gym
The CEFR levels, explained
CEFR is the European scale for describing how well someone can use a language. It has six levels, from A1 for beginners to C2 for near-native command. This page explains what each level means and how this test uses them.
A1
Beginner
Score on this test: 0 to 10
What it means
You can handle the basics: introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about familiar things, and follow very slow, clear speech.
In vocabulary terms
Your vocabulary is the everyday core: numbers, colours, family, food, places and the most common verbs, mostly concrete things you could point at.
The next step
A2 is where single words grow into short exchanges about daily routine.
A2
Elementary
Score on this test: 10 to 30
What it means
You can cope with routine situations: shopping, asking the way, describing your job, home and plans, and writing short, simple messages.
In vocabulary terms
You know a wider range of everyday words and set phrases, enough for predictable situations, though you often fall back on the simplest word you have.
The next step
B1 is where you can follow the main points of real conversations and explain your own views.
B1
Intermediate
Score on this test: 30 to 50
What it means
You can deal with most situations when travelling or working in English, follow the main points of clear speech and everyday texts, and say what you think about familiar topics.
In vocabulary terms
You have a solid everyday vocabulary and can talk your way around words you do not know, but abstract topics and precise wording still leave gaps.
The next step
B2 brings ease on a much wider range of subjects, including abstract ones.
B2
Upper intermediate
Score on this test: 50 to 70
What it means
You can understand the main ideas of complex texts, talk with native speakers without strain, and explain your views clearly and in detail on many subjects. Many study and work settings expect this level.
In vocabulary terms
You have a broad vocabulary and a feel for common word combinations. The weak spots are precision: near-synonyms, register, and the less frequent words that make speech and writing sound natural.
The next step
C1 is about flexibility and nuance: choosing exactly the right word for the situation.
C1
Advanced
Score on this test: 70 to 90
What it means
You can follow demanding, longer texts and read between the lines, express yourself fluently and spontaneously, and use English flexibly for work, study and social life.
In vocabulary terms
Your vocabulary is wide and includes idioms and less common words. What separates you from C2 is fine shades of meaning, confusable pairs and the rare words you meet only now and then.
The next step
C2 is a command close to an educated native speaker's: precise, effortless and alert to subtle distinctions.
C2
Proficiency
Score on this test: 90 to 100
What it means
You can understand virtually everything you read or hear, summarise it, and express yourself precisely, even in complex situations, with fine shades of meaning.
In vocabulary terms
Your vocabulary reaches into rare, formal and literary words, and you handle the subtle differences between similar ones. At this level the challenge is mostly keeping words from fading: the ones you rarely use tend to go first.
The next step
There is no level above C2. From here the aim is to keep what you have.
How this test uses the levels
- It measures vocabulary only. CEFR describes the whole language: reading, listening, speaking and writing. This test looks at one part of it, so your result is a guide, not a full picture.
- The levels are our own labels. Every question carries a level, assigned by hand. They are not statistically calibrated, and we would rather say so than pretend.
- One short sitting gives a range, not a point. That is why the result says "around" and shows a range.
- The score out of 100 is your position on the whole scale. A1 covers 0 to 10, A2 10 to 30, B1 30 to 50, B2 50 to 70, C1 70 to 90 and C2 90 to 100. The two ends are narrower because there is nothing beyond them.
- It is not a certificate. For an official result you need an accredited exam.
The framework itself is published by the Council of Europe. Council of Europe: CEFR
Find out where you stand
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