At its core, the CEFR test is designed to test your language skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking. The format of the test will depend on who is administering it, as the CEFR itself is not a test administrative body but rather a system for measuring fluency.
The CEFR measures language proficiency across six different levels. Each level is divided into three categories. These levels are based on what are called “can-do” statements. For example, according to the CEFR, an A1 level student can:
Conversely, a C2 level student, which is near-native fluency, can:
As you can see, there’s a huge difference between the accuracy and ability that takes one from A1 to C2. Here is how each level in the CEFR framework breaks down:
These levels are language beginners. At A1 they can use basic phrases and expressions and at A2 understand how to handle basic, everyday tasks.
These levels are designated for intermediate users. At a B1 level users can communicate familiar situations and understand the gist of clear texts. At B2, users have a better command of the language and express themselves more fluently although they may still make mistakes.
At C1, users can have in-depth conversations and detailed discussions whereas at C2, they’re at near-native fluency and can understand and produce nearly flawless language including nuances and idioms.
Although the structure of the test depends on the organization administering it and the language being tested, the CEFR test generally looks at:
The listening section evaluates your ability to understand spoken language including dialogues, monologues and recording and answering questions based on what you’ve heard.
The reading section provides you with written texts or articles and then asks questions in different formats to test your inference and understanding of what you’ve read.
In the writing section, you’re asked to produce essays, reports or emails based on prompts or given topics. You’re evaluated on how coherent your vocabulary and grammar are, as well as your overall writing proficiency.
During the speaking part of the text, you may engage in role-playing, one-on-one conversations, presentations or respond to prompts with an examiner or other takers of the CEFR test.
In and of itself, the CEFR test does not measure readability per se, but it does measure your ability to read and understand passages in the language you are being tested in. In order to measure readability, there are many other factors beyond language comprehension that come into play, including things like sentence structure, complexity of vocabulary and the overall coherence of the text.
With the CEFR test, reading comprehension measures your ability to read and understand what you’re reading at the level you’re testing at. The CEFR itself is a framework meant to evaluate that level or proficiency rather than grading readability itself.
Once you complete the test, you’ll get a score report that indicates your proficiency level. You can use this certification as part of your job application, academic admission and much more. If you’re interested in better understanding the structure of your specific test, you’ll want to search for CEFR tests in the language you are studying as different tests may have different requirements.
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Here is a list of all readability tests.