A Guide to CEFR levels

About the CEFR levels used for our French language classes

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for working out a person's 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. But there are also exams and certificates available to those who want to make their level official.

Let’s  take a look at what the different levels are and what language learners can typically do at each level.

The A Levels: Basic User

A1 | Beginner

At the A1  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 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

B1 | Intermediate

At the B1 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.

B2 | Upper Intermediate

At the B2 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 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 | Proficient

At the C2 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.

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