What are the levels of knowledge of English. English for work and life

So, what are the levels, what level of language proficiency do you personally need (depending on your goals), and how much time will it take to reach this level? For convenience, we will focus on English as the most demanded language, and in which there is the most developed system of various tests and international exams. We will conditionally assess the level of English proficiency on a twelve-point scale. In many English language courses abroad, and even in decent courses in our country, the formation of study groups takes place precisely in accordance with these levels.

0 - "zero level" of English

Full beginner. Many immediately begin to say: “Yes, yes, this is just about me! I learned something at school, but I don’t remember anything at all! Complete zero!" Not! If you learned something at school, then it has nothing to do with you. Zero level for those who have never learned English and do not even know the alphabet. Well, if, for example, he studied German or French at school, but never came across English.

1 elementary. Elementary level of English

There is no experience of using English. Separate simple words and expressions are clear, something can be guessed with great difficulty. Grammar is the most vague idea. In general, this is a typical level for a graduate of a post-Soviet school who pretended to study some “topics” twice a week, but in fact cheated mathematics under his desk. In case of urgent need, some words still pop up in my head - “passport, taxi, how mach”, but a coherent conversation does not work. To reach this level from scratch, it is enough to study at decent English courses abroad for 3-4 weeks, approximately 80-100 hours of study. By the way, about all the calculations (weeks, hours, etc.) - these are averages for the bulk of students with normal abilities (which are about 80%), ten percent of linguistically gifted students will learn everything much faster, and ten percent will need more time and efforts to achieve the same result. There are no people who are generally incapable of learning languages - I declare this categorically. If you speak Russian, you can speak any other language, you just need to make some effort and spend certain time. So, I wrote it, and I felt sad myself: whatever one may say, a month and a half in language courses abroad successfully replace a five-year study of the language in our ordinary secondary school ... well, this, of course, if it’s a three. If you diligently do your homework for all five years, you can achieve much more significant success and rise to a higher level.

2 - Upper-Elementary. Highest elementary level

There is knowledge of simple grammatical constructions of the English language. It is possible to maintain a conversation on a familiar topic - but, unfortunately, the number of familiar topics is very limited. There is an understanding of simple sentences and speech constructions - especially if they speak slowly and explain what was said with gestures.

You can call this level the "living wage" for a relatively independent tourist from guides and interpreters. Add 80-100 hours of study to the previous level. By the way, in most decent language courses in Russia, one level is just about 80 hours, that is, if you study twice a week for 4 academic hours, then this is about 10 weeks, two to three months. Abroad, you can meet three weeks of intensive training.

3 - Pre-Intermediate. Lower Intermediate

You can keep up the conversation on a familiar topic. Knowledge of English grammar is quite good, although vocabulary is limited. You can pronounce fairly coherent sentences with virtually no errors if you have studied this topic in class. This sometimes leads to a paradoxical situation if you have to communicate with foreigners - it seems to them that you speak English quite tolerably, and they happily begin to explain something to you at a normal pace, waving their arms excitedly. But you, having laid out everything you knew, realize that you don’t understand a damn thing anymore, and you feel out of place.

At this level, you can already try to pass some language test, although there will be no practical benefit from this. This level roughly corresponds to the result of 3-4 when passing the IELTS exam, 39-56 points when passing the TOEFL iBT, you can try to pass the Cambridge exam PET (Preliminary English Test).

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How to improve the level of English

1. Keep studying with the teacher

“I don’t know what to grab onto first” is one of the main reasons why it is difficult for the student to overcome the plateau effect. At the intermediate level, there are many avenues open to you: you can listen to podcasts, read books, watch movies, etc. Therefore, many English learners from this level leave classes with a teacher and start studying on their own. However, it is difficult to choose the right path for learning English on your own, because this is the first time you have found yourself at a similar fork. Therefore, in order to improve the level of English faster, we advise you to continue studying with your teacher, who has experienced the effects of the plateau effect on himself and his students and knows how to deal with it. In addition, lessons with a teacher are disciplined: you will be less tempted to skip classes or put something off “for later”.

2. Try lessons with a native speaker

Speaking is a skill that needs to be worked hard on by those who continue. And at the middle level, classes with a native English speaker will be an effective way to develop this skill. He will teach you to communicate naturally, use idioms, phrasal verbs, slang in speech - those “highlights” of the language that distinguish the speech of a person with a high level of English proficiency from a person at an average level of knowledge. This is how you can move to the next level of foreign language proficiency. If you wish, you can combine lessons with a native speaker and lessons with a Russian-speaking teacher, this will also be effective.

3. Keep up the pace

It would seem that upon reaching the average level, the pace of learning can be reduced: you seem to know quite a lot, and all that remains is to improve your knowledge. In fact, this is not so: the material at the middle and high levels of education is more complex and voluminous than at the previous levels. That is why we recommend not to slow down, but even better - to speed it up. Moreover, it is best to increase the intensity through self-study, and if you are studying in a group or with a teacher, you can also increase the duration of the classes. In the lessons with the teacher, devote maximum time to speaking practice so that you are taught to speak correctly and fluently.

4. Find people to talk to in English

5. Prepare for the exam

The surest way to find out if you have reached the next level of English is to take an international exam, in which case you will receive an independent assessment of your knowledge. For example, if your knowledge is at the Intermediate level, set yourself the goal of passing the FCE. In this case, during the preparation, you will solve various tasks corresponding to the next level - Upper-Intermediate, and you will be able to see what you should know at this new level for yourself. And after you are awarded a certificate of successful passing the exam, there will be no trace of the plateau.

6. Learn English Grammar for Advanced

It would seem that up to the Intermediate level you have already met all tenses of English, but there are important grammatical constructions that are required to move to the next level of knowledge.

Sources of knowledge:

Without good textbook it will be difficult to study grammar, because everything is systematized in the book. We recommend the “blue Murphy” for intermediate students – the textbook “English Grammar in Use” of the Intermediate level (it is also suitable for Upper-Intermediate). You can also take the Oxford Practice Grammar at the Intermediate level. In these books, the theory is briefly and clearly stated, many practical exercises are presented.
To learn the theory and practice it with practical exercises, take a look at our blog, where it is presented, select the "Medium" tab.
As you learn grammar test yourself to see how the plateau effect is gradually replaced by the effect of the ascent to the next level of knowledge. In the article "" you will find resources to check your achievements

7. Keep learning new words

Your vocabulary is already quite large, but the more you expand it, the faster you can improve your English level.

What words to teach continuing:

Vocabulary from special textbooks. Textbooks for learning English vocabulary are the best helpers for those who continue. Their value is that they give you thematic selections of words presented in texts, dialogues and practical exercises. Such manuals teach you not just new words, but the rules for their use. We recommend the following textbooks for continuing students: “English Vocabulary in Use” at the Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate - Advanced level, “Oxford Word Skills” at the Intermediate or Advanced level, a series of manuals “4000 Essential English Words”. These books have answers to all the tasks, so you can study them even on your own.
Unfamiliar words from texts. Books or articles in English are a valuable source of new vocabulary. Write out unfamiliar words that are often found in the text or play an important role in understanding the meaning of what you read, and learn them. At the same time, give preference to modern literature, books and articles on the Internet in English adapted to your level of knowledge.
Synonyms and antonyms of words you already know. The words good and bad are good to use at the initial levels. At the middle level, you need to expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms of similar words. Fortunately, you don’t even have to look for them yourself; you can always find this information in electronic dictionaries. For example, enter the word good in the search bar on the site, and under the heading “Related to GOOD” you will see a rather extensive list of synonyms and antonyms for it.
Phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are used just as widely and are just as difficult to learn as idioms. We recommend studying such vocabulary with the help of a special textbook “Phrasal Verbs in Use”, as well as take note of the application “The Phrasal Verbs Machine” ( , ).
Collocations. Collocations are stable phrases. They need to be taught in order to make it easier for you to correctly select words to each other and make sentences. In addition, phrases are easier to remember than individual words. It is best to learn such phrases from the textbook “English Collocations in Use Intermediate”. In addition, you can use the special dictionary “ ”.
Idioms. This vocabulary will decorate your speech, make it more natural and expressive. Native speakers use idioms everywhere, even in formal speech. We advise you to use the special textbook “English Idioms in Use Intermediate”, which contains various practical exercises that help you remember set expressions and the rules for their use. Learning proverbs and idioms is not always easy, so we have written several useful articles: "", "". In addition, you can install the idiom learning apps “English Idioms and Phrases” () and “English Idioms Illustrated” () on your gadget.
Slang. Slang words and expressions will be found in almost all books, films and TV shows. Therefore, it is important to take the time to memorize such vocabulary in order to improve your English proficiency. The meaning of slang expressions can be found in a specialized dictionary.
Word lists from learning blogs. Take a look at the articles in the “ ” series on the Macmillan Online Dictionary website. Each of these small notes provides examples of sentences with useful vocabulary on a specific topic.
Words on special electronic resources. Special vocabulary learning sites for beginners will help you learn new vocabulary through various tests. We recommend using or, they are just focused on people with an average level of English knowledge.

8. Listen to audio and watch video

It is important for those who continue to develop their listening comprehension skills in English. Moreover, if earlier it was necessary to understand at least something from what was said on a simple recording, now you need to complicate your task - try to understand 70-80% of what you hear. In addition, listen to more complex audio recordings and watch videos of people speaking in different accents, and then try to explain the idea of the video in your own words, and practice speaking at the same time.

Podcasts- an excellent "coach" for learners of English. In addition, it is also a portable simulator: you can save files to your smartphone or tablet and practice at your convenience. Recommended, where you will find many free learning materials. Also pay attention to the resource, where you will find fascinating video lectures on any topic that interests you.
Watching movies and series- the most pleasant and exciting technique that helps to improve the perception of English speech by ear. You can just watch them in your free time for your pleasure, but it's better to use the tricks from the "" article.
Online dictations will help you develop both listening and spelling skills. We invite you to visit, there you will find short tasks of different difficulty levels. Such training will not take much time and will be beneficial.

9. Read in English

Reading texts in English is a great opportunity to see how the studied grammar and vocabulary “works” in practice, and learn new words, and it’s also just an exciting activity.

Adapted books are convenient in that you will not need to refer to the dictionary often. There will be no more than 3-10 unfamiliar words per page in the text, and there is a dictionary at the end of each edition. Adapted literature can be found on the website and.
Literature in the original is a good challenge for the average level of knowledge. Reading a book can be difficult at first, but you will learn a lot of new words and enjoy reading the work in the form in which the author created it. You can find many books in English on the site.
Modern articles on the Internet are a convenient alternative for those who do not have the time or desire to read a long work. Small articles on various topics can be found at. And you can read more serious and complex material in the online newspapers The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph.

10. Write in English

When you write something in English, you learn to formulate your thoughts in the language you are learning, you can use the words you just learned and fix them in your memory. If you later need to say a similar phrase in a conversation, it will be easier for you to formulate it, so writing skills also need to be improved for those who want to cross the plateau and raise their level of English.

How to improve your writing skill:

Translation exercises teach you how to build sentences in English correctly. And this is useful for both written and oral speech. Check out our article "", from it you will learn why and how to perform such exercises. And read about the 2 best manuals with translation exercises.
Online dictations. We already wrote about them in the previous paragraph, so we can say that this is a universal exercise that will kill two birds with one stone.
Essay. By writing essays on various topics, you will achieve two goals: learn to express your thoughts in English and learn new words. Vocabulary replenishment occurs if you do not limit yourself to using the vocabulary you already know, but look for new words in the dictionary and use them in your essay. Thus, you immediately use a new word in context, and when writing, you also use mechanical memory, which also makes memorization easier. However, one should take into account the fact that such work makes sense when it is checked by a person who knows English well. Therefore, for maximum benefit, try to find a teacher or another person who will proofread your essays.
Groups in social networks. On Facebook and Vkontakte, you can count more than one hundred groups for learning English. In such publics, correspondence in English is only welcome: you can comment on posts you like or chat in one of the open topics. Check out our English Learning Groups

Starting to study any foreign language, you always want to be able to track how the process is progressing and how quickly the accumulation of knowledge and the acquisition of communication skills are progressing. In other words, what level are you? An entire system has been developed for this purpose. It will be discussed in this article.

How is knowledge of foreign languages determined?

Many mistakenly believe that reaching a certain level of knowledge of a language means learning some predetermined amount of words. For example, for the entry level you need to know 100 of any words, for the average 1000 ... and so on. This is fundamentally wrong. In fact, each level consists of a set of skills: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, speech, listening, as well as writing and reading skills. All of them should be mastered by a student of a foreign language, and the difference between different levels lies in the breadth of knowledge and the variety of skills.

There is an officially accepted classification created by the European organization ALTE, which tests the levels of foreign language proficiency. This classification includes 6 levels, arranged in ascending order: from almost zero to close to native speakers.

Levels of knowledge on ALTE

Consider this generally accepted classification. This system of levels of foreign language proficiency consists of the following steps.

A1 (Breakthrough) means the ability to answer the simplest questions in a foreign language, to tell in simple sentences about yourself and other people, to know the basic vocabulary, to understand the main meaning of what was said, to respond to the point.

A2 (Level 1) implies a clearer and closer pronunciation to native speakers, slightly more complicated grammatical constructions, knowledge of vocabulary for reasoning on abstract topics, and not just about yourself or the current situation.

B1 (Level 2) means the free expression of one's thoughts and ideas, the ability to write different types of texts, an almost complete understanding of someone else's foreign speech, the minimum number of grammatical and lexical errors. Upon completion of this level, you can begin to take international exams to confirm your knowledge of the language and receive a certificate.

B2 (Level 3) assumes that the student not only speaks almost without errors, but also uses all the richness of the language (proverbs, sayings, idioms, jokes, etc.), understands almost all the information he hears from the first time, can reasonably and in detail express his opinion on a wide circle of questions.

Levels C1 and C2 (respectively 4 and 5) means mastering a foreign language at the most advanced levels necessary for living or working abroad, communicating freely with foreign business partners and friends, working in the field of translation services, writing and journalism in a foreign language and other professional application of such skills. A foreigner who owns the highest levels of knowledge is not much different from educated native speakers of this language.

Beginner to Advanced

There is another classification, which partially coincides with the above. These level names are more common, since they are used by the authors of European textbooks, in particular, in English.

If you decide to learn this language from scratch and go to foreign language courses, then the first textbook that falls into your hands will be a book labeled Beginner or Starter. 6 more levels follow. Some of them coincide with the ALTE classification. Full and exact correspondence is shown in the table.

Steps ALTE	Names of English textbooks
	Beginner, Starter, Basic
	Pre-Intermediate
	Upper Intermediate

Now let's look at each level in detail. We will be able to compare the proposed description with our own skills and knowledge.

Beginner, zero (Beginner, Starter)

All levels of foreign language proficiency begin with it. AT this case- English, but the principle of assessing knowledge in any case will be similar.

To define yourself as a beginner, you need to have some skills. This implies the following:

give your name, age and other simple data;
answer relevant questions (“What is your name?”, etc.);
count up to 100;
know the alphabet, be able to name letters in any word;
understand simple sentences.

Initial, basic (Elementary)

Let's move on to the next level, which is part of the levels of foreign language proficiency. Here, oral skills are greatly expanded, and written skills are added to them.

Self speaking:

with a simple and understandable pronunciation;
expressing one's feelings and thoughts in a form understandable to other people;
talking briefly about yourself, another person, your family, etc.;
communication of simple information on abstract topics (weather, impression of what was read, explanation of the situation, answer to a question in the text, etc.)

Understanding someone else's speech:

capturing basic information from educational listening;
conscious reading of short texts, understanding the main idea.

Basic Intermediate (Pre-Intermediate)

We continue to analyze the levels of foreign language proficiency. If you have reached this stage in your study, then you will definitely not be lost when you travel abroad.

What does the basic intermediate level include?

Self speaking:

with a clear, good pronunciation;
with orientation in basic situations (the ability to answer a question, keep up a conversation or report what you do not understand);
with the ability to clearly express their thoughts and feelings on various occasions.

Understanding someone else's speech:

distinguishing sounds, intonation and stress;
full understanding of the meaning and ideas of texts more complex than at the previous stage.

Writing skills:

about yourself, another person, situation, impressions;
write a postcard, personal and official letter of various types;
grammatically correct construction and coordination of sentences.

Intermediate

This level is characterized by the totality of everything that was mastered at the previous steps, only now it has been brought almost to perfection. The grammatical constructions and vocabulary that a person owns are already quite complex. The skill of compiling various types of texts is consolidated (an answer to a personal and official letter, congratulations, a request, a claim, an apology, etc.) and reasoning on various social topics.

Final middle (Upper Intermediate)

This stage closes the levels of foreign language proficiency, which together are sufficient for full and hassle-free communication on any topic. It is no coincidence that the first exams for obtaining certificates of knowledge of the language begin to pass, just having mastered this stage.

If you have mastered the final intermediate level, then you can:

clearly convey thoughts to the interlocutor;
maintain a dialogue or discussion with two or three partners;
correctly use the official or informal style according to the situation;
make relatively few mistakes, be able to immediately notice them and correct yourself;
from the first time to understand the main theses of someone else's speech and the speaker's attitude towards them;
conduct a telephone conversation;
understand 95% of the information from the text and draw conclusions about what they read;
use simple and complex syntactic constructions;
write letters, reviews, reviews, summaries, etc.;
use elementary artistic techniques when writing stories, essays.

Basic Advanced (Advanced)

From this level begins an in-depth study of foreign languages. This stage is characterized by everything the same as for the previous one, and a number of new skills are also added. Advanced level means:

errors should be kept to a minimum;
rich speech, free use and understanding of idioms, proverbs;
knowledge of the realities of the language, recognition of many quotes and allusions that are well known to native speakers;
free reading and listening to foreign media, watching films with a maximum understanding of speech and situations;
the ability to express one's thoughts not only with the help of vocabulary and grammar, but also with intonation and logical stress;
free conduct of discussions on well-known topics;
writing various types of texts, using stylistic devices.

Professional foreign language

This level of proficiency in a language that is not native to a person is also an interesting phenomenon, but it is somewhat less common than the ability to talk on general topics. The very name of this direction implies that speaking (writing) in a foreign language for a person is necessary for the implementation of professional activities. To carry it out successfully, it is necessary to know the language at the highest level, as well as to possess specific knowledge and skills related to the use of this language. What areas of professional activity can be involved?

Where are languages taught?

Teaching foreign languages is carried out by various methods.

Foreign languages for children

School study is not particularly effective, although it sometimes continues for 8-10 years. A foreign language begins to be studied in elementary school, usually from the 2nd grade. Typically, this is English.

At present, the inclusion of a foreign language in the program of preschool development of a child (from 3-5 years old) is popular. Therefore, it happens that by the time they start learning English at school, some children already have a Starter or even Elementary level.

According to Winston Churchill, a pessimist sees difficulties in every opportunity, an optimist sees opportunities in every difficulty. Often, difficulties in learning English arise approximately at the level of Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate, and not all people see these difficulties as an opportunity to improve their knowledge of English. Therefore, we decided to tell you how to move on and learn English for continuing students, as well as how to improve the level of English to the level you need.

Why should you keep learning English?

By "continuing" we mean people who are "stuck" at the and level. In the article "" we outlined good reasons to study to the middle level. It would seem that this level of knowledge is a pretty good achievement, why continue to learn the language?

The better you know English, the more opportunities for its application appear, and in all areas of life:

When applying for a job. If workers with an average level of English proficiency can still be found, then higher levels are already a rarity. A potential employer will definitely notice a resume that indicates the level of Upper-Intermediate or, and even more so if this is confirmed by an international certificate. And it's not just that in your work you may need knowledge of English. Achieving a high level is proof that you know how to finish what you start, and this is a valuable character trait for an employee in any field.
For reading professional literature. The average level, as a rule, is still not enough to read specific literature using terminology. Rise one step higher, and you will be the first to use the "chips" of foreign companies.
To expand the circle of communication. You will be able to make new acquaintances with people from different parts of the world, communicate with interesting interlocutors from other countries on forums, language exchange sites, and blogs. At the same time, on language exchange sites, native English speakers prefer to communicate with English learners who have a fairly high level of knowledge, then communication is easier and more interesting.
To expand horizons. The main source of knowledge of a modern person is the Internet, where there is 9 times more information in English than in Russian. Knowledge of English at a high level makes it possible to study more information on a topic of interest to you, draw ideas from foreign forums and websites.
To watch video. If at the intermediate level it can be difficult for you to watch videos of any subject, then at higher levels you are practically unlimited and can watch movies and series of any genre in the original.
For family. At high levels of knowledge, you already know how to learn English and how it "works", how to get your children, relatives or friends interested in learning it.

We have named some common reasons to "survive" the intermediate level and continue learning English. We also recommend reading our article "", we think you can also find your own motivation for yourself. However, no matter how motivated you are, sooner or later at the intermediate level, almost all English learners experience a plateau effect, that is, “trampling around”. Let's take a closer look at what the essence of this phenomenon is and how to deal with it.

"Treading in one place" is an almost inevitable part of the improvement process. Whether you're learning English, trying to lose weight, or learning how to knit, the plateau effect will be waiting for you everywhere. And it can be difficult to overcome it, not even physically, but psychologically. We want to get everything at once, and only a few are ready to work systematically to achieve the goal.

Why does the turning point happen exactly in the middle of the way of learning English? When you start learning a foreign language, you quickly achieve positive results: a month ago you didn’t know anything, and today you can already say a few simple phrases about yourself in the language you are learning. Such simple but well-observed achievements will inspire any person, it seems that English comes very easily and in a couple of years you will know the language at the level of the average American.

However, this rapid development occurs only up to the intermediate level of English proficiency. And from the Intermediate level, English begins to resist. Every day you learn new words and every day you are surprised to find that, despite your best efforts, you constantly come across unfamiliar vocabulary. And if you (God forbid!) look into the Oxford dictionary and realize that out of 500,000 words you know “only” 2000-3000, then the suspicion will creep into your thoughts that in two years you will not become any American. As for grammar, here too “surprises” can await at the intermediate level in the form of complex cases of using one or another tense and the “great and terrible” passive voice, about which you probably heard scary stories at previous levels of learning.

In addition, English learners are frustrated by the fact that at the first stages they completed each training course in 5-7 months, and from the Intermediate level, each stage can take from 7 to 12 months. That's why people ask questions: “Why is it taking so long? Am I finally "stuck" in the middle of the road? How to improve the level of English?

The fact is that before Intermediate you learned the “tops” of English necessary for survival. From the Intermediate level, you take on the “roots”: delve into each topic, study more complex nuances, word synonyms, slang, phrasal verbs, etc. And there are quite a lot of such subtleties in any language, which is why it turns out that you need to spend more time to raise your level of English.

Fortunately, the plateau effect is a common problem that anyone can solve. And the first step you have to take is to understand that plateaus are perfectly normal. Each person sooner or later encounters it, so it's not about your abilities, but about the peculiarities of the process of learning a foreign language. Just take it for granted and keep learning English to get over the plateau faster.

Below we will outline those techniques that will help you "budge" your English and increase your level of knowledge. All techniques are selected in such a way that you can get rid of the most common difficulties associated with learning English at the Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate levels.

Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.

Thinking will not overcome fear, but action can.

1. Keep studying with the teacher

2. Try lessons with a native speaker

3. Keep up the pace

4. Find people to talk to in English

This is the most difficult and at the same time the most important task, because we learn English first of all in order to speak it. Use every opportunity to communicate in the language you are learning: go to English discussion clubs, attend group lessons and talk with classmates, find a friend on a language exchange site, etc. You can find yourself an interlocutor yourself using the resources from the article "". And, of course, our people are always ready to help you "talk".

5. Prepare for the exam

6. Learn English Grammar for Advanced

It would seem that up to the Intermediate level you have already met all tenses of English, but there are important grammatical constructions that are required to move to the next level of knowledge. We will point out resources that you can rely on when learning English grammar for advanced.

Sources of knowledge:

Without good textbook it will be difficult to study grammar, because everything is systematized in the book. We recommend "blue Murphy" for intermediate students - the textbook "English Grammar in Use" of the Intermediate level (it is also suitable for Upper-Intermediate). You can also take the Oxford Practice Grammar at the Intermediate level. In these books, the theory is briefly and clearly stated, many practical exercises are presented.
To learn the theory and practice it with practical exercises, check out our blog for Intermediate English Grammar , select the "Intermediate" tab.
As you learn grammar test yourself to see how the plateau effect is gradually replaced by the effect of the ascent to the next level of knowledge. In the article "" you will find resources to check your achievements

7. Keep learning new words

Your vocabulary is already quite large, but the more you expand it, the faster you can improve your English level.

What words to teach continuing:

Vocabulary from special textbooks. Textbooks for learning English vocabulary are the best helpers for those who continue. Their value is that they give you thematic selections of words presented in texts, dialogues and practical exercises. Such manuals teach you not just new words, but the rules for their use. We recommend the following textbooks for continuing students: “English Vocabulary in Use” at the Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate - Advanced level, “Oxford Word Skills” at the Intermediate or Advanced level, a series of manuals “4000 Essential English Words”. These books have answers to all the tasks, so you can study them even on your own.
Unfamiliar words from texts. Books or articles in English are a valuable source of new vocabulary. Write out unfamiliar words that are often found in the text or play an important role in understanding the meaning of what you read, and learn them. At the same time, give preference to modern literature, books and articles on the Internet in English adapted to your level of knowledge.
Synonyms and antonyms of words you already know. The words good and bad are good to use at the initial levels. At the middle level, you need to expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms of similar words. Fortunately, you don’t even have to look for them yourself; you can always find this information in electronic dictionaries. For example, in the search bar on the site merriam-webster.com, enter the word good, and under the heading “Related to GOOD” you will see a rather extensive list of synonyms and antonyms for it.
Phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are used just as widely and are just as difficult to learn as idioms. We recommend studying such vocabulary with the help of a special textbook “Phrasal Verbs in Use”, as well as take note of the application “The Phrasal Verbs Machine” (Android, iOS).
Collocations. Collocations - stable phrases. They need to be taught in order to make it easier for you to correctly select words to each other and make sentences. In addition, phrases are easier to remember than individual words. It is best to learn such phrases from the textbook “English Collocations in Use Intermediate”. In addition, you can use the special Oxford Dictionary Collocations.
Idioms. This vocabulary will decorate your speech, make it more natural and expressive. Native speakers use idioms everywhere, even in formal speech. We advise you to use the special textbook “English Idioms in Use Intermediate”, which contains various practical exercises that help you remember set expressions and the rules for their use. Learning proverbs and idioms is not always easy, so we have written several useful articles: "", "". In addition, you can install the idiom learning apps “English Idioms and Phrases” (Android) and “English Idioms Illustrated” (iOS) on your gadget.
Slang. Slang words and expressions will be found in almost all books, films and TV shows. Therefore, it is important to take the time to memorize such vocabulary in order to improve your English proficiency. The meaning of slang expressions can be found in the specialized dictionary Urban Dictionary.
Word lists from learning blogs. Take a look at the articles in the “ ” series on the Macmillan Online Dictionary website. Each of these small notes provides examples of sentences with useful vocabulary on a specific topic.
Words on special electronic resources. Special vocabulary learning sites for beginners will help you learn new vocabulary through various tests. We recommend using esl.fis.edu or englishteststore.net , they are just aimed at people with an average level of English knowledge.

It is important for those who continue to develop their listening comprehension skills in English. Moreover, if earlier it was necessary to understand at least something of what was said on a simple recording, now you need to complicate your task - try to understand 70-80% of what you hear. In addition, listen to more complex audio recordings and watch videos of people speaking in different accents, and then try to explain the idea of the video in your own words, and practice speaking at the same time.

Podcasts- an excellent "trainer" for learners of English. In addition, it is also a portable simulator: you can save files to your smartphone or tablet and practice at your convenience. Recommended, where you will find many free learning materials. Also take a look at ted.com, where you'll find engaging video lectures on any topic you're interested in.
Watching movies and series- the most pleasant and exciting technique that helps to improve listening comprehension of English speech. You can just watch them in your free time for your pleasure, but it's better to use the tricks from the "" article.
Online dictations will help you develop both listening and spelling skills. We invite you to visit, there you will find short tasks of different difficulty levels. Such training will not take much time and will be beneficial.

9. Read in English

Reading texts in English is a great opportunity to see how the studied grammar and vocabulary “works” in practice, and learn new words, and it’s also just an exciting activity.

Adapted books are convenient in that you will not need to refer to the dictionary often. There will be no more than 3-10 unfamiliar words per page in the text, and there is a dictionary at the end of each edition. Adapted literature can be found at english-e-books.net and english-easy-ebooks.com.
Literature in the original is a good challenge for the average level of knowledge. Reading a book can be difficult at first, but you will learn a lot of new words and enjoy reading the work in the form in which the author created it. You can find many books in English on the website e-reading.club.
Modern articles on the Internet are a convenient alternative for those who do not have the time or desire to read a long work. Small articles on various topics can be found at. And you can read more serious and complex material in the online newspapers The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph.

10. Write in English

How to improve your writing skill:

Translation exercises teach you how to build sentences in English correctly. And this is useful for both written and oral speech. Check out our article "", from it you will learn why and how to perform such exercises. And read about the 2 best manuals with translation exercises.
Online dictations. We already wrote about them in the previous paragraph, so we can say that this is a universal exercise that will kill two birds with one stone.
Essay. By writing essays on various topics, you will achieve two goals: learn to express your thoughts in English and learn new words. Vocabulary replenishment occurs if you do not limit yourself to using the vocabulary you already know, but look for new words in the dictionary and use them in your essay. Thus, you immediately use a new word in context, and when writing, you also use mechanical memory, which also makes memorization easier. However, one should take into account the fact that such work makes sense when it is checked by a person who knows English well. Therefore, for maximum benefit, try to find a teacher or another person who will proofread your essays.
Groups in social networks. On Facebook and Vkontakte, you can count more than one hundred groups for learning English. In such publics, correspondence in English is only welcome: you can comment on posts you like or chat in one of the open topics. Check out our English Learning Groups

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, 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, proficient in written English, can write lengthy descriptions of events and history, and 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 level students are very confident in English and make only minor mistakes in speech, which do not 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!

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