CEFR Levels: What they are and Why they matter
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, often referred to as CEFR or CEFRL, is an international standard for working out your ability within a language.
It was established by the Council of Europe and aims to validate language ability.
The six levels within the CEFR are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. With these levels, you can easily work out your ability in around 40 different languages.
The levels are often used casually by language learners to explain their ability at speaking, reading, writing and understanding a language.
At the Italian Dream Academy, in order to cover all the topics in our courses and to better help the students with the choice of the Level we added A1+, A2+, B1+.
The “A” Levels: Basic User
A1 | Beginner
At the A1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand and use very basic expressions to satisfy concrete needs.
- Introduce themselves and ask others questions about personal details.
- Interact simply as long as the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
A2 | Elementary
At the A2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand frequently used expressions in most intermediate areas such as shopping, family, employment, etc.
- Complete tasks that are routine and involve a direct exchange of information.
- Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.
The “B” Levels: Independent User
At the B1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.
- Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.
- Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.
- Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.
At the B2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand the main ideas of a complex text such as a technical piece related to their field.
- Spontaneously interact without too much strain for either the learner or the native speaker.
- Produce a detailed text on a wide range of subjects.
The “C” Levels: Proficient User
C1 | Advanced
At the C1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand a wide range of longer and more demanding texts or conversations.
- Express ideas without too much searching.
- Effectively use the language for social, academic or professional situations.
- Create well-structured and detailed texts on complex topics.
C2 | Proficiency
At the C2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
- Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.
- Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.
- Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.
For the self-assessment grid, please click on this link!
