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When you describe a student’s English abilities, you can place their skills anywhere from offering a basic greeting to sounding like a native speaker. So, how can you determine how well a student uses English? Let’s break down the different English language learner (ELL) levels that teachers use to measure and describe a student’s command of English. Specifically, let’s look at the levels that a widely used standard called the CEFR outlines, as well as additional methods of language assessment, like the GSE, that are growing in popularity.
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- What does an English language learner (ELL) proficiency level mean?
- Why do teachers and students need to understand English proficiency levels?
- What is the CEFR and how is it used to measure English proficiency?
- What are the different CEFR levels of English proficiency?
- Which CEFR level is considered fluent in English?
- How are CEFR English proficiency levels assessed and determined?
- What is the Global Scale of English (GSE) and how does it work?
- How do the GSE and CEFR work together to measure English proficiency?
- What are Bridge Language Proficiency Levels, and how do they align with CEFR and GSE?
What does an English language learner (ELL) proficiency level mean?
To gauge an English language learner’s (ELL’s) capabilities and place them in the appropriate class level, language institutions must identify a student’s level of proficiency. This identification is generally based on a scale that ranges from beginner to advanced (or native-speaker level). Understanding your students’ proficiency levels at the beginning and end of instruction is a critical way to measure your teaching effectiveness. Teachers can also use this information to find ways to better tailor material to meet students’ learning goals.
Whether you assess young learners or adults, each proficiency level gives a general picture of an ELL’s skills. Proficiency measures speaking, reading, writing, and overall comprehension of the language. For instance, each description gives the teacher and the students an idea of the range of vocabulary they have. This range can include situations in which they can proficiently use English and the topics they can talk about. Remember, language fluency is different from proficiency. Both will vary from student to student based on a myriad of factors ranging from age to experience level. Using a common framework, like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or the Global Scale of English (GSE), is just one of many tools teachers have at their disposal.
Clear proficiency levels give structure to instruction and assessment. When teachers understand where learners are starting and where they are expected to go, they can make informed decisions about pacing, materials, and learning outcomes throughout a course.
Why do teachers and students need to understand English proficiency levels?
Knowing the levels of English language learners is crucial for the following reasons:
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It gives the English teacher an idea of what the student may or may not be capable of doing in class right from the start of a course.
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A teacher can determine a learner’s needs and establish goals with the language, based on their current level.
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Teachers can select the materials and activities appropriate to the learner’s level and tailor their teaching techniques.
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Learners can create their own English learning goals after they find out their present level of proficiency.
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Learners can also see if they’re making headway as they progress through their English studies.
Shared awareness of proficiency levels creates transparency in the learning process. When both teachers and learners understand expectations, progress becomes more visible, measurable, and motivating over time.
What is the CEFR and how is it used to measure English proficiency?
While many standards exist to measure a language learner’s proficiency level, the CEFR provides the most widely accepted descriptions. Universities, governments, and businesses across the globe accept the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as a standard. The Council of Europe created the CEFR, which is not English-specific. Instead, the CEFR uses neutral language that teachers can apply to students of any language.
CEFR language levels provide universally understood descriptions that academics, language schools, and textbook publishers recognize as standard. Professionals also use the CEFR scale on resumes, during job recruitment, and in companies that promote their employees’ language levels in the workplace.
Because the CEFR provides a shared reference point across contexts and countries, it allows educators and institutions to communicate proficiency consistently. This common language supports mobility, academic recognition, and professional credibility worldwide.
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DownloadWhat are the different CEFR levels of English proficiency?
The CEFR scale organizes language proficiency into six different levels, from A1 to C2, and it divides these levels into three broader English language learner levels: Basic User, Independent User, and Proficient English User. Here’s a closer look at each of the CEFR levels and how students can accomplish them.
Basic User
A1 (Beginner)
If students are at the A1 language level, they have a basic grasp of the English language. They can give a self-introduction and respond to simple questions such as, “Where are you from?” or, “How old are you?” As long as the other person talks slowly and clearly, they will be able to interact using isolated words or short phrases. When teachers gauge English proficiency levels, they need to remove bias from the evaluation; every student starts at the beginning, so some adult students may be communicating at a child’s level for a native speaker.
A2 (Elementary)
Learners in the A2 level are those who can communicate using full sentences, a wider array of vocabulary words, and common expressions related to topics that are simple and relevant to them. For instance, they can speak and answer questions about their family or places in their neighborhood, though they may still need others to speak slowly during conversations.
Independent User
B1 (Intermediate)
At the B1 language level, students can already talk more about familiar topics like their hobbies, personal interests, or education. Moreover, they can use the language in more situations, such as traveling, dining out, or socializing. At this point, they’re also able to describe their experiences, dreams, and plans, as well as express their opinions in uncomplicated terms. There can sometimes be a disconnect when teachers determine intermediate-level meaning regarding language evaluation. The CEFR takes this into account and is very specific about what constitutes beginner, intermediate, and upper intermediate.
B2 (Upper Intermediate)
Once students reach the B2 level, they’re more fluent when it comes to conveying their thoughts. Students will be able to comment on various concrete and abstract topics, such as cultural and political issues. They can also take part in meetings in their area of expertise and even converse with native speakers. Of all the ESL levels being discussed, the B2 Upper Intermediate is one of the broadest categories within the CEFR. This level can span a wide range of subjects and responses, but signifies a major step in learning a language.
Proficient User
C1 (Advanced)
Students’ English skills at the C1 language level are already considered advanced, which means they can understand and coherently use complex grammar structures in written and spoken form. They also have a firmer understanding of longer texts and can identify implicit meaning. At this level, learners are also comfortable using English in school, work, social activities, and almost all other kinds of situations. A learner at this level will benefit greatly from long-term projects and learning goals, as they will likely be able to identify gaps in their own knowledge.
C2 (Proficient)
The highest level in the CEFR scale is C2, which is close to native English speaker proficiency. When students reach this level, it means they can communicate very fluently and precisely, even if it’s about complex topics like science and finance. They can easily understand almost everything they hear or read in English, regardless of another speaker’s pacing and word choice or the complexity of vocabulary in a text. This level of English proficiency allows for more subtle linguistic learning opportunities, such as regional accent development and the use of cultural idioms.
Understanding the full CEFR scale helps teachers avoid overgeneralizing student ability. Each level represents a meaningful stage in language development and provides realistic benchmarks for progress rather than vague labels.
Which CEFR level is considered fluent in English?
In addition to identifying English language proficiency, teachers need to explain the difference between fluency and proficiency. The most important takeaway is that proficiency is concerned with accuracy. For a student to be proficient in a language, they must understand and use the correct terminology, grammar, and phrasing in the non-native language.
Fluency, however, is the smoothness with which a student can communicate. Fluency comprises pronunciation, articulation, and the rate at which a student can communicate a coherent thought. Fluency is a nuanced topic; a student can be fluent but not proficient or vice versa. Fluency generally progresses as proficiency improves, but teachers can see effects from a student’s age, experience level, and instruction method.
Moreover, language levels of fluency are not always linear! They can rise and fall as learning objectives become more complex. Understanding the differences in fluency vs. accuracy can help you find the balance between teaching fluency and accuracy.
Distinguishing fluency from proficiency helps teachers set balanced instructional priorities. Effective language instruction supports both accurate language use and the ability to communicate smoothly in real-world contexts.
How are CEFR English proficiency levels assessed and determined?
As it merely provides universal guidelines to describe levels of language learning, the CEFR isn’t a test. However, language learners can find out their place on the CEFR in a number of ways. Here are some examples of language-level evaluations students can take.
Placement tests
The best and quickest way for ELLs to find out their CEFR level is by taking a placement test that an English language school or institute gives. Students also need to take this assessment if they want to take an English language course or if they want to find out their progress during their English studies.
Take note that placement tests may vary from one school to another.
Standardized English proficiency exams
Learners can also take high-quality, standardized English proficiency tests, especially if they need to demonstrate their English level for academic, work, or immigration purposes. As these language exams are more comprehensive than placement tests in language schools, test takers often take an exam prep course beforehand.
Although these standardized English proficiency exams already have their own English levels of language learning, based on results, students can also see what their test scores are equivalent to in the CEFR levels.
Because the CEFR itself is descriptive rather than test-based, reliable assessment tools play a key role in placement and progression. Selecting appropriate evaluation methods ensures that learners receive instruction that matches their actual ability.
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What is the Global Scale of English (GSE) and how does it work?
The Global Scale of English (GSE) is a language-learning framework designed by Pearson Languages, a world leader in language learning. The GSE is designed to guide each step of the language learning experience, from start to finish. This includes curriculum development, language assessment, and learning modules all the way through student proficiency testing. Based on a scale of 10-90, the GSE encompasses goals and milestones for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The English language learner levels within the GSE go beyond the CEFR to measure students’ progress on a more micro level. These modifications to English language learner levels make this evaluation method inclusive for learners worldwide.
The GSE complements broader frameworks by offering greater precision. This detailed approach helps educators identify incremental progress that might otherwise go unnoticed within wider proficiency bands.
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How do the GSE and CEFR work together to measure English proficiency?
The GSE and the CEFR work hand in hand to provide an exceptionally detailed evaluation of student learning progress at each phase of their education. Using these tools in tandem allows instructors to track micro-progressions in student learning that broad standardized testing methods often overlook. Essentially, the CEFR categorizes fluency into six levels, while the GSE specifies what a learner can do at each level in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. The GSE was developed specifically with the CEFR in mind, so the levels of both systems map to each other.
Additionally, the CEFR was originally created to measure the progression of adult English language learners. The GSE accounts for young students as well and provides a baseline for their learning metrics to mesh with the widely accepted CEFR standards. For a more detailed examination of the methodology behind the creation of the GSE with respect to the CEFR, you can read Pearson’s white paper, Developing Global Scale of English Learning Objectives aligned to the Common European Framework, which explains in great detail the logic behind each of the English language learner levels within the GSE and their basis within the CEFR model.
Bridge Corporate Language Learning, the corporate language training branch of Bridge Education Group, leverages the GSE as a tool to interpret the test results of students in the language program and provide targeted learning goals, as well as track language learning progress. Both the GSE and CEFR are integral parts of the language training program and tools for personalizing instruction by the program’s teachers of Business English.
When used together, the CEFR and GSE provide both structure and detail. This combination allows teachers and institutions to track development more accurately while maintaining alignment with globally recognized standards.
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Get CertifiedWhat are Bridge Language Proficiency Levels, and how do they align with CEFR and GSE?
Additionally, Bridge Corporate Language Training has created a unique set of 18 Language Proficiency Levels based on the levels developed by the CEFR and the GSE.
Bridge levels were designed to guarantee recognition for a completed 45-hour module, celebrating trainees’ efforts and accomplishments and motivating them to continue learning. This, in turn, helps them avoid frustration from encountering significant plateaus in their levels of language learning as they aim to reach higher proficiency levels.
In order to document and celebrate progress in language proficiency, Bridge has also developed digital badges that are backed by Blockchain technology. These badges allow companies to measure the results of their training and support students in understanding the meaning behind their results.
By building on established frameworks, the Bridge Language Proficiency Levels translate abstract standards into practical learning milestones. These levels support learner motivation while providing clear evidence of progress for both individuals and organizations.
Though every learner has a distinct experience with or without prior knowledge of the language, it’s not impossible to measure proficiency using standardized levels. Using globally recognized standards, these level descriptions not only guide English teachers in their instruction but also help students take ownership of their language learning progress.
Understanding English language proficiency is not about labels or scores in isolation – it is about clarity, alignment, and purpose. Frameworks like the CEFR and the GSE give teachers, learners, institutions, and employers a shared language to describe what someone can actually do with English at a given moment in time. When proficiency levels are used thoughtfully, they guide placement, shape instruction, inform assessment, and make progress visible rather than assumed. Most importantly, they help learners move forward with realistic expectations and meaningful goals. In a field as global and diverse as English language teaching, these shared standards do more than categorize ability – they support fair evaluation, intentional teaching, and sustained language development over the long term.
