Language levels

No knowledge of the target language.

Studied the target language to a basic level at some point in the past, but have not used the language for some length of time. Can understand and/or use basic greetings and random words or expressions. 

• Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases related to familiar topics.
• Can introduce yourself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as home, family and possessions.
• Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Able to survive in a limited range of travel, hotel, restaurant and shopping related situations.

• Can use basic greetings and pleasantries
• Can understand simple sentences spoken slowly and clearly
• Can identify yourself
• Can fill in basic forms

• Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance (e.g. personal and family information, shopping,  employment).
• Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring an exchange of information on familiar matters.
• Can simply describe aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Able to survive in simple and familiar situations provided you are dealing with a sympathetic native speaker.

• Can find out times, directions, costs, telephone numbers
• Can understand simple notices and signs
• Can state your business and leave short messages

• Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered. 
• Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling.
• Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar.
• Can describe experiences and events, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons for opinions and plans.

Able to cope in most routine business or everyday situations provided you are dealing with a sympathetic native speaker.

•       Can understand and write everyday business correspondence. 

•       Can handle customer queries.

•       Can talk about your life, work and company in general terms.

• Can understand the main ideas of complex text, including technical discussions in your field.
• Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without difficulty.
• Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue.

Able to cope well in most routine business situations.

• Can write short reports, letters and emails in both formal and informal language.
• Can participate in routine business conversations.
• Can understand and produce job specific material and standard business correspondence.

• Can understand a wide range of long and demanding texts.
• Can express yourself spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
• Can use language flexibly and effectively for all purposes.
• Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects.

Able to do business successfully and confidently with native speakers or work alongside them on joint projects.

• Can make comprehensive presentations and speeches.
• Can write lucid letters and reports.
• Can follow formal meetings well enough to interject, make contributions and ask for clarification.

• Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.
• Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources.
• Can express yourself spontaneously, fluently and precisely, even in more complex situations.

Able to play a full part in all aspects of business with native speakers.

• Can defend your views under pressure.
• Can handle unexpected, awkward, sensitive confrontational or embarrassing situations.
• Can chair a meeting.