Module 3:
3.1 The CEFR levels and competences in spoken communication
When assessing speaking performance always refer to CEFR descriptors, not personal impressions. Focus on what the candidate can do rather than what they cannot do. Use the CEFR as a shared reference to maintain fairness, reliability, and transparency in scoring.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an internationally recognized scale that describes language proficiency across six main levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. It provides a common standard for assessing and interpreting what language users can do in listening, reading, writing, and speaking, regardless of the context or country.
Main uses
The table below describes each of the uses of this international standard in English teaching.
General view of CEFR levels
Watch the video and complete the following text with one word in each space.
Actividad espacios en blanco
Read the information regarding the CEFR levels of spoken competence.
This introduction relates to the summary of general descriptors and the level-specific descriptors from A1 to C2, which form the interpretive foundation for examiner judgment in EXAVER exams. General Descriptors provide a broad, level-independent reference for communicative competence, while the specific descriptors illustrate how this competence is realized at each CEFR level across skills and performance features. A clear understanding of both is essential to ensure consistent interpretation of candidate performance, accurate level differentiation, and alignment with standardized rating criteria during assessment and moderation processes.
The following table summarizes the general descriptors of all the levels of language competence described in the CEFR. The first column lists the six levels of competence followed by a descriptor summary. After the descriptor summary you can find a tip for examiners to focus on when they listen to candidates’ spoken language production.
| Level | General Descriptor |
|---|---|
| C2 | Can produce clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured discourse with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points. |
| C1 | Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on complex subjects, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion. |
| B2+ | Can give clear, systematically developed descriptions and presentations, with appropriate highlighting of significant points, and relevant supporting detail. |
| B2 | Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects related to their field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples. |
| B1 | Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of a variety of subjects within their field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence of points. |
| A2 | Can give a simple description or presentation of people, living or working conditions, daily routines. likes/dislikes, etc. as a short series of simple phrases and sentences linked into a list. |
| A1 | Can produce simple, mainly isolated phrases about people and places. |
Overall oral interaction
| C2 | Has a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms with awareness of connotative levels of meaning. Can convey finer shades of meaning precisely by using, with reasonable accuracy, a wide range of modification devices. Can backtrack and restructure around a difficulty so smoothly that the interlocutor is hardly aware of it. |
| C1 | Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Has a good command of a broad lexical repertoire allowing gaps to be readily overcome with circumlocutions. There is little obvious searching for expressions or avoidance strategies; only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language. |
| B2+ | Can use the language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of general, academic, vocational or leisure topics, marking clearly the relationships between ideas. Can communicate spontaneously with good grammatical control without much sign of having to restrict what they want to say, adopting a level of formality appropriate to the circumstances. |
| B2 | Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction, and sustained relationships with users of the target language, quite possible without imposing strain on either party. Can highlight the personal significance of events and experiences, and account for and sustain views clearly by providing relevant explanations and arguments. |
| B1+ | Can communicate with some confidence on familiar routine and non-routine matters related to their interests and professional field. Can exchange, check and confirm information, deal with less routine situations and explain why something is a problem. Can express thoughts on more abstract, cultural topics such as films, books, music, etc. |
| B1 | Can exploit a wide range of simple language to deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling. Can enter unprepared into conversation on familiar topics, and express personal opinions and exchange information on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events). |
| A2+ | Can interact with reasonable ease in structured situations and short conversations, provided the other person helps if necessary. Can manage simple, routine exchanges without undue effort; can ask and answer questions and exchange ideas and information on familiar topics in predictable everyday situations. |
| A2 | Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters to do with work and free time. Can handle very short social exchanges but is rarely able to understand enough to keep conversation going of their own accord. |
| A1 | Can interact in a simple way but communication is totally dependent on repetition at a slower rate, rephrasing and repair. Can ask and answer simple questions, initiate and respond to simple statements in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics. |
| Pre-A1 | Can ask and answer questions about themselves and daily routines, using short, formulaic expressions and relying on gestures to reinforce the information. |
Conversation
| C2 | Can converse comfortably and appropriately, unhampered by any linguistic limitations in conducting a full social and personal life. |
| C1 | Can use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage. |
| B2+ | Can establish a relationship with interlocutors through sympathetic questioning and expressions of agreement plus, if appropriate, comments about third parties or shared conditions. |
| B2+ | Can indicate reservations and reluctance, state conditions when agreeing to requests or granting permission, and ask for understanding of their own position. |
| B2 | Can engage in extended conversation on most general topics in a clearly participatory fashion, even in a [audially/visually] noisy environment. |
| B2 | Can sustain relationships with users of the target language without unintentionally amusing or irritating them or requiring them to behave other than they would with another proficient language user. |
| B2 | Can convey degrees of emotion and highlight the personal significance of events and experiences. |
| B1+ | Can start up a conversation and help keep it going by asking people relatively spontaneous questions about a special experience or event, expressing reactions and opinions on familiar subjects. |
| B1+ | Can have relatively long conversations on subjects of common interest, provided the interlocutor makes an effort to support understanding. |
| B1 | Can enter unprepared into conversations on familiar topics. |
| B1 | Can follow clearly articulated language directed at them in everyday conversation, though will sometimes have to ask for repetition of particular words/signs. |
| B1 | Can maintain a conversation or discussion but may sometimes be difficult to follow when trying to express exactly what they would like to. |
| B1 | Can express and respond to feelings such as surprise, happiness, sadness, interest and indifference. |
| A2+ | Can establish social contact (e.g. greetings and farewells, introductions, giving thanks). |
| A2+ | Can generally understand clear, standard language on familiar matters directed at them, provided they can ask for repetition or reformulation from time to time. |
| A2+ | Can participate in short conversations in routine contexts on topics of interest. |
| A2+ | Can express how they feel in simple terms, and express thanks. |
| A2+ | Can ask for a favour (e.g. to borrow something), can offer a favour, and can respond if someone asks them to do a favour for them. |
| A2 | Can handle very short social exchanges but is rarely able to understand enough to keep conversation going of their own accord, though they can be made to understand if the interlocutor will take the trouble. |
| A2 | Can use simple, everyday, polite forms of greeting and address. |
| A2 | Can converse in simple language with peers, colleagues or members of a host family, asking questions and understanding answers relating to most routine matters. |
| A2 | Can make and respond to invitations, suggestions and apologies. |
| A2 | Can express how they are feeling, using very basic stock expressions. |
| A2 | Can state what they like and dislike. |
| A1 | Can understand everyday expressions aimed at the satisfaction of simple needs of a concrete type, delivered directly to them in clear, slow and repeated language by a sympathetic interlocutor. |
| A1 | Can take part in a simple conversation of a basic factual nature on a predictable topic (e.g. their home country, family, school). |
| A1 | Can make an introduction and use basic greeting and leave-taking expressions. |
| A1 | Can ask how people are and react to news. |
| Pre-A1 | Can understand and use basic, formulaic expressions such as “Yes”, “No”, “Excuse me”, “Please”, “Thank you”, “No thank you”, “Sorry”. |
| Pre-A1 | Can recognise simple greetings. |
| Pre-A1 | Can greet people, state their name and take leave in a simple way. |
The following tables list more specific aspects of each CEFR competence level.
| Level A1 (Breakthrough) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can produce simple phrases/sentences for basic needs; very short, rehearsed exchanges. |
| Key Communicative Competences
Range: memorised phrases |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
| Level A2 (Waystage) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can manage short, routine exchanges and social interactions with support. |
| Key Communicative Competences Range: phrases for familiar topics |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
| Level B1 (Threshold) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can maintain connected speech on familiar topics; manages travel situations. |
| Key Communicative Competences
Range: adequate everyday vocabulary; can
paraphrase |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
| Level B2 (Vantage) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can interact fluently/spontaneously and participate actively in discussions. |
| Key Communicative Competences Range: broad; can reformulate |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
| Level C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can express complex ideas fluently, spontaneously, and precisely. |
| Key Communicative Competences Range: flexible, idiomatic |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
| Level C2 (Mastery) |
|---|
| Overall Spoken Ability Can communicate effortlessly and with precision in any context; near-native mastery. |
| Key Communicative Competences Range: virtually unlimited |
| Representative Can-do statements
|
Read each statement carefully. Decide whether it is True (T) or False (F) based on the CEFR level descriptions provided.
Genially true/false
Read the next examples on different levels of competence.
Example 1: Read the following samples of spoken production of the topic of routines and general truths from A1 to C2. Focus on fluency, range, and accuracy in the use of present simple for routines and general truths. Observe lexical variety, connectors, and the complexity of sentence structures. Compare candidate speech to CEFR descriptors to assign a level fairly and consistently. Distinguish between personal routines and general truths; higher levels often combine both with reasoning or commentary.
Example 2: Now read the table with speech samples comparing two people from A1 to C2, with highlighted words for examiners. Complete the spaces with one key word in each one.
Sample Speech (Comparing Two People)
“Tom is tall. Jim is short. Tom is older than Jim. Jim is young.”
Examiner Notes
Very short sentences; simple vocabulary; basic comparisons; minimal connectors; mainly physical description.
Sample Speech (Comparing Two People)
Examiner Notes
- Focus on fluency, range, and accuracy in the use of present simple for routines and general truths.
- Observe lexical variety, connectors, and the complexity of sentence structures.
- Compare candidate speech to CEFR descriptors to assign a level fairly and consistently.
- Distinguish between personal routines and general truths; higher levels often combine both with reasoning or commentary.
3.2 Aligning the CEFR levels with EXAVER tests
This section provides EXAVER examiners with a clear reference for understanding how EXAVER levels 1, 2, and 3 relate to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This alignment supports consistent score interpretation, rating decisions, and reporting practices, while reinforcing standardization across administrations. It is important to note that EXAVER exams are not a CEFR-branded examination. EXAVER follows global standards, but its design lies in O’Sullivan’s socio-cognitive framework which is based on a specific context, test takers’ needs.
| EXAVER | CEFR | Proficiency Profile |
|---|---|---|
| EXAVER 1 | A2 | Basic user |
| EXAVER 2 | B1 | Independent user |
| EXAVER 3 | B2 | Upper-intermediate user |
Candidates performing at EXAVER 1 typically demonstrate the ability to:
- Understand short, simple spoken and written texts related to everyday needs.
- Use memorized phrases and basic grammatical structures.
- Participate in brief, rehearsed interactions with significant support.
- Communicate basic meaning, despite frequent errors and limited range.
Examiner focus: At this level, examiners should prioritize overall communicative success rather than accuracy. Performance is characterized by restricted autonomy and heavy reliance on familiar language.
Candidates at EXAVER 2 are generally able to:
- Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar topics.
- Produce connected spoken and written discourse describing experiences, opinions, and plans.
- Demonstrate increasing grammatical control, with errors that do not usually obscure meaning.
- Manage routine interactions and respond to less predictable situations.
Examiner focus: This level represents a shift toward independent language use. Examiners should evaluate candidates’ ability to sustain communication, organize ideas, and maintain intelligibility across tasks.
Candidates achieving EXAVER 3 typically:
- Understand the main ideas of complex texts, including abstract or technical topics.
- Interact with fluency and spontaneity, showing minimal strain for interlocutors.
- Produce clear, detailed, and well-structured responses.
- Demonstrate effective control of grammar and vocabulary, with occasional non-systematic errors.
Examiner focus: At this level, examiners should consider range, precision, and discourse control in addition to communicative effectiveness. Performance reflects readiness for academic and professional language demands.
Standardization Reminder for Examiners
- CEFR references are used to anchor examiner judgments, not to replace EXAVER-specific rating criteria.
- All scoring decisions must be based on EXAVER descriptors, rubrics, and standardization materials.
- Consistent interpretation of levels across examiners is essential for validity, reliability, and fairness in test results.
