Levels

When you finish this level you'll be able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. You'll have the tools to introduce yourself and others and to ask and answer questions about personal details such as where you live, people you know and things you do. You'll be able to interact in a simple way when the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Students that finish this level can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). They can also communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. They will be able to simple describe terms aspects of their background and of their current environment, as well as matters of immediate need.

When you complete this level you can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Additionally you can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst traveling in an area where the language is spoken. Furthermore, you can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. And finally, you can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

To be considered at this level you have to be able to understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialization. At this level you can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. You can confidently produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Students who finish this level can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. They can express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. In addition they can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. They can also produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

If you have the same abilities as a native speaker, this means that you can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. You are also able to summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. You will also be able to express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.