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The CEFR scale from A1 to C2, what you can do at each level, the IELTS band it maps to, and what to work on to reach the next one. 39 pages, free.
This is the English levels book from the IELTSforFREE set. It explains the Common European Framework of Reference, the A1 to C2 scale that visa requirements, language schools and employers all use, and maps it against IELTS band scores.
It is the book to read first if you have not taken IELTS before and have no idea what band to aim for. A visa that asks for B1 and a university that asks for 6.5 are asking for very different things, and the gap between them is larger than the numbers suggest.
Each level gets a description of what you can actually do at it, rather than an abstract definition. Knowing that B1 means you can handle most situations while travelling is more useful than knowing it is called intermediate.
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What is inside
Six sections, in the order they appear.
A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2, each described by what you can do rather than by a label.
Approximate, because the two scales measure differently, but close enough to set a realistic target.
Reading, writing, listening and speaking described separately, since most people are not at the same level in all four.
Honest estimates in guided learning hours. The step from B2 to C1 is not the same size as A1 to A2.
Different levels have different bottlenecks. Vocabulary at A2 and accuracy at B2 are not interchangeable priorities.
Which UK, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand routes ask for which level, and what that means as an IELTS band.
Method
Six things worth doing, and one worth avoiding.
Aiming at 7.0 from B1 is a different project from aiming at 7.0 from B2, and treating them the same is how people run out of time.
Most people read better than they speak. An overall level hides the skill that will actually hold your band down.
Find out what your visa or university needs before you decide what to study. The requirement sets the target, not the other way round.
Moving a full CEFR level takes months of consistent work, not weeks. Booking a test too early is expensive.
Each CEFR level has its own page on this website with exercises to check whether you are actually there.
The free Academic and General Training courses on this site assume roughly B1 and upwards.
Practice
Five questions on the levels and how they map to IELTS.
CEFR describes what you can do. IELTS gives you a number.
The mapping between them is approximate, and it is not evenly spaced.
B2 covers a wide range of IELTS bands, which is why a B2 requirement and a 6.5 requirement are not the same thing.
1How many levels are there in the CEFR scale?
Six. A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. IELTS uses nine bands, which is why the two scales do not map onto each other cleanly.
2Which CEFR level is usually required for indefinite leave to remain in the UK?
B1. Settlement and citizenship both sit at B1, normally evidenced through IELTS Life Skills B1.
3Which CEFR level do UK universities usually require for degree study?
B2. Universities usually express this as 5.5 to 6.5 in each skill, and many individual courses require more than the visa minimum.
4You read well but speak hesitantly. What does that mean for your CEFR level?
You are at different levels in different skills. This is normal, and it matters, because IELTS reports each skill separately as well as an overall band.
5Roughly how long does it take to move up one full CEFR level?
Months of consistent work. The steps are not evenly sized either, and B2 to C1 is longer than most of the earlier ones.
It does not close the distance. That takes structured work on the specific skills holding you back, which is different at every level.
The complete course on IELTStestONLINE gives you an estimated band as you work, so you can see the distance shrinking rather than guessing at it. Take a look at the complete course
Setting a realistic target is the part most candidates skip, and it is why so many book the test too early.
IELTStestONLINE keeps every score in one place with an estimated band, so you know when you are actually ready. See what full membership includes
Yes. It downloads directly with no signup, no email address and no account.
The Common European Framework of Reference, a six level scale from A1 to C2 used by visa systems, language schools and employers to describe English ability.
Approximately, because the two scales measure differently. The book gives the mapping and explains where it is least reliable.
39 pages, with a section for each of the six levels.
It depends entirely on your visa route or your university. The book sets out the common requirements, but always confirm your own before booking a test.
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The book tells you which band your route needs and roughly how far away you are. Closing that distance is the work, and the two papers that decide it cannot be self marked.
IELTStestONLINE assesses your writing and speaking against the four IELTS criteria, instantly and as often as you like, using a system built by a former IELTS examiner and examiner trainer. It carries no advertising.
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