Common European Framework (CEF)
The Council of Europe has established a Common European Framework ("CEF") to help all partners to describe and unify different levels of language competence. The aim is to make exams, certificates and tests more comparable within Europe. The CEF defines the content and structure of our language courses.
Common Reference Levels:
- No previous knowledge
- Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very simple sentences that are aimed at satisfying specific needs.
- Can introduce themselves and others and ask other people questions about their person - for example, where they live, who they know or what things they own and can answer questions of this kind.
- Can communicate in a simple way, if the conversation partners talk slowly and clearly and are willing to help
- Can understand phrases and frequently used expressions that are related to areas of immediate importance (personal and family information, shopping, work, neighborhood, etc.)
- Can communicate in everyday situations involving a direct exchange of information about familiar things
- Can describe with simple means their own origin and education, the immediate environment and things related to immediate needs
- Can understand the main points when clear standard language is used and when it comes to familiar subjects concerning work, school, leisure, etc.
- Can cope with most of the situations encountered when travelling in the language area
- Can speak simply and coherently about familiar topics and personal interests
- Can report on experiences and events, describe dreams, hopes and goals, and give short explanations or explanations to plans and views
- Can understand the main content of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics; Understands in their own special area also specialist discussions
- Can be spontaneous and fluent that a normal conversation with native speakers proceeds without any great effort on both sides
- Can express themselves clearly and in detail on a wide range of topics, explain a point of view on a current question and indicate the advantages and disadvantages of different possibilities
- Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and also implicit meanings
- Can express themselves spontaneously and fluently without having to search clearly for words
- Can use the language effectively and flexibly in social and professional life or in education and study
- Can be clear, structured and detailed on complex issues, using various means of textual linking appropriately
- Can easily understand everything they read or hear
- Can summarize information from various written and oral sources, reproducing justifications and explanations in a coherent presentation
- Can be expressed spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, and can also use subtle language in complex situations
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