What is your level of English?

This question may be asked to you when you want to find a job abroad or go to university in Europe.

Let's figure out what levels there are. Usually people who are far from learning languages ​​say something like: elementary (basic, I already know the alphabet), intermediate (intermediate, I know the grammar, but not all of it), advanced (advanced, well, this is some completely unattainable level, when you can talk to a foreigner on any topic). And they also write some letters like A2 or C1 on textbooks, but it is not clear why.

In fact, the CERF (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) scale shows what tasks you can solve in a language. Let's say A1 (beginner) is the survival level. At this level, I can introduce myself, tell where I live and what I do. I know how to count from 1 to 100, the names of months and days of the week. I can ask how to get to the library.

And if I have a B2 (Upper Intermediate) level of English, I can give a presentation in English and discuss various abstract topics. For example, talk about how AI development affects the travel industry.

The CERF scale was created so that language schools could distribute students into groups. When you come to a tutor or a foreign language course, you are usually given a test and told something like: “You are at level A2, pre-intermediate.” However, this is where the difficulties begin.

I am an English teacher. I teach adults who need the language for emigration, work and business abroad, and in 15 years of practice I have seen everything. Let's say I lead classes at a book club. A new participant comes in – at the first meeting he cheerfully reports that he has a C1 (Advanced) level and shows a grammar textbook of the corresponding level. However, when he needs to say something more complicated in English than “I like bananas”, he switches to Russian and quotes the Soviet film classic about Semyon Semyonich. It turns out that filling in the gaps in the textbook and speaking at the Advanced level are not the same thing.

Or another example. I have a student – ​​we study business English. When it comes to investments, opening bank accounts, he feels quite confident. The CERF scale defines his level as B2 (Upper-intermediate). However, when his son caught some virus, he was in dire need of words like running nose, sore throat, cough, to explain what happened. And these words are taught at the A2 (Pre-intermediate) level. So which cell should I put him in?

What level do you need to pass an interview in English? According to the CERF scale, you need to have a B2 (Upper-intermediate) level of language proficiency. However, in practice it turns out that if you want to work at the reception in a hotel, a confident pre-intermediate and a friendly smile will suffice. And for someone applying for a management position, a C1 (Advanced) level is not enough. At interviews in American companies, they often ask about achievements, and a candidate from Russia is at a loss. We were all taught modesty. And here it is not even about the language, but about self-presentation skills. Or rather, their absence.

Over 15 years of practice, I have developed my own scale, where there are levels like “Smart dog Sonya: I understand everything, but I can’t say it” — this is when a person has already studied all the textbooks up and down, but falls into a stupor if they are addressed in English. Or “I speak confidently, but there is a mistake in every 2nd sentence.” There is also: “I can say it, but I can’t understand what they are answering”…

When I work with a student individually, I start from the TASK that needs to be solved. For example, if there are problems with listening comprehension, I select videos on professional topics, and in class we analyze them piece by piece. With those who are looking for a job, I conduct mock interviews and teach them to talk passionately about cool projects that the student has implemented.

I probably miss a lot of things. My students might not be able to discuss global warming or share their impressions of a Velazquez painting. And oh, the horror! Not everyone knows how to use the Third Conditional correctly. However, I work with adults, and I understand that they don’t have the strength or time to study every topic in a textbook.

As for the question in the title, I think it should be reformulated as “what problems can/can’t I solve in English?”