What do you need to know and be able to do at each level of English?
We’ve already written about what the levels are, where they come from, and what they mean for anyone learning a European language. Now let’s look at what, exactly, we study at each level of English.
Almost all those colourful authentic coursebook series, where each level has its own book, are organised roughly according to this table — from simple to more complex.
There’s just one nuance: in such coursebooks grammar is presented in fragments (although some do have a decent reference section at the back) and is taught implicitly. In other words, it’s easy to miss or overlook grammar rules and exercises — and even easier not to understand them, because they’re explained in English with no reference to your native language. That’s why I recommend using a separate grammar book, or looking up rules online in your native language.
As you can see from the table below, at the beginning there’s more grammar and less vocabulary; towards the higher levels the grammar gradually runs out, while vocabulary and speaking skills are required more and more. At C2 there’s no new grammar at all: at this stage we study style and register, read original literature in various genres, and practise writing in different styles.
If you’re preparing for the C2 Proficiency exam (former CPE), you also need to be able to manage difficult tasks, hold a lot of information in your head at once, and easily understand different English accents by ear. Learning C2 English is in some way close to working with your native language. It’s less about whether you can tell the difference between Simple and Continuous — what matters now is how well you can work with information: take it in, reproduce it, compare it, pick out what’s essential, process it, and produce a coherent text.
A1 — Beginner/Elementary
Grammar
Present Simple (affirmative, negative, questions)
Past Simple (affirmative, negative, questions)
the verb to be in the Present and Past Simple
Present Continuous (affirmative, negative, questions) for describing actions happening now
be going to (future plans/intentions)
the imperative (affirmative, negative)
personal pronouns
question words
quantifiers / words for quantity (e.g., some, any, much, many, a lot of)
adverbs of frequency
comparative and superlative adjectives
singular and plural nouns
countable and uncountable nouns
possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns
the possessive case / possessive ’s (e.g., John’s book)
Vocabulary
everyday life
greetings and farewells
time, numbers, prices
asking for directions
food and drink
countries and nationalities
personal information / personal details
sights / tourist attractions / landmarks
shops and shopping
basic verbs
family
hobbies
holidays and vacations
free time / leisure
work
Conjunctions: and, but, because
Skills
Listening: Understand very slow, clearly articulated speech with pauses; pick up concrete details (times/places) on very familiar everyday topics.
Reading: Understand very short, simple texts; recognise familiar names, basic words/phrases (often by rereading).
Speaking (interaction): Manage simple exchanges if the other person helps; use memorised phrases; ask/answer simple questions about immediate needs.
Speaking (production): Produce mainly isolated, simple phrases about people and places.
Writing: Write very simple information about yourself and everyday basics (e.g., family, pets) using simple words and expressions.
Mediation: Use very simple words + gestures to help someone understand basic info from short notices/signs/posters.
Control: Very limited range and grammar; frequent pauses; link ideas with and/then; basic politeness (hello/please/thanks/sorry); can copy familiar words; pronunciation is limited but familiar words/phrases can be understood with effort.
A2 — Elementary/Pre-Intermediate
Grammar
Present Continuous to talk about future arrangements
Future Simple
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Present Perfect
will and be going to to talk about the future
the imperative
structures with comparative and superlative adjectives
adverbs of time, place, and frequency — word order
the gerund
modal verbs: can/could, have to, should
common phrasal verbs
verbs followed by the gerund and the infinitive
wh- questions / special questions, including in the past
zero and first conditionals
like / want / ’d like
countable and uncountable nouns — articles and quantity words/pronouns
the possessive case (’s) with singular and plural nouns
fixed expressions with prepositions of time, place, and movement
Vocabulary
everyday life
talking about the past
describing a person, place, or object
obligation and necessity
making requests
making offers / suggestions
adjectives to describe personality and appearance; feelings and emotions
food and drink
sights / tourist attractions / landmarks
shops and shopping
transport, services, travel
education
hobbies and leisure
work
linking words for describing a sequence of past events
Skills
Listening: Understand common phrases about immediate areas (family, shopping, local geography, work) if speech is clear and slow.
Reading: Understand short, simple texts with high-frequency vocabulary (incl. some international words).
Speaking (interaction): Handle routine tasks needing simple information exchange; keep a basic conversation going in familiar situations.
Speaking (production): Give simple descriptions (people, living/working conditions, daily routines) in short linked sentences.
Writing: Write a series of simple sentences linked with and/but/because.
Mediation: Ask for clarification, signal simple communication problems, and pass on the main point(s) of short everyday messages/conversations.
Control: Enough language for predictable everyday needs; simple structures with noticeable errors; speech generally understandable though listeners may need repetition; basic connectors; polite forms + invitations/apologies; spelling often “sounds-based” rather than standard.
B1 — Pre-Intermediate/Intermediate
Grammar
Future Continuous
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Simple
Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect vs Past Simple
short answers in past tenses
adverbs
intensifiers such as too, enough
comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs
question tags
second and third conditionals
conjunctions/linkers of cause and effect, comparison, etc.
modal verbs must, can’t to express prohibition
modal verbs might, may, will to express probability
modal verbs with the perfect infinitive (e.g., must have done, might have missed)
modal equivalents (e.g., have to, be able to, be allowed to, etc.)
phrasal verbs
sequence of tenses in reported speech (within the tenses covered)
the passive voice in Simple tenses
Vocabulary
expressing understanding
events and impressions
feelings and emotions
describing places
expressing opinions; agreeing and disagreeing
starting and ending a conversation
being able to interrupt politely, change the topic, sum up, and keep the conversation going
set phrases, conversational expressions, idioms
sights / tourist attractions / landmarks
shops and shopping
trips, travel, and services
books and literature
education
cinema/film
leisure / free time
the media
news, events, lifestyle
conjunctions/linkers of cause and effect, comparison, etc.
linking words for describing a sequence of past events
Skills
Listening: Understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters (work, school, leisure); follow straightforward explanations.
Reading: Understand texts written mainly in everyday/high-frequency language; follow descriptions of events, feelings, wishes in personal texts.
Speaking (interaction): Deal with most situations while travelling; enter unprepared into conversations on familiar topics; express opinions simply.
Speaking (production): Produce connected speech: describe experiences/events, hopes/plans; give reasons and brief explanations.
Writing: Write straightforward connected texts on familiar topics or personal interest; describe experiences and impressions.
Mediation: Pass on the main points of what you read/hear on familiar topics; explain key information to someone else in simple terms.
Control: Sufficient range to talk about familiar topics without searching too much; errors happen but meaning is usually clear; more sustained fluency (still with hesitation); clearer paragraphing/linking; more appropriate tone in everyday situations; spelling and punctuation generally consistent.
B2 — Upper-Intermediate
Grammar
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous
forming adjectives and adverbs
mixed conditionals
the passive voice
modal verbs to express probability (e.g., may, might, could, must)
can’t and mustn’t with the perfect infinitive (e.g., can’t have done, mustn’t have done)
phrasal verbs
sequence of tenses in reported speech
would and used to for past habits
wish in conditional structures
subordinate clauses
past tenses in formal/literary narrative (telling a story in the past)
Vocabulary
criticism and feedback / reviews
describing past events and your impressions
feelings and emotions
dreams and plans
supporting your opinion with clear arguments
engaging someone in conversation and joining in
abstract concepts
expressing agreement and disagreement
expressing opinions
expressing your reaction to what someone says, including indifference
informal communication
expressing interest, sympathy, surprise, etc.
reasoning and speculation / developing an argument
carrying a conversation independently
giving, evaluating, and clarifying information
art
books and literature
education
cinema/film
the media
news, events, lifestyle
Skills
Listening: Understand extended speech and lectures and follow complex lines of argument on topics you know reasonably well.
Reading: Read articles/reports on contemporary issues; understand the viewpoint and key details; handle longer, more complex texts.
Speaking (interaction): Interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular conversation with proficient speakers possible; participate actively in discussion.
Speaking (production): Give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations; develop an argument and weigh advantages/disadvantages.
Writing: Write clear, detailed texts (emails, reports, essays) on a range of topics; explain a viewpoint and support it.
Mediation: Summarise and combine information from different sources; relay arguments and key points accurately for others.
Control: Broader range (incl. some idiomatic language); generally good grammatical control; smoother, more natural fluency; stronger coherence and organisation; better control of register/formality; spelling/punctuation mostly accurate; pronunciation is clear and effective.
C1 —Advanced
Grammar
future tenses (revision)
inversion in sentences with negative adverbs
mixed conditionals in the present, past, and future
modal verbs in the past
the passive voice in past tenses
phrasal verbs, especially separable ones (with particles that can be split)
Vocabulary
acknowledging that the other person is right
constructive criticism and reviewing
defending your point of view persuasively
building a logical, step-by-step argument
emphasising (highlighting) the key meaning: your opinion, feelings, or the main topic
expressing feelings about something clearly and precisely
expressing certainty, probability, and doubt
expressing an opinion tactfully and cautiously
expressing your reaction to what someone says, including indifference
expressing different degrees of certainty
responding to counterarguments
reasoning and making hypotheses about causes and consequences
giving, evaluating, and clarifying information
presenting approximate information
set phrases, conversational expressions, idioms
a rich/wide-ranging vocabulary
awareness of “false friends” (misleading cognates)
Skills
Listening: Understand long, complex speech even when it isn’t clearly structured; catch implied meanings and finer points.
Reading: Understand demanding, longer texts (including abstract/complex); grasp nuance and implicit attitude.
Speaking (interaction): Express yourself fluently and spontaneously; use language flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes.
Speaking (production): Produce clear, well-structured, detailed discourse on complex subjects; highlight key points and support them effectively.
Writing: Write clear, well-structured texts on complex topics, adapting style/register; produce detailed, polished writing.
Mediation: Explain complex ideas and arguments clearly for others; synthesise information and guide understanding in a discussion.
Control: Wide and flexible language range; high grammatical accuracy with only occasional slips; strong cohesion and thematic development; good sociolinguistic sensitivity (tone, nuance); very good orthographic control; pronunciation/intonation used to emphasise meaning.
C2 — Proficiency
Skills
Listening: Understand virtually any kind of spoken language (live or broadcast), even at fast natural speed.
Reading: Read with ease virtually all forms of written language, including complex/abstract texts.
Speaking (interaction): Take part effortlessly; handle rapid, complex interaction; respond precisely and subtly in real time.
Speaking (production): Present and argue with high precision; differentiate fine shades of meaning; reformulate smoothly when needed.
Writing: Write sophisticated, well-crafted texts with appropriate style and nuance (e.g., reports, essays, critiques).
Mediation: Integrate and reconstruct information and arguments from multiple sources; clarify subtle meaning and manage delicate communication smoothly.
Control: Comprehensive range and near-complete control; consistently accurate grammar and vocabulary choice; seamless coherence; very high sociolinguistic appropriateness; excellent spelling/punctuation; pronunciation/intonation fully controlled to convey nuance.
Sources
1. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)