The Common European Framework
The Common European Framework (CEFR)
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for assessing language ability. It describes language ability at six levels, from A1 for beginners, to C2 for those who have mastered a language. This makes it easy for anyone involved in language teaching and testing, such as teachers or learners, to see the level of different qualifications. The CEFR is the guide for all Language exams including the SELT..
Below are the ‘can-do’ statements and criteria for each level
A1 — Basic
I can
- use basic greeting and leave-taking expressions
- ask how people are.
- interact in a simple way, asking and answering basic questions, if I can repeat, repair and get help.
- ask and answer (simple personal) questions, like “What’s your name?”, and “How old are you?” if the other person speaks slowly and is very helpful.
- We have three cats and one dog.
- How much does the room cost?
- 45 Euros per night.
- What’s the time? A quarter to seven.
- Where is the supermarket? It’s straight ahead.
- This is Mary. Pleased to meet you.
- My name isCarlos
- I am from the north of China.
- I get the bus to college
every day.
- We are from South America
- Are you French? No, I’m not.
- Is she from Egypt?
- Do you like dancing?
- When did you arrive?
- She eats fruit every day.
- I lived in Paris for 6 months
- I moved to Madrid when
I was 15. - Are you going to study this weekend?
- I’d like a cup of coffee.
- I like sitting in the sun and doing nothing.
- He can speak Spanish, French and Italian.
- Can/could I use your phone?
- There’s a bank near the station.
- This is my laptop.
- Our shop is on the High Street.
- My sister is coming on
Tuesday. - She is wearing a red skirt.
- This pizza is really good.
- She’s taller than Michelle
- We always go shopping on
Saturdays. - Pedro is Spanish but he works in France.
- He’s an engineer.
- I like fresh fruit for breakfast.
- Vegetables are good for you.
- What kind of coffee do you want?
- I have a cup of tea every morning.
- I don’t like fish.
- Does this bus go to the town centre?
I can…
- understand simple words and phrases, like “excuse me”, “sorry”, “thank you”, etc
- understand the days of the week and months of the year.
- understand times and dates
- understand numbers and prices
- Adjectives: common and demonstrative
- Adverbs of frequency
- Comparatives and superlatives
- Going to
- How much/how many and very common uncountable nouns
- I’d like
- Imperatives (+/-)
- Intensifiers – very basic
- Modals: can/can’t/could/couldn’t
- Past simple of “to be”
- Past Simple
- Possessive adjectives
- Possessive ‘s’
- Prepositions, common
- Prepositions of place
- Prepositions of time, including in/on/at
- Present continuous
- Present simple
- Pronouns: simple, personal
- Questions
- There is/are
- To be, including questions + negatives
I can
- recognise names, words and phrases I know and use them to understand very simple sentences if there are pictures.
- understand words and phrases on everyday signs (for example, “station”, “car park”, “no parking”, “no smoking”, and “keep left”).
- understand simple forms well enough to give basic personal details (for example, name, address, date of birth).
I can…
- write simple sentences about myself, for example where I live and what I do.
- write about myself and where I live, using short, simple phrases.
- understand a hotel registration form well enough to give the most important information about myself (name, surname, date of birth, nationality).
- complete a questionnaire with my personal details.
I can
- establish contact with people using simple words and phrases and gestures
- say when I do not understand
- very simply ask somebody to repeat what they said.
A2 — Basic
I can
- ask people how they feel in different situations. For example: “Are you hungry?” or “Are you ok?” and say how I feel.
- ask and answer simple questions about home and country, work and free time, likes and
dislikes. - ask and answer simple questions about a past event. For example, the time and place of a party, who was at the party and what happened there.
- make and accept invitations, or refuse invitations politely.
- make and accept apologies.
I can…
- describe myself, my family and other people.
- describe my education, my present or last job
- describe my hobbies and interests.
- describe my home and where I live.
- describe what I did at the weekend or on my last holiday.
- talk about my plans for the weekend or my next holiday
I can…
- understand simple information and questions about family, people, homes, work and hobbies
- understand what people say to me in simple, everyday conversation, if they speak clearly and slowly and give me help.
- understand short conversations about family, hobbies and daily life, provided that people speak slowly and clearly.
- understand short, clear and simple messages at the airport, railway station etc. For example: “The train to London leaves at 4:30”.
- understand the main information in announcements if people talk very clearly. For example, weather reports, etc
- Adjectives: common and demonstrative
- Adverbs of frequency
- Comparatives and superlatives
- Going to
- How much/how many and very common uncountable nouns
- I’d like
- Imperatives (+/-)
- Intensifiers – very basic
- Modals: can/can’t/could/couldn’t
- Past simple of “to be”
- Past Simple
- Possessive adjectives
- Possessive ‘s’
- Prepositions, common
- Prepositions of place
- Prepositions of time, including in/on/at
- Present continuous
- Present simple
- Pronouns: simple, personal
- Questions
- There is/are
- To be, including questions + negatives
Personal Identification
- name
- address
- date and place of birth
- age
- sex
- marital status
- nationality
- origin
- occupation
- family
- likes and dislikes
- physical appearance
- title
- first language
House, Home, and Local Area
- accommodation, rooms
- furniture, furnishing
- services
- amenities
- region
- flora and fauna
Daily Life
- at home
- at work
Free Time and Entertainment
- leisure
- hobbies and interests
- TV, radio, computer, etc
- cinema, theatre
- holidays
Travel
- public transport
- private transport
- traffic
- holiday accommodation
- luggage
- travel documents
- signs and notices
Language
- foreign language ability
- spelling and the alphabet
Relations with Other People
- relationships
- correspondence
- behaviour
- friends
Health and Bodycare
- parts of the body
- personal comfort
- hygiene
- ailments, accidents
- medical services
Shopping
- shopping facilities
- foodstuffs
- clothes, fashion
- household articles
- prices
Food and Drink
- types of food and drink
- eating and drinking out
Services
- post
- telephone
- banking
- police
- hospital, surgery
- garage
- petrol station
- emergency
Places
- asking the way and giving directions
- location
Weather
- obtain information from
weather forecast - climate and weather
Measures and Shapes
- digits and cardinal numbers up to 100 and
multiples of 100 - telephone numbers
- dates, times, days
- shape
Education
- schooling
- subjects
I can
- understand short, simple texts containing familiar vocabulary including
international words. - find the most important information in advertisements, information leaflets,
webpages, catalogues, timetables etc. - understand the main points in short, simple news items and descriptions if I already
know - something about the subject. For example, news about sports or famous people.
- understand short simple messages from friends. For example, e-mails, webchats, postcards or short letters
I can…
- write a simple message, for example, to make or change an invitation or an
appointment to meet. - write a short message to friends to give them personal news or to ask them a question. For example, a text message or a postcard.
- complete a questionnaire with information about my educational background, my job, my interests, and my skills.
- write about things and people I know well using simple language, for example, descriptions of friends, or what happened during the day.
I can
- start a conversation.
- explain what I don’t understand and ask simply for clarification.
- start, maintain, or end a short conversation in a simple way
- ask somebody to repeat what they said in a simpler way.
B1 — Independent
I can
- start, maintain and close simple face-to-face conversations on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
- give or seek personal opinions in an informal discussion with friends, agreeing and disagreeing politely.
- have simple telephone conversations with people I know
- ask for and follow detailed directions.
I can…
- start, maintain and close simple face-to-face conversations on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
- give or seek personal opinions in an informal discussion with friends, agreeing and
disagreeing politely - have simple telephone conversations with people I know.
- ask for and follow detailed directions.
- Last year we went to Thailand for our holidays. We visited
many interesting places. I went scuba-diving while my boyfriend went on an elephant ride - We also tried lots of different kinds of food. We had a great time
- He felt a little nervous about the exam.
- I’m fed up with this British food.
- I think England will
win the World Cup - Exactly!
- Well not really
- I’m sorry but I think you’re wrong.
- I see what you mean but…
- Excuse me – can I talk to
you for a minute? - Excuse me, please. Have
you got a minute? - Guess what!
- You will never believe what I saw yesterday.
- Must go – see you later.
- See you later. Take care
- Is that clear?
- Do you follow me?
- I’m not sure understand.
Are you saying that…?
- Do you mean…?
- Sorry, to interrupt you
but… - I have a question.
- Could I interrupt
here? - Do you mind if I say something?
- Anyway,…
- By the way, there’s
something else I wanted to tell you. - What were we talking about?
- To get back to what I was
saying,… - So, as I was saying…
- Okay,…
- On the other hand, we could stay at home and
watch television - Who did you see at the party?
- How long have you been
studying English? - Why did you get the tattoo?
- What happened then?
- He hasn’t come home yet, has he?
- They had so much fun that they forgot to
check what the time was. - It happened while I was
watching television yesterday. - When I got home, Joan had already cooked supper.
- They had already paid
by the time I asked for the bill. - Spurs will probably win
the league this season. - Look at those clouds. It’s going to rain.
- He will pass his driving
test eventually. - He’ll be arriving on
the last train from
Manchester. - I’ve started but I haven’t
finished it yet. - He still hasn’t arrived.
- It’s been raining nonstop for two days now.
- He’s been working on
the report all morning - If I won the lottery I’d buy a big house in
the countryside. - I would have told Jim if I
had seen him. - My girlfriend would have
killed me if I’d forgotten her birthday. - He turned the jobs down.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day.
- She said she liked brown
bread. - He asked if she wanted to
go home. - I might be half an hour late.
- Petra will probably be
late too. She’s usually late. - We may go to Egypt this
year.
- Mohamed can’t be at home yet, I saw him leave
just a few minutes ago - I don’t believe it. It can’t be true.
- That must be Brigitte’s father. She told me he
was coming. - I really must losesome weight before the holiday.
- I can’t come tonight because Ihave to meet my cousin.
- We had a great time in Crete. You should have come with us.
- The letter shouldhave come yesterday.
- Don’t go in the water. It’s
freezing. - We couldn’t get to work because of the heavy snow.
- There was a strong smell of coffee in the room.
- The instructions were not very clear.
- My mother has been working too hard
recently. - You need to check-in at least two hours before
departure. - The gate numberwill be
announced on the monitor in the departure
lounge.
I can
- understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar, everyday subjects,
provided there is an opportunity to get repetition or clarification sometimes. - understand the main points of discussion on familiar topics in everyday situations
when people speak clearly, but I sometimes need help in understanding details. - follow clearly spoken, straightforward short talks on familiar topics.
- understand simple technical information, such as operating instructions for familiar
types of equipment.
- Adverbs
- Broader range of intensifiers such as too,
enough - Comparatives and superlatives
- Complex question tags
- Conditionals, 2nd and 3rd
- Connecting words expressing cause and
effect, contrast etc - Future continuous
- Modals – must/can’t deduction
- Modals – might, may, will, probably
- Modals – should have/might have/etc
- Modals – must/have to
- Past continuous
- Past perfect
- Past simple
- Past tense responses
- Phrasal verbs, extended
- Present perfect continuous
- Present perfect/past simple
- Reported speech (range of tenses)
- Wh- questions in the past
- Will and going to, for prediction
Personal Identification
- name
- address
- date and place of birth
- age
- sex
- marital status
- nationality
- origin
- occupation
- family
- likes and dislikes
- physical appearance
- title
- first language
House, Home, and Local Area
- accommodation, rooms
- furniture, furnishing
- services
- amenities
- region
- flora and fauna
Daily Life
- at home
- at work
Free Time and Entertainment
- leisure
- hobbies and interests
- TV, radio, computer, etc
- cinema, theatre
- holidays
Travel
- public transport
- private transport
- traffic
- holiday accommodation
- luggage
- travel documents
- signs and notices
Language
- foreign language ability
- spelling and the alphabet
Relations with Other People
- relationships
- correspondence
- behaviour
- friends
Health and Bodycare
- parts of the body
- personal comfort
- hygiene
- ailments, accidents
- medical services
Shopping
- shopping facilities
- foodstuffs
- clothes, fashion
- household articles
- prices
Food and Drink
- types of food and drink
- eating and drinking out
Services
- post
- telephone
- banking
- police
- hospital, surgery
- garage
- petrol station
- emergency
Places
- asking the way and giving directions
- location
Weather
- obtain information from
weather forecast - climate and weather
Measures and Shapes
- digits and cardinal numbers up to 100 and
multiples of 100 - telephone numbers
- dates, times, days
- shape
Education
- schooling
- subjects
I can
- understand the main points in straightforward factual texts on subjects of personal or professional interest well enough to talk about them afterwards.
- find and understand the information I need in brochures, leaflets and other short texts relating to my interests.
- understand the main points in short newspaper and magazine articles about current
and familiar topics. - understand private letters about events, feelings and wishes well enough to write
back.
I can…
- write short, comprehensible connected texts on familiar subjects.
- write simple texts about experiences or events, for example about a trip, describing my feelings and reactions.
- write emails, faxes or text messages to friends or colleagues, relating news and giving or asking for simple information
- write a short formal letter asking for or giving simple information.
I can
- ask someone to clarify or elaborate on what they have just said.
- repeat back part of what someone has said to confirm that we understand each other.
- When I can’t think of a word, I can use a word meaning something similar and invite
“correction” from the person I am talking to. - I can ask for confirmation that a form is correct and correct some basic mistakes if I
have time to do so.
B2 — Independent
I can
- take an active part in conversation, expressing clearly my points of view, ideas or feelings naturally with effective turn-taking.
- evaluate advantages & disadvantages, and participate in reaching a decision in formal or
informal discussion. - sustain my opinions in discussion by providing relevant explanations, arguments and
comments. - use the telephone to find out detailed information, provided the other person speaks clearly, and ask follow up questions to check that I have understood a point fully.
I can…
- give clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to my fields of interest.
- develop a clear argument, linking my ideas logically and expanding and supporting my points with appropriate examples.
- present a topical issue in a critical manner and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
- summarise information and arguments from a number of sources, such as articles or reports, discussions, interviews, presentations, etc.
- summarise orally the plot and sequence of events in a film or play.
- She screamed in anger at
how stupid her brother had been. - I am having a meeting
with my boss on Friday. - How long are you going to Jamaica for?
- I’d love to see the photos when you get back.
- To sum up, the government will need to
cut spending for the next
five years. - All in all, it was a miserable performance.
- I wonder if John will be
going to the party. - What if Teresa
hadn’t turned up? - If I were you, I’d just say no.
- From her point of
view, we have to do
this as soon as possible. - That’s just what I was
thinking. - That’s a good point.
- That’s ridiculous.
- Fantastic idea!
- Let’s hear what Gabriella
has to say.
- Really?
- No way! I don’t believe it.
- In spite of its popularity, I feel that ‘The Beach’
is a very overrated book which appeals mainly to
gap- year students. - It was really good when…
- As far as I am concerned
this has nothing to do with the issue. - One reason why…
- Another argument
for/against …is… - It could be argued/asse
rted that… - Pilar, would you like to
kick off? - Shall we begin?
- We don’t have time to
go into that matter right
now - Let’s get back to the
issue under discussion,
shall we? - I’d like to say a few
words here. - Yes, I think I can
contribute to this point. - Carry on.
- Go on.
- What makes you say
that? - I’m all ears.
- What do you reckon/thin
k?
- Whatever.
- How’s that possible?
- Nevertheless, I think we should all get an early
night before the big event
tomorrow. - In spite of her illness during the course, she
managed to qualify
successfully. - This time next year, I’ll be working in Japan
and earning good money - She won’t have left by then.
- If I had studied harder, I’d be at university now.
- If I’d got that job I applied for I’d be working in Istanbul.
- I wish today wasn’t Monday.
- Let’s splash out on a bottle of champagne.
- I’ll take you up on that offer.
- I’m being eaten alive by these mosquitoes.
- I thought that I was being followed
- Subsequently, he went on to be one of our best
salesmen. - I know it would be good fun to watch the latenight film.
- Despite the rain we all had a great time.
- Although I was very young at the time,
- I remember what happened quite clearly.
- Consequently, we
have to bev prepared for a fall in profits next
year. - Regarding our position on nuclear power,
that has not changed. - Additionally, we will also provide support throughout the process.
- In conclusion, we have agreed to give £3,000 to the charity.
- He had had a terrible day up until that point.
- I was tired. I’d
been working for sixteen hours. - Had they been waiting long?
- You will succeed where I have failed.
- She thoughtshe could
do it all herself. - They reported
that the volcano might eruptat any time. - I told her I had to go.
- Wow, that’s fantastic.
- Really? Tell me more.
- I’ve lost the books that I
borrowed from the library. - Shelly and Byron’s poetry, which used to
be compulsory
has now beendropped
from thesyllabus. - You should have asked
her earlier. It’s too late
now. - I knew we might have
to pay to get in. - What can he have done with the keys? He can’t
have lost them again. - He went straight to
work. - Next, draw a straight
line across the top of
the paper. - The weather
forecast is good.
Nevertheless, you always
need to be careful in
the mountains. - The resort has a range of luxury accommodation to
offer. - There’s no hurry. Let’s just chill out for an
hour or two.
I can
- understand the main ideas of complex speech on concrete and abstract topics
delivered in a standard dialect, including technical discussions in my field of
specialisation. - understand in detail what is said to me in standard spoken language.
- with some effort catch much of what is said around me, but may find it difficult to
understand a discussion between several speakers who do not modify their
language in any way - follow TV drama and the majority of films in standard dialect.
- understand TV news, current affairs, documentaries, interviews, talk shows, etc
- Adjectives and adverbs
- Future continuous
- Future perfect
- Future perfect continuous
- Mixed conditionals
- Modals – can’t have, needn’t have
- Modals of deduction and speculation
- Narrative tenses
- Passives
- Past perfect
- Past perfect continuous
- Past perfect
- Past perfect continuous
- Phrasal verbs, extended
- Relative clauses
- Reported speech
- Will and going to, for prediction
- Wish
- Would expressing habits, in the past
- Collocation
- Colloquial language
Personal Identification
- name
- address
- date and place of birth
- age
- sex
- marital status
- nationality
- origin
- occupation
- family
- likes and dislikes
- physical appearance
- title
- first language
House, Home, and Local Area
- accommodation, rooms
- furniture, furnishing
- services
- amenities
- region
- flora and fauna
Daily Life
- at home
- at work
Free Time and Entertainment
- leisure
- hobbies and interests
- TV, radio, computer, etc
- cinema, theatre
- holidays
Travel
- public transport
- private transport
- traffic
- holiday accommodation
- luggage
- travel documents
- signs and notices
Language
- foreign language ability
- spelling and the alphabet
Relations with Other People
- relationships
- correspondence
- behaviour
- friends
Health and Bodycare
- parts of the body
- personal comfort
- hygiene
- ailments, accidents
- medical services
Shopping
- shopping facilities
- foodstuffs
- clothes, fashion
- household articles
- prices
Food and Drink
- types of food and drink
- eating and drinking out
Services
- post
- telephone
- banking
- police
- hospital, surgery
- garage
- petrol station
- emergency
Places
- asking the way and giving directions
- location
Weather
- obtain information from
weather forecast - climate and weather
Measures and Shapes
- digits and cardinal numbers up to 100 and
multiples of 100 - telephone numbers
- dates, times, days
- shape
Education
- schooling
- subjects
I can
- I can read with a large degree of independence, using dictionaries and other reference sources selectively when necessary.
- I can understand articles, reports and reviews in which the writers express specific points of view (e.g., political commentary, critiques of exhibitions, plays, films, etc).
- I can rapidly grasp the content and the significance of news, articles and reports on
topics connected with my interests or my job, and decide if a closer reading is worthwhile. - I can understand the main points in formal and informal letters relating to my personal and professional interests, with occasional use of a dictionary.
I can…
- I can write at length about topical issues, even though complex concepts may be
oversimplified, and can correct many of my mistakes in the process. - I can write clear, detailed descriptions on a variety of subjects related to my field of
interest. - I can express news, views and feelings in correspondence, and respond to those of
the other person. - I can write standard formal letters requesting or communicating relevant information, following a template.
I can
- I can use standard phrases like “That’s a difficult question to answer” to gain time and keep the turn while formulating what to say
- I can help a discussion along on familiar ground confirming comprehension, inviting
others in, etc. - I can generally correct slips and errors if I become aware of them or if they have led
to misunderstandings. - I can make a note of “favourite mistakes” and consciously monitor speech for them.
C1 — Proficient
I can
- express myself fluently and appropriately, adopting a level of formality appropriate to the circumstances and my relationship to the person I am talking to.
- keep up with animated discussions on abstract and complex topics with a number of speakers and can participate effectively even when people start talking simultaneously.
- understand and exchange complex, detailed information on topics with which I am not personally familiar, pinpointing key areas where further explanation or clarification is needed.
I can…
- I can give clear, well-structured descriptions of complex subjects.
- I can develop an argument systematically in well-structured speech, highlighting significant points, and concluding appropriately.
- I can give a clear, well-structured presentation on a complex subject in my field, expanding and supporting points of view with appropriate reasons and examples.
- I can put together information from different sources and relate it in a coherent
summary. - I can summarise orally long, demanding texts.
I can
- I can understand enough to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics
of academic or vocational relevance. - I can follow extended discussion even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly.
- I can follow most lectures, discussions and debates both within and outside my field.
- I can understand complex technical information, such as instructions for operating
equipment and specifications for products and services I know about.
- Futures (revision)
- Inversion with negative adverbials
- Mixed conditionals in past, present and future
- Modals in the past
- Narrative tenses for experience, incl. passive
- Passive forms, all
- Phrasal verbs, especially splitting
- Wish/if only regrets
- Approximating (vague language)
- Collocation
- Colloquial language
- Differentiated use of vocabulary
- Eliminating false friends
- Formal and informal registers
- Idiomatic expressions
Personal Identification
- name
- address
- date and place of birth
- age
- sex
- marital status
- nationality
- origin
- occupation
- family
- likes and dislikes
- physical appearance
- title
- first language
House, Home, and Local Area
- accommodation, rooms
- furniture, furnishing
- services
- amenities
- region
- flora and fauna
Daily Life
- at home
- at work
Free Time and Entertainment
- leisure
- hobbies and interests
- TV, radio, computer, etc
- cinema, theatre
- holidays
Travel
- public transport
- private transport
- traffic
- holiday accommodation
- luggage
- travel documents
- signs and notices
Language
- foreign language ability
- spelling and the alphabet
Relations with Other People
- relationships
- correspondence
- behaviour
- friends
Health and Bodycare
- parts of the body
- personal comfort
- hygiene
- ailments, accidents
- medical services
Shopping
- shopping facilities
- foodstuffs
- clothes, fashion
- household articles
- prices
Food and Drink
- types of food and drink
- eating and drinking out
Services
- post
- telephone
- banking
- police
- hospital, surgery
- garage
- petrol station
- emergency
Places
- asking the way and giving directions
- location
Weather
- obtain information from
weather forecast - climate and weather
Measures and Shapes
- digits and cardinal numbers up to 100 and
multiples of 100 - telephone numbers
- dates, times, days
- shape
Education
- schooling
- subjects
I can
- I can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional or academic life, though I may want time to reread them.
- I can understand complex texts where stated opinions and implied points of view are discussed.
- I can understand lengthy, complex manuals, instructions, regulations and contracts in my field.
- I can understand formal letters connected or unconnected to my field if I can occasionally check with a dictionary.
I can…
- I can write clear, well-structured texts on complex topics in an appropriate style with good grammatical control.
- I can present points of view in a paper, developing an argument, highlighting the most important points, and supporting my reasoning with examples.
- I can express myself clearly and appropriately in personal correspondence, describing experiences, feelings and reactions in depth.
I can
- I can select from a readily available range of expressions to preface my remarks appropriately and to follow up what other people say.
- I do not have to restrict what I want to say at all; if I can’t find one expression I can substitute with another.
- I can monitor my speech and writing to repair slips and improve formulation.