A1 to C2 in How Many Hours? Your CEFR Timeline + Free Test

What You Will Find Here

• 1. What Is the CEFR Framework?
• 2. CEFR Level Descriptions (A1 to C2)
• 3. Hours Needed Per Level
• 4. Cambridge / IELTS / TOEFL Equivalents
• 5. How to Move Up a Level
• 6. Frequently Asked Questions

You can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. You can introduce yourself and others, ask and answer questions about personal details like where you live, people you know, and things you have.

Can-Do Statements:

• Introduce yourself and use basic greetings
• Order food and drinks in a restaurant
• Ask for simple directions
• Understand very slow, carefully spoken English
• Fill out simple forms with personal details

You can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). You can communicate in simple, routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information.

Can-Do Statements:

• Describe your family, job, and hobbies in simple sentences
• Shop and ask about prices
• Understand simple announcements and signs
• Write a short, simple postcard or email
• Have a basic conversation if the other person speaks slowly

You can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. You can deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in an English-speaking area.

Can-Do Statements:

• Have conversations on familiar topics like travel, work, and hobbies
• Write simple connected text on familiar subjects
• Describe experiences, events, dreams, hopes, and ambitions
• Understand the main points of TV shows and radio on familiar topics
• Handle everyday situations like booking a hotel or ordering a meal

You can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party.

Can-Do Statements:

• Participate actively in meetings and discussions on familiar topics
• Write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects
• Understand the main content of complex articles and reports
• Watch movies and TV shows with minimal difficulty
• Express and defend your opinions in discussions

You can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. You can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes.

Can-Do Statements:

• Present detailed descriptions of complex subjects
• Write well-structured reports, articles, and essays
• Understand implied meaning and subtle language
• Use language effectively for professional and academic purposes
• Handle difficult situations and negotiations in English

You can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. You can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. You can express yourself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning.

Can-Do Statements:

• Understand and discuss any type of written or spoken content
• Produce sophisticated, well-organized writing on complex subjects
• Express subtle nuances and cultural references
• Lead high-level negotiations and academic discussions
• Use English as effectively as a highly educated native speaker