What's your English level?

How the English level test works

This test climbs one CEFR level at a time, starting at A1. At each level you answer four questions — a mix of vocabulary, grammar and a short reading passage with a comprehension question — and you need to get most of them right to move up to the next level. The moment a level isn't clearly passed, the test stops and reports your level: no further, no guessing.

The reading passage at every level is the important part. A lot of quick online tests are grammar questions only — isolated sentences like "If I ___ more time, I would learn the piano." Someone can memorise that pattern from years of grammar drilling without being able to actually read a paragraph, follow a conversation, or speak the language at that level. Mixing in reading comprehension at every step means a real gap between "knows the grammar rule" and "can actually use English" gets caught, instead of producing an inflated result.

Your answers place you on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the six-level scale used by schools, universities and employers worldwide. It takes about five minutes and needs no account. It's a free indication, not an official certificate — but it's an honest starting point, and many tutors are happy to check it with you in a first message.

What this doesn't test: speaking and pronunciation. There's no reliable way to assess how someone actually speaks through a multiple-choice quiz, so we don't pretend to — a text-based test can only measure reading, vocabulary and grammar. If your spoken English is stronger or weaker than your result here, that's completely normal — a first conversation with a tutor is a good way to check.

The six CEFR levels

Level	Name	What you can do
A1	Beginner	Use basic phrases, introduce yourself, ask simple personal questions.
A2	Elementary	Handle short everyday exchanges and describe your background and routine.
B1	Intermediate	Cope while travelling, describe experiences, give reasons and opinions.
B2	Upper-Intermediate	Talk fluently on many topics, follow complex text, argue a point in detail.
C1	Advanced	Use English flexibly for work and study; express yourself without much searching for words.
C2	Proficient	Understand virtually everything and express yourself precisely, even in complex situations.

After the test

Whatever your result, the fastest way to the next level is regular speaking practice with a real teacher. Global Tutor Board is a free directory of independent English tutors — you message them directly through the site, and because there's no platform commission, the same teachers often cost less than on the big platforms. It's also reachable inside mainland China.