Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries. The six reference levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) are becoming widely accepted as the European standard for grading an individual's language proficiency.
Common reference levels
The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions that can be divided into six levels; for each level, it describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing. The following table indicates these levels.
| Level group | Level | Description |
| A Basic user |
A1 Breakthrough or beginner |
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| A2 Waystage or elementary |
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| B Independent user |
B1 Threshold or intermediate |
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| B2 Vantage or upper intermediate |
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| C Proficient user |
C1 Effective operational proficiency or advanced |
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| C2 Mastery or proficiency |
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Language Scales
| Language | Certificate | A1 | A2 |
| Mandarin Chinese | Chinese Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) (Levels according to French and German associations) |
HSK Level 1 HSK Level 2 |
HSK Level 3 HSK Level 4 |
| Test of Chinese As A Foreign Language (TOCFL) (Taiwan) | TOCFL Level 1 | TOCFL Level 2 | |
| Dutch | CNaVT - Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (Certificate of Dutch as Foreign Language) | Profile tourist and informal language proficiency (PTIT) | |
| Inburgeringsexamen (Integration examination for immigrants from outside the EU) | Pre-examination at embassy of home country |
Examination in the Netherlands | |
| Staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal NT2 (State Examination Dutch as second language NT2) | |||
| English | IELTS | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| TOEIC Listening & Reading Test | 60-105 listening 60-110 reading |
110-270 (listening) 115-270 (reading) |
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| TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test | 50-80 speaking 30-60 writing |
90-110 (speaking) 70-110 (writing) |
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| TOEFL (IBT) | 10-15 (speaking) 7-12 (writing) |
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| TOEFL ITP | 337 | ||
| TOEFL Junior Standard | 225-245 (listening) 210-245 (language form) 210-240 (reading) |
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| EF Standard English Test | 1-30 | 31-40 | |
| Cambridge exam | A2 Key (45 to 69) |
B1 Preliminary (45 to 69) / A2 Key Pass, Pass with Merit |
|
| Japanese | Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) | No clear relation. | |
| Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) | Pass | ||
| Certificate of Japanese as a Foreign Language (J-cert) | N/A | A2.1 A2.2 | |
| Korean | Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) | Level 1 | Level 2 |
| Language | Certificate | B1 | B2 |
| Mandarin Chinese | Chinese Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) (Levels according to French and German associations) |
HSK Level 4 HSK Level 5 |
HSK Level 5 HSK Level 6 |
| Test of Chinese As A Foreign Language (TOCFL) (Taiwan) | TOCFL Level 3 | TOCFL Level 4 | |
| Dutch | CNaVT - Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (Certificate of Dutch as Foreign Language) | Profile societal language proficiency (PMT) | Profile professional language proficiency (PPT), Profile language proficiency higher education (PTHO) |
| Inburgeringsexamen (Integration examination for immigrants from outside the EU) | |||
| Staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal NT2 (State Examination Dutch as second language NT2) | NT2 programma I | NT2 programma II | |
| English | IELTS | 3.5-5.5 (3.5 is the margin) |
5.5-7 (5.5 is the margin) |
| TOEIC Listening & Reading Test | 275-395 (listening) 275-380 (reading) |
400-485 (listening) 385-450 (reading) |
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| TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test | 120-150 (speaking) 120-140 (writing) |
160-170 (speaking) 150-170 (writing) |
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| TOEFL (IBT) | 42-71 (total) 4-17 (reading) 9-16 (listening) 16-19 (speaking) 13-16 (writing) |
72-94 (total) 18-23 (reading) 17-21 (listening) 20-24 (speaking) 17-23 (writing) |
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| TOEFL ITP | 460 | 543 | |
| TOEFL Junior Standard | 250-285 (listening) 250-275 (language form) 245-275 (reading) |
290-300 (listening) 280-300 (language form) 280-300 (reading) |
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| EF Standard English Test | 41-50 | 51-60 | |
| Cambridge exam | B2 First (140 to 159) / B1 Preliminary Pass, Pass with Merit]/ A2 Key Pass with Distinction | C1 Advanced (160 to 179) / B2 First grade B or C / B1 Preliminary Pass with Distinction | |
| Japanese | Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) | No clear relation. | |
| Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) | Pass | ||
| Certificate of Japanese as a Foreign Language (J-cert) | B1 | B2 | |
| Korean | Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) | Level 3 | Level 4 |
| Language | Certificate | C1 | C2 |
| Mandarin Chinese | Chinese Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) (Levels according to French and German associations) |
HSK Level 6 | |
| Test of Chinese As A Foreign Language (TOCFL) (Taiwan) | TOCFL Level 5 | TOCFL Level 6 | |
| Dutch | CNaVT - Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (Certificate of Dutch as Foreign Language) | Profile academic language proficiency (PAT) | |
| Inburgeringsexamen (Integration examination for immigrants from outside the EU) | |||
| Staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal NT2 (State Examination Dutch as second language NT2) | |||
| English | IELTS | 7-8 (7 is the margin) |
8.0-9.0 (8.0 is the margin) |
| TOEIC Listening & Reading Test | 490-495 (listening) 455-495 (reading) |
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| TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test | 180-200 (speaking) 180-200 (writing) |
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| TOEFL (IBT) | 95-120 (total) 24-30 (reading) 22-30 (listening) 25-30 (speaking) 24-30 (writing) |
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| TOEFL ITP | 627 | ||
| TOEFL Junior Standard | |||
| EF Standard English Test | 61-70 | 71-100 | |
| Cambridge exam | C2 Proficiency (180 to 199) / C1 Advanced grade B or C/ B2 First grade A (180 to 190) | 200-230 | |
| Japanese | Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) | No clear relation. | |
| Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) | |||
| Certificate of Japanese as a Foreign Language (J-cert) | C1 | C2 | |
| Korean | Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) | Level 5 | Level 6 |
(Source: from Wikipedia)
