Level of English A2 what. European Framework of Reference for Languages

English level C1 is the fifth level of language proficiency in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a system for defining different language levels compiled by the Council of Europe. In everyday speech, this level can be called "advanced", the same description used in EF SET. Students, those who know the language at this level can speak unaided and with great accuracy on a wide range of issues, and can speak in almost any situation without any preliminary preparation.

How to determine that you know English at level C1

The best way to determine whether your English language skills are at level C1 is to take a high-quality standardized test. Below is a list of the main internationally recognized tests and their corresponding C1 indicators:

What can you do if you know English at C1 level?

Level of English C1 allows you to perform a wide variety of academic and professional tasks. Level C1 allows you to communicate completely autonomously in a country where the native language of the residents is English.

According to official CEFR guidelines, a person who speaks English at level C1:

Can understand a wide range of complex texts, recognizing hidden meanings.
Can express ideas spontaneously and fluently without difficulty finding words and expressions.
Can use language flexibly and effectively in social, scientific and professional activity.
Can produce accurate, well-structured and detailed text on complex topics, demonstrating proficiency various models text formation.

Read more about knowledge of English at level C1

Formal statements of student knowledge are broken down into smaller sub-items for instructional purposes. Such a detailed classification will help you assess your own level of English or help the teacher assess the level of students. For example, a student who knows English at level C1 will be able to do everything that a student at level B2 can do, as well as the following:

discuss in detail issues related to the formation of a motivated, successful team.
talk in detail about your favorite paintings and the architecture of buildings.
discuss social problems, possible ways decisions and what role corporations can play in this.
participate in discussions about nature conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and protection environment.
talk about events and issues discussed in the news and how they affect people and companies.
talk about risky situations in life, including dangerous sports.
compare and contrast different kinds education and individual educational institutions.
discuss Various types humor, including such subtle forms as sarcasm.
understand various styles communication, including direct statements and indirect hints, formal and informal types of speech.
discuss issues related to quality of life, including working conditions and home environment.
understand and discuss issues related to ethics (for example, cases of civil disobedience).

Of course, progress will depend on the type of course and the individual student, but it can be predicted that a student will reach level C1 English in 800 hours of study (total).

Level C1 on the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) corresponds to the concept of “advanced user”. Level B2 is “independent user”.

Since CEFR is a scale of competencies, that is, skills, the criteria for it are formulated based on what a person should be able to do.

Let's look at these skills by aspect and try to understand how C1 differs from B2:

Listening to speech

B2:

I can understand long passages of speech and lectures, and follow even complex developments of arguments, provided I am sufficiently familiar with the topic of the message. I can understand most television news and journalism programs. I understand most films with standard pronunciation.

C1:

I can understand long stretches of speech even when it is not explicitly structured and when the relationships between parts of a text or utterance are only implied and not expressed. I can understand movies and TV shows without too much effort.

Hooray! When moving from levels B to levels C, we are able not only to understand, but also to creatively transform speech in real time - the key thing is that at C1 a person can understand the speech of another even if that other person does not speak well.

We can already understand what our interlocutor wants to say, even if he himself did not care about it. And of course, movies and TV shows are not very difficult for us now, although sometimes we still have to work harder.

USEFUL ARTICLE

Reading

B2:

C1:

I understand long and complex literary or factual texts and can distinguish them by style. I understand the articles on professional themes or volumetric technical instructions even if they are not in my field of activity.

In reading, the main breakthrough is the ability to read specialized professional literature not in one’s specialty and understand it.

Speaking skills, dialogue

B2:

I can enter into dialogue with native speakers, and I communicate fluently enough, without noticeable pauses, and spontaneously, that is, without prior preparation, to a sufficient extent for communication to be possible. I can actively participate in discussions on familiar topics, expressing and justifying my views.

C1:

I can express my thoughts fluently without preparation, and I do not have to pause while searching. the right words. I can use language flexibly and effectively in personal, Everyday life and for work.
I can formulate my thoughts and express my opinions accurately and in such a way that others in a conversation can easily understand how my words relate to theirs.

The key difference is how much you can fit into the flow of the dialogue. At C1, it is important not only to speak clearly, but also to speak in such a way that it is clear to everyone else that you understood them, how you understood them, and how everything you say now follows from this.

Conversation skills, monologue

B2:

I can speak clearly and in detail on a fairly wide range of topics that interest me. I can express a point of view on a certain topic, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different options.

C1:

I can speak clearly and in detail on complex topics, dividing them into subtopics, elaborating on certain aspects, and concluding my discussions with an appropriate conclusion.

As in the previous aspect, at C1 it becomes important how much control you can have over how you are understood. Instead of simply expressing your point of view, as in B2, in C1 it is important to be able to convince the interlocutor. In general, the transition from B2 to C1 is determined by the extent to which you can move from being independent to caring about how your listener understands you.

Letter:

B2:

I can write clear and detailed text on a fairly large number of topics that fall within my area of interest. I may write an essay or report that presents information or argues for or against a particular point of view. I may write a letter emphasizing the personal significance of events or reflecting on my life experience.

C1:

I can express my thoughts in clear, well-structured text, with some space given to other points of view. I can write an essay, report, or letter on a complex topic and indicate what issues I consider most important. I can choose a style that is acceptable to the recipient of my message.

In writing, when moving from level B2 to C1, it is important that we can write a text not only about what interests us, but also on abstract topics, and not only speak out, but also structure the text, think about the reader, take care of to make him feel comfortable.

Thus, one can imagine that instead of one speech personality, we develop several at once, and choose between them depending on the context.

In general, the transition to level C1 means that a person comes out of the shell of his personal interests and begins to focus on the world and partly on the interlocutor. Therefore, in classes you need to reinforce this transition.

How to practice to move from B2 to C1

Oral speech perception:

Listen to thematic popular science or journalistic programs, record their transcripts and draw up a plan for speaking based on the results of these transcripts. Paraphrase and write synopses, short summaries what you heard, highlighting the main points and accents.

Reading

Read popular science and journalistic articles, and consciously choose those that are furthest from your area of interest. Keep a dictionary of terms and expressions that appear in these articles.

Catalogs and descriptions of special purpose devices - best material for this. Learn new things about the world around you and write notes for yourself in a popular science style about what you learn.

Dialogue

To develop dialogue skills, you will definitely need a trained interlocutor. A professional teacher is best. Organize discussions with him, polemics by correspondence, or prepare short presentations with a question and answer session.

A conversation club is only suitable if it is part of a course with a group who have studied the same topics as you and are at the same level as you. Otherwise it is useless, unless the teacher has organized an ingenious peer-to-peer teaching scheme, but no one does that.

Letter

In writing, it is important that you know how to choose the genre in which you will write. Therefore, take a topic that was touched upon when you were practicing listening or reading and write three texts on it -

presentation report, article or essay and official letter. This way you will learn to choose a style and implement different communicative intentions in writing.

What to use?

It is best to use the literature to prepare for the Cambridge CAE or CPE exams - the texts are selected on the most popular topics, and the writing tasks are well formulated to force you to practice in different styles.

If you don’t like textbooks, take authentic materials: TED, BBC. Discovery, Bloomberg thematic sites on economics, politics, medicine - everything will be of help.

Group, yourself, tutor, speaker?

At this level, there are things that you can do on your own - listening training, reading, vocabulary acquisition, but there are also things for which you need a qualified partner, a teacher: giving a presentation for yourself or writing an article that you yourself will read - It's a strange job.

The carrier or our person?

If the Russian teacher is sufficiently qualified, if he is well-educated and interested in understanding the intricacies of new topics with you, this is the best choice.
A speaker will be good if he has deep knowledge of the complex areas you will have to study, and if he has a good understanding of the psychological and structural aspects of speech. In other words, if it is a highly qualified teacher with extensive experience. If you find one, you will be happy. I've seen a couple of these in 18 years.

The article was prepared on the basis of the monograph “Common European Competences of Ownership foreign language: Study, teaching, assessment”, the Russian translation of which was published by the Moscow State Linguistic University (http://www.linguanet.ru/) in 2003.

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment

The Council of Europe document entitled “Common European Framework of Reference: Learning, Teaching, Assessment” reflects the result of the work of experts from the Council of Europe countries, including representatives of Russia, on systematizing approaches to teaching a foreign language and standardizing assessments of language proficiency levels. “Competencies” clearly define what a language learner needs to master in order to use it for communication purposes, as well as what knowledge and skills he needs to master in order for communication to be successful.

What is the main content of this project, carried out within the framework of the Council of Europe? The participants in this project attempted to create a standard terminology, a system of units, or a commonly understood language to describe what constitutes a subject matter of study, as well as to describe levels of language proficiency, regardless of what language is being studied, in what educational context - what country, institute, school , in courses, or privately, and what techniques are used. As a result, it was developed a system of language proficiency levels and a system for describing these levels using standard categories. These two complexes create a single network of concepts that can be used to describe in standard language any certification system, and, consequently, any training program, starting from setting objectives - training goals and ending with the competencies achieved as a result of training.

Language proficiency level system

When developing the European Level System, extensive research was carried out in different countries, assessment methods were tested in practice. As a result, we came to an agreement on the number of levels allocated for organizing the process of learning a language and assessing the degree of language proficiency. There are 6 major levels, which represent lower and higher sublevels in the classic three-level system, including basic, intermediate and advanced levels. The level scheme is built on the principle of sequential branching. It begins by dividing the level system into three large levels - A, B and C:

The introduction of a pan-European system of language proficiency levels does not limit the ability of various teaching teams to develop and describe their own system of levels and training modules. However, the use of standard categories when describing your own programs helps ensure the transparency of courses, and the development of objective criteria for assessing language proficiency will ensure recognition qualification characteristics received by students in exams. It can also be expected that the leveling system and the wording of the descriptors will change over time as experience is gained in the participating countries.

The language proficiency levels are summarized in the following table:

Table 1

Elementary possession	A1	I understand and can use familiar phrases and expressions necessary to perform specific tasks. I can introduce myself / introduce others, ask / answer questions about my place of residence, acquaintances, property. I can participate in a simple conversation if the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to help.
Elementary possession	A2	I understand individual sentences and frequently occurring expressions related to basic areas of life (for example, basic information about myself and my family members, purchases, getting a job, etc.). I can perform tasks related to simple exchange of information on familiar or everyday topics. In simple terms I can tell about myself, my family and friends, and describe the main aspects of everyday life.
Self-ownership		I understand the main ideas of clear messages made in literary language on various topics that typically arise at work, school, leisure, etc. I can communicate in most situations that may arise during a stay in the country of the language being studied. I can compose a coherent message on topics that are known or of particular interest to me. I can describe impressions, events, hopes, aspirations, express and justify my opinions and plans for the future.
Self-ownership		I understand the general content of complex texts on abstract and concrete topics, including highly specialized texts. I speak quickly and spontaneously enough to constantly communicate with native speakers without too much difficulty for either party. I am able to give clear, detailed messages on various topics and present my view on the main issue, showing the advantages and disadvantages of different opinions.
Fluency		I understand large complex texts in various topics, recognize the hidden meaning. I speak spontaneously at a fast pace, without having difficulty finding words and expressions. I use language flexibly and effectively to communicate in scientific and professional activities. I can create accurate, detailed, well-structured messages on complex topics, demonstrating mastery of text organization patterns, communication tools, and integration of text elements.
Fluency		I understand almost any oral or written message, I can compose a coherent text based on several oral and written sources. I speak spontaneously with a high tempo and a high degree of precision, emphasizing nuances of meaning even in the most difficult cases.

When interpreting a level scale, it must be borne in mind that the divisions on such a scale are not identical. Even if the levels appear equidistant on the scale, achieving them requires different time. So, even if the Waystage level is located halfway to the Threshold Level, and the Threshold level is located on the level scale halfway to the Vantage Level, experience with this scale shows that that it takes twice as long to progress from the Threshold to the Threshold Advanced level as it does to reach the Threshold level. This is explained by the fact that at higher levels the range of activities expands and an increasing amount of knowledge, skills and abilities are required.

More detailed description may be required to select specific learning objectives. It can be presented in the form of a separate table showing the main aspects of language proficiency at six levels. For example, Table 2 is compiled as a self-assessment tool to identify your knowledge and skills in the following aspects:

table 2

A1 (Survival Level):

Understanding	Listening	I understand individual familiar words and very simple phrases in slow and clear speech in everyday communication situations when they talk about me, my family and immediate environment.
Understanding	Reading	I can understand familiar names, words, and very simple sentences in advertisements, posters, or catalogues.
Speaking	Dialogue	I can participate in a dialogue if my interlocutor, at my request, repeats his statement in slow motion or paraphrases it, and also helps to formulate what I am trying to say. I can ask and answer simple questions about topics that I know or that interest me.
Speaking	Monologue	I can use simple phrases and sentences to talk about the place where I live and the people I know.
Letter	Letter	I can write simple cards (for example, congratulations on a holiday), fill out forms, enter my last name, nationality, and address on the hotel registration sheet.

A2 (Pre-threshold level):

Understanding	Listening	I understand individual phrases and the most common words in statements related to topics that are important to me (for example, basic information about myself and my family, about shopping, about where I live, about work). I understand what is being said in simple, clearly spoken, short messages and announcements.
Understanding	Reading	I understand very short simple texts. I can find specific, easily predictable information in simple texts of everyday communication: in advertisements, prospectuses, menus, schedules. I understand simple personal letters.
Speaking	Dialogue	I can communicate in simple, typical situations that require direct exchange of information within the framework of topics and activities familiar to me. I can hold extremely brief conversations on everyday topics, but I still don’t understand enough to carry on a conversation on my own.
Speaking	Monologue	I can, using simple phrases and sentences, talk about my family and other people, living conditions, studies, current or former work.
Letter	Letter	I can write simple short notes and messages. I can write a simple letter of a personal nature (for example, expressing my gratitude to someone for something).

B1 (Threshold level):

Understanding	Listening	I understand the main points of clearly spoken statements within the literary norm on topics known to me that I have to deal with at work, at school, on vacation, etc. I understand what is being said in most radio and television programs about current events, as well as those related to my personal or professional interests. The speakers' speech should be clear and relatively slow.
Understanding	Reading	I understand texts based on frequency language material of everyday and professional communication. I understand descriptions of events, feelings, and intentions in personal letters.
Speaking	Dialogue	I can communicate in most situations that arise while staying in the country of the target language. I can participate without prior preparation in dialogues on a topic that is familiar/interesting to me (for example, “family”, “hobbies”, “work”, “travel”, “current events”).
Speaking	Monologue	I can construct simple coherent statements about my personal impressions, events, talk about my dreams, hopes and desires. I can briefly justify and explain my views and intentions. I can tell a story or outline the plot of a book or film and express my feelings about it.
Letter	Letter	I can write simple, coherent texts on topics that are familiar or of interest to me. I can write letters of a personal nature, telling them about my personal experiences and impressions.

B2 (Threshold Advanced Level):

Understanding	Listening	I understand detailed reports and lectures and even complex arguments contained in them, if the topics of these speeches are quite familiar to me. I understand almost all news and current affairs reports. I understand the content of most films if their characters speak literary language.
Understanding	Reading	I understand articles and communications on contemporary issues in which the authors take a particular position or express special point vision. I understand modern fiction.
Speaking	Dialogue	Without preparation, I can quite freely participate in dialogues with native speakers of the target language. I can take an active part in a discussion on a problem that is familiar to me, justify and defend my point of view.
Speaking	Monologue	I can speak clearly and thoroughly on a wide range of issues that interest me. I can explain my point of view by current problem, expressing all the arguments for and against.
Letter	Letter	I can write clear, detailed messages on a wide range of issues that interest me. I can write essays or reports, highlighting issues or arguing a point of view for or against. I know how to write letters, highlighting those events and impressions that are especially important to me.

Understanding	Listening	I understand detailed messages, even if they have an unclear logical structure and insufficiently expressed semantic connections. I understand all television programs and films almost fluently.
Understanding	Reading	I understand large complex non-fiction and fiction texts and their stylistic features. I also understand special articles and large technical instructions, even if they do not relate to my field of activity.
Speaking	Dialogue	I can express my thoughts spontaneously and fluently, without having difficulty finding words. My speech is distinguished by the variety of linguistic means and the accuracy of their use in situations of professional and everyday communication. I can accurately formulate my thoughts and express my opinions, as well as actively support any conversation.
Speaking	Monologue	I am able to clearly and thoroughly present complex topics, combine component parts into a single whole, develop individual provisions and draw appropriate conclusions.
Letter	Letter	I can express my thoughts clearly and logically in writing and communicate my views in detail. I can present in detail in letters, essays, reports complex problems, highlighting what I think is most important. I am able to use a language style appropriate to the intended recipient.

C2 (Proficiency level):

Understanding	Listening	I can freely understand any spoken language in direct or indirect communication. I can easily understand the speech of a native speaker speaking at a fast pace if I have the opportunity to get used to the individual characteristics of his pronunciation.
Understanding	Reading	I freely understand all types of texts, including texts of an abstract nature, complex in composition or language: instructions, special articles and works of art.
Speaking	Dialogue	I can freely participate in any conversation or discussion and am proficient in a variety of idiomatic and colloquial expressions. I speak fluently and can express any shade of meaning. If I have difficulties in using language, I can quickly and unnoticed by others to paraphrase my statement.
Speaking	Monologue	I can express myself fluently, freely and reasonably, using appropriate linguistic means depending on the situation. I can logically construct my message in such a way as to attract the attention of listeners and help them note and remember the most important points.
Letter	Letter	I can logically and consistently express my thoughts in writing, using the necessary linguistic means. I can write complex letters, reports, reports or articles that have a clear logical structure that helps the recipient note and remember the most important points. I can write resumes and reviews as for work professional nature, as well as works of art.

In practice, attention can be focused on a certain set of levels and a certain set of categories, depending on specific goals. This level of detail allows training modules to be compared with each other and with the Common European Framework of Reference.

Instead of identifying categories underlying language performance, it may be necessary to assess language behavior on the basis of specific aspects of communicative competence. For example, Table 3 is designed for speaking assessment, therefore, it is aimed at qualitatively different aspects of language use:

Table 3

A1 (Survival Level):

RANGE	He has a very limited vocabulary of words and phrases that are used to present information about himself and to describe specific particular situations.
ACCURACY	Limited control over the use of several simple grammatical and syntactic structures learned by heart.
FLUENCY	Can speak very briefly, utter individual statements, mainly composed of memorized units. Takes many pauses to search for an appropriate expression, pronounce less familiar words, and correct mistakes.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Can ask personal questions and talk about themselves. May respond in a basic way to the other person's speech, but overall communication depends on repetition, paraphrasing, and error correction.
CONNECTIVITY	Can connect words and groups of words using the following simple conjunctions, expressing a linear sequence, like “and”, “then”.

A2 (Pre-threshold level):

RANGE	Uses elementary syntactic structures with memorized constructions, phrases and standard phrases to convey limited information in simple everyday situations.
ACCURACY	Uses some simple structures correctly, but still systematically makes basic mistakes.
FLUENCY	Can express ideas clearly in very short sentences, although pauses, self-corrections, and reformulations of sentences are immediately noticeable.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Can answer questions and respond to simple statements. Can show when he/she is still following the other person's thoughts, but very rarely understands enough to carry on a conversation on their own.
CONNECTIVITY	Can connect groups of words using simple conjunctions such as “and”, “but”, “because”.

B1 (Threshold level):

RANGE	Has sufficient language skills to take part in a conversation; Vocabulary allows you to communicate with a certain amount of pauses and descriptive expressions on topics such as family, hobbies, interests, work, travel and current events.
ACCURACY	Quite accurately uses a set of constructions associated with familiar, regularly occurring situations.
FLUENCY	Can speak clearly, despite the fact that pauses for searching for grammatical and lexical means are noticeable, especially in statements of considerable length.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Can initiate, maintain and end one-on-one conversations when topics of discussion are familiar or individually relevant. Can repeat previous remarks, thereby demonstrating his understanding.
CONNECTIVITY	Can link several fairly short simple sentences into a linear text consisting of several paragraphs.

B2 (Threshold advanced level):

RANGE	Has sufficient vocabulary to describe something and express a point of view on general issues without explicitly searching for a suitable expression. Able to use some complex syntactic structures.
ACCURACY	Demonstrates a fairly high level of control over grammatical correctness. Does not make mistakes that could lead to misunderstandings and can correct most of his own mistakes.
FLUENCY	Can produce utterances of a certain duration at a fairly even pace. May show hesitation in the selection of expressions or linguistic structures, but there are few noticeably long pauses in speech.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Can start a conversation, enter into a conversation at the appropriate moment, and end a conversation, although sometimes these actions are characterized by a certain clumsiness. Can participate in a conversation on a familiar topic, confirming their understanding of what is being discussed, inviting others to participate, etc.
CONNECTIVITY	Can use a limited number of communication devices to connect individual statements into a single text. At the same time, in the conversation as a whole there are individual “jumps” from topic to topic.

C1 (Proficiency level):

RANGE	Masters a wide range of linguistic means, allowing him to clearly, freely and within the appropriate style express any of his thoughts on a large number of topics (general, professional, everyday), without limiting himself in choosing the content of the statement.
ACCURACY	Maintains a high level of grammatical accuracy at all times; Errors are rare, almost unnoticeable and, when they occur, are corrected immediately.
FLUENCY	Capable of fluent, spontaneous utterances with virtually no effort. The smooth, natural flow of speech can only be slowed down in the case of a complex, unfamiliar topic of conversation.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Can select a suitable expression from a wide arsenal of means of discourse and use it at the beginning of his statement in order to get the floor, maintain the position of the speaker for himself, or skillfully connect his replica with the replicas of his interlocutors, continuing the discussion of the topic.
CONNECTIVITY	Can construct clear, uninterrupted, well-organized utterances that demonstrate confident command of organizational structures, functional parts of speech, and other means of coherence.

C2 (Proficiency level):

RANGE	Demonstrates flexibility by formulating thoughts using a variety of linguistic forms to accurately convey nuances of meaning, highlight meaning, and eliminate ambiguity. Also fluent in idiomatic and colloquial expressions.
ACCURACY	Carries out constant monitoring of the correctness of complex grammatical structures, even in cases where attention is directed to planning subsequent statements and the reaction of interlocutors.
FLUENCY	Capable of long-term spontaneous utterances in accordance with principles colloquial speech; avoids or bypasses difficult places almost invisible to the interlocutor.
MUTUAL- ACTION	Communicates skillfully and easily, with virtually no difficulty, also understanding non-verbal and intonation signals. Can take an equal part in the conversation, without difficulty entering at the right moment, referring to previously discussed information or information that should generally be known to other participants, etc.
CONNECTIVITY	Able to construct coherent and organized speech, correctly and fully using a large number of different organizational structures, functional parts of speech and other means of communication.

The level assessment tables discussed above are based on the bank "illustrative descriptors", developed and tested in practice, and subsequently graduated by levels during research project. The descriptor scales are based on a detailed category system to describe what it means to speak/use a language and who can be called a language speaker/user.

The description is based on activity approach. It establishes the relationship between language use and learning. Users and language learners are considered as subjects social activities , that is, members of society who decide tasks, (not necessarily language related) in certain conditions , in a certain situations , in a certain field of activity . Speech activity is carried out in a broader social context, which determines the true meaning of the statement. The activity approach allows us to take into account the entire range of personal characteristics of a person as a subject of social activity, primarily cognitive, emotional and volitional resources. Thus, any form of language use and its studies can be described in the following terms:

Competencies represent the sum of knowledge, skills and personal qualities that allow a person to perform various actions.
General competencies are not linguistic, they provide any activity, including communicative.
Communicative language competencies allow you to carry out activities using linguistic means.
Context- this is a spectrum of events and situational factors against the background of which communicative actions are carried out.
Speech activity– this is the practical application of communicative competence in a certain area of communication in the process of perception and/or generation of oral and written texts, aimed at performing a specific communicative task.
Types of communication activities involve the implementation of communicative competence in the process of semantic processing/creation (perception or generation) of one or more texts in order to solve the communicative task of communication in a certain field of activity.
Text - This is a coherent sequence of oral and/or written statements (discourse), the generation and understanding of which occurs in a specific area of communication and is aimed at solving a specific problem.
Under sphere of communication refers to a wide range of social life in which social interaction occurs. In relation to language learning, educational, professional, social and personal spheres are distinguished.
Strategy is a course of action chosen by a person aimed at solving a problem.
Task is a purposeful action necessary to obtain a specific result (solving a problem, fulfilling obligations or achieving a goal).

Multilingualism concept

The concept of multilingualism is fundamental to the Council of Europe's approach to the problem of language learning. Multilingualism arises as a person’s linguistic experience expands in the cultural aspect from the language used in the family to mastering the languages of other peoples (learned at school, college or directly in the linguistic environment). Man “does not store” these languages separately from each other, but forms communicative competence based on all knowledge and all linguistic experience, where languages are interconnected and interact. According to the situation, the individual freely uses any part of this competence to ensure successful communication with a particular interlocutor. For example, partners can move freely between languages or dialects, demonstrating each's ability to express in one language and understand in another. A person can use knowledge of several languages to understand text, written or spoken, in a language he did not previously know, recognizing words that have similar sounds and spellings in several languages in a “new form.”

From this point of view, the purpose of language education changes. Now, perfect (at the level of a native speaker) mastery of one or two, or even three languages, taken separately from each other, is not the goal. The goal is to develop a linguistic repertoire in which all linguistic skills have a place. Recent changes to the Council of Europe's language program aim to develop a tool for language teachers to promote the development of multilingual personalities. In particular, the European Language Portfolio is a document in which a wide variety of experiences in language learning and intercultural communication can be recorded and formally recognized.

LINKS

Full text monographs in English on the Council of Europe website

Gemeinsamer europaischer Referenzrahmen fur Sprachen: Lernen, lehren, beurteilen
German text of the monograph on the website of the German Goethe Cultural Center

English language levels are, in fact, a system that allows you to assess how well a person speaks the language, that is, the very result of learning. There are several classifications, they can be systematized according to:

The Russian simple version has only three levels of knowledge. This:

elementary
average
high

However, such a classification is rather amateurish, and it is not suitable for professionals, job seekers. The employer, reviewing all kinds of resumes, seeks to identify not only theoretical knowledge, but also the practical degree of training. Therefore, the applicant usually indicates the following levels:

Using a dictionary
Speaking skills
Intermediate
Fluent

Basic knowledge of Business English— basic knowledge of business English

International system for determining levels of knowledge

The international version is more complicated, it has a larger number of levels, due to the additional division of intermediate and advanced degrees of English proficiency. For convenience, each category is designated by a letter with a numerical index.
English proficiency scale So, below is the table Common European Framework of Reference — CEFR(Common European Framework of Reference)

Language level			Competencies
A 1	Beginner	Elementary	Knowledge of simple basics of the language: alphabet key rules and phrases initial basic dictionary
A 2	Elementary	Elementary	Vocabulary and knowledge of basic grammar sufficient to construct simple phrases and sentences. Ability to write letters and talk on the telephone
B 1	Lower Intermediate	Lower middle	Ability to read and translate simple texts Clear and understandable speech Knowledge of basic grammar rules
B 2	Upper Intermediate	Above average	Understanding text on the fly and being able to discern its style Large vocabulary Ability to discuss with by different people with the fewest lexical errors Competent writing of formal and informal letters and reviews on various topics
C 1	Advanced 1	Great	“Fluent”, almost error-free speech with correct intonation and use of any conversational style Ability to write texts expressing emotions, as well as complex narrative texts (research, essays, articles, essays, etc.)
C 2	Advanced 2 (Upper Advanced)	In excellence	Everything is the same, but added: Your complete confidence and knowledge of absolutely all unknown “spots” of English grammar You are able to speak, read and write like a native speaker

Using this table, you can determine which category you will be trained in. For example, in order to get a job in some Call Center, you only need to reach level A 2 - elementary. But for you to teach someone English, A 2 is clearly not enough: for the right to teach, the minimum category is B 2 (above average).

Professional language classification scale

However, more often, when writing a resume according to international standards, the following professional classification is used, in which the elementary level serves as the initial level, and there are actually three “near-intermediate” levels. Other scales use a 7-level division (in this case, the initial level is without a category).

In the following table we will take a closer look at exactly Intermediate(average)

Language level		Corresponding effect CEFR	Competencies
(Beginner) Elementary	(Elementary) Elementary	--- A 1	Same as in Beginner CEFR Same as in Elementary CEFR
Pre-intermediate	Below average (pre-average)	A 2	Same as in Lower Intermediate CEFR
Intermediate	Average	B 1	The ability to holistically perceive a text by ear and identify context from non-standard text The ability to distinguish between native and non-native languages, official and unofficial speech Conducting free dialogues in which: clear, clear pronunciation emotions are expressed expresses one's opinion and learns someone else's Ability to write sufficiently competently, namely: be able to fill out various documents (forms, resumes, etc.) write postcards, letters, comments freely express your thoughts and attitudes
Upper-Intermediate	Above average	B 2	Same as in Upper Intermediate CEFR
Advanced	Great	C 1	Same as in Advanced 1 CEFR
Proficiency	Ownership in practice	C 2	The same as in Advanced 2 CEFR, with the difference that knowledge is improved not with the help of textbooks, but in practice, mainly among native speakers.

As you can see, the concept of “level” is quite subjective: for some, beginner or elementary is enough for training on an amateur scale, but for professionals Advanced may seem insufficient.
Level Proficiency is considered the highest, it is the most valuable and allows a highly qualified specialist to get a well-paid job abroad, and a student to get an education at a prestigious university or college.
In our native “penates” the average (Intermediate) is quite sufficient in order to:

understand language and communicate
watch films and read texts in English
conduct formal and informal correspondence

Testing your English level

How to determine what level of knowledge you are at? There are many tests, here is one of them
Testing your level of English How to climb a little higher on this ladder? Only through training!

This is a topic without borders. Visit our English Courses and Books and Textbooks sections and choose your favorite technique.

Levels of English proficiency according to the European scale

It is no secret that American and British English are somewhat different, and the international classification is more focused on American version, since most foreigners study this, easier, option. However, American English is foreign to Europeans. Therefore, the European English Language Framework was created.
European Framework of Reference for English Languages

A1 Level of survival (Breakthrough). Complies with the International Scale Beginner levels,Elementary. At this level you understand slow, clear English and can speak using familiar expressions and very simple phrases for everyday communication: in a hotel, cafe, shop, on the street. You can read and translate simple texts, write simple letters and greetings, and fill out forms.
A2 Pre-threshold level (Waystage). Corresponds to the international Pre-Intermediate level. At this level you can talk about your family, your profession, personal hobbies and preferences in cuisine, music, and sports. Your knowledge allows you to understand announcements at the airport, advertising texts, store texts, inscriptions on products, postcards. You know how to conduct business correspondence, and you can also freely read and retell simple texts.
B1 Threshold level. On the international scale it corresponds to the Intermediate level. You can already understand what is being discussed in radio and television programs. You know how to express your own opinion, you can justify your views, conduct business correspondence of medium complexity, retell the content of what you read or saw, read adapted literature in English.
B2 Threshold advanced level (Vantage). According to the international scale - Upper-Intermediate. You are fluent in spoken language in any situation and can communicate with a native speaker without preparation. You know how to speak clearly and in detail on a wide range of issues, convey your point of view, giving weighty arguments for and against. You can read unadapted literature in English, as well as retell the content of complex texts.
C1 Level of professional proficiency (Effective Operational Proficiency). Corresponds to the international Advanced level. Now you understand various complex texts and can identify the subtext in them, you can express your thoughts fluently without preparation. Your speech is rich in linguistic means and the accuracy of their use in a variety of situations of everyday or professional communication. You can express yourself clearly, logically and in detail on complex topics.
C2 Level of mastery. According to the international scale - Proficiency. At this level, you can freely perceive any oral or written language, you can summarize information received from different sources and present it in the form of a coherent and clearly reasoned message. You know how to fluently express your thoughts on complex issues, conveying the finest shades values.

Strive for perfection!