Table 2. Common Reference Levels: self-assessment grid A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Listening I can recognise I can understand I can understand I can understand I can understand I have no difficulty familiar words and phrases and the the main points extended speech extended speech in understanding very basic phrases highest frequency of clear standard and lecture and even when it is not any kind of spoken concerning myself, vocabulary related speech and follow even clearly structured language, whether my family and to areas of most familiar matters complex lines of and when live or broadcast, immediate immediate regularly argument provided relationships are even when concrete personal relevant encountered in the topic is only implied and delivered at fast U surroundings when (eg very basic work, school, reasonably not signalled native speed, people speak personal and leisure, etc. I can familiar. I can explicitly. I can provided I have N D slowly and clearly family information, understand the understand most understand some time to get shopping, local main point of TV news and television familiar with the E R area, many radio or TV current affairs programmes and accent. S employment). I programmes on programmes. I films without too can catch the main current affairs or can understand the much effort. T A point in short, topics of majority of films in clear, simple personal or standard dialect. N D messages and professional announcements. interest when the I N delivery is relatively slow G and clear. Reading I can understand I can read very I can understand I can read articles I can understand I can read with familiar names, short, simple texts. texts that consist and reports long and complex ease virtually all words and very I can find specific, mainly of high concerned with factual and literary forms of the written simple sentences, predictable contemporary texts, appreciating language, frequency for example on information in everyday or job problems in which distinctions of including abstract,
Table 2. Common Reference Levels: self-assessment grid A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 U N D E R S T A N D I N G Listening I can recognise familiar words and very basic phrases concerning myself, my family and immediate concrete surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly I can understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevant (eg very basic personal and family information, shopping, local area, employment). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements. I can understand the main points of clear standard speech and familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main point of many radio or TV programmes on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear. I can understand extended speech and lecture and follow even complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. I can understand the majority of films in standard dialect. I can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly. I can understand television programmes and films without too much effort. I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get familiar with the accent. Reading I can understand familiar names, words and very simple sentences, for example on I can read very short, simple texts. I can find specific, predictable information in I can understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which I can understand long and complex factual and literary texts, appreciating distinctions of I can read with ease virtually all forms of the written language, including abstract,