English basic level courses. Sample Programs in Foreign Languages English

What does it mean - speak a foreign language? Everyone has their own ideas about this: someone is content with a level that allows them to freely travel around Europe, and someone is not enough to read Shakespeare in the original. Subjective criteria in this case vary greatly - from knowledge of the necessary phrases to an intuitive sense of the language (which sometimes even those who speak it from childhood lack). However, we learn a foreign language for some reason - moving to another country, studying at a foreign university, the need to speak English for work.
Needless to say, "just like that", the language itself will never be learned. Accordingly, no one can do without external criteria, that is, those parameters by which knowledge of the language will be tested in practice. Therefore, below we will consider the gradation of the levels of proficiency in the most common foreign language - English - according to the CEFR scale developed by the Council of Europe, compare it with the results of popular exams (IELTS / TOEFL / Cambridge / PTE) and give some tips for the gradual mastering of the language from elementary to higher level.

Comparison table of levels and scores for exams

How to find out your level yourself?

Today, the level of English proficiency can be determined even without leaving home, thanks to numerous online tests. Below is a selection of several of these tests. It should be borne in mind that such tests will not allow you to absolutely accurately reflect the level of language proficiency, since the resources on which they are placed are most often associated with language schools that have paid or offline resources for an accurate assessment of the level. Therefore, even after receiving the result on the CEFR scale, one should take into account the possible errors of online tests. In addition, some tests, by their content, cannot at all objectively assess knowledge of the language at an advanced level (C1–C2).
Some of the tests below require registration before the start of testing, but there are many tests on the network that allow you to get a result only after registering on the site or contacting the language school, which is very annoying and leads to additional time costs, so such tests are in the tables not taken into account.

Complex tests

Tests of this kind include tasks in various areas of language knowledge: listening (listening), understanding the text (reading), grammar (grammar) and knowledge of the dictionary (vocabulary). Comprehensive online tests do not include only one important parameter - a test of oral speech (speaking). Such tests can be considered the most objective.

Questions	Time	Level	Answers	Grade	Timer	Registration	listening	Reading
42	50 min	A2–C2	4-5 var.	9.7	+	+	+	+
50	20 minutes.	B1–C2	5 var.	7.4	-	+	+	+
50	20 minutes.	A2–C1	3–4 var.	7.4	-	+	+	+
140	70 min.	A1–C1	4 var.	7.2	-	-	+	+
30	20 minutes.	A2–C1	4 var.	7.0	-	-	+	-
40	15 minutes.	A1-B2	4 var.	7.0	-	+	+	-
50	20 minutes.	A2–C1	4 var.	6.8	-	-	-	+
20	15 minutes.	A2–C2	4 var.	6.5	+	-	+	-
60	30 min.	A2–C1	4 var.	6.5	+	+	-	+
40	15 minutes.	A1-B2	3–4 var.	6.2	-	-	+	+

Vocabulary and grammar tests

A good option for those who want to quickly determine their approximate level of language proficiency. The level of knowledge of grammar will allow you to quickly navigate your level, because good knowledge in this area constitutes an important “skeleton” on which you can successfully build up other language knowledge.

Time	Questions	Level	Answers	Grammar	Verbs	Vocabulary	Grade
35 min.	83	A2–C2	6 var.	9	8	7	8.0
25 min.	40	A1-B2	Writing	7	8	7	7.3
10 minutes.	10	B2–C1	4 var.	8	6	6	6.7
35 min.	68	A2–B2	4 var	7	7	6	6.7
10 minutes.	25	A1-B2	4 var.	7	8	5	6.7
20 minutes.	50	A1-B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	50	A1-B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	40	A1-B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	50	A1-B2	4 var.	6	7	6	6.3
15 minutes.	40	A1-B2	4 var.	8	5	5	6.0
15 minutes.	40	A1–B1	3 var.	6	6	5	5.7
10 minutes.	25	A1–B1	3 var.	6	3	4	4.3

The assessment is made on a ten-point scale based on five main criteria:

Grammar - how deeply knowledge of English grammar is checked, including knowledge of tenses, conditional clauses, subordinate clauses, tense agreement, passive voice.
Verbs - it is separately assessed how detailed the test checks for knowledge of English verbs: irregular, modal, phrasal. The same parameter includes the presence in the test of tasks on the knowledge of the use of prepositions with verbs, the infinitive and the gerund.
Dictionary - assessment of the diversity of testing vocabulary, as well as the availability of tasks for its use.
Listening - if the test contains this part, then the level of its complexity, the speed of listening, the presence of different voice timbres, artificial noise, accents, etc. are evaluated.
Reading - assessment of tasks for the perception and understanding of the text, if any, in the test. The complexity of the texts is mainly evaluated.

A large role is played by the number of tasks in a particular section, the component of knowledge of the language and the complexity of the tasks.

Why is it important to know your language level?

To correctly determine your goals - only knowing your level of proficiency in a foreign language, you can adequately assess your capabilities, as well as determine short-term and long-term goals, which will allow you to choose the right training program and find a competent mentor.
The need to indicate when applying for a job - many modern companies ask applicants to indicate in their resume the level of foreign language proficiency, confirmed by the appropriate certificate. To get a good position in an international company, you need to know the language at a high level.
To study abroad - it is impossible to enter a prestigious college or university without a good knowledge of a foreign language. And again, members of the selection committee need confirmation - a language certificate.

Foreign language in practice: what is important?

The first thing you need to know: the level of language proficiency is checked only in practice. It is almost impossible to independently determine real language skills, even with the help of Internet tests, since they only determine knowledge of grammar and a very limited vocabulary. Therefore, you should not rely too much on such results, since in reality everything will be completely different.

When determining the level of proficiency in any foreign language, including English, experts pay attention to 4 basic skills: listening, reading, speech and letter. It is these skills that are usually tested on various international tests. Obviously, Internet tests will only evaluate the first two criteria, although in practice it is much more important to be able to express yourself in speech and writing.
The difficulty of self-determining the level of a foreign language lies not only in the fact that it is difficult to evaluate oneself, but also in the fact that the second language as a whole is rarely kept at any particular level. That is, you can be able to understand the most complex texts in a foreign language that correspond to an advanced level, but with great difficulty speak on your own. It turns out that, on the one hand, a person knows the language at the level of a professional, and on the other hand, his communication skills are almost not developed. How then to determine your level of English? Professional linguists and experts define foreign language proficiency according to several levels that apply not only to English, but also to most of the world's languages.

A0 - English Proficiency Zero

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
0	0	-	0

In truth, such a level does not exist at all, but it is certainly worth mentioning, since 80% of self-critical beginners confidently attribute to themselves complete ignorance of the language. Attention: if a person knows how the word is translated dog or house, then this is already some level. Whatever the source of knowledge: two years of studying English at school, once read an English phrase book or two weeks of classes with a tutor 15 years ago - this knowledge remains in a person’s head forever. This is important because even a minimal base will serve as an excellent basis for further study.
If we talk about the zero level, then this means total ignorance English (this will be true if the person knows English as well as Filipino). In this case, you can enroll in English courses in your home country. In about 3 months, the level of the language will rise to conversational B1. If a person is still visually familiar with the English alphabet and knows what "Hello! How are you?" means, this indicates language proficiency at the A1 level.
start with lessons for absolute beginners, where you can learn the alphabet, reading rules, key words for understanding simple English, learn 300 new words (it will take no more than two weeks).

A1 - initial level of English proficiency - Beginner

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
2	15	-

This level is also called the "survival level". This means that once in one of the cities of England or America, a person with the help of local residents will be able to get at least to the Russian embassy. In no case can this level be called conversational, since, of course, a coherent conversation will not work. But if we put the jokes aside, then with this level you can go to language courses abroad.
Even minimal skills already allow at the very least to convey some information to the interlocutor, albeit not without the help of gestures. Usually, those who studied English once upon a time and without much pleasure own this level. Of course, there are absolutely no practical skills, but there is knowledge deposited deep in memory that will serve as a good basis for further learning the language.
The student speaks the language at level A1 if:

answers basic questions: name, age, home country, profession;
understands familiar phrases provided that the narrator speaks slowly and clearly;
understands some individual words in an English text.

How to move to the next level: learn the rules of reading and pronunciation, get acquainted with the rules of English grammar, learn about 300 new words.

A2 - Basic English - Elementary

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
3.5	31	KET pass	30

If you can live with the initial level and not guess about it, then the basic level Elementary suggests some awareness, or at least a memory, that "I once taught something like this." Again, it is still far from the conversational level, but unlike A1, some kind of dialogue can already turn out.
If we return to the hypothetical situation of staying in one of the cities in England, then here the situation is a little more rosy: with the basic level, you can not only get to the embassy, but also communicate with a foreigner (for example, tell a little about your profession or place an order in a cafe).
In practice, A2 differs little from A1, and the main advantage of the first lies rather in greater self-confidence and a slightly richer vocabulary. However, the possibilities of communication are still limited, so the A2 level is only suitable as a base for study, since there is nowhere to apply it in practice.
The student speaks the language at level A2 if:

talks about everyday topics: can tell you or ask for directions, tell about yourself and about things around you;
understands the speech of the interlocutor in the dialogue, provided that he speaks clearly and on a familiar topic;
can read and understand elementary sentences ( I have..., You are..., He goes...);
compose a simple sentence in text form or fill out a questionnaire in English.

How to move to the next level: continue to study grammar, practice writing short texts, learn irregular verbs and their tense forms, practice speaking skills (you can do this via Skype or in conversation clubs), watch movies and TV shows in English with Russian subtitles, learn about 500 new words.

Very often, an intermediate level is distinguished between the initial and conversational levels, which implies that a person can already use English to solve some vital tasks, but does not yet speak spoken English. If we correlate it with the A0-C2 scale, then this level can be characterized as A2+ or B1-.
You can define it like this:

partially falling under the B1 level characteristic, but the lack of practice in some aspects (for example, writing) indicates knowledge of the language at the level Pre-Intermediate;
Completely falling under the description of level A2 and partially under level B1 (for example, the skill of speaking is more developed) indicates knowledge of the language at the level Upper elementary.

How to go to the next level: pay attention to those skills that are missing to the next level, and work on them, based on the tips for moving to the next level in the paragraph about A2.

B1 - Intermediate English - Intermediate

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
4	60	PET pass	43

When the competence of language proficiency goes beyond the confused speech about the location of museums and restaurants, and English speech and text become more understandable, these facts indicate that the student is at the first stage of spoken English. But in addition to speaking, this level also implies good reading skills of adapted texts, as well as an understanding of basic English grammar. Statistically, most tourists know the language at this level, which allows them to easily communicate with an interlocutor on everyday topics. Typically, today's graduates graduate from school with at least a B1 level (at a maximum of B2). However, there is still a lot of work to be done before becoming fluent in the language.
The student speaks the language at level B1 if:

confidently maintains a conversation on any everyday topic with good pronunciation, although still with some hesitations and errors;
understands the interlocutor, and also partially captures the meaning of a complex speech (lecture) or a conversation between English speakers (film);
reads literature adapted to the average level with a dictionary and understands the meaning of simple texts;
can write a short essay about himself or the world around him, using common semantic constructions and words.

How to move to the next level: learn advanced vocabulary and grammar, practice more written English (a tutor or sites for self-learning English will help with this, for example Polyglotclub ), you need to communicate more in English with native speakers or advanced users, regularly monitor English-language sources of information (news publications, entertainment articles, interest sites), watch movies and TV shows with English subtitles (at first it may seem quite difficult, but with over time it will bear fruit). It is equally important to replenish your vocabulary, so you should learn at least 1000 new words.

B2 - Upper Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
6	90	FCE grade C	59

If the student has good conversational skills (a level above average), can maintain a detailed conversation with a foreigner, understands speech by ear, watches English-language films and TV shows without translation and subtitles, this means that he speaks a foreign language at level B2. It should be noted that people who are completely unfamiliar with the English language are sure that they are facing a real foreigner. However, don't be deceived. Upper Intermediate- this is really a great achievement, but even it is sometimes not enough for professional activities. Also, the disadvantages include the fact that it will be much more difficult to move higher on your own. However, for admission to a foreign university with average requirements for applicants, this level is quite enough, so you can not worry and feel free to sign up for TOEFL or IELTS exams.
A student speaks the language at level B2 if:

speaks measuredly on almost any topic, expresses his own attitude or spaciously describes his thoughts (however, at this level, some errors in verb conjugation, tenses and the use of compound words are still acceptable);
understands everyday speech and about 80% of complex speech (lectures, films, interviews);
understands the meaning of informational texts in English well, draws information from English-language resources without significant loss of meaning (it is allowed to use a dictionary to read texts on an unfamiliar topic);
argues his thoughts in writing, using common constructions (albeit with minor errors).

How to move to the next level: learn advanced English grammar, practice writing in different styles (formal, academic, professional), train yourself to get most of your information from English-language sources (for example, read the news only in English for several weeks), learn phrasal verbs, listen to lectures and watch educational films in English, to replenish vocabulary (it is desirable to learn 600 new words.

C1 - advanced level of English proficiency - Advanced

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
7.5	100	CAE grade C	76

Perhaps, only a professional or an Anglophone and, of course, the speaker himself can understand the difference between an advanced level and a higher average one, but only if he has the so-called "sense of language": when it becomes clear when speaking that the words are used correctly, but the sentence can be built a little differently by choosing more elegant words or suitable terms. This is a sign that the problem of language proficiency has slowly flowed to the problem of its competent use, which, in turn, indicates an extremely high level of knowledge of English as a foreign language. Of course, there is no question of any misunderstanding of the language. A student with level C1 perfectly perceives information by ear and is able to express his thoughts on paper. The only thing that he still cannot quite do is Shakespeare and Nabokov's Lolita in the original without a dictionary. This level is recommended for employment in a foreign company, it opens the doors to almost all foreign universities (including the top ones - Yale University, University College London,).
The student speaks the language at level C1 if:

speaks without problems on any topic, expresses shades of emotions and relationships in the language;
understands any spoken language;
fluently reads texts in English, both informational (articles, newspapers, interviews) and scientific (articles in scientific journals, textbooks, works of philosophers, journalists, critics), occasionally encountering unfamiliar words;
knows how to write letters to the employer, motivation letters, clearly understands the difference between the formal style of writing and the informal.

How to move to the next level: continue to work with complex texts in English, read works of art by American and British authors in the original, listen to professional lectures on English literature, get acquainted with idioms and figures of speech in English, communicate as much as possible with native speakers.

C2 - professional level - Proficient

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
8.5	118	CPE grade C	85

The highest level in the gradation of English language levels is level C2. It should be noted that this is still a step, not a final stop. In fact, the C2 level corresponds to an excellent knowledge of English as a foreign language, its competent use for any professional and everyday situation, the ability to freely (well, or almost fluently) read fiction and professional literature in English. However, knowing English at C2 level does not mean knowing it, as they like to say, perfectly.
Any linguist or philologist will attest that mastering a language is the preserve of a very few, and those few usually become brilliant writers or wordsmiths. But if we take the most obvious example, let's say, an educated resident of London, then this also goes beyond the C2 level (usually those who speak English since childhood are called native speakers, and, of course, this is not included in the gradation of knowledge of English as a foreign language).
It should always be remembered that there is no limit to perfection, although proficiency in the language at the C2 level is an excellent result that few achieve. With this level, you can enter any postgraduate program, publish papers in English, conduct conferences and lectures, i.e. for almost any professional activity this level will be more than enough.
A student speaks the language at level C2 if:
How to improve your English: spend a few years in an English-speaking country, such as at a university or on an internship. And, of course, read.

What should you know about learning foreign languages?

Independent study of a foreign language is quite possible, but this undertaking requires a lot of effort, time, and such qualities as perseverance, diligence and determination from the student. At first, the classes seem interesting, but the lack of a clear program, correctly set goals, time frames and a teacher who controls the learning process and motivates the student leads to another breakdown and lack of desire to continue learning the language.
That is why it is desirable to learn a new language together with a teacher in individual or group lessons. When the basic material is completed, you can go abroad to improve your communication skills and increase your vocabulary. Without studying in a country where the language being studied is the main one, it is impossible to master it perfectly, even studying according to the most advanced manuals.
The fact is that the living modern language changes daily, and special educational publications simply do not have time to track these metamorphoses. We are talking about modern slang, foreign borrowings, a variety of dialects, etc., which change the language every day. It is possible to know English at the level of a native speaker, but for this it is necessary to be in an appropriate language environment, where the student will have to join a foreign-speaking society, be aware of the news that is covered in the press or on the Internet.

How long does it take to learn a foreign language?

The answer to this question depends on several factors: the goals of the student, his perseverance and diligence, as well as solvency. It is quite logical that you can learn a foreign language faster only with the help of a qualified teacher (perhaps even a native speaker). This is a real investment in the future, which will definitely pay off, but it will also require quite a lot of capital investment.
The faster the student wants to learn a foreign language, the more he will have to pay. Theoretically, it can take about 2.5 - 3 years to complete all levels (without living abroad), for this you will have to attend special courses several times a week. If you study on your own, it will take much more time to learn the language. When studying abroad, the student receives the same amount of knowledge much faster.

Miracles do not happen!

Beginners to learn a foreign language should clearly understand that the learning process requires a lot of time from the student, as well as some effort on himself, since there is always a reason to reschedule the lesson or postpone homework until later. Teaching is a lot of work! Therefore, it is impossible to learn a language in a month using a new "unique author's technique" or the 25th frame. Miracles do not happen! Only work on the mistakes and consistent analysis of new material will help to achieve the desired level.

Time spent to level up

The table shows the number of weeks of intensive English for language improvement in schools

Quite often on the forums devoted to the study of foreign languages, there are questions about the levels of English proficiency - “How to understand if I have Beginner or Elementary?”, “What you need to know to start with Pre-Intermediate?”, “How to correctly indicate the level of language proficiency on a resume? or “I once studied English at school, do I have an Intermediate?”. In order to avoid problems with your English, you need not only to choose the right school, but also to understand well at what level you should start learning the language. Let's try to figure it out together. Shall we?

English Proficiency Levels

If you have at least once been interested in the levels of knowledge of English, you may get the impression that there is complete confusion here. But actually it is not. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has been specifically designed to describe levels of English proficiency and is an international standard. Consists of the following levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.

And what then to do with the levels of Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate and Advanced, so well known to us and native from school? And besides, these names can be found with various additional words, such as False, Low, Very, etc. Why all these difficulties? We explain. This classification was invented by the creators of basic textbooks such as "Headway", "Cutting Edge", "Opportunities". What for? These levels divide the CEFR scale into sections for better language acquisition. And it is this division of levels that schools and language courses usually focus on.

You can't do without the help of a pivot table. We suggest that you carefully consider which widely known levels of English proficiency correspond to those on the CEFR scale.

Table of English levels

LEVEL	Description	CEFR level
beginner	You don't speak English	;)
Elementary	You can say and understand some words and phrases in English	A1
Pre-Intermediate	You can communicate in "plain" English and understand the interlocutor in a familiar situation, but with difficulty	A2
intermediate	You can speak and understand speech quite well. Express your thoughts in simple sentences but have difficulty with more complex grammar and vocabulary	B1
Upper Intermediate	You speak and understand English well by ear, but still make mistakes	B2
Advanced	You speak English fluently and have a complete listening comprehension	C1
Proficiency	You speak English at the level of a native speaker	C2

Two words about False, Low, Very and other prefixes to standard level names. Sometimes you can find such formulations as False Beginner, Low Intermediate or Very Advanced, etc. This can be called division into sublevels. For example, the False Beginner level corresponds to a person who previously studied English, but for a very short time, who remembers practically nothing. Such a person will take less time to complete the beginner's course and move to the next level, so he cannot be called a complete Beginner. A similar story with Low Intermediate and Very Advanced. In the first case, a person has already completed the full Pre-Intermediate course and began to study Intermediate, while mastering and using only a few grammatical structures and vocabulary of this level in speech. An English speaker with a Very Advanced level is already halfway to the coveted Proficiency. Well, you get the gist.

Now let's look at the specific skills and abilities of English learners at different levels.

Level of English Beginner, aka Starter

Initial, zero level. This course begins with a phonetic course and mastering the rules of reading. Vocabulary is studied, which makes it possible to communicate on everyday topics (“Acquaintance”, “Family”, “Work”, “Leisure”, “In the store”), and also understands basic grammar.

After completing the Beginner course:

Vocabulary is about 500-600 words.
Listening comprehension: phrases and sentences spoken slowly, with pauses, very clearly (for example, simple questions and instructions).
Conversational speech: you can talk about yourself, your family, friends.
Reading: simple texts with familiar words and previously encountered phrases, as well as studied grammar, simple instructions (for example, an assignment for an exercise).
Writing: single words, simple sentences, fill out a questionnaire, write short descriptions.

English level Elementary

A basic level of. A student of this level has all the basic skills of the English language. We study such everyday topics as: "Family", "Rest", "Travel", "Transport", "Health".

After completing the Elementary course:

Vocabulary is about 1000-1300 words.
Listening comprehension: sentences that relate to the most common topics. When listening to the news, watching movies, there is an understanding of a common theme or plot, especially with visual support.
Colloquial speech: expression of opinion, requests provided that the context is familiar. When greeting and parting, talking on the phone, etc. "blanks" are used.
Reading: short texts with a small amount of unfamiliar vocabulary, announcements and signs.
Writing: Describing people and events, writing simple letters using familiar clichés.

English level Pre-Intermediate

Speaking level. A listener who is confident in everyday vocabulary and basic grammar is able to express opinions on everyday topics.

After completing the Pre-Intermediate course:

Vocabulary has 1400-1800 words.
Listening comprehension: a dialogue or monologue on everyday topics, when viewing, for example, the news, you can catch all the key points. When watching movies, a listener of this level may not understand certain phrases and sentences, but follows the plot. Understands movies with subtitles well.
Conversation: you can evaluate and express your opinion on an event, maintain a fairly long conversation on familiar topics ("Art", "Appearance", "Personality", "Movies", "Entertainment", etc.).
Reading: complex texts, including journalistic articles.
Writing: a written expression of one's opinion or assessment of the situation, compiling one's biography, describing events.

English Intermediate level

Middle level. The listener is fluent in the language and can use it in a variety of situations. Usually the Intermediate level is enough to work in a foreign company. A person who speaks English at the level of English Intermediate can conduct negotiations and business correspondence in English, arrange presentations.

After completing the Intermediate course:

Vocabulary of a listener of this level is about 2000-2500 words.
Listening comprehension: captures not only the general meaning, but also specific details, understands films, interviews, videos without translation and subtitles.
Colloquial speech: expresses a point of view, one’s agreement / disagreement on almost any non-isolated topic. Can take an active part in discussions or discussions on non-specific topics without preparation.
Reading: understands complex texts that are not related to familiar topics and areas of life, non-adapted literature. Can understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context (fiction, information sites, dictionary entries).
Writing: Can compose a letter in a formal and informal style, is proficient in written English, can write lengthy descriptions of events and history, and can provide personal commentary.

English Upper-Intermediate level

The level is above average. An Upper-Intermediate level listener knows and skillfully uses complex grammatical structures and a variety of vocabulary.

After completing the Upper-Intermediate course:

Vocabulary has 3000-4000 words.
Listening comprehension: well understands even linguistically complex speech on unfamiliar topics, almost completely understands videos without translation and subtitles.
Spoken language: can freely evaluate any situations, make comparisons or contrasts, uses different speech styles.
The conversation is both formal and informal. Speaks competently with a small number of errors, can catch and correct his mistakes.
Reading: possesses a large vocabulary for understanding non-adapted English texts.
Writing: can independently write an article, formal and informal letters. Can know and use different styles when creating written text.

English Advanced level

Advanced level. Advanced students are very confident in English and make only minor mistakes in speech, which in no way affect the effectiveness of communication. Students of this level can study special disciplines in English.

After completing the Advanced course:

Vocabulary is about 4000-6000 words.
Listening comprehension: understands indistinct speech (for example, announcements at the station or at the airport), perceives complex information in detail (for example, reports or lectures). Understands up to 95% of the information on the video without translation.
Spoken language: uses English very effectively for spontaneous communication, uses colloquial and formal communication style depending on the speech situation. Uses phraseological units and idioms in speech.
Reading: easily understands non-adapted fiction and non-fiction, complex articles on specific topics (physics, geography, etc.)
Writing: can write formal and informal letters, narratives, articles, essays, scientific papers.

English Proficiency Level

Fluency in English. The last level of the CEFR C2 classification describes a person who speaks English at the level of an educated native speaker. The only problems that such a person can face are problems of a cultural nature. A person may, for example, not understand a quote if it refers to some popular program or book that is known to almost all native speakers, but may be unknown to a person who did not grow up in the environment.

Conclusion

It should be remembered that the level of language proficiency is assessed by the totality of skills and there is no universal recipe for achieving one or another level. You can't say, "You should learn 500 more words or 2 grammar topics and voila - you're already at the next level."

By the way, you can check your level of English proficiency on our website: a comprehensive test in English.

There are a great many ways to achieve this or that level - these are all kinds of courses and language schools, tutors, tutorials, mailing lists, online lessons, and of course English via Skype. Which of them to go - you choose. The main thing is that it should be useful.

There are also many additional services to improve the language. These are social networks created specifically for learning foreign languages, and various discussion clubs, and resources that provide films with and without subtitles in the original language, audio recordings, adapted and non-adapted literature. About all these aids and how exactly and at what levels to use them, you can find in the blog on our website. Stay tuned for new articles.

By the way, while you are reading this article, 700 million people around the world are learning English. Join now!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

On June 7, 2018, it became finally clear that the mandatory USE in foreign languages in 2022 would be held, no matter what. During the Direct Line with President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin a 9th grade graduate from Lobnya asked a question about the introduction of two mandatory exams in the 11th grade, the head of state forwarded the question to the Minister of Education Olga Vasilyeva.

From her quite substantive answer, it became clear that the decision to introduce a mandatory USE in foreign languages was finally made. About the mandatory history exam, the introduction of which in 2020 the minister personally announced repeatedly in various media, she answered evasively, saying that this issue is still being discussed.

Exactly one month later information portal newspapers "Izvestia" invited to the press conference of the Head of FIPI Oksana Reshetnikova, the main developer of control and measuring materials for the Unified State Examination of the profile exam in foreign languages Maria Verbitskaya and Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, National Research University Higher School of Economics Irina Rezanova. This was also a fateful moment, since they told in some detail how the updated USE in foreign languages would look like.

The main theses of the press conference with the developers of the Unified State Examination in foreign languages:

1. The exam in foreign languages will have two levels of difficulty: basic and specialized. Analogies with the mandatory USE in mathematics are quite appropriate. Each graduate will be able to choose the level of difficulty.

2. The basic level of the exam will be in the range from A2 + to B1. Profile exam - up to level B2. This refers to the 6 levels of foreign language proficiency approved by the Council of Europe. B2 just corresponds to 100 points on the profile exam in a foreign language.

3. The profile exam will fully comply with the existing exam. The developers do not plan any changes in either the tasks or the minimum score threshold.

4. The basic USE in a foreign language will correspond to the basic level of knowledge in this subject. The greatest attention will be paid to speech practice: listening, reading, speaking, as well as language competence (language knowledge and skills).

5. VPR-2018 in foreign languages - these are the real tasks that will be on the basic exam. In order to understand what the demo version of the basic level of the Unified State Examination in a foreign language will look like, just look at the FIPI website for a demo version of the VPR (All-Russian test work) for 11 classes. The developers have officially confirmed that the demo version of the FIPI VPR in foreign languages is the prototype of the future basic USE.

Let's take a closer look with you at the demo version of the VPR, but in fact at the demo version of the basic USE in foreign languages. For example, let's take the English language exam, since the vast majority of graduates pass it.

The basic exam in English (as well as in other foreign languages) will consist of two parts - oral and written. Each part is checked and evaluated separately. In 2018, students in grade 11 can optionally complete either both parts, or only the written part. The oral part of the exam is conducted using special equipment. The duration of the entire exam is 1 hour (60 minutes).

Let's take a look at the real tasks of the VLOOKUP in English.

Oral part of the basic exam in English (15 minutes)

The oral part of the work contains 2 tasks, each of which involves a free answer. The time to complete the two tasks is 15 minutes.

Reading text (10 minutes)

The first task is to read aloud a piece of text. Here it is checked whether the student is able to understand the content.

Description of the photo (5 minutes)

In the second task, you need to describe the photo based on the plan. The graduate must choose one of the three proposed photographs and complete the task only on this photo.

Written part of the exam in English (basic level) - 40 minutes

Listening (10 minutes)

Audio text for tasks 1-5

Now we are ready to start.

Ann: Hello, Steve, how are you?

Steve: Hi, Ann, I'm well, thanks, and you?

Ann: fine, thank you. Listen, have you been to the new downtown library yet? It's absolutely amazing.

Steve: I haven't been down there yet. Why is it so amazing?

Ann: Um… it’s got shelves of books everywhere, cozy armchairs with lamps, new tables. There is this awesome smell of books in the air, you know.

Steve: I see. But I've really never quite understood how some people say they love the smell of books. I am not much of a reader really, Ann, so I don't go to libraries. I don't read much.

Ann: Oh Steve really? I've always read a lot since I learned how to. In fact, I'd say reading is my favorite pastime, especially on rainy days or cold winter nights.

Steve: Are you one of those people who like to sit on the sofa on a rainy day with a cup of tea and a good book?

Ann: Yes, there is nothing I love better. How do you spend your time, Steve?

Steve: I don't know … on rainy days I usually play computer games online. My friends and I love network strategy games like World of War Craft.

Ann: I bet three-four hours go by really fast when you are in the game!

Steve: Um … True but in winter I play hockey when I have time. Our hockey rink's got lights, so we can play when it's dark. Most of my friends play hockey too.

Ann: Are they the same friends you play your online games with?

Steve: Yeah, they are, mostly.

Ann: I see. But don't you think reading is an important part of learning? I think it's important to read a lot to be able to speak better, write better and even think better. Good books raise really good questions about life. Don't you think?

Steve: Maybe … but I find books that ask thought-provoking questions are always so depressing. I don't like to be depressed, I like to think that life is easy and fun, that's why I enjoy playing games rather than asking philosophical questions.

Ann: Hmm…Have you read any fantasy books? Have you read Harry Potter books or The Lord of the Rings? Those are really fun and there are still some deep thoughts in them.

Steve: I haven't read those, Ann but I've watched the films, so I don't think there is any need to read the books now.

Ann: Oh Steve! Films made from books are not nearly as exciting as books themselves! But … I’ll stop being a bookworm now and let you go play your computer games.

Steve: thank you! I was starting to get afraid you'd lecture me on films vs books now.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers.

(Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

The time allotted for completing tasks has expired.

It is necessary to listen to the dialogue and complete 5 tasks in writing.

Reading task #6 (15 minutes)

Lexico-grammar tasks (15 minutes)

Answers to tasks:

My English teacher always asked students in the first lesson: “For what purpose do you need a foreign language? If for the profession of an interpreter, get ready to enter the philological faculty. And for elementary communication just learn 850 basic words and a few grammar rules.”

Basic English

Skeptics will be surprised, but this scheme works! And its advantage is that you can master the minimum vocabulary in just a month. Do not believe? Today there is a unique opportunity to test the theory on your own experience. Editorial "So simple!" prepared for you those same 850 words, which are quite enough to communicate with a resident of any English-speaking country.

To master the basic vocabulary, do not be lazy and study every day. Be sure to consolidate knowledge in practice, for these purposes any person who agrees to examine you is suitable.

©DepositPhotos

For more convenience words are grouped: objects and phenomena (600 words, of which 400 are common, and 200 are designations of objects); actions and movements (100 words); expression of quality (150 words, of which 100 are common and 50 have an opposite meaning). Each group is shown in the picture. Save and learn now!

850 words for basic English

Objects and phenomena (designation of objects)
If you studied English at school, most of these words are probably familiar to you. Don't try to learn everything at once, learn alphabetically. First, read the words with translation 2-3 times a day. In a week it will turn out that you know 80% of them.
Objects and phenomena (general)
To better remember words, be sure to speak them out loud. In your free time, on a walk or in transport, try to mentally name the objects around you in English. It would be great if someone checked your knowledge 1-2 times a week.
Actions or movements
This list includes basic english words, not only verbs, but also pronouns, prepositions and polite phrases. You can learn in any order, or draw diagrams with arrows indicating movement or movement.
Expression of quality (general)
Adjectives saturate the language so that it is not too formal. Help improve memory next exercise: Take any object or picture and describe it with adjectives. The more words you use, the better.
Quality expression (with opposite meaning)
For a better memorization of adjectives with the opposite meaning, do the previous exercise with a description of the subject using antonyms. You can do it differently: write down the word, and through a hyphen - its opposite meaning.

With this basic vocabulary, you can safely go on a trip! And in order to better understand the English language and learn how to put the necessary words into sentences, which takes into account the coordination of tenses.

Experts say that. The most important thing is desire, patience and perseverance. Do not quit classes after a week, study, be sure to practice speaking, read English texts, watch films without translation, and everything will work out. I wish you success in learning English!

Write to us in the comments how you or your friends managed to quickly learn. And don't forget to share this helpful article with your friends on social media.

Alexandra Dyachenko is perhaps the most active editor of our team. She is an active mother of two children, a tireless hostess, and Sasha also has an interesting hobby: she loves to make impressive decorations and decorate children's parties. The energy of this man cannot be put into words! Dreams of visiting the Brazilian carnival. Sasha's favorite book is "Unstoppable Wonderland" by Haruki Murakami.

Surely many have heard about the international system of levels of the English language, but not everyone knows what it means and how to classify it. The need to know your level of English proficiency may arise in some life situations. For example, if you need to pass an interview at work or at the embassy, if you need to pass some international exam (IELTS, TOEFL, FCE, CPE, BEC, etc.), when entering a foreign educational institution, when getting a job in another country, and also for personal purposes.

The international system for determining knowledge of the English language can be divided into 7 levels:

1. Beginner - Initial (zero). At this level, the student knows almost nothing in English and begins to study the subject from scratch, including the alphabet, basic reading rules, on-duty greeting phrases and other tasks of this stage. By the end of the Beginner level, students can usually answer questions easily when meeting new people. For example: What is your name? How old are you? Do you have brothers and sisters? Where are you from and where do you live? etc. And they can also count up to a hundred, spell their name and personal data. The latter in English is called spelling.

2. Elementary - Elementary. This level follows immediately after zero and implies knowledge of some basics of the English language. The Elementary level gives students the opportunity to use previously learned phrases in a more free form, and also instills a whole range of new knowledge. At this stage, students learn to briefly talk about themselves, their favorite colors, dishes and seasons, weather and time, daily routine, countries and customs, etc. In terms of grammar, at this level there is an initial acquaintance with the following tenses: Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Future Simple (will, to be going to) and Present Perfect. And also some modal verbs (can, must), different types of pronouns, adjectives and their degrees of comparison, categories of nouns, forms of simple questions are considered. Having firmly mastered the Elementary level, you can already take part in the KET (Key English test) testing.

3. Pre-Intermediate - Below Intermediate. The level following the Elementary is called Pre-Intermediate, literally translated as Pre-Intermediate. Having reached this level, students already have an idea of how many sentences and phrases are built, they can speak briefly on many topics. The Pre-Intermediate level adds confidence and expands the learning potential. There are longer texts, more practice exercises, new grammatical topics, and more complex sentence structures. Topics encountered at this level may include complex questions, the Past Continuous, different forms of the future tense, conditional sentences, modal verbs, infinitives and gerunds, repetition and reinforcement of the Past Simple tenses (regular and irregular verbs) and Present Perfect, and some others. In terms of oral skills, after passing the Pre-Intermediate level, you can safely go on a journey and look for any opportunity to use your knowledge in practice. Also, a solid knowledge of English at the Pre-Intermediate level makes it possible to participate in the PET (Preliminary English Test) test and the BEC (Business English Certificate) Preliminary exam.

4. intermediate. At the Intermediate level, the knowledge gained at the previous stage is consolidated, and a lot of new vocabulary is added, including complex ones. For example, personal characteristics of people, scientific terms, professional vocabulary and even slang. The object of study is active and passive voices, direct and indirect speech, participial and participle phrases, phrasal verbs and prepositions, word order in complex sentences, varieties of articles, etc. From grammatical tenses, the difference between Present Simple and Present Continuous, Past Simple and Present Perfect, Past Simple and Past Continuous, as well as between various forms of expression of the future tense is considered in more detail. Texts at the Intermediate level become longer and more meaningful, and communication becomes easier and freer. The advantage of this stage is that in many modern companies, employees with knowledge of the Intermediate level are highly valued. Also, this level is ideal for avid travelers, as it allows you to freely understand the interlocutor and express yourself in response. From international exams, after successfully passing the middle level, you can take the following exams and tests: FCE (First Certificate in English) for B / C, PET Level 3, BULATS (Business Language Testing Service), BEC Vantage, TOEIC (Test of English) for International Communication), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) by 4.5-5.5 points and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) by 80-85 points.

5. Upper Intermediate - Above average. If students progress to this level, it means that they can understand fluent English fluently and communicate easily using the vocabulary that they have already acquired. At the Upper-Intermediate level, it becomes possible to use English much more in practice, since there is a little less theory, and if there is, it basically repeats and reinforces the Intermediate level. Of the innovations, Narrative Tenses (Narrative tenses) can be noted, which includes such difficult times as Past Continuous, Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous. It also covers the Future Continuous and Future Perfect, the use of articles, modal conjectural verbs, indirect speech verbs, hypothetical sentences, abstract nouns, causal voice, and more. The Upper-Intermediate level is one of the most popular in both business and education. People who are fluent in English at this level can easily pass any interviews and even enter foreign universities. At the end of the Upper-Intermediate course, you can take exams such as FCE for A / B, BEC (Business English Certificate) Vantage or Higher, TOEFL for 100 points and IELTS for 5.5-6.5 points.

6. Advanced 1 - Advanced. The Advanced 1 level is required for professionals and students who want to achieve high fluency in English. Unlike the Upper-Intermediate level, a lot of interesting turns appear here, including idioms. Knowledge of tenses and other grammatical aspects studied earlier is only deepened and considered from other unexpected angles. Discussion topics become more specific and professional, for example: the environment and natural disasters, legal processes, genres of literature, computer terms, etc. After the Advanced level, you can take a special academic exam CAE (Cambridge Advanced English), as well as IELTS for 7 and TOEFL for 110 points, and you can apply for a prestigious job in foreign companies or a place in Western universities.

7. Advanced 2 - Super advanced (native speaker level). The name speaks for itself. We can say that there is nothing more than Advanced 2, because this is the level of a native speaker, i.e. a person born and raised in an English-speaking environment. With this level, you can pass any interviews, including highly specialized ones, and pass any exams. In particular, the highest test of English proficiency is the CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Exam) academic exam, and as for the IELTS test, it can be passed to the highest score of 8.5-9 with this level.
This gradation is called ESL (English as a Second Language) or EFL (English as a Foreign Language) level classification and is used by ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe). The level system may vary, move around depending on the country, school or organization. For example, some organizations reduce the presented 7 levels to 5 and call them a little differently: Beginner (Elementary), Lower Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Lower Advanced, Upper Advanced. However, the meaning and content of the levels does not change from this.

Another similar system of international exams under the abbreviation CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) divides the levels into 6 and has other names:

1. A1 (Breakthrough)=Beginner
2. A2 (Waystage)=Pre-Intermediate - Below Intermediate
3. B1 (Threshold)=Intermediate
4. B2 (Vantage)=Upper-Intermediate
5. C1 (Proficiency)=Advanced 1 - Advanced
6. C2 (Mastery)=Advanced 2 - Super Advanced

Portal for the student. Self-training