CEFR guide
Understanding CEFR levels
A complete guide to the 6 English levels (A1 → C2) with clear descriptions, real-life examples and learning goals.
Compare the 6 levels
| Level | What you can do | Study hours (est.) | IELTS | TOEIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 · Beginner | Understand familiar phrases and introduce yourself. | ~90–100 | < 3.0 | 120+ |
| A2 · Elementary | Communicate in simple, routine tasks. | ~180–200 | 3.0–3.5 | 225+ |
| B1 · Intermediate | Handle travel, give opinions, describe experiences. | ~350–400 | 4.0–5.0 | 550+ |
| B2 · Upper-intermediate | Communicate confidently in familiar and professional situations. | ~500–600 | 5.5–6.5 | 785+ |
| C1 · Advanced | Use English flexibly for study and work; grasp implied meaning. | ~700–800 | 7.0–8.0 | 945+ |
| C2 · Proficient | Near-native, with a grasp of subtle nuance. | ~1000–1200 | 8.5–9.0 | — |
A1Beginner
At A1 you can understand and use very familiar everyday expressions: greetings, introducing yourself, asking and answering simple questions …
A2Elementary
At A2 you understand sentences and common expressions on familiar topics (family, shopping, work, local area), exchange direct information i…
B1Intermediate
At B1 you understand the main points of clear input on work, school and leisure; deal with most situations while travelling; write simple co…
B2Upper-intermediate
At B2 you understand the main ideas of complex texts (including technical discussions in your field), interact with fluency and spontaneity …
C1Advanced
At C1 you understand a wide range of long, demanding texts and recognise implicit meaning; express ideas fluently and spontaneously; use lan…
C2Proficient
At C2 you understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; summarise information from different sources, reconstructing arguments co…