English levels | British Council

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard to describe language ability across reading, writing, listening and speaking.

At the British Council we use the CEFR in our consultation and level check to understand your current English language level, what you want to achieve and find which course is best for you.

If you need to demonstrate your level of English to study, work or apply for a grant abroad, the CEFR can be used to compare the marks or level obtained in examinations like IELTS, Cambridge or Aptis.

There are 6 levels:

Beginner A1–A2
Intermediate B1–B2
Advanced C1–C2

CEFR Levels

A1 English level

Level A1 corresponds to basic users of English who can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases.

A2 English level

Level A2 corresponds to those users who can understand basic expressions and communicate in a simple manner.

B1 English level

Level B1 corresponds to users who can understand and produce text on familiar topics and give opinions and descriptions.

B2 English level

Level B2 corresponds to users who can produce clear, detailed text and interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity.

C1 English level

Level C1 corresponds to users who can express themselves fluently and spontaneously. They can use language flexibly and effectively for all purposes.

C2 English level

Level C2 corresponds to proficient users of English, who can understand and express virtually everything with ease and differentiate finer shades of meaning.