What are the levels of English proficiency. English proficiency levels for resume

English levels are, in fact, the system that allows you to assess how well a person speaks the language, that is, the result of learning itself. 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, this classification is rather amateur, and it is not suitable for professionals looking for work. The employer, considering 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
Possession of speaking skills
Intermediate
Fluency (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 more levels, due to the additional subdivision of the intermediate and higher degrees of English proficiency. For convenience, each category is designated by a letter with a numeric index.
scale of the level of knowledge of English So, below is a table Common European Framework of Reference — CEFR(Common European Competence Scale)

Language level			Competencies
A 1	beginner	Elementary	Basic knowledge of the language: alphabet key rules and phrases initial basic vocabulary
A2	Elementary	Elementary	Vocabulary and knowledge of elementary grammar, sufficient to build simple phrases, sentences. Ability to write letters and talk on the phone
B1	Lower Intermediate	lower middle	Ability to read and translate simple texts Clear and understandable speech Knowledge of basic grammar rules
B2	Upper Intermediate	Above average	Understanding text on the fly and being able to discern its style Large vocabulary Ability to discuss with various people with the least amount of lexical errors Proper writing of formal and informal letters and reviews on various topics
C1	Advanced 1	Great	"Fluent", almost error-free speech with correct intonation and use of any conversational style Ability to write texts with the expression of emotions, as well as complex narrative texts (studies, essays, articles, essays, etc.)
C2	Advanced 2 (Upper Advanced)	In excellence	All the same, but added: Your complete confidence and knowledge of absolutely all the unknown "spots" of English grammar You are able to speak, read and write like a native speaker

With the help of this table, you can determine in which category you are studying. For example, in order to get a job in some Call Center, you just need to reach level A 2 - elementary. But for teaching someone English, A 2 is clearly not enough: for the right to teach, the minimum category is B 2 (above average).

Professional classification language scale

However, more often, when compiling a resume according to international standards, the following professional classification is used, in which an elementary step serves as the initial one, and there are actually three “near-average” ones. In other scales, a 7-level division is used (in this case, the initial step goes without a category).

In the following table, we will take a closer look at intermediate(average)

Language level		Corresponding- action CEFR	Competencies
(Beginner) Elementary	(Elementary) Elementary	--- A 1	Same as Beginner CEFR Same as Elementary CEFR
Pre-intermediate	Below average (pre-average)	A2	Same as Lower Intermediate CEFR
intermediate	Average	B1	The ability to holistically perceive the text by ear and identify the context from a non-standard text The ability to distinguish between native and non-native speakers, formal and informal speech Conducting free dialogues in which: crisp, clear pronunciation emotions are expressed express your opinion and recognize someone else's Ability to write competently enough, namely: be able to fill out various documents (questionnaires, resumes, etc.) write postcards, letters, comments freely express your thoughts and attitudes
Upper Intermediate	Above average	B2	Same as Upper Intermediate CEFR
Advanced	Great	C1	Same as Advanced 1 CEFR
Proficiency	Ownership in Practice	C2	The same as in Advanced 2 CEFR, with the difference that the improvement of knowledge is not carried out with the help of textbooks, but in practice, mainly among native speakers.

As you can see, the concept of “level” is rather subjective: for someone, elementary or elementary is enough for training on an amateur scale, for professionals, and Advanced may seem insufficient.
Level Proficiency considered the highest, it is the most valuable and enables 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 own “penates”, the average (Intermediate) is quite sufficient in order to:

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

Testing your level of English

How do you know what level of knowledge you are at? There are many tests, here is one of them
Testing your English level How do I get a little higher up this ladder? Only through education!

This is a topic without boundaries. Visit our sections English courses and Books and textbooks and choose your favorite method.

English proficiency levels according to the European scale

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

A1 Level of survival (Breakthrough). Corresponds to the International Scale of Levels Beginner, 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 congratulations, and fill out forms.
A2 Pre-threshold level (Waystage). Corresponds to the international level Pre-Intermediate. 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, texts of advertisements, shops, inscriptions on products, postcards, you know how to conduct business correspondence, and you can also freely read and retell simple texts.
B1 Threshold level. In the international scale it corresponds to the Intermediate level. You can already understand what is being said in radio and TV programs. You know how to express your own opinion, you know how to justify your views, conduct business correspondence of medium complexity, retell the content of what you have read or seen, 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, you can communicate with a native speaker without preparation. You are able to speak clearly and in detail on a wide range of issues, to convey your point of view, giving weighty arguments for and against. You can read non-adapted literature in English, as well as retell the content of complex texts.
С1 Level of professional knowledge (Effective Operational Proficiency). Corresponds to the international level Advanced. Now you understand various complex texts and can identify 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 various situations of everyday or professional communication. You can speak clearly, logically, and in detail on complex topics.
C2 Mastery level. According to the international scale - Proficiency. At this level, you are fluent in any oral or written speech, can summarize information received from various sources and present it in the form of a coherent and clearly reasoned message. You are able to express your thoughts fluently on complex issues, conveying the subtlest shades of meaning.

Strive for excellence!

What does it mean - speak a foreign language? Everyone has their own ideas about this: someone is content with a level that allows them to freely travel around Europe, and someone is not enough to read Shakespeare in the original. Subjective criteria in this case vary greatly - from knowledge of the necessary phrases to an intuitive sense of the language (which sometimes even those who speak it from childhood lack). However, we learn a foreign language for some reason - 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 knowledge of the language will be tested in practice. Therefore, below we will consider the gradation of the levels of proficiency 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 the gradual mastering of the language from elementary to higher level.

Comparison table of levels and scores for exams

How to find out your level yourself?

Today, the level of English proficiency can be determined even without leaving home, thanks to numerous online tests. Below is a selection of several of these tests. It should be borne in mind that such tests will not allow you to absolutely accurately reflect the level of language proficiency, since the resources on which they are placed are most often associated with language schools that have paid or offline resources for an accurate assessment of the level. Therefore, even after receiving the result on the CEFR scale, one should take into account the possible errors of online tests. In addition, some tests, by their content, cannot at all objectively assess knowledge of the language at an advanced level (C1–C2).
Some of the tests below require registration before the start of testing, but there are many tests on the network that allow you to get a result only after registering on the site or contacting the language school, which is very annoying and leads to additional time costs, so such tests are in the tables not taken into account.

Complex tests

Tests of this kind include tasks in various areas of language knowledge: listening (listening), understanding the text (reading), grammar (grammar) and knowledge of the dictionary (vocabulary). Comprehensive online tests do not include only one important parameter - a test of oral speech (speaking). Such tests can be considered the most objective.

Questions	Time	Level	Answers	Grade	Timer	Registration	listening	Reading
42	50 min	A2–C2	4-5 var.	9.7	+	+	+	+
50	20 minutes.	B1–C2	5 var.	7.4	-	+	+	+
50	20 minutes.	A2–C1	3–4 var.	7.4	-	+	+	+
140	70 min.	A1–C1	4 var.	7.2	-	-	+	+
30	20 minutes.	A2–C1	4 var.	7.0	-	-	+	-
40	15 minutes.	A1–B2	4 var.	7.0	-	+	+	-
50	20 minutes.	A2–C1	4 var.	6.8	-	-	-	+
20	15 minutes.	A2–C2	4 var.	6.5	+	-	+	-
60	30 min.	A2–C1	4 var.	6.5	+	+	-	+
40	15 minutes.	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.

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 minutes.	50	A1–B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	50	A1–B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	40	A1–B2	4 var.	7	6	6	6.3
20 minutes.	50	A1–B2	4 var.	6	7	6	6.3
15 minutes.	40	A1–B2	4 var.	8	5	5	6.0
15 minutes.	40	A1–B1	3 var.	6	6	5	5.7
10 min.	25	A1–B1	3 var.	6	3	4	4.3

The assessment is made on a ten-point scale based on five main criteria:

Grammar - how deeply knowledge of English grammar is tested, including knowledge of tenses, conditional clauses, subordinate clauses, tense agreement, passive voice.
Verbs - it is separately assessed how detailed the test checks for knowledge of English verbs: irregular, modal, phrasal. The same parameter includes the presence in the test of tasks on the knowledge of the use of prepositions with verbs, the infinitive and the gerund.
Dictionary - 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 timbres, artificial noise, accents, etc. are evaluated.
Reading - assessment of tasks for the perception and understanding of the text, if any, in the test. The complexity of the texts is mainly evaluated.

An important role is played by the number of tasks in a particular section, the component of knowledge of the language and the complexity of the tasks.

Why is it important to know your language level?

To correctly determine your goals - only knowing your level of proficiency in a foreign language, you can 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 in when applying for a job - many modern companies ask applicants to indicate in their resume the level of foreign language proficiency, confirmed by the 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 enter a prestigious college or university without a good knowledge of a foreign language. And again, members of the selection committee need confirmation - a language certificate.

Foreign language in practice: what is important?

The first thing you need to know: the level of language proficiency is checked only 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, Internet tests will only evaluate 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 self-determining the level of a foreign language lies not only in the fact that it is difficult to evaluate oneself, but also in the fact that the second language as a whole is rarely kept at any particular level. That is, you can be able to understand the most complex texts in a foreign language that correspond to an advanced level, but with great difficulty speak on your own. It turns out that, on the one hand, a person knows the language at the level of a professional, and on the other hand, his communication skills are almost not developed. How then to determine your level of English? Professional linguists and experts define foreign language proficiency according to several levels that apply not only to English, but also to most of the world's languages.

A0 - English Proficiency Zero

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
0	0	-	0

In truth, such a level does not exist at all, but it is certainly worth mentioning, since 80% of self-critical beginners confidently attribute to themselves complete ignorance of the language. 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, once read an English phrase book 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 further study.
If we talk about the zero level, then this means total 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 level of the language will rise to conversational 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 the A1 level.
start with lessons for absolute beginners, where you can learn the alphabet, reading rules, key words for understanding simple English, learn 300 new words (it 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 get at least to the Russian embassy. In no case can this level be called conversational, since, of course, a coherent conversation will not work. But if we put the jokes aside, then with this level you can go to language courses abroad.
Even minimal skills already allow at the very least to convey some information to the interlocutor, albeit not without the help of gestures. Usually, those who studied English once upon a time and without much pleasure own this level. 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 learning the language.
The student speaks the language at level A1 if:

answers basic questions: name, age, home country, profession;
understands familiar phrases provided that the narrator speaks slowly and clearly;
understands some individual words in an English text.

How to move to the next level: learn the rules of reading and pronunciation, get acquainted with the rules of English grammar, learn about 300 new words.

A2 - Basic English - Elementary

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
3.5	31	KET pass	30

If you can live with the initial level and not guess about it, then the basic level Elementary suggests some awareness, or at least a memory, that "I once taught something like this." Again, it is still far from the conversational level, but unlike A1, some kind of dialogue can already turn out.
If we return to the hypothetical situation of being in one of the cities of England, then the situation here is a little more rosy: with the basic level, you can not only get to the embassy, but also communicate with a foreigner (for example, tell 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 lies rather in greater self-confidence and a slightly richer vocabulary. However, the possibilities of communication are still limited, so the A2 level is only suitable as a base for study, since there is nowhere to apply it in practice.
The student speaks the language at level A2 if:

talks about everyday topics: can tell you or ask for directions, tell about yourself and about things around you;
understands the speech of the interlocutor in the dialogue, provided that he speaks clearly and on a familiar topic;
can read and understand elementary sentences ( I have..., You are..., He goes...);
compose a simple sentence in text form or fill out a questionnaire in English.

How to move to the next level: continue to study grammar, practice writing short texts, learn irregular verbs and their tense forms, practice speaking skills (you can do this via Skype or in conversation clubs), watch movies and TV shows in English with Russian subtitles, learn about 500 new words.

Very often, an intermediate level is distinguished between the initial and conversational levels, which implies that a person can already use English to solve some vital tasks, but does not yet speak spoken English. If we correlate it with the A0-C2 scale, then this level can be characterized as A2+ or B1-.
You can define it like this:

partially falling under the B1 level characteristic, but the lack of practice in some aspects (for example, writing) indicates knowledge of the language at the level Pre-Intermediate;
Completely falling under the description of level A2 and partially under level B1 (for example, the skill of speaking is more developed) indicates knowledge of the language at the level Upper elementary.

How to go to the next level: pay attention to those skills that are missing to the next level and work on them, based on the tips for moving to the next level in the paragraph about A2.

B1 - Intermediate English - Intermediate

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
4	60	PET pass	43

When the competence of language proficiency goes beyond the confused speech about the location of museums and restaurants, and English speech and text become more understandable, these facts indicate that the student is at the first stage of spoken English. But in addition to speaking, this level also implies good reading skills of adapted texts, as well as an understanding of basic English grammar. Statistically, most tourists know the language at this level, which allows them to easily communicate with an interlocutor on everyday topics. Typically, today's graduates graduate from school with at least a B1 level (at a maximum of B2). However, there is still a lot of work to be done before becoming fluent in the language.
The student speaks the language at level B1 if:

confidently maintains a conversation on any everyday topic with good pronunciation, although still with some hesitations and errors;
understands the interlocutor, and also partially captures the meaning of a complex speech (lecture) or a conversation between English speakers (film);
reads literature adapted to the average level with a dictionary and understands the meaning of simple texts;
can write a short essay about himself or the world around him, using common semantic constructions and words.

How to move to the next level: learn advanced vocabulary and grammar, practice more written English (a tutor or sites for self-learning English will help with this, for example Polyglot Club ), you need to communicate more in English with native speakers or advanced users, regularly follow English-language sources of information (news publications, entertainment articles, interest sites), watch movies and series with English subtitles (at first it may seem quite difficult, but with over time it will bear fruit). It is equally important to replenish your vocabulary, so you should learn at least 1000 new words.

B2 - Upper Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
6	90	FCE grade C	59

If the student has good conversational skills (a level above average), can maintain a detailed conversation with a foreigner, understands speech by ear, watches English-language films and TV shows without translation and 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 they are facing a real foreigner. However, don't be deceived. Upper Intermediate- this is really a great achievement, but even it is sometimes not enough for professional activities. Also, the disadvantages include 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 can not worry and feel free to sign up for TOEFL or IELTS exams.
A 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 everyday speech and about 80% of complex speech (lectures, films, interviews);
understands the meaning of informational texts in English well, draws information from English-language resources without significant loss of meaning (at the same time, it is allowed to use a dictionary to read texts on an unfamiliar topic);
argues his thoughts in writing, using common constructions (albeit with minor errors).

How to move to the next level: learn advanced English grammar, practice writing texts in different styles (formal, academic, professional), accustom yourself to draw most of the information from English-language sources (for example, read the news only in English for several weeks), learn phrasal verbs, listen to lectures and watch educational films in English, to replenish vocabulary (it is desirable to learn 600 new words.

C1 - advanced level of English proficiency - Advanced

IELTS	TOEFL	Cambridge	PTE
7.5	100	CAE grade C	76

Perhaps, only a professional or an Anglophone and, of course, the speaker himself can understand the difference between an advanced level and a higher average one, but only if he has the so-called "sense of language": when it becomes clear when speaking that the words are used correctly, but the sentence can be built a little differently by choosing more elegant words or suitable terms. This is a sign that the problem of language proficiency has slowly shifted to the problem of its competent use, which, in turn, indicates an extremely high level of 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 still cannot quite do is Shakespeare and Nabokov's Lolita in the original without a dictionary. This level is recommended for employment in a foreign company, it opens the doors to almost all foreign universities (including the 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 the 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 letters to the employer, motivational letters, clearly understands the difference between the formal writing style and the informal one.

How to move to the next level: continue to work with complex texts in English, read works of art by American and British authors in the original, listen to professional lectures on English literature, get acquainted with idioms and figures of speech in English, communicate as much as possible with native speakers.

C2 - professional level - 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 fact, the C2 level corresponds to an excellent knowledge of English as a foreign language, its competent use for any professional and everyday situation, the ability to freely (well, or almost fluently) read fiction and professional literature in English. However, knowing English at C2 level does not mean knowing it, as they like to say, in excellence.
Any linguist or philologist will attest that mastering a language is the preserve of a very few, and those few usually become brilliant writers or wordsmiths. But if we take the most obvious example, let's say, an educated resident of London, then this also goes beyond the C2 level (usually those who speak English since childhood are called native speakers, and, of course, this is not included in the gradation of knowledge of English as a foreign language).
It should always be remembered that there is no limit to perfection, although proficiency in the language at the C2 level is an excellent result that few achieve. With this level, one can enter any postgraduate program, publish papers in English, conduct conferences and lectures, i.e. for almost any professional activity this level will be more than enough.
A student speaks the language at level C2 if:
How to improve your English: spend a few years in an English-speaking country, such as at a 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, and such qualities as perseverance, diligence and determination from the student. At first, the 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 lack of desire to continue learning the language.
That is why it is desirable to learn a new language together with a teacher in individual or group lessons. When the basic material is 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 studying according to the most advanced manuals.
The fact is that the living modern language changes daily, and special educational publications simply do not have time to track these metamorphoses. We are talking about modern slang, foreign borrowings, a variety 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-speaking society, be aware of the news that is covered in the press or on the Internet.

How long does it take to learn a foreign language?

The answer to this question depends on several factors: the goals of the student, his perseverance and diligence, as well as solvency. 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 it will also require quite a lot of capital investment.
The faster the 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 more time to learn the language. When studying abroad, the student receives the same amount of knowledge much faster.

Miracles do not happen!

Beginners to learn a foreign language should clearly understand that the learning process requires a lot of time from the student, as well as some effort on himself, since there is always a reason to reschedule the lesson or postpone homework until later. Teaching is a lot of work! Therefore, it is impossible to learn a language in a month using a new "unique author's technique" or the 25th frame. Miracles do not happen! Only work on the mistakes and consistent analysis of new material will help to achieve the desired level.

Time spent to level up

The table shows the number of weeks of intensive English for language improvement in schools

According to Winston Churchill, a pessimist sees difficulties in every opportunity, an optimist sees opportunities in every difficulty. Often, difficulties in learning English arise approximately at the level of Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate, and not all people see these difficulties as an opportunity to improve their knowledge of English. Therefore, we decided to tell you how to move on and learn English for continuing students, as well as how to improve the level of English to the level you need.

Why should you keep learning English?

By "continuing" we mean people who are "stuck" at the and level. In the article "" we outlined good reasons to study to the middle level. It would seem that this level of knowledge is a pretty good achievement, why continue to learn the language?

The better you know English, the more opportunities for its application appear, and in all areas of life:

When applying for a job. If workers with an average level of English proficiency can still be found, then higher levels are already a rarity. A potential employer will definitely notice a resume that indicates the level of Upper-Intermediate or, and even more so if this is confirmed by an international certificate. And it's not just that in your work you may need knowledge of English. Achieving a high level is proof that you know how to finish what you start, and this is a valuable character trait for an employee in any field.
For reading professional literature. The average level, as a rule, is still not enough to read specific literature using terminology. Rise one step higher, and you will be the first to use the "chips" of foreign companies.
To expand the circle of communication. You will be able to make new acquaintances with people from different parts of the world, communicate with interesting interlocutors from other countries on forums, language exchange sites, and blogs. At the same time, on language exchange sites, native English speakers prefer to communicate with English learners who have a fairly high level of knowledge, then communication is easier and more interesting.
To expand horizons. The main source of knowledge of a modern person is the Internet, where there is 9 times more information in English than in Russian. Knowledge of English at a high level makes it possible to study more information on a topic of interest to you, draw ideas from foreign forums and websites.
To watch video. If at the intermediate level it can be difficult for you to watch videos of any subject, then at higher levels you are practically unlimited and can watch movies and series of any genre in the original.
For family. At high levels of knowledge, you already know how to learn English and how it "works", how to get your children, relatives or friends interested in learning it.

We have named some common reasons to "survive" the intermediate level and continue learning English. We also recommend reading our article "", we think you can also find your own motivation for yourself. However, no matter how motivated you are, sooner or later at the intermediate level, almost all English learners experience a plateau effect, that is, “trampling around”. Let's take a closer look at what the essence of this phenomenon is and how to deal with it.

"Treading in one place" is an almost inevitable part of the improvement process. Whether you're learning English, trying to lose weight, or learning how to knit, the plateau effect will be waiting for you everywhere. And it can be difficult to overcome it, not even physically, but psychologically. We want to get everything at once, and only a few are ready to work systematically to achieve the goal.

Why does the turning point happen exactly in the middle of the way of learning English? When you start learning a foreign language, you quickly achieve positive results: a month ago you didn’t know anything, and today you can already say a few simple phrases about yourself in the language you are learning. Such simple but well-observed achievements will inspire any person, it seems that English is given very easily and in a couple of years you will know the language at the level of the average American.

However, this rapid development occurs only up to the intermediate level of English proficiency. And from the Intermediate level, English begins to resist. Every day you learn new words and every day you are surprised to find that, despite your best efforts, you constantly come across unfamiliar vocabulary. And if you (God forbid!) look into the Oxford dictionary and realize that out of 500,000 words you know “only” 2000-3000, then the suspicion will creep into your thoughts that in two years you will not become any American. As for grammar, here too “surprises” can await at the intermediate level in the form of complex cases of the use of one or another tense and the “great and terrible” passive voice, about which you must have heard scary stories at previous levels of learning.

In addition, English learners are frustrated by the fact that at the first stages they completed each training course in 5-7 months, and from the Intermediate level, each stage can take from 7 to 12 months. That's why people ask questions: “Why is it taking so long? Am I finally "stuck" in the middle of the road? How to improve the level of English?

The fact is that before Intermediate you learned the “tops” of English necessary for survival. From the Intermediate level, you take on the “roots”: delve into each topic, study more complex nuances, word synonyms, slang, phrasal verbs, etc. And there are quite a lot of such subtleties in any language, which is why it turns out that you need to spend more time to raise your level of English.

Fortunately, the plateau effect is a common problem that anyone can solve. And the first step you have to take is to understand that plateaus are perfectly normal. Each person sooner or later encounters it, so it's not about your abilities, but about the peculiarities of the process of learning a foreign language. Just take it for granted and keep learning English to get over the plateau faster.

Below we will outline those techniques that will help you "budge" your English and increase your level of knowledge. All techniques are selected in such a way that you can get rid of the most common difficulties associated with learning English at the Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate levels.

Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.

Thinking will not overcome fear, but action can.

1. Keep studying with the teacher

“I don’t know what to grab onto first” is one of the main reasons why it is difficult for the student to overcome the plateau effect. At the intermediate level, there are many avenues open to you: you can listen to podcasts, read books, watch movies, etc. Therefore, many English learners from this level leave classes with a teacher and start studying on their own. However, it is difficult to choose the right path for learning English on your own, because this is the first time you have found yourself at a similar fork. Therefore, in order to improve the level of English faster, we advise you to continue studying with your teacher, who has experienced the effects of the plateau effect on himself and his students and knows how to deal with it. In addition, lessons with a teacher are disciplined: you will be less tempted to skip classes or put something off “for later”.

2. Try lessons with a native speaker

Speaking is a skill that needs to be worked hard on by those who continue. And at the middle level, classes with a native English speaker will be an effective way to develop this skill. He will teach you to communicate naturally, use idioms, phrasal verbs, slang in speech - those “highlights” of the language that distinguish the speech of a person with a high level of English proficiency from a person at an average level of knowledge. This is how you can move to the next level of foreign language proficiency. If you wish, you can combine lessons with a native speaker and lessons with a Russian-speaking teacher, this will also be effective.

3. Keep up the pace

It would seem that upon reaching the average level, the pace of learning can be reduced: you seem to know quite a lot, and all that remains is to improve your knowledge. In fact, this is not so: the material at the middle and high levels of education is more complex and voluminous than at the previous levels. That is why we recommend not to slow down, but even better - to speed it up. Moreover, it is best to increase the intensity through self-study, and if you are studying in a group or with a teacher, you can also increase the duration of the classes. In the lessons with the teacher, devote maximum time to speaking practice so that you are taught to speak correctly and fluently.

4. Find people to talk to in English

This is the most difficult and at the same time the most important task, because we learn English first of all in order to speak it. Use every opportunity to communicate in the language you are learning: go to English discussion clubs, attend group lessons and talk with classmates, find yourself a friend on a language exchange site, etc. You can find yourself an interlocutor yourself using the resources from the article "". And, of course, our people are always ready to help you "talk".

5. Prepare for the exam

The surest way to find out if you have reached the next level of English is to take an international exam, in which case you will receive an independent assessment of your knowledge. For example, if your knowledge is at the Intermediate level, set yourself the goal of passing the FCE. In this case, during the preparation, you will solve various tasks corresponding to the next level - Upper-Intermediate, and will be able to see what you should know at this new level for yourself. And after you are awarded a certificate of successful passing the exam, there will be no trace of the plateau.

6. Learn English Grammar for Advanced

It would seem that up to the Intermediate level you have already met all tenses of English, but there are important grammatical constructions that are required to move to the next level of knowledge. We will point out resources that you can rely on when learning English grammar for advanced.

Sources of knowledge:

Without good textbook it will be difficult to study grammar, because everything is systematized in the book. We recommend "blue Murphy" for intermediate students - the textbook "English Grammar in Use" of the Intermediate level (it is also suitable for Upper-Intermediate). You can also take the Oxford Practice Grammar at the Intermediate level. In these books, the theory is briefly and clearly stated, many practical exercises are presented.
To learn the theory and practice it with practical exercises, check out our blog for Intermediate English Grammar, select the Intermediate tab.
As you learn grammar test yourself to see how the plateau effect is gradually replaced by the effect of the ascent to the next level of knowledge. In the article "" you will find resources to check your achievements

7. Keep learning new words

Your vocabulary is already quite large, but the more you expand it, the faster you can improve your English level.

What words to teach continuing:

Vocabulary from special textbooks. Textbooks for learning English vocabulary are the best helpers for those who continue. Their value is that they give you thematic selections of words presented in texts, dialogues and practical exercises. Such manuals teach you not just new words, but the rules for their use. We recommend the following textbooks for continuing students: “English Vocabulary in Use” at the Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate - Advanced level, “Oxford Word Skills” at the Intermediate or Advanced level, a series of manuals “4000 Essential English Words”. These books have answers to all the tasks, so you can study them even on your own.
Unfamiliar words from texts. Books or articles in English are a valuable source of new vocabulary. Write out unfamiliar words that are often found in the text or play an important role in understanding the meaning of what you read, and learn them. At the same time, give preference to modern literature, books and articles on the Internet in English adapted to your level of knowledge.
Synonyms and antonyms of words you already know. The words good and bad are good to use at the initial levels. At the middle level, you need to expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms of similar words. Fortunately, you don’t even have to look for them yourself; you can always find this information in electronic dictionaries. For example, in the search bar on the site merriam-webster.com, enter the word good, and under the heading “Related to GOOD” you will see a rather extensive list of synonyms and antonyms for it.
Phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are used just as widely and are just as difficult to learn as idioms. We recommend studying such vocabulary with the help of a special textbook “Phrasal Verbs in Use”, as well as take note of the application “The Phrasal Verbs Machine” (Android, iOS).
Collocations. Collocations - stable phrases. They need to be taught in order to make it easier for you to correctly select words to each other and make sentences. In addition, phrases are easier to remember than single words. It is best to learn such phrases from the textbook “English Collocations in Use Intermediate”. In addition, you can use the special Oxford Dictionary Collocations.
Idioms. This vocabulary will decorate your speech, make it more natural and expressive. Native speakers use idioms everywhere, even in formal speech. We advise you to use the special textbook “English Idioms in Use Intermediate”, which contains various practical exercises that help you remember set expressions and the rules for their use. Learning proverbs and idioms is not always easy, so we have written several useful articles: "", "". In addition, you can install the idiom learning apps “English Idioms and Phrases” (Android) and “English Idioms Illustrated” (iOS) on your gadget.
Slang. Slang words and expressions will be found in almost all books, films and TV shows. Therefore, it is important to take the time to memorize such vocabulary in order to improve your English proficiency. The meaning of slang expressions can be found in the specialized dictionary Urban Dictionary.
Word lists from learning blogs. Take a look at the articles in the “ ” series on the Macmillan Online Dictionary website. Each of these small notes provides examples of sentences with useful vocabulary on a specific topic.
Words on special electronic resources. Special vocabulary learning sites for beginners will help you learn new vocabulary through various tests. We recommend using esl.fis.edu or englishteststore.net , they are just aimed at people with an average level of English knowledge.

It is important for those who continue to develop their listening comprehension skills in English. Moreover, if earlier it was necessary to understand at least something of what was said on a simple recording, now you need to complicate your task - try to understand 70-80% of what you hear. In addition, listen to more complex audio recordings and watch videos of people speaking in different accents, and then try to explain the idea of the video in your own words, and practice speaking at the same time.

Podcasts- an excellent "trainer" for learners of English. In addition, it is also a portable simulator: you can save files to your smartphone or tablet and practice at your convenience. Recommended, where you will find many free learning materials. Also take a look at ted.com, where you'll find engaging video lectures on any topic you're interested in.
Watching movies and series- the most pleasant and exciting technique that helps to improve listening comprehension of English speech. You can just watch them in your free time for your pleasure, but it's better to use the tricks from the "" article.
Online dictations will help you develop both listening and spelling skills. We invite you to visit, there you will find short tasks of different difficulty levels. Such training will not take much time and will be beneficial.

9. Read in English

Reading texts in English is a great opportunity to see how the studied grammar and vocabulary “works” in practice, and learn new words, and it’s also just an exciting activity.

Adapted books are convenient in that you will not need to refer to the dictionary often. There will be no more than 3-10 unfamiliar words per page in the text, and there is a dictionary at the end of each edition. Adapted literature can be found at english-e-books.net and english-easy-ebooks.com.
Literature in the original is a good challenge for the average level of knowledge. Reading a book can be difficult at first, but you will learn a lot of new words and enjoy reading the work in the form in which the author created it. You can find many books in English on the website e-reading.club.
Modern articles on the Internet are a convenient alternative for those who do not have the time or desire to read a long work. Small articles on various topics can be found at. And you can read more serious and complex material in the online newspapers The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph.

10. Write in English

When you write something in English, you learn to formulate your thoughts in the language you are learning, you can use the words you just learned and fix them in your memory. If you later need to say a similar phrase in a conversation, it will be easier for you to formulate it, so writing skills also need to be improved for those who want to cross the plateau and raise their level of English.

How to improve your writing skill:

Translation exercises teach you how to build sentences in English correctly. And this is useful for both written and oral speech. Check out our article "", from it you will learn why and how to perform such exercises. And read about the 2 best manuals with translation exercises.
Online dictations. We already wrote about them in the previous paragraph, so we can say that this is a universal exercise that will kill two birds with one stone.
Essay. By writing essays on various topics, you will achieve two goals: learn to express your thoughts in English and learn new words. Vocabulary replenishment occurs if you do not limit yourself to using the vocabulary you already know, but look for new words in the dictionary and use them in your essay. Thus, you immediately use a new word in context, and when writing, you also use mechanical memory, which also makes memorization easier. However, one should take into account the fact that such work makes sense when it is checked by a person who knows English well. Therefore, for maximum benefit, try to find a teacher or another person who will proofread your essays.
Groups in social networks. On Facebook and Vkontakte, you can count more than one hundred groups for learning English. In such publics, correspondence in English is only welcome: you can comment on posts you like or chat in one of the open topics. Check out our English Learning Groups

If we understood how to significantly improve the level of English in a week, we would solve many problems in life. Since the need to know English is almost every one of us. But no one wants to spend a lot of time and effort on knowing the language. Learning English via Skype is surely becoming the most popular and affordable way, both in terms of time and material costs. Many people understand that learning a language is a long and laborious process. But understanding is half the battle. Therefore, only a few are able to organize their lives in such a way,

that English is becoming an integral part of their every day, every week and month. And the result is not long in coming. An English teacher tells readers of the English Voyage blog how to significantly improve their English in a week, how to step up their efforts in learning English, reorganize their working day for the benefit of their language skills and experience real progress in learning English. Of course, you cannot learn English in a week, however, like any other language. But it is necessary to rationally organize your training, correctly distributing resources and opportunities.

“We all face barriers in language learning. Sometimes you want to take everything and leave. And this is true for any field. But tell me, has it never crossed your mind to stop speaking Russian, to listen to it? Of course not. This is all because the Russian language is just a tool for us. So English is also a tool. Forget about sitting at the dictionary. Start imagining and thinking. You won't break anything. But you will know the whole world. Remove barriers, remove fear. Just take it and plunge into it with your head. From now on and forever, you study the language only for pleasure, only when you want. Only at the moment when natural curiosity wakes up in you. The rest of the time, language is a tool for doing something really worthwhile. Something that you like. I really like to say this to my student Alexei: “Get high, Lech, just get high!”

And now it's time for real action. It is always very interesting to read other stories, but often it is not clear where to start on your own. Below I will describe the actions that I want you to take on the way to your cherished dream of mastering English. Direct now! Get ready for the one week challenge!

In order to significantly improve the level of English in a week, do the following:

And now it's time to try. Forward! Dare! Just for one week, plunge into a new world - the Internet, podcasts, TV, stand-up comedy that you listen to on the way to work, etc. Try it in English. Just relax and enjoy. Let your mind do the work for you. At the same time, constantly monitor:

- your thoughts, your internal dialogue. Try to think in English. But without violence. When you understand what you think in Russian, then just translate the above phrase into English and continue to live)))

— what are you googling. At first, I don’t want to do this in English at all, but believe me, you are intermediate. You will understand 80% of the existing information. Some of us in life will not look into the remaining 20. And is it necessary? So no excuses, but action, action. Not "How to use a toothbrush?" but "How to use a toothbrush?", not "How to find a handsome guy in Berlin?" but "How to find a handsome guy in Berlin?" That's all. Very simple.

At the end of the week, just look back and look back. You spent a whole week in absolute immersion in the language. Fifteen years ago, someone could only dream of such a thing. There were simply no such opportunities. We have it with you. It helps me. During this time, I have overcome the Upper-Intermediate barrier and calmly move forward. I teach words, improve grammar when I'm in the mood. How long do I plan to learn the language? Hah, I mastered it, having reached the Intermediate level. For me, language has become what it should be - a tool to achieve other goals, to communicate. At this rate, God willing, in 20 years, maybe earlier, I will be indistinguishable from a native speaker. I'm more than satisfied with it. Now the choice is yours. Join now!

That's probably all. In conclusion, I want to say that all of the above is not intended to entertain and not even to make you think about something. No. The purpose of this article is a specific call to specific action. A call to get up and change your approach, to understand in practice - how it is - to learn something in English in a week. You can read hundreds of posts, you can learn something from them, or you can take and do it once and for all. Stop discussing, stop looking for the perfect method - it doesn't exist and never will. Benny Lewis said: "There are 7 days in a week and "someday" is not one of them." And now it's you, yes you, who mastered 1500+ words of this fascinating material, tell me what will you do to move everything off the ground? Which of your hobbies can you turn into English today? What do you think might be difficult? How do you think - how to significantly improve the level of English in a week? Write your answers in the comments. Let's continue the discussion there.

Or in courses, you will definitely come across the concept of “English language levels” or “English language proficiency levels”, as well as 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 knowledge of the language distinguish, as well as how to determine your level of english.

The levels of English 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, exams, for various purposes related to emigration, study abroad and employment. Such a 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 rather conditional, necessary not so much for students as for teachers. In total, there are 6 levels of language proficiency, there are two types of division:

Levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2,
Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced, Proficiency levels.

In fact, these 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 fully called the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (abbr. CERF).

English 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, such as “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 about 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 an accent, as in audio lessons for a 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.

Elementary level (A2)

At this level you can:

Understand common expressions on general topics such as: family, shopping, work, etc.
Talk about simple everyday topics, using simple phrases.
Tell in simple terms about yourself, describe simple situations.

If at school you had 4 or 5 in English, but after some time did not use English, then most likely you speak the language at the Elementary level. TV shows in English will not be understood, except perhaps for 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, make an order at McDonald's.

Beginner - Elementary levels can be called "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 the general meaning of distinct speech on general, familiar topics related to everyday life (work, study, etc.)
Cope with the most typical situations on a trip, travel (at the airport, in a hotel, etc.)
Write simple connected text on topics that are common or familiar to you personally.
Retell events, describe hopes, dreams, ambitions, be able to briefly talk about plans and explain your point of view.

Vocabulary and knowledge of grammar is enough to write simple essays about yourself, describe cases from life, write a letter to a friend. But in most cases, oral speech lags behind written speech, you confuse tenses, think over a phrase, pause to pick up a preposition (to or for?), but you can more or less communicate, especially if there is no shyness or fear of making a mistake.

It is much more difficult to understand the interlocutor, 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 understood well, provided that the words and expressions are familiar. You generally understand if the text is not very complex, and with some difficulty understand the general meaning without subtitles.

Level Upper Intermediate (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.
Compose clear, detailed text on various topics, explain the point of view, give arguments for and against various points of view on the topic.

Upper Intermediate is already a good, sound, 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 can be confused by words and expressions related to topics that are poorly understood by you, all sorts of jokes, sarcasm, allusions, slang.

You are asked to answer 36 questions to test listening, writing, speaking and grammar.

It is noteworthy that to test listening comprehension, phrases like “London is the capital” recorded by the speaker are not used, but short excerpts from films (Puzzle English specializes in learning English from films and TV shows). In English-language films, the speech of the characters is close to how people speak in real life, so the test may seem harsh.

Chandler from Friends doesn't have the best pronunciation.

To check the 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 knowledge of grammar, a completely ordinary test is used, where you need to choose one option from several proposed ones.

But you are probably wondering how the program can test the skill of speaking? Of course, an online English proficiency test will not test your speech as a person, but the test developers came up with an original solution. In the task, you need to listen to a phrase from the movie and choose a cue that is suitable for continuing the dialogue.

Talking is not enough, you also need to understand the interlocutor!

The ability to speak English consists of two skills: to understand the speech of the interlocutor by ear and to express one's thoughts. This task, albeit 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, you will find out where you made mistakes. And of course, you will see a chart showing 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” (not automated, as in tests) assessment of the level of English, you need English teacher who will test you with assignments and an interview in English.

This consultation is free of charge. Firstly, there may be a language school in your city that offers free language testing and even a trial lesson. Now this is a common practice.

In short, I signed up for a trial test lesson, got in touch on Skype at the appointed time, and the teacher Alexandra and I held a lesson, during which she “tortured” me in every possible way with various tasks. All communication was in English.

My trial lesson on SkyEng. Checking grammar knowledge.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher explained to me in detail in which direction I should develop my English, what problems I had, and a little later she sent a letter with a detailed description of the level of language skills (with grades on a 5-point scale) and methodological recommendations.

This method took some time: three days passed from the application to the lesson, and the lesson itself lasted about 40 minutes. But it is much more interesting than any online test.