ENGLISH LEVELS AT E.S.P. INSTITUTE
0.
1. ABSOLUTE BEGINNER – NO KNOWLEDGE □
I am a total beginner.
1. 2. BEGINNER □
I can understand some simple expressions.
I know some simple words.
I know the singular and plural of some words.
I can read simple words.
2. 3. ELEMENTARY □
I can understand some simple expressions.
I can have a basic conversation.
I understand simple stories when I read.
I can write simple sentences.
3. 4. LOWER (or PRE-) INTERMEDIATE □
I can understand most of what someone says when they speak.
People understand most of what I say when I speak.
I can write short stories and letters.
I understand most details when I read.
4. 5. MID-INTERMEDIATE □
I can understand the main gist of a conversation involving fluent speakers.
I can participate in everyday conversations fluently but I have some problems when discussions involve very detailed topics.
I can write effective correspondence but I have some problems with complex grammar structures.
I can understand most of what I read in texts, even if they are about detailed topics.
5. 6. UPPER INTERMEDIATE □
I can understand well enough to hold a conversation with a native speaker.
I can speak well enough to speak about new topics, change the subject and generally take an active part in conversations.
I can use a variety of grammatical structures to cope with completely new and unexpected situations.
In reading I can understand the majority of any non-specialist, modern text and begin to recognize to different styles of writing.
I can produce fluent writing on most kinds of topics, including arguing for an opinion.
I can use complex sentence structures without many mistakes.
7. ADVANCED □
I can understand native speakers of everyday English, and I can take part in normal interaction on almost the same terms as a native speaker.
I can speak fluently enough to convey feeling, to argue and maintain a point of view, or to convey complex information to a listener.
In reading I can use specialist books written in English to acquire specialist knowledge.
I can recognize and respond to different styles of writing, and I can write fluently with relatively few errors.
I can use a range of styles when writing (e.g. narrative, formal argument, business letters and prepared public speeches).
8. 8. PROFICIENT □
I have native speaker standard in every skill; however, I have problems understanding certain accents, dialects and cultural references.
I feel comfortable using the kind of English used in colleges and textbooks.
