Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR or CEF or CEFRL)

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF or CEFR) was put together by the Council of Europe as a way of standardising the levels of language exams in different regions. It is very widely used internationally and all important exams are mapped to the CEFR.

The CEFR describes language ability on a scale of levels from A1 for beginners up 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. It also means that employers and educational institutions can easily compare our qualifications to other exams in their country. 

The diagram below shows all of the English exams on the CEFR.

There are six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2. These are described in the table below.

Council of Europe levels	Description
C2 Mastery	The capacity to deal with material which is academic or cognitively demanding, and to use language to good effect at a level of performance which may in certain respects be more advanced than that of an average native speaker. Example: CAN scan texts for relevant information, and grasp main topic of text, reading almost as quickly as a native speaker. All practice tests at this level
C1 Effective Operational Proficiency	The ability to communicate with the emphasis on how well it is done, in terms of appropriacy, sensitivity and the capacity to deal with unfamiliar topics. Example: CAN deal with hostile questioning confidently. CAN get and hold onto his/her turn to speak. All practice tests at this level
B2 Vantage	The capacity to achieve most goals and express oneself on a range of topics. Example: CAN show visitors around and give a detailed description of a place. All practice tests at this level
B1 Threshold	The ability to express oneself in a limited way in familiar situations and to deal in a general way with nonroutine information. Example: CAN ask to open an account at a bank, provided that the procedure is straightforward. All practice tests at this level
A2 Waystage	An ability to deal with simple, straightforward information and begin to express oneself in familiar contexts. Example: CAN take part in a routine conversation on simple predictable topics. All exams and practice tests at this level
A1 Breakthrough	A basic ability to communicate and exchange information in a simple way. Example: CAN ask simple questions about a menu and understand simple answers.