Language skills: How do I assess my level?
What does the European Framework of Reference specify regarding the different language levels? How do you assess your language skills correctly? How do you correctly indicate your language level in your CV? This article will provide you with the answers.
1 min read
In many job advertisements nowadays, companies require special language skills. More and more companies have international locations, customers or suppliers, so communication and correspondence takes place in English or another language. We'll show you how to properly assess your language skills.
Above all, at least a good level of English is a must in many companies. Any other language in which you have a higher level of proficiency is an advantage. These languages include Spanish, French, but also Russian and Chinese, depending on the company, are a huge advantage in times of globalisation.
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To the job searchCommon European Framework of Reference - What are the levels?
The Common European Framework of Reference defines your language level. There is a rating system that assigns your language proficiency levels.
Your language level is measured in three categories:
- understanding,
- speaking and
- writing
in the respective language.
The Common European Framework of Reference makes all languages comparable, whether English, Spanish, French or Italian. The respective levels of language proficiency are divided from A1 to C2. A1 is the lowest language level and C2 the best. Similar to the grading system in school, there are a total of six language levels for second language evaluation:
- C2 = Language skills at native language level (proficient user)
- C1 = fluent to business fluent language skills (proficient user)
- B2 = fluent language level (independent user)
- B1 = good language skills (independent user)
- A2 = in-depth basic language skills (basic user)
- A1 = first basic language skills (basic user)
There are numerous language tests you can take to certify your language level. After the language test, you will receive a language certificate that indicates the appropriate level of your language skills. The most well-known language tests or certificates include the following: TOEFL, LCCI, GMAT, IELTS, TELC and TOEIC. Furthermore, there is the so-called Cambridge Certificate. Every non-native English speaker who takes a language test at Cambridge University receives such a language certificate. The most common Cambridge certificates are the following: BEC, BULATS, ILEC and ICFE.
Usually these tests are accompanied by a language course and cost between about £130 and £175. However, they are a prerequisite for certain stays abroad or courses of study. Either way, they leave an impression on a potential employer and boost your CV.
However, there are also free language tests available online. With these you can roughly test the level of your language skills. This way you can see where you might still have gaps before you take a language test with a certificate for which you have to pay.
You can take the following language tests free of charge online. But beware that you will not receive a recognised certificate for these language tests.
- Business English Placement Test from F+U Language School Heidelberg
- Business English Placement Test from Sprachtest.de
- French placement test B1 from Cornelsen
- French placement test from Sprachtest.de
- Spanish placement test B1 from Cornelsen
- Spanish placement test from Cervantes
- Italian placement test from Hueber
- Italian placement test from Sprachtest.de
Foreign language skills - What is my language level?
In addition to taking a language test, you can also assess your foreign language skills in understanding, speaking and writing yourself using the following tables.
Using the Common European Framework of Reference, the levels for all languages are comparable, so it doesn't matter whether you want to find out your level in English, Spanish or French.
Part I: Understanding a foreign language
| Level | Listening | Reading |
| C2 | You have no problems understanding spoken language, whether in real life or in a medium. Even when it is spoken very quickly. You just need some time to get used to the accent. | You can read any text in the appropriate language without effort, regardless of whether it is abstract or complex in terms of language or content. |
| C1 | You can follow longer speech even if it is not clearly structured and the contexts are not explicitly expressed. You can understand TV programmes and films with little effort. | You can understand long, complex and literary (non-fiction) texts and identify differences in style. You can also understand professional articles and longer (technical) instructions, even if they are not related to your subject. |
| B2 | You can understand long speech and lectures and follow complex arguments if you are somewhat familiar with the subject. You can understand most TV news programmes, current affairs reports and feature films as long as the standard language is spoken. | You can read and understand reports and articles about current issues where the author has a stance or point of view. You understand contemporary literary prose texts. |
| B1 | You understand the main points when clear standard language is spoken and when you know things from work, study, school and leisure. You can get the main information about current events and about topics in your field of work or interest from radio or TV broadcasts if they are spoken slowly and clearly. | You understand texts that primarily contain very common everyday or professional language. You can understand private letters that tell of feelings, events and wishes. |
| A2 | You can understand individual sentences and common words about topics that are important to you (family, yourself, shopping, work, immediate environment). You understand the essence of clear, short and simple messages or announcements. | You can read simple, short texts. You can identify predictable, specific content in simple everyday texts (advertisements, menus, timetables) and understand simple, short personal letters. |
| A1 | You understand familiar words and very simple sentences that refer to yourself, your family or to specific things in your environment when spoken slowly and clearly. | You understand individual familiar words, names and very simple sentences, for example on signs, posters or catalogues. |
Part II: Speaking a foreign language
| Level | Participation in conversation | Coherent speech |
| C2 | You can participate effortlessly in all discussions and conversations and also know idioms and colloquial expressions well. You can speak fluently and express subtle nuances of meaning accurately. You can start again smoothly after difficulties of expression and rephrase it in such a way that it is hardly noticed. | You can present and explain issues clearly, fluently and in a style appropriate to the situation. You can construct presentations logically so that the audience recognises and remembers the main points. |
| C1 | You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without searching for words very often. You can use the foreign language in your private and professional life. You can express your opinions and thoughts clearly and link your comments cleverly with those of others. | You can present complex issues in detail, linking points, elaborating on specific aspects and concluding appropriately. |
| B2 | You can communicate fluently and spontaneously, so that a conversation with a native speaker is quite possible. You can actively participate in a discussion in familiar situations and justify and defend your point of view. | You can give a clear and detailed account of many topics in your field of interest. You can explain your opinion on current issues and give advantages and disadvantages of different options. |
| B1 | You can cope with most situations you encounter when travelling in areas where this language is spoken. You can participate without preparation in conversation topics that are familiar to you, that interest you or are everyday topics such as family, work, hobbies, travel and current events. | You can speak in easy coherent sentences to relate experiences and events or dreams, hopes and goals. You can briefly explain and justify your plans and opinions. You can tell stories or recount the plot of a film or book and tell about your reactions. |
| A2 | You can communicate in simple, routine situations involving a simple, direct exchange of information and familiar activities and topics. You can have a very short contact conversation, but you usually don't understand enough to keep the conversation going yourself. | You can use a series of sentences and rather simple means to describe your family, other people, your living situation, your education and your current or last job. |
| A1 | You can communicate in a simple way if the other person is willing to repeat more slowly or say differently and helps you to formulate your sentence according to what you want to say. You can ask and answer simple questions about immediately necessary things and very familiar topics. | You can use simple phrases and sentences to describe people you know and where you live. |
Part III: Writing a foreign language
| Level | Writing |
| C2 | You can write clearly, fluently and in a style appropriate to the purpose. You can write sophisticated letters and complex articles or reports that show the facts in a well-structured way and help the reader to recognise the main points and remember them. You can summarise and discuss specialised works and literary works in writing. |
| C1 | You can express yourself clearly and well-structured in writing and discuss your opinion in detail. You can write about complex issues in essays, letters or reports and highlight the essential aspects. You can choose a style for your writing that is appropriate for the reader. |
| B2 | You can write clear and detailed texts about many topics that interest you. In a report or essay, you can give information or present arguments and counter-arguments for and against a certain point of view. You can write letters and make the personal meaning of experiences and events clear in them. |
| B1 | You can write simple coherent texts on familiar topics that interest you. You can write personal letters about your impressions and experiences. |
| A2 | You can write simple, short notes and messages. You can write very simple personal letters. |
| A1 | You can write a short postcard with holiday greetings, you can fill in forms, for example in hotels: Name, address, nationality and so on. |
Depending on which statements apply to you and your language skills, you have a certain level in this foreign language. The language level may differ in the three different categories (understanding, speaking, writing). This means that you can, for example, have foreign language skills in understanding at level C1 and in speaking at B2, but only at A2 in writing.
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To the job searchLanguage skills in my CV - How do I do it right?
In principle, foreign language skills will be in a separate category in your CV. This category is usually called "Language skills" and is located in the lower section of your CV.
When indicating your language skills, it is important that you indicate both the language and your corresponding level. If you have a certificate, you can see what your language level is. If you don't have a certificate, you can take a free online test (see above) or try to rank your language skills using the tables.
It is possible to specify your language skills as follows: "English C1", but also "good knowledge of English". In any case, you should decide on one way of stating your skills and apply it consistently to all languages.
Tip: Don't understate your language skills, but tend to sell yourself more positively, which makes you look more confident and boosts your CV. However, you should not overdo it and state that your language level is C2 when it is actually B2. Otherwise, it could be a very unpleasant moment for you at your job interview if the language is suddenly changed.
Furthermore, it is helpful for recruiters if you state in your CV where you got your language skills from, for example:
"Spanish (B2), semester abroad with language course" or "English (C1), 8 years of learning English at school and Cambridge Certificate".
If you have certificates of a language course or certificates of your language skills, you should include them in the attachment to your application, especially if language skills are explicitly required in the job advertisement.
Note: It is not common to state skills in dead languages such as Latin and Ancient Greek in your CV. Unless they are relevant to the job. In this case it is enough to provide these as : "Latin Proficiency Certificate" or "Graecum".
You can also mention your language skills in your cover letter. For example, you might refer to work- or study-related experience with a language:
"Since my current employer has other locations abroad, communication in the team and correspondence usually takes place in English, and to that extent I am familiar with the English language at work." or
"Thanks to my semester abroad, I am familiar with studying and communicating in Spanish, both on a recreational level and more specialised."
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