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Free English Level Test, A1 to C2

Find your real English level in 17 minutes. This online test measures grammar, reading and listening, and gives you your exact level from A1 to C2.

17minutes
3stages
A1–C2your exact level
a certificate
How does it work?
Built on the CEFRInstant resultDifferent questions every time
No penalty for mistakesThe questions follow your answersHave your headphones ready for stage three
Your result

What you get at the end of the test

An instant result with no sign-up: your overall level from A1 to C2, your level in each skill, and a level certificate with your name to download and share.

Your overall level

Your level from A1 to C2 on the European framework, and where you stand inside it.

Your level in each skill

Your level in grammar, reading and listening, so you know where to focus.

A certificate with your name

A Live English level certificate with a code to check it, to download as a PDF and share.

How the test works

An online English level test in 3 stages

A free, quick test built on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the scale universities and schools around the world use. No sign-up: just 17 minutes and headphones.

1

Grammar and vocabulary

Short sentences: choose the right word, find the mistake or put the words in order. You start in the middle, then the questions follow your answers.

18 questions · 6 minutes
2

Reading

Short real-life texts: a message, an advert, an article, an opinion. You read and answer questions on the main idea and the details.

3 texts · 6 minutes
3

Listening

Conversations with natural British, American and Australian voices, from easy everyday situations to discussions and a lecture. You hear each recording twice, as in official exams.

3 recordings · 5 minutes

The test is adaptive: answer right and the questions get harder, answer wrong and they get easier. That is how it finds your real level in a short time, for complete beginners and advanced learners alike. At the end you get your level in each skill and a level certificate with your name.

Behind the test

Who made this test?

Teacher Abdulrahman, a certified English teacher at C2 level, designed the test and checked every question, text and recording in it. Each question is written for one level, A1 to C2, following the official CEFR level descriptions.

Teacher Abdulrahman, a certified English teacher at C2 level
Designed this testTeacher AbdulrahmanCertified English teacher · C2 level
5.0★★★★★Student rating
C2English level
B.EdBachelor in English teaching
TEFLCertified teaching qualification
DiplomaThe British Academy
10+years teaching
300+lessons with students

A certified English teacher at C2 level, with a Bachelor of Education in English teaching, the TEFL professional certificate and a diploma in English from the British Academy, and more than ten years of teaching.

Read more about the teacher →
200 questions in the test bank
120 grammar and vocabulary questions
12 reading texts, with 41 questions
12 listening conversations, with 39 questions

A new test every time

  • When you take it again, the test leaves out the questions, texts and recordings you saw last time, as long as the bank has others.
  • The answer options come in a new order in every test, so remembering where an answer was does not help.
  • The questions follow your answers, so every attempt measures your real level, not what you remember from last time.
English levels

The English levels in order, from A1 to C2

The Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) divides language ability into six levels in three groups. This is the official description of each level.

English levels from A1 to C2 and the description of each level in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

Basic user (A1–A2)

  • A1 Beginner: Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where someone lives, people they know and things they have. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
  • A2 Elementary: Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Independent user (B1–B2)

  • B1 Intermediate: Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
  • B2 Upper-intermediate: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with users of the target language quite possible without imposing strain on either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Proficient user (C1–C2)

  • C1 Advanced: Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
  • C2 Proficient: Can understand virtually all types of texts. Can summarise information from different oral and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

Source: Council of Europe, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), Companion volume 2020, p. 175. Sources

Who is it for?

Know your level before any big step

Whether you are getting ready to study abroad, for university or for a new job, knowing your exact level is the first step to the right plan.

Studying abroad

See where you stand before you apply for a scholarship or a university abroad, and how far you are from the level you need.

The prep year

Find your level before your university's prep year starts, and begin in the right place.

Jobs and interviews

Practise before an employer's placement test, or before a job interview in English.

Starting from zero

Even as a beginner: the test adapts to you and gives you a clear starting point for solid English foundations. See free lesson samples

This is a free practice test from Live English, not the official test of any university or employer.

FAQ

Questions about the level test

Ready to find your level?

17 minutes, no sign-up, and your result straight away.

Start the test now
Is the English level test free?

Yes, completely free and with no sign-up. You only need about 17 minutes, and headphones for the last part.

How long does the test take?

About 17 minutes: 6 for grammar, 6 for reading and 5 for listening. There is no time limit per question, so take your time.

How accurate is the result?

The test is built on the Common European Framework (CEFR) and adapts to your answers, so it gives a precise estimate of your level from A1 to C2 in each skill. It is not an official exam.

Does the test measure speaking?

No. This test measures grammar, reading and listening only.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, a Live English level certificate with your name, your levels and a code to check it, which you can download and share. It is not an accredited certificate.

Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. If you get a question wrong, the next one is easier, so the test suits complete beginners as well as advanced learners.

Can I take the test again?

Yes, at any time. The test leaves out the questions, texts and recordings you saw last time (as long as the bank has others) and puts the answer options in a new order, so every attempt measures your level afresh.

Find your English level now

17 minutes to find your exact level in grammar, reading and listening, and a level certificate with your name.

Start the free test

Sources

The levels in this test and their descriptions are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), published by the Council of Europe, the international reference for language levels.

  1. 1Council of Europe: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)The Council of Europe's official website for the framework.coe.int
  2. 2Council of Europe: Global scale, Table 1 (CEFR 3.3): Common Reference levelsThe official table that describes the six levels, A1 to C2.coe.int
  3. 3Council of Europe (2020). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Companion volume. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing.The 2020 Companion volume; the level descriptions on this page come from page 175.coe.int