French Test – What level of French am I?
Learning a language is always an interesting personal journey for each one of us. No matter how personal it may feel, there are certain aspects of language that are subject to stringent regulations and your ability to understand and apply these rules greatly influences your ability to express yourself in your target language. If your target language is French, you will find this article helpful. We are going to explain how to determine your French language proficiency level by describing different levels and offering tips on how to utilize the information best.
There are several scales used in the field, but we are going to talk about the one that is most often used – the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, regularly referred to as CEFR, which is a global norm for working out your capacity inside a language. It was set up by the European Council and it is designed to gauge your language capacity. There are six language proficiency levels according to CERF: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Many speakers will use the aforementioned levels to describe how well they can speak, listen, read and write. In addition to that, there are numerous official and unofficial exams you can take to determine your own proficiency level. Since it is a very interesting topic that gets lots of clicks, please take some of the free tests you can find online with a grain of salt. They are usually inaccurate. The best way to determine your proficiency level is to take an official test, but this is not always necessary. Most people can roughly estimate their skill level by themselves.
A1 – Basic user: Beginner
Beginner is the first level of proficiency a person can achieve by studying a language. It often happens within days or weeks and sometimes even through exposure. Lots of speakers make a distinction between an entry-level student and a beginner. Entry-level students can generally say just a few simple words and common phrases in a language while beginners can recognize and use simple words and basic phrases for concrete purposes. They are able to introduce themselves to another person, ask and respond to essential inquiries about home, family, environmental factors and so forth. Most of them are capable of communicating in an essential manner when the other individual talks slowly and clearly, and is prepared to rephrase their sentences to help keep the conversation going. While beginners are not fluent speakers, it is important to note they are capable of simple communication.
A2 – Basic user: Elementary
You are an elementary level speaker if you can comprehend words and commonly used terminology in areas of immediate importance (e.g. essential personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). You should also be able to discuss easy and ordinary daily tasks that require a straightforward flow of information on common and routine topics. Most elementary level speakers can describe aspects of their upbringing, immediate environment and matters of immediate need in basic terms.
Being at this level of proficiency is often confusing for students. Many can understand a lot, but they struggle to utter words in their target language. This can be best described by referring to the Dunning-Kruger effect. Elementary speakers often feel very confident, but they are not as knowledgeable as they believe to be and it becomes very obvious when they need to expand on their ideas in a discussion. This often leads learners into believing they can speak “well enough” which is always detrimental to making progress.
B2 – Independent user: Upper Intermediate
A B2 level of French allows you to communicate in French in the workplace and many non-native French speakers in multinational businesses speak at this level of French. A B2 level French speaker, on the other hand, will be lacking in nuance, especially outside of his profession. They might also misunderstand some of the conversations, intricacies and suggested implications.
According to CERF, an upper intermediate speaker:
- Can grasp the essential points of a complicated book on both tangible and abstract themes, including technical conversations in their field of expertise.
- Can interact with native speakers with a level of fluency and spontaneity that allows for regular interaction without strain for both parties.
- Can write clear, extensive language on a variety of topics and convey a point of view on a current situation, including the benefits and drawbacks of alternative options.
C1 – Proficient user: Advanced
This skill level is very similar to B2 and it is quite difficult to distinguish one from the other under casual circumstances. Most C1 level speakers are well-versed in daily communication and capable of conveying complex arguments not only in their field but also in other fields. Some of the areas where advanced speakers tend to be obviously superior to upper intermediate speakers are accent and melody. Generally speaking, the majority of the non-native speakers never reach this level of proficiency as B2 is enough for most daily and professional tasks. Those who do reach this stage are often indistinguishable from native speakers, especially when discussing topics of their expertise using academic and technical terms.
According to CERF, an advanced speaker can:
- Comprehend a variety of long and complicated texts, including subtextual and stylistic nuances.
- Speak freely and smoothly without appearing to be at a loss for words. In a social, professional or academic setting, may utilize the language effectively and fluently.
- Communicate about complex matters in a clear, organized manner, presenting a well-structured argument.
C2 – Proficient user: Proficiency
Proficiency is as close to a native speaker as a non-native can get. Some would argue that C2 level speakers can speak better French than many native speakers who didn’t receive good education as this level requires speakers to be well-educated. There is no other way to deal with the tasks necessary for passing the test. C2 level of proficiency is seldom a requirement for any academic or professional opening which means reaching this level is entirely up to the speaker.
