Every English course, exam and job advert talks about levels — A1, A2, B1, B2 — and almost nobody explains what they actually mean. This page does. Below you will find what you can do at each CEFR level, how each one converts to IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo scores, roughly how many hours it takes to move up, and what to study next.

English levels at a glance

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) splits English into six levels in three pairs: A is basic, B is independent, C is proficient. Score conversions below are approximate — exam boards publish ranges, not exact equivalences.

Level	Name	What you can do	IELTS	TOEFL iBT	Duolingo	Hours to reach
A1	Beginner	Introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions, understand slow clear speech	2.0–2.5	—	10–55	60–100
A2	Elementary	Handle shopping, travel and daily routines; describe your background in simple terms	3.0–3.5	—	60–85	180–200
B1	Intermediate	Deal with most situations while travelling; explain opinions, plans and experiences	4.0–5.0	42–71	90–115	350–400
B2	Upper-intermediate	Talk fluently with native speakers; follow films and news; work in English	5.5–6.5	72–94	120–140	500–600
C1	Advanced	Use English flexibly for academic and professional purposes; catch implied meaning	7.0–8.0	95–120	145–160	700–800
C2	Proficient	Understand virtually everything; express yourself precisely in complex situations	8.5–9.0	—	160+	1,000–1,200

Two things worth knowing about that last column. The hours are cumulative guided study, not total time since you started, and they assume regular practice. And they measure study, not speaking — most learners find their speaking sits roughly one band below their reading, because reading is what school taught them.

A1 — Beginner

A1 Basic user • IELTS 2.0–2.5 • 60–100 hours

You are A1 if you can:

• Say your name, nationality, job and where you live
• Order food and drink using single words and short phrases
• Understand prices, numbers, days and times
• Ask very simple questions: Where is the station? How much is this?
• Understand someone speaking slowly and clearly, with repetition

What holds A1 learners back: not the grammar, but the fear of speaking at all. The fastest gains come from short, repetitive real-life conversations rather than more grammar rules.

Start here: Supermarket English · Grocery shopping conversation · Asking for help in a shop

A2 — Elementary

A2 Basic user • IELTS 3.0–3.5 • 180–200 hours

You are A2 if you can:

• Check in at an airport or hotel without preparing sentences first
• Talk about your past using simple past tense
• Describe your family, your job and your daily routine in a few sentences
• Handle a predictable transaction: buying, returning, asking directions
• Understand the main point of short, clear announcements

What holds A2 learners back: running out of language the moment a conversation goes off-script. A2 is comfortable with predictable exchanges and stuck when someone asks an unexpected follow-up.

Start here: Airport check-in English · Hotel check-in English · Restaurant dialogues · Passport control English

B1 — Intermediate

B1 Independent user • IELTS 4.0–5.0 • 350–400 hours

B1 is the level most learners are aiming at without knowing its name. It is the point where English becomes useful rather than just survivable.

You are B1 if you can:

• Handle most situations that come up while travelling, including problems
• Explain your opinion and give reasons for it
• Describe experiences, events, dreams and ambitions
• Write a simple connected text on a familiar subject
• Follow the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters

What holds B1 learners back: this is where most people plateau, and the reason is almost always the same — they can understand far more than they can produce. Passive input stops paying off around here. Speaking practice is what moves B1 to B2.

Start here: Lost luggage English · Flight delays and cancellations · Returning an item · 30 common idioms

B2 — Upper-intermediate

B2 Independent user • IELTS 5.5–6.5 • 500–600 hours

B2 is the level most universities and employers actually mean when they say “fluent” or “professional working proficiency.”

You are B2 if you can:

• Hold a conversation with a native speaker without either of you straining
• Follow a film or news broadcast without subtitles, most of the time
• Write a clear, detailed email or report on a work subject
• Argue a position and defend it
• Understand complex text on both concrete and abstract topics

What holds B2 learners back: precision and register. B2 speakers are understood; they are not always taken as seriously as they should be, because their word choice is slightly off or too informal for the setting.

Start here: Business English for meetings and emails · IELTS vs TOEFL · Improve your pronunciation

C1 and C2 — Advanced and Proficient

C1 means you use English flexibly and almost effortlessly for academic and professional purposes, catch implied meaning and humour, and structure long, complex arguments. C2 means you understand virtually everything you read or hear and can express yourself with precision even in complicated situations.

Very few learners need C2. It is not “perfect English” and it is not native-speaker English — plenty of native speakers would not pass a C2 exam. If your goal is work or study abroad, B2 or C1 is almost always the real target.

How long does it take to move up a level?

Moving from	Guided hours needed	At 5 hours a week
Zero to A1	60–100	3–5 months
A1 to A2	100–120	5–6 months
A2 to B1	150–200	7–10 months
B1 to B2	150–200	7–10 months
B2 to C1	200	10 months

These are averages from published course-hour guidelines, and individuals vary enormously. Two things speed it up more than anything else: speaking regularly with another person, and studying a little every day rather than a lot at weekends.

How to choose the right lessons for your level

Pick material where you understand roughly 80 to 90 per cent without help. Below 80 per cent you spend the lesson decoding instead of learning. Above 95 per cent you are revising, not progressing.

Every lesson on this site carries a level badge in the header, so you can see at a glance whether it fits. If you are between two levels, take the lower one and go faster.

Frequently asked questions

What is B1 level English?

B1 is intermediate. You can handle most situations while travelling, explain your opinions and describe experiences, and follow clear standard speech on familiar topics. It maps to roughly IELTS 4.0–5.0 and takes around 350–400 cumulative guided hours.

What is the difference between A2 and B1?

A2 handles predictable situations using learned phrases. B1 handles unpredictable ones by building sentences on the spot. The practical test: if the other person asks an unexpected follow-up question and you can keep going, you are B1. If the conversation stops, you are A2.

What does B2 level English mean?

B2 is upper-intermediate: you can converse comfortably with native speakers, follow films and news, and work in English. Most universities asking for “IELTS 6.0” and most job adverts saying “fluent English” are describing B2, not C1 or C2.

How do I get to a B2 English level?

From B1, expect 150–200 hours. The bottleneck is almost never grammar — it is production. Learners who reach B2 quickly are the ones speaking with another person several times a week and getting corrected. Reading and listening alone reliably stall around B1.

Is A1 to B2 realistic in a year?

A1 to B2 is roughly 400–500 guided hours. In twelve months that means about 8–10 hours a week, every week. It is possible with intensive study, but it is not the normal pace and treating it as normal is how people get discouraged.

Are CEFR levels the same as beginner, intermediate and advanced?

Roughly. A1–A2 is beginner and elementary, B1–B2 is intermediate and upper-intermediate, C1–C2 is advanced and proficient. CEFR is more precise because it describes what you can do, not how long you have studied.

How do I find my English level for free?

Take our free 40-question level test. It is graded rather than self-assessed, gives you a CEFR level from A1 to C2 plus a breakdown by grammar, vocabulary and use of English, and needs no signup.