How does the learning process work? for every day
Or in courses, you will definitely come across the concept of “levels English language” or “levels of English proficiency”, as well as with such incomprehensible designations as A1, B2, and more understandable Beginner, Intermediate and so on. From this article you will learn what these formulations mean and what levels of language proficiency are distinguished, as well as how to determine your level of English.
Levels of the English language were invented so that language learners could be divided into groups with approximately similar knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking and writing, as well as to simplify testing procedures, examinations, for various purposes related to emigration, study abroad and employment. This classification helps in recruiting students into a group and preparing teaching aids, methods, and language teaching programs.
Of course, there is no clear boundary between the levels; this division is quite arbitrary, needed not so much by students as by teachers. In total, there are 6 levels of language proficiency, there are two types of division:
- Levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2,
- Levels Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced, Proficiency.
Essentially they are just two different names for the same thing. These 6 levels are divided into three groups.
Table: English language proficiency levels
The classification was developed in the late eighties - early nineties of the last century, it is completely called the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (abbr. CERF).
English language levels: detailed description
Beginner level (A1)
At this level you can:
- Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and simple phrases aimed at solving specific problems.
- Introduce yourself, introduce other people, ask simple personal questions, for example, “Where do you live?”, “Where are you from?”, be able to answer such questions.
- Maintain a simple conversation if the other person speaks slowly, clearly and helps you.
Many who studied English at school speak the language at approximately the Beginner level. From the vocabulary only elementary mother, father, help me, my name is, London is the capital. You can understand well-known words and expressions by ear if they speak very clearly and without accent, as in the audio lessons for the textbook. You understand texts like the “Exit” sign, and in a conversation with the help of gestures, using individual words, you can express the simplest thoughts.
Level Elementary (A2)
At this level you can:
- Understand common expressions on general topics such as family, shopping, work, etc.
- Speak in simple everyday themes, in simple terms.
- Talk about yourself in simple terms, describe simple situations.
If you got a 4 or 5 in English at school, but after that you didn’t use English for some time, then most likely you speak the language at the Elementary level. TV shows in English will not be understandable, unless individual words, but the interlocutor, if he speaks clearly, in simple phrases of 2-3 words, in general you will understand. You can also incoherently and with long pauses for reflection tell the simplest information about yourself, say that the sky is blue and the weather is clear, express a simple wish, place an order at McDonald's.
The Beginner – Elementary levels can be called a “survival level”, Survival English. It is enough to “survive” during a trip to a country where the main language is English.
Intermediate level (B1)
At this level you can:
- Understand general meaning clear speech on general, familiar topics related to everyday life(work, study, etc.)
- Cope with the most typical situations while traveling (at the airport, in a hotel, etc.)
- Compose simple, coherent text on general or personally familiar topics.
- Retell events, describe hopes, dreams, ambitions, be able to briefly talk about plans and explain your point of view.
Vocabulary and knowledge of grammar are enough to write simple essays about yourself, describe incidents from life, write a letter to a friend. But in most cases, oral speech lags behind written speech, you confuse tenses, think about a phrase, pause to find a pretext (to or for?), but you can communicate more or less, especially if you are not shy or afraid of making mistakes.
Understanding your interlocutor is much more difficult, and if it is a native speaker, and even with fast speech and a bizarre accent, then it is almost impossible. However, simple, clear speech is understandable well, provided the words and expressions are familiar. You generally understand if the text is not very complex, and with some difficulty you understand the general meaning without subtitles.
Upper Intermediate level (B2)
At this level you can:
- Understand the general meaning of complex text on concrete and abstract topics, including technical (specialized) topics in your profile.
- Speak quickly enough so that communication with a native speaker occurs without long pauses.
- Write clear, detailed text on different topics, explain a point of view, give arguments for and against various points of view on a topic.
Upper Intermediate is already a good, solid, confident command of the language. If you are talking on a well-known topic with a person whose pronunciation you understand well, then the conversation will go quickly, easily, naturally. An outside observer will say that you are fluent in English. However, you may be confused by words and expressions related to topics that you do not understand well, all sorts of jokes, sarcasm, hints, slang.
You are asked to answer 36 questions to test your listening, writing, speaking and grammar skills.
It is noteworthy that to test listening comprehension, they do not use phrases like “London is the capital” recorded by the announcer, but short excerpts from films (Puzzle English specializes in learning English from films and TV series). In English-language films, the characters' speech is close to how people speak in real life, so the test can seem harsh.
Chandler from Friends doesn't have the best pronunciation.
To check a letter, you need to translate several phrases from English into Russian and from Russian into English. The program provides several translation options for each phrase. To test your knowledge of grammar, a completely ordinary test is used, where you need to choose one option from several offered.
But you're probably wondering how the program can test a skill colloquial speech? Of course, an online English proficiency test will not test your speech like a human, but the test developers came up with original solution. In the task you need to listen to a phrase from the film and choose a line suitable for continuing the dialogue.
Talking is not enough, you also need to understand your interlocutor!
The ability to speak English consists of two skills: listening to the speech of your interlocutor and expressing your thoughts. This task, although in a simplified form, tests how you cope with both tasks.
At the end of the test, you will be shown a complete list of questions with the correct answers, and you will find out where you made mistakes. And of course, you will see a chart with an assessment of your level on a scale from Beginner to Upper Intermediate. 
2. Test to determine the level of English with a teacher
To get a professional, “live” (and not automated, as in tests) assessment of the level of the English language, you need English teacher, which will test you with tasks and an interview in English.
This consultation can be done free of charge. Firstly, there may be a language school in your city that offers free language testing and even a trial lesson. This is now a common practice.
In short, I signed up for a trial lesson-test, got in touch on Skype at the appointed time, and teacher Alexandra and I had a lesson during which she “tortured” me in every possible way with various tasks. All communication was in English.
My trial lesson on SkyEng. We check your knowledge of grammar.
At the end of the lesson, the teacher explained to me in detail in which direction I should develop my English, what problems I have, and a little later she sent me a letter with detailed description level of language skills (with ratings on a 5-point scale) and methodological recommendations.
This method took some time: three days passed from submitting the application to the lesson, and the lesson itself lasted about 40 minutes. But this is much more interesting than any online test.
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The book by the popular author Sergei Matveev includes the following sections: “About English Pronunciation” (the basic rules of English pronunciation are given here, as well as numerous exceptions to the rules), “Grammar” (the information necessary to understand the basic grammatical difficulties and master oral and written communication skills), “Dictionaries” (small English-Russian and Russian-English - a good help for reading and independent study). The textbook provides numerous examples from original American and English literature, as well as from live spoken language. And finally, in the “Appendix” the reader will find the article “Linguistic Astrology: Horoscope of Good Luck”, which talks about how the stars influence the study of a foreign language, and gives advice from an astrologer.
For a wide range of readers of all ages and different levels preparation - both for those who are just starting to learn English, and for those who once learned it, but have forgotten it.
THE PAST LASTS.
If the present continuous tense ( Present Continuous) is used to denote events that happen HERE AND NOW, then the Past Continuous is used if you need to talk about something that happened once and lasted for some time. For example, from 5 to 6 o'clock yesterday. Or the day before yesterday. Or last week. But it was not exactly HAPPENED (as in the case of the simple past tense Past Simple), but HAPPENED. As they say, it happened and happened, but it never happened.
To form it, we simply replace the forms of the verb to be, which were used for the Present Continuous, with the corresponding forms of the past tense. That is, a sentence like “I am reading” turns into “I was reading.” That's all! No hidden fees or cash withdrawal fees!
CONTENT
From the publisher
About English pronunciation.
How to speak so that you are understood correctly
About transcription
Letter of the law
English alphabet
Publicity
Consistency
Publicity of consonants
Unpronounceable
Total
Exceptions prove the rules
Pronunciation of the 500 most important words in English
Grammar. Easy and fast
CAT - it’s CAT in Africa too!
Subject - predicate - object - adverbial
I, you, he, she; together - the whole country
You - for me, I - for you
Earth's gravity
Selfishness
There's something here and there
One, two, three, four, five
Glagolitic
Easier than steamed turnips
From afar for a long time
The path to perfection
There is no limit to perfection
An order is an order
Verbs with postpositions and idioms
Uncle Hera
Verbs that require an infinitive after themselves
Verbs that require a gerund after them
Modus Vivendi
Repetition is the mother of learning
Small small less
That's the question
Conversators in formation
Find the most necessary words to say the main thing
Virtual love
Irregular verbs - the most complete table
Dictionaries
Application. Linguistic astrology: horoscope of luck.
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English levels
The English World English Language Center offers a variety of programs that meet the needs of students of any age and level of knowledge. It is very important to us that you feel comfortable and easy to study according to the chosen program in our courses! In this regard, when determining your level of language proficiency, we focus on the European Council’s system of language competences “Common European Framework of Reference” (CEFR). The corresponding directive was developed by the Council of Europe as a main part of the project “Language Learning for European Citizenship” between 1989 and 1996. The main purpose of the CEFR system is to provide an assessment and teaching method applicable to all European languages. In November 2001, an EU Council resolution recommended the use of the CEFR to create national systems for assessing language competence.
All English courses at our school are designed for levels according to the CEFR. Additionally, the center’s methodologists identified the “Beginner 0” level, which corresponds to the zero level of language proficiency (A0).
Multi-level English language teaching system
"English World" - progressive and modern training center. In this regard, training according to the programs of our center is carried out in accordance with the latest methodological developments leading philologists, linguists and teachers of foreign centers for the study of foreign languages.
The General English program includes the following levels:
- - A0. Zero level. Without communication skills in English, knowledge of grammar and vocabulary - at a very basic level.
- - A1. Starting level. Basic communication skills in English, grammar, phonetics and vocabulary - at an elementary level.
- - A2. Basic level. Knowledge of the English language in the areas of phonetics, grammar and vocabulary is limited to basic, pre-threshold skills.
- - A2/B1. Pre-threshold level. Proficiency in English at a good, beginner-intermediate level. Progressive communication skills.
- - B1. Average level. The most important stage in learning English is Intermediate. The level implies a threshold state that translates into confident proficiency in a foreign language. Knowledge of grammar and vocabulary progresses noticeably, communication skills are honed and detailed as much as possible.
- - B2. English is above average. The Upper Intermediate level allows students to completely get rid of the language barrier and communicate freely in English in almost all everyday, business and everyday situations.
- - C1. Advanced level. At this level, learning takes on more of a focus on honing skills in the areas of phonetics, grammar, communication and vocabulary. Listeners begin to think in English and completely get rid of reliance on their native language.
- - C2. Professional English. This level can be achieved by students of philological and linguistic faculties, foreign language teachers, translators, etc.
We decided to learn English “from scratch” in mature age? Great idea! Do you doubt own strength Oh? In vain. We will tell you what features of training to pay attention to and save you from psychological limitations. Believe in yourself, you can handle English!
Believe in yourself, otherwise others will have no reason to believe in you. The English language is increasingly penetrating our lives. If previously only travelers and translators used it, now the situation has changed. Without knowledge of the language, it is difficult not only to get a well-paid position, but also to learn how to operate a computer, read instructions for household appliances, etc.
Schoolchildren and students, as a rule, are forced to study English in courses or in educational institution. But those who have reached the age of 25 and have not mastered English are difficult to convince to take up their studies. We find a million excuses, remembering how we wasted 10 years in school learning English! Are you in a hurry to write yourself down as a “non-humanitarian”? Of course, the easiest thing to do is give up. But we offer an effective approach to solving this problem.
First we need to destroy myths and get rid of imaginary barriers that prevent us from starting to learn English. You can read about some of them in the article “”. We change destructive thoughts to constructive ones! Let's find out what attitudes prevent us from learning English as adults.
Negative attitudes that prevent an adult from learning English
1. Languages are easier to learn as children
A common misconception that early age they drive it into our heads. Some English teachers intimidate schoolchildren: “If you don’t learn the language at school, you’ll never learn it at all. Try while you still have the opportunity to understand something. You don’t want to be a janitor, do you?” Agree, this is not at all an inspiring motivation. But, nevertheless, it sticks in my head: I need to study while I’m young; nothing will work out in adulthood.
In fact: Everything will work out! And at 20, and at 30, and at 80. Forget about what you heard in school. All over the world people are proving that it is never too late to learn. We would like to give an example from our practice: about 80% of students are adults aged 25 to 50 years. And the oldest student, 86 (!) years old, wanted to improve his English to communicate with his grandchildren living in the USA. The children did not know Russian, so grandfather had to quickly learn English. And he achieved his goal! Of course, our student did not pass the exams and did not master the language perfectly, but he learned to speak on general topics without much difficulty.
Adults do an excellent job of learning English, communicate freely with native speakers and pass international exams with flying colors. What is their secret? They ordinary people, Just It’s easier for an adult to concentrate on a lesson and understand complex rules. Modern teaching methods take into account all the features of our memory and allow us to master the English language at any age. As long as there is a desire, there is a possibility.
2. What will others say about me?
People who think something is impossible should not interfere with the people who make it possible. (Chinese proverb) Unfortunately, friends and family do not always support our pursuit of knowledge. Some begin to talk about wasted time, others - about a waste of money, the most harmful ones - about the fact that nothing will work out for us. Someone else's opinion sometimes plays a decisive role for us; we give up our desires to please someone else's whims.
In fact: That's why you're an adult, so you can make decisions on your own. You shouldn't always listen to your loved ones and go with the flow. Explain to your family that knowing English will allow you to earn more and make you feel like a different person. Anything is possible as long as you want it!
3. I will be the oldest/oldest person in the course.
It sounds funny, but this is how people aged 25-30 think. Such thoughts often arise among those who are about to start learning English from the first level. They think that they will come to class, and their classmates will be 8-9 year old schoolchildren, young and active.
In fact: Students are recruited into groups according to age and level of knowledge. Believe me the beginners are full of your peers. If you feel a little embarrassed by comparison with other students, we recommend learning English with a personal teacher. Studying alone with a teacher is comfortable and effective.
4. I don't have a penchant for languages.
We never tire of reminding you: there are no people who are unable to learn English, there are those who do not want to do it for some reason. For some reason, some people believe that a person needs to have a special mindset, have linguistic abilities, and be a philologist by training in order to know the language well.
In fact: Both “techies” and humanists do an excellent job of learning English. Moreover, among polyglots there are many people with a mathematical mind; they know how to analyze information and are able to absorb large volumes of material. You need to choose the right approach, use interesting methods training.
5. I work and don’t have time to study.
This is one of the most popular settings. We are used to living in a hurry, being late for something, cursing the fast flowing time. Yes, work takes a lot of our energy, but there are also days off. You can set aside some time for studying on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, on a day off we want to relax, but we don’t think about the fact that having reached the required level of language proficiency, we will have the opportunity to take a more promising position, change our field of activity, or improve working conditions.
In fact: Each person can devote 3-4 hours a week to English. We advise you to take up time management; you can find many articles and books on this topic on the Internet. First, read an interesting article on our blog “Time Management, or Trying to find time for... time”, it will briefly tell you about the basics of time management. You can try a simple method: write down everything you do in a diary for a week. After seven days, look where the precious minutes are flowing. Perhaps you're using your free time unproductively and your schedule needs some work? We think everyone has their own “time sinks” that they can get rid of. Replace useless things with learning English.
6. Studying is boring
When you hear the word “study,” many people remember falling asleep during lectures at the university. We cannot even admit the idea that studying can be not only useful and necessary, but also exciting. Our stereotypes are often completely unfounded, you can see this for yourself.
In fact: Indeed, cramming a dictionary and sitting for hours on grammar is very boring. Uninteresting textbooks, dry formulations, learning dialogues and texts divorced from reality - all this is a thing of the distant past. Modern approach teaching involves the use of a variety of materials. During English classes, students talk about topics that interest them, watch videos, listen to songs, and study fascinating texts. The motto of a modern English teacher is: learning is a joy, not a burden.
7. I don’t know where to start, in case nothing works out
Let go of your prejudices and be open to new knowledge. Success awaits you! Neophobia (fear of everything new) lives in every person. We are afraid to learn a language, go on a trip, change jobs. Think about it: how much will you lose if you try? And if you don’t translate your thought into action, you risk losing the ability to dream and believe in a dream.
In fact: There is nothing difficult about learning English. Millions of people around the world are and will continue to teach it. Don't know what to tackle first? We have compiled a detailed list for you step by step instructions"" and wrote the article "". And if you want a competent teacher to help you achieve your goal faster, we offer it at our school. Don't be afraid to make your dreams come true.
The undeniable benefits of learning English for adults
1. Good motivation
An adult understands what and why he wants. You don’t need to be persuaded to do your homework (read about why this is so important in the articles “” and “”), explain why you should learn English, how it will help you in life, you already know everything. It is unlikely that a bad mood or rain outside will make you not show up for class. You won’t quit classes “just like that,” because you understand perfectly well why you took this road and why it’s worth going to the end.
Motivated students ALWAYS succeed in learning English.
2. Self-discipline
In youth, it is difficult to sit a person at a desk and make him listen, because of this, gaps in knowledge arise. Nobody distracts an adult; during class you are engaged in English, not other matters. You easily concentrate on your studies, know how to plan your time, and understand the need for independent work.
3. Ability to learn
The opinion that language is easy before the age of 13-15 is erroneous. Scientists have found that as a person ages, neurons begin to form that are responsible for higher-level linguistic abilities. That is, it is easier for you to summarize information, establish semantic connections, and understand grammar. In addition, adults use long-term memory during the learning process, while children use short-term memory. Your knowledge is well absorbed and consolidated for a long time.
4. Work on mistakes
Children are not particularly upset by a strong accent or grammatical errors, they rarely work to fix them. Adults treat this responsibly, with enviable zeal strive to write and speak competently. But don’t go to extremes: everyone makes mistakes, there’s nothing wrong with that, the main thing is to correct all the shortcomings in a timely manner.
5. Good analytical skills, life experience
You know how to analyze information know your weaknesses and strengths . Life experience allows you to clearly formulate the requirements for the teacher and the learning process.
6. Learn correctly from the very beginning
Fortunately, over the past 20 years, the methods of teaching English have undergone significant changes for the better. Therefore, today you can study with experienced teachers (including native speakers) in a way that is convenient for you. You choose the lesson time yourself, the teacher selects interesting materials, a good tutorial. You improve your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills at the same time.
7. Financial capabilities
You can study at the best language courses or with a personal English teacher. You are not limited by the school curriculum, old textbooks or the financial capabilities of your parents. Every year the English language becomes more and more accessible both in teaching methods and in price.
You can afford to immerse yourself in the language environment. Take a trip abroad, pleasant impressions and the use of English in practice will inspire you. You can go learn English abroad By special program, it's quite expensive, but effective.
8. Understanding your own strengths and capabilities
In adulthood, you already know everything about yourself, you understand what workload is suitable for you, and you can explain to the teacher exactly what you want to get as a result of your training. You have no fear of the teacher's personality. You are not afraid that he will call you incapable, tear up your notebook, or scold you for mistakes (as happens at school), so you can study calmly and fruitfully.
Useful recommendations for those who learn English “from scratch” in adulthood
- Try to manage your time, then you will have free hours not only for language classes, but also for relaxation, sports, and self-improvement.
- Self-learning English from scratch is not advisable. Find a mentor, he will help you create a training program that suits your inclinations, preferences and rhythm of life.
- Use different methods in learning: study with a teacher, listen to music, read authentic literature, watch films and videos with subtitles in English.
- Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Even the natives of America and Great Britain do not always speak and write correctly. Don't be embarrassed by small mistakes, they are easy to correct, and you will gain valuable experience.
- The main secret of success is to love what you do. Learn to enjoy your English lessons.
To sum up, we can say with confidence that learning English effectively as an adult. This is a chance to feel like an energetic student again, train your memory and get vivid impressions. English will open the door to a new world for you, where interesting acquaintances and travel, work on yourself and self-realization await you. Take the first step!
(((Exams What does this mean - speak a foreign language? Each person has their own idea about this: some are content with a level that allows them to travel around Europe without hindrance, while for others it is not enough to read Shakespeare in the original. Subjective criteria in this matter vary greatly - from knowledge of the necessary phrases to an intuitive sense of the language (which is sometimes lacking even for those who have spoken it since childhood). However, we teach foreign language for some purpose - 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 language knowledge will be tested in practice. Therefore, below we will look at the gradation of proficiency levels 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 gradually mastering the language from elementary to higher levels.
Comparison table of levels and exam scores
How can you find out your level yourself?
Today, the level of English language proficiency can be determined even without leaving home, thanks to numerous online tests. Below is a selection of several such tests. It should be borne in mind that such tests will not allow an absolutely accurate reflection of the level of language proficiency, since the resources on which they are posted are most often associated with language schools that have paid or offline resources to accurately assess the level. Therefore, even after receiving a result on the CEFR scale, you should take into account the possible errors of online tests. In addition, some tests, due to their content, cannot objectively assess knowledge of the language at an advanced level (C1–C2).Some of the tests below require registration before testing, but there are many tests on the Internet that allow you to get the result only after registering on the site or contacting the language school, which is very annoying and leads to additional time expenditure, so such tests are included in the tables not taken into account.
Complex tests
Tests of this kind include tasks on various areas knowledge of the language: listening (listening), understanding text (reading), grammar (grammar) and knowledge of the dictionary (vocabulary). Comprehensive online tests do not include just one important parameter- testing of oral speech (speaking). Such tests can be considered the most objective.| Resource | Questions | Time | Level | Answers | Grade | Timer | Registration | Listening | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 50 min | A2–C2 | 4-5 var. | 9.7 | + | + | + | + | |
| 50 | 20 min. | B1–C2 | 5 var. | 7.4 | - | + | + | + | |
| 50 | 20 min. | A2–C1 | 3–4 var. | 7.4 | - | + | + | + | |
| 140 | 70 min. | A1–C1 | 4 var. | 7.2 | - | - | + | + | |
| 30 | 20 min. | A2–C1 | 4 var. | 7.0 | - | - | + | - | |
| 40 | 15 min. | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 7.0 | - | + | + | - | |
| 50 | 20 min. | A2–C1 | 4 var. | 6.8 | - | - | - | + | |
| 20 | 15 min. | A2–C2 | 4 var. | 6.5 | + | - | + | - | |
| 60 | 30 min. | A2–C1 | 4 var. | 6.5 | + | + | - | + | |
| 40 | 15 min. | 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.| Resource | Time | Questions | Level | Answers | Grammar | Verbs | Dictionary | 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 min. | 10 | B2–C1 | 4 var. | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6.7 | |
| 35 min. | 68 | A2–B2 | 4 var | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6.7 | |
| 10 min. | 25 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6.7 | |
| 20 min. | 50 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6.3 | |
| 20 min. | 50 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6.3 | |
| 20 min. | 40 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6.3 | |
| 20 min. | 50 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6.3 | |
| 15 min. | 40 | A1–B2 | 4 var. | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6.0 | |
| 15 min. | 40 | A1–B1 | 3 var. | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5.7 | |
| 10 min. | 25 | A1–B1 | 3 var. | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4.3 |
The rating is based on a ten-point scale based on five main criteria:
- Grammar - how deeply knowledge of English grammar is tested, including knowledge of tenses, conditional sentences, subordinate clauses, tense agreement, passive voice.
- Verbs - it is separately assessed how thoroughly the test tests knowledge of English verbs: irregular, modal, phrasal. The same parameter includes the presence in the test of tasks on knowledge of the use of prepositions with verbs, infinitives and gerunds.
- Vocabulary - 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 tones, artificial interference, accents, etc. are assessed.
- Reading - assessment of tasks for perception and understanding of the text, if any in the test. The complexity of texts is primarily assessed.
Why is it important to know your language level?
- To correctly determine your goals, only knowing your level of foreign language proficiency can you 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 Applicants are asked to indicate in their resume their level of foreign language proficiency, confirmed by an 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 enroll in a prestigious college or university without good knowledge foreign language. And again, members admissions committee confirmation is required - a language certificate.
Foreign language in practice: what is important?
The first thing you need to know: the level of language proficiency is only checked 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, online tests will help assess only 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 independently determining the level of a foreign language lies not only in the fact that it is difficult to evaluate yourself, but also in the fact that the second language as a whole rarely remains at any particular level. That is, you can be able to understand complex texts in a foreign language that correspond to an advanced level, but have great difficulty speaking independently. It turns out that, on the one hand, a person knows the language at a professional level, but on the other hand, his communication skills are almost undeveloped. How then can you determine your level of English? Professional linguists and experts define foreign language proficiency according to several levels that apply not only to English, but to most languages of the world.
A0 - Zero level of English proficiency
| IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge | PTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
In truth, this level does not exist at all, but it is certainly worth mentioning, since 80% of self-critical beginners confidently attribute complete ignorance of the language to themselves. 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, an English phrasebook once read, 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 subsequent study.
If we talk about zero level, then this means complete 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 language level will rise to spoken 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 level A1.
start with lessons for absolute beginners, where you can learn the alphabet, reading rules, keywords to understand simple English, learn 300 new words (this 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 at least get to the Russian embassy. This level in no case can it be called conversational, since, of course, there will be no coherent conversation. But jokes aside, with this level you can go to language courses abroad.
Even minimal skills already allow you to at least convey some information to your interlocutor, albeit not without the help of gestures. Typically, this level is mastered by those who learned English a long time ago and without much pleasure. 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 language learning.
The student speaks the language at level A1 if:
- answers basic questions: name, age, home country, profession;
- understands familiar phrases provided the narrator speaks slowly and clearly;
- understands English text some individual words.
A2 - basic level of English proficiency - Elementary
| IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge | PTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 31 | KET pass | 30 |
If you can live with the initial level and not have to guess about it, then the basic level Elementary presupposes some awareness or, at least, memory that “I once taught something similar.” Again, there is still a long way to go to the conversational level, but unlike A1, some kind of dialogue can already happen.
If we return to the hypothetical situation of staying in one of the cities of England, then here the situation is a little rosier: with basic level You can not only get to the embassy, but also chat with a foreigner (for example, talk 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 is rather greater self-confidence and a slightly richer vocabulary. However, communication capabilities are still limited, so level A2 is only suitable as a basis for study, since there is nowhere to apply it in practice.
The student speaks the language at level A2 if:
- talks about everyday topics: he can give directions or ask for directions, talk about himself and the things around him;
- understands the interlocutor’s speech in a dialogue, provided that he speaks clearly and on a familiar topic;
- can read and understand basic sentences ( I have..., You are..., He goes...);
- write a simple sentence in text form or fill out a form in English.
Very often, between the initial and conversational levels, an intermediate level is distinguished, which implies that a person can already use English to solve some vital problems. important tasks, but does not yet speak spoken English. If we compare it with the A0-C2 scale, then this level can be characterized as A2+ or B1-.
It can be defined as follows:
- partially falling under the characteristics of level B1, but lack of practice in some aspects (for example, writing) indicates knowledge of the language at level Pre-Intermediate;
- Completely falling under the description of level A2 and partially falling under level B1 (for example, speaking skills are more developed) indicates knowledge of the language at level Upper-Elementary.
B1 - Intermediate level of English proficiency
| IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge | PTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 60 | PET pass | 43 |
When language competence goes beyond confused speech about the location of museums and restaurants, and English speech and the text becomes more and more understandable, these facts indicate that the student is at the first stage of spoken English. But in addition to conversation, this level also implies good reading skills of adapted texts, as well as an understanding of basic English grammar. Statistically, the majority of tourists know the language at this level, which allows them to easily communicate with their interlocutor on everyday topics. Typically, modern graduates graduate from school with at least a B1 level (with a maximum of B2). However, you still need a lot of work to become fluent in the language.
The student speaks the language at level B1 if:
- confidently carries on a conversation on any everyday topic with good pronunciation, although still with some hesitations and errors;
- understands the interlocutor, and also partially grasps the meaning of a complex speech (lecture) or conversation between English speakers (film);
- reads adapted to intermediate level literature with a dictionary and understands the meaning of simple texts;
- can compose a short essay about himself or the world around him, using common semantic structures and words.
B2 - Higher intermediate level - Upper-Intermediate
| IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge | PTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 90 | FCE grade C | 59 |
If a student has good conversational skills (above average level), can maintain a detailed conversation with a foreigner, understands speech by ear, watches English-language films and TV series without translation or 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 a real foreigner is standing in front of them. However, don't be fooled. Upper-Intermediate- this is truly a great achievement, but even this is sometimes not enough for professional activities. Another disadvantage is 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 don’t have to worry and feel free to sign up for the TOEFL or IELTS exams.
The 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 complex words are still acceptable);
- understands oral speech on everyday topics and about 80% of complex speech (lectures, films, interviews);
- understands well the meaning of informational texts in English, draws information from English-language resources without significant loss of meaning (it is permissible to use a dictionary to read texts on an unfamiliar topic);
- expresses his thoughts in writing in a reasoned manner, using common constructions (albeit with minor errors).
C1 - advanced level of English proficiency - Advanced
| IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge | PTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 100 | CAE grade C | 76 |
Perhaps, the difference between an advanced level and a higher intermediate level can only be understood by a professional or an anglophone and, of course, the speaker himself, but only if he has the so-called “sense of language”: when, when speaking, it becomes clear that the words are used correctly, but the sentence can be constructed slightly differently , choosing more elegant words or suitable terms. This is a sign that the problem of knowledge of the language has slowly flowed into the problem of its competent use, which, in turn, indicates an extremely high level 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 is not quite capable of yet is Shakespeare and Nabokov’s “Lolita” in the original without a dictionary. This level is recommended for employment in a foreign company; it opens doors to almost all foreign universities (including 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 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 appeals to employers, motivation letters, clearly understands the difference between a formal writing style and an informal one.
C2 - professional level of proficiency - 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 essence, level C2 corresponds to excellent knowledge of English as a foreign language, its competent use for any professional and everyday situation, and the ability to read fiction and professional literature in English fluently (or almost fluently). However, knowing English at the C2 level does not mean knowing it, as they like to say, perfectly.
Any linguist or philologist will confirm that mastering a language perfectly is the lot of very few, and these few usually become brilliant writers or wordsmiths. But if we take the most obvious example, say, an educated Londoner, then this also goes beyond the C2 level (usually those who speak English from childhood are called native speakers, and, of course, this is not included in the gradation of knowledge of English as a foreign language).
You should always remember that there is no limit to perfection, although language proficiency at the C2 level is an excellent result that few achieve. With a similar level, you can enroll in any postgraduate program, publish works in English, conduct conferences and lectures, i.e. for almost any professional activity this level will be more than enough.
The student speaks the language at level C2 if:
How to improve your English: Spend several years in an English-speaking country, for example at 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, as well as such qualities as perseverance, diligence and determination from the student. At first, 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 a lack of desire to continue learning the language.That is why it is advisable to learn a new language together with a teacher in individual or group classes. When the basic material has been 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 if you study using the most advanced textbooks.
The point is that he's alive modern language changes daily, and special educational publications simply do not have time to track these metamorphoses. It's about about modern slang, foreign borrowings, diversity of dialects, etc., which change the language every day. It is possible to know English at the native level, but for this it is necessary to be in an appropriate language environment, where the student will have to join a foreign-language society and keep abreast of news that is covered in the press or on the Internet.
How long will it take to learn a foreign language?
The answer to this question depends on several factors: the student’s goals, his perseverance and diligence, as well as his ability to pay. 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 will also require quite a lot of capital investment.The faster a 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 longer to learn the language. When studying abroad, a student gains the same amount of knowledge much faster.
There are no miracles!
Beginners in learning a foreign language should clearly understand that the learning process requires a lot of time from the student, as well as some effort on oneself, since there will always be a reason to reschedule a lesson or postpone homework until later. Training is a colossal work! Therefore, it is impossible to learn a language in a month using a new “unique author’s technique” or the 25th frame. There are no miracles! Only working on mistakes and consistent analysis of new material will help you reach the desired level.Time spent on leveling up
The table shows the number of weeks of intensive English to improve language level in Kaplan International schools