English language proficiency level is pre-intermediate. English language levels

So, what are the levels, what level of language proficiency do you personally need (depending on your goals), and how much time will you have to spend to achieve this level? For convenience, we will focus on English, as the most popular language, and in which there is the most developed system of various tests and international exams. Conventionally, we will evaluate the level of English language proficiency on a twelve-point scale. At many English language courses abroad, and at decent courses in our country, the formation of study groups occurs precisely in accordance with these levels.

0 - "zero level" of English

Full Beginner. Many people immediately begin to say: “yes, yes, this is just about me!” I learned something at school, but I don’t remember anything at all! Complete zero!" No! If you learned something at school, then it no longer has anything to do with you. Those who have never learned English and don’t even know the alphabet have a zero level. Well, if, for example, you studied German or French at school, but never encountered English.

1 Elementary. Elementary English level

I have no experience using English. Some simple words and expressions are understandable, while others can be difficult to guess. I have the vaguest idea about grammar. In general, this is a typical level for a graduate of a post-Soviet school, who twice a week pretended to study some “topics”, but in fact copied mathematics under his desk. In case of urgent need, some words still pop up in your head - “passport, taxi, how-to”, but a coherent conversation does not work out. To reach this level from scratch, it is enough to take a decent English course abroad for 3-4 weeks, approximately 80-100 hours of study. By the way, about all the calculations (weeks, hours, etc.) - these are average figures for the bulk of students with normal abilities (which is approximately 80%), ten percent of linguistically gifted students will learn everything much faster, and ten percent will need more time and efforts to achieve the same result. There are no people who are generally incapable of learning languages - I declare this categorically. If you speak Russian, you can speak any other language, you just need to put in some effort and spend some time. So, I wrote, and I myself felt sad: whatever one may say, a month or a month and a half at language courses abroad successfully replaces five years of language study in our regular high school... well, that’s, of course, if it’s a C grade. If you diligently complete your homework for five years, you can achieve much greater success and rise to a higher level.

2 – Upper-Elementary. Highest elementary level

Have knowledge of simple grammatical structures of the English language. It is possible to maintain a conversation on a familiar topic - but, unfortunately, the number of familiar topics is very limited. There is an understanding of simple sentences and speech structures - especially if they speak slowly and clarify what is said with gestures.

We can call this level a “living wage” for a tourist who is relatively independent of guides and translators. Add 80-100 training hours to the previous level. By the way, in most decent language courses in Russia, one level is approximately 80 hours, that is, if you study twice a week for 4 academic hours, then this is about 10 weeks, two to three months. Abroad, you can complete three weeks of intensive training.

3 – Pre-Intermediate. Lower intermediate level

You can carry on a conversation on a familiar topic. Knowledge of English grammar is quite good, although vocabulary is limited. You can pronounce fairly coherent sentences with virtually no errors if you covered this topic in class. This sometimes leads to a paradoxical situation if you have to communicate with foreigners - it seems to them that you speak English quite well, and they happily begin to explain something to you at a normal pace, excitedly waving their hands. But you, having laid out everything you knew, realize that you no longer understand a damn thing, and you feel out of place.

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Let's say you have already crossed the Elementary level and are one step closer to your goal - to communicate fluently in English. What level are you at? Right! This is level A2 Pre-Intermediate or preparatory intermediate level. It ranks a respectable third in the CEFR table and takes you closer to perfection. Well, let's get started, ladies and gentlemen!

CEFR English Level Chart

LEVEL	Description	CEFR level
Beginner	You don't speak English	;)
Elementary	You can say and understand some words and phrases in English	A1
Pre-Intermediate	You can communicate in “plain” English and understand the other person in a familiar situation, but have difficulty	A2
Intermediate	You can speak quite well and understand speech by ear. Express yourself using simple sentences, but have difficulty with more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary	B1
Upper-Intermediate	You speak and understand English well by ear, but you can still make mistakes	B2
Advanced	You speak English fluently and have full listening comprehension	C1
Proficiency	You speak English at the level of a native speaker	C2

PreIntermediate language level - what does it mean?

Pre-Intermediate level (A2) is the level at which you are no longer so afraid of communicating with a foreigner who addresses you in English. Ask him to repeat the question and you will not only understand, but also be able to explain how to find the nearest hotel. It is at this level that you gradually learn to communicate in English and practice your speech, and the time of silence comes to an end.

At this level, you repeat and consolidate the knowledge that you received at “Elementary”. You could say you start all over again, with “Present Simple”, but at the same time you delve into the nuances of the language that you were not familiar with before.

At this level, you can already try to pass some kind of language test, although there will be no practical benefit from this. This level approximately corresponds to the result of 3-4 when passing the IELTS exam, 39-56 points when passing the TOEFL iBT, you can try to pass the Cambridge PET exam (Preliminary English Test) and get a good score. By the way, if you want to work abroad, then non-specialized employers are looking for people with exactly this level of language.

understand the general meaning of the interlocutor’s statements, you can maintain a simple dialogue and ask questions, but speak in short, fragmentary sentences;
passed our level determination test and he told you so :) ;
you know basic grammar well, but it is difficult for you to use it in spontaneous conversation, you get confused in constructions or construct phrases using only simple tenses;
studied English at school or university and have good basic knowledge;
Recently completed a course of studying English at the “Elementary” level.

The Pre-Intermediate level program includes the study of the following topics.

Topics to be studied in the Pre-Intermediate level program

Grammar topics

Lexical topics

Group tenses Present (Simple, Continuous, Perfect)
Times of the group Past (Simple, Continuous, Perfect)
Constructions Used to do and be used to do something
Future Simple tense + be going to construction
Word order in questions
Types of questions
Comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives
Too, enough, a little, a few
Gerund and infinitive
Modal verbs (have to, must, can, may, might, should)
Prepositions of time and place Conditional sentences (0, 1, 2 type)
Passive voice
Indirect (Indirect) speech
Phrasal verbs

Family and friends
Technologies
Holidays
Events
Communication
Vacation and day off
Trips
Ecological problems
Lifestyle
Relationship
Circle of life
Cinema and films
Media
Best work
Our future
Health
Love and trust
Music
Modern society
Shopping and shopping
Fame and success
Perfect world

How long to study for Pre-Intermediate

The duration of studying English at the Pre-Intermediate level may vary depending on the starting knowledge and individual characteristics of the student. Our Pre-Intermediate course lasts on average 4-8 months.

Set a goal. Your desire to learn English is the driver of your learning. If you don't have the motivation to study, it will drag on for a long time. Therefore, the first thing you need to do when learning English is to set yourself a goal for which you need the language. You travel a lot and want to make new friends and learn more about the culture of countries. For such purposes, you need a “Pre-Intermediate” level and higher.

Exercise every day. If you want to compress the time it takes to learn English as much as possible, then you need to study every day. At the same time, to immerse yourself in the language environment, study for at least 2 hours a day.

Use English in your life. Don't wait until you master the language perfectly. Start using it in your life right now! Try to replace Russian with English as much as possible. This way you can use it and improve it at the same time. Right now, think about where you can use it. There are so many ways!

Conclusion

After reading the article, you may think that Pre-Intermediate and Elementary are similar in grammar or conversation topics. We can assure you, this level is more difficult. At Pre-Intermediate, old grammar acquires new nuances, and a similar topic like “Food” or “Daily Routines” becomes richer in new words and stable constructions. Go ahead and don't stop there!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

When you have already mastered the initial level, it is time to move on - Pre-intermediate will allow you to master new syntactic and lexical schemes and will pay attention to communication skills.

At this stage, it is meant to study new, complex topics of grammar and expand the base of words through new variants of lexical forms. For example, our teachers will analyze in detail the types of questions in English and talk about universal answers, as well as consider the nuances of correct pronunciation. The topic of English tenses is one of the difficult ones; more than one lesson is devoted to it, but knowing the rules will make it possible to understand the text even in cases where you do not know some of the words.

Thanks to experienced teachers and a methodology that has proven itself to be very effective, the English Club TV channel's series of programs will allow you to learn English without boredom. Expressions and vocabulary from the lessons can be immediately put into practice, and interesting topics will help you get to know London and Britain in general better.

Are you building a successful career in an international company and need to take IELTS or TOEFL? The exams necessarily contain not only a speaking section, but also an English grammar test, so it is worth planning your preparation taking this fact into account. Our programs are aimed at uniform learning of all levels of the language, which will help you successfully cope with any test.

Pre-intermediate videos

Everything is great until students are faced with one unpleasant aspect of learning English - the need to know grammar. Many people hate grammar lessons if the material is not presented well. And doing exercises or reading books seems like a boring activity to them. To solve this problem, you need not just cram grammatical rules, but try to speak English as often as possible, applying these rules. Cheryl Lowe, host of City Grammar, can help. In this program, she walks around a bustling city, showing viewers local […]
For those people who are learning business English and have already passed the initial level, it is important to quickly expand their vocabulary and memorize official expressions and phrases. Where can you hear these phrases more often than in the news? Having mastered standard language structures, you will be able to freely express your thoughts and maintain a conversation on given topics. This is exactly what an average level of knowledge of English assumes. ECTV Simple NEWS video lessons are not just educational material that will help you learn English quickly and efficiently. This […]
English Club TV offers a new approach to learning English. In the program “English Up” viewers are told about the way of life of the British. The host of the program is a native speaker. His lessons cover topics ranging from public transport in the UK to eating habits. At the end of each program, viewers can take a test to check how well they have understood the material. “English Up” is a great show for English language learners!
Isn't learning English your only goal? Do you want to expand your knowledge in different areas and become a real scholar? Then our program is just for you. This is not just boring encyclopedic knowledge. This is the most incredible thing that nature can surprise us with. All the information in Flash Facts is presented in a superb visual format, making it much easier to understand and remember. This will help improve comprehension and make English video lessons even more interesting. Going to the middle level [...]
Do you know how to learn English grammar without boring textbooks? Grammar Wise makes studying fun. The programs were created specifically for students with a Pre-Intermediate (below intermediate) language level. Tom Hedley, the show's host, shows videos about interesting life situations. Then he explains in detail which grammatical rules were used by native speakers in conversation. Conversations are divided into several parts. After each part, the host asks a few questions regarding the grammatical rules used in the video.
If you often make grammatical mistakes, “Grammar Wise” is a great choice for you. This program consists of a series of video lessons that will help you easily improve your English level. In each episode, program host Tom Hedley shows interesting videos that will help you improve your grammar level. At the end of each lesson, you will be able to test yourself by answering several questions on the topic covered. “Grammar Wise” will help you speak English confidently.
English is a universal language used all over the world. There are many benefits to studying it. The ability to communicate with people from different countries opens the door to a world of opportunity. The hosts of “Here and There” tell interesting facts about different countries. Stories are accompanied by photographs or videos. At the end of each program, viewers are asked to complete several tasks related to the lesson. For example, connecting images with words or completing sentences. “Here and There” is a great program that will help you learn grammar, become fluent in English and […]
In the modern world, for many people, grueling gymnastic exercises seem like a waste of time and a boring activity. They have no motivation to exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle. “Keep fit” is a program that makes sports interesting even for the laziest, and also helps to learn English. Trainers show and explain different exercises in English. The lessons are simple and understandable to everyone. They help adults and children lead a healthy lifestyle. Play sports and learn a language with [...]
Do you want to speak English like native speakers? “Perfect English” is a series of video lessons designed for those who want to improve their pronunciation. Transmission takes place outdoors. The presenter walks through different parts of Great Britain and tells viewers about them. She explains in great detail how to correctly pronounce sounds in certain words. “Perfect English” is a program for students with a language level from elementary to intermediate.
“Say it right” is a program for those who want to learn or improve their pronunciation. The words are spoken slowly and clearly to make it clear to the viewer. First of all, the teacher explains the theory of certain sounds. Then he uses them in words, after which he combines these words into sentences. The viewer is given time to repeat sounds and words after the presenter. Moreover, the program tells interesting facts about the origin of words and their use in our time.
“Speak up” is a fun program that helps viewers learn various idioms. The presenter of the program analyzes and explains their meaning, origin and use in speech. It shows how to pronounce these idioms correctly and in what position the facial muscles should be. The lessons help viewers learn new common expressions and improve their pronunciation.
This program will help you learn English words related to everyday topics. Chris, the show's host, names items we all use every day, as well as activities we do every day. For example, in one of the lessons he appears in the bathroom with a toothbrush and toothpaste, explaining his actions step by step in English. All words used by the presenter are displayed on the screen. Learn everyday English with the “Step by step” program!
Step-by-Step is a program that helps you improve your English, whether it's for everyday communication or business English. These exciting programs are beneficial for students of all ages. Each of them covers different aspects of learning English, such as improving listening, speaking and writing skills. The best thing about these lessons is that you can watch them over and over again until you master the lesson.
Regularity is the basis of any learning, and even more so when it comes to learning a language. If you can afford to set aside an hour at the end of the week to study, then The week in Review is perfect for you. With it you will really save time, you will not only learn English, but also get acquainted with the most important world events over the past week. It was not by chance that our English video lessons acquired news form. The vocabulary in these programs is ideal for [...]

Intermediate defines the average depth of knowledge. It includes a fairly wide range of skills.

This level is preceded by another, which is called Pre-Intermediate and assumes intermediate language proficiency. They switch to Intermediate when they want to learn how to talk not only about ordinary topics, but also be able to discuss professional situations. The Intermediate level provides an understanding of the normal rate of spoken speech by native speakers. The ability to read both fiction and business literature also contributes to this. There are many other skills that characterize the English Intermediate level.

Perhaps the most important factor is that language proficiency at the Intermediate level is required for admission to language universities. Many employers indicate that they need employees who speak English at an Intermediate level. So mastering this level is very important.

Language levels

Many English textbooks are signed as for intermediate students. This means that they are intended for mastering intermediate levels of English. Students graduating from non-linguistic universities speak this level of language. But where did this name come from?

The General English Language Proficiency Scale was created by the ALTE Association. They identified six possible levels of language acquisition:

Beginner - initial. This is the level of those who are just starting to learn English. A person at this level learns the alphabet, phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, starting with the simplest sentences and questions.
Pre-Intermediate - below average. A person with this level of knowledge already knows how to construct sentences and can briefly talk about a common topic.
Intermediate - average. A level that allows you to travel and learn new things. The vocabulary increases significantly, a person can already carry on a conversation, express his own thoughts, talk with a native speaker, and travel freely around the world.
Upper-Intermediate - above average. This level is designed for the practical application of communication skills. It is most in demand in the fields of education and business. With language knowledge at this level, you can even enter a foreign university.
Advanced 1 - advanced. It is necessary for specialists. This level is also studied by people who want to speak, read and write fluently in English. With this level you can get a prestigious job in another country.
Advanced 2 - super advanced. This is the level of native speakers. It is simply impossible to learn a language better than they themselves.

All exams in Cambridge are tied to this scale. Publishers rely on it when producing dictionaries for English language learners. Each reference book, collection of exercises, book for learning a language must indicate the level of knowledge of which allows you to use this publication.

Proficiency at the Intermediate level allows a person to conduct conversations on everyday topics. He can read and write well in English, speaks well, and knows the grammar of the language well.

Knowledge of English at the Intermediate level allows schoolchildren to enter language universities and even try themselves in Western educational institutions.

Requirements for students at the Intermediate level

What can a student with an average level of language knowledge do? He can ask the opinion of his interlocutor, he can clearly talk about what he feels, and express his own ideas. Such students know how to show that they did not understand their interlocutor and may ask them to repeat what was said.

What does Intermediate level mean? Others, even foreigners, can understand the pronunciation of a person who speaks this level. A person is able to use correct intonation and place emphasis in words. The vocabulary is quite wide.

Intermediate level also means that a person understands the tasks of the exercises. He can tell by pronunciation whether his interlocutor is native to English.

The Intermediate level is the ability to write letters, both personal and official, and correctly fill out questionnaires and declarations. A person who speaks at the Intermediate level can express his thoughts grammatically and correctly.

How do you know if your language proficiency is intermediate?

Many people study the language, but not everyone knows such a thing as the Intermediate level, what it means and what their own knowledge is. People can evaluate their knowledge by talking to a teacher. But there is also the possibility of independently determining your level.

Conversational skills

How well do you know English? The Intermediate level, which means “average,” makes the following requirements for speaking skills:

The ability to correctly form familiar words into sentences, use the right intonations, express emotions and determine the emotions of your interlocutor.
The ability to express one’s thoughts clearly and correctly without having problems with pronunciation.
If any point in the conversation turns out to be incomprehensible, a person at the Intermediate level can report his problem to the interlocutor and ask him to repeat the last words.
Easily and quickly select synonyms for words, understand verbiage, and determine their meaning in context.

Reading Skills

The Intermediate level allows a person to understand the main essence of the text, even if individual words remain unknown. He can analyze the text he read and express his own opinion about what he read. The exception is highly specialized texts that are replete with terminology.

A person with an Intermediate level, having read the text, understands the style of its writing. He can understand the meaning of popular phraseological units, as well as stable phrases that are used in the text.

Writing skills

Knowledge of the language at the Intermediate level allows you to write personal and official letters, fill out business papers. A person can present short stories in writing and grammatically correct manner in the style required for storytelling.

These are the basic skills of a person who has an Intermediate level. What does this mean in general? The ability to write texts grammatically correctly, using a large vocabulary, both in written and spoken versions.

Intermediate level courses

Many educational institutions offer to improve language skills to an intermediate level. In this case, the person who has completed the course will be able to:

Freely communicate on everyday topics.
Correctly formulate your emotions, explain your attitude to events around you.
Conduct constructive dialogues with your interlocutor, ask his opinion and even argue in language.
Correctly place stress and intonation in words, be able to determine in which cases one or another intonation is used. This will allow him to emphasize his emotional state.
Improve pronunciation.
Learn to understand speech by ear.
Understand your interlocutor not only by his words, but also by his intonations.
Identify native speakers and those who simply speak it well.
Provide grammatically correct information about yourself, in writing or orally, and support informal conversation.
The Intermediate level also allows you to come up with fictional stories on your own.

Proficiency in the language at the Intermediate level will allow a person to confidently travel around developed countries without translators and without fear of getting into an awkward situation.

Conclusion

Knowledge of English at the Intermediate level allows a person to feel confident in many situations. He can read books, communicate with native speakers and even write business letters. With this knowledge you can get a good position. Intermediate - average level of language proficiency, which is enough to feel confident when traveling to

Classification of English proficiency levels

Depending on the degree of proficiency in certain language skills, several levels of language proficiency can be distinguished.

There are many classifications, but the disadvantage of any of them is the inability to draw a clear line between levels.

At the European Union level, it is adopted from A to C, where each group is divided into 2 more subgroups. However, in our country, another classification is more common, including from 3 to 8 stages in different sources.

On average, there are six of them:

Basic. At this level it is too early to talk about any language proficiency; we are only talking about the beginning of learning, getting to know the basics.
Elementary. At this stage, a person is already able to understand simple sentences and signs in public places. He should also be able to construct basic speech structures, for example, introduce himself, ask for directions, place an order in a cafe, etc.
Pre-Intemediate. This stage implies knowledge of the commonly used basics of English grammar, and the ability to explain everyday topics when communicating with foreigners with good pronunciation. The average non-language school gives its students something like this.
. at this level means understanding the meaning when reading books and watching films, competent oral and written speech in the case of most non-highly specialized topics.
Upper-Intermediate. At this stage, a person is able to communicate fluently, albeit not without some minor errors, orally and in writing, and masters the entire system of English grammar, although he may not understand the subtleties and nuances that are generally understandable only to native speakers. This level is sufficient for living, studying and working abroad.
Advanced. This stage means at the native level - an extensive vocabulary, knowledge of slang and everyday expressions, the ability to easily communicate on any topic using idiomatic and other established expressions. This level can only be achieved through continued use of language in communication.

Language level pre intermediate

Pre-Intermediate level skills

This level implies knowledge slightly below average, i.e. it corresponds to language proficiency at an everyday level.

Speaking and communication

Speaking: the ability to speak on everyday topics with correct intonation, correct pronunciation and not too slow a speed.
Speech understanding: the ability to understand calm and unhurried speech in situations of social and everyday interaction. We are talking not only about personal communication, but also, for example, about announcements on the streets, train stations, airports, etc., talking on the phone, using TV and radio, etc.

Reading and writing

Reading Skills: the ability to correctly read and understand the essence of texts of a general orientation, both artistic and journalistic content.
Writing skills: ability to describe a situation, person or event, compose the main types of electronic messages - request, apology, request.

Conditions for further study of English from the Pre-Intermediate level

Development of speech skills in the Pre-Intermediate course

Increasing and mastery of basic grammatical structures allows us to move from the simplest sentences to coherent and meaningful communication on the following basic topics:

Family.
Purchases.
Transport.
A story about yourself.