English levels: A1 to C2 explained

The six CEFR levels, what you can actually do at each one, and every English.Guru article written for that level.

A1 to C2 is the CEFR — the Common European Framework of Reference, the scale employers, universities and language schools mean when they ask for a level. It describes what you can do rather than what you have memorised: not how many tenses you know, but whether you can argue a point of view or follow a technical discussion. The six levels below explain what each one expects, and collect the articles written for it.

The six CEFR levels

A119 articlesA1 is the first CEFR level — beginner. At A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about where you live and the people you know, and follow speech that is slow and clear. The articles below cover the grammar and everyday vocabulary that get you there.
A228 articlesA2 is elementary. At A2 you can handle short exchanges on familiar subjects — shopping, work, family, travel — and describe your background in simple terms. These articles cover what A2 adds on top of A1, and what you need before B1.
B130 articlesB1 is intermediate, and the level most learners aim for first. At B1 you can cope with most situations that come up while travelling, describe experiences, and give reasons for your opinions. The articles below cover the grammar and vocabulary B1 asks for.
B222 articlesB2 is upper-intermediate — the level most employers and universities have in mind when they ask for good English. At B2 you can follow a technical discussion in your own field and argue a point of view. These articles cover what separates B2 from B1.
C113 articlesC1 is advanced. At C1 you use English flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes, and you can say what you mean without visibly searching for the words. The articles below cover the precision, range and register C1 asks for.
C212 articlesC2 is proficiency, the top of the CEFR scale. At C2 you understand virtually everything you read or hear and can express fine shades of meaning. These articles cover nuance, idiom and the habits that still mark out a non-native writer.

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