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Free English level test (A1 to C2)
36 questions, 6 for each CEFR band. The test scores in your browser and shows which level to study next. Nothing is sent anywhere.
How the test works
36 questions, six bands
The questions are ordered from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient), with 6 questions per band. The first questions use simple present sentences; the last ones test advanced patterns such as inversion and cleft sentences.
A band passes at 4 of 6 correct
Each question has one correct answer. A band counts as passed when you answer at least 4 of its 6 questions correctly. A blank answer counts as wrong.
Your level is the highest band passed
Every lower band must also pass. If you pass B1 but fail A2, the result is A1, because the levels build on each other. If A1 itself does not pass, the result is Below A1, and the test shows which basics to review.
Review every answer
After you press Score my test, the page shows the correct answer for every question and the rule behind it. Each band gets its own row, so you can see exactly where the score dropped.
This is a study tool, not an official exam. Only an exam board can issue a CEFR certificate. The method above is written on the page so you can judge the result for yourself.
The test
Answer all 36 questions, then press Score my test. You can skip a question, but an unanswered question counts as wrong. Nothing is sent anywhere: the scoring runs in your browser. You can also read every answer and explanation in the page source.
A1: Beginner
6 questionsShe ___ a student at this school.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. is The verb be takes is with she, he and it.
I ___ coffee every morning.
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Answer: B. drink Present simple with I uses the base verb: drink. The -s form belongs to he, she and it.
This is my brother. ___ name is Tom.
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Answer: C. His Brother is male, so the possessive is his. Her belongs to a female owner.
There ___ two books on the table.
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Answer: D. are There are takes a plural noun. There is takes a singular noun.
We ___ to the park yesterday.
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Answer: A. went Yesterday is finished time, so the past simple of go is went.
___ you like ice cream?
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Answer: B. Do Questions in the present simple with you use do. Does belongs to he, she and it.
A2: Elementary
6 questionsI have lived in this city ___ 2020.
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Answer: C. since Since names the starting point of an open period. For measures a length of time.
She is ___ than her sister.
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Answer: D. taller Short adjectives make the comparative with -er: taller than.
We ___ television when the phone rang.
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Answer: A. were watching A longer action in progress takes the past continuous: were watching. The phone rang in the middle of it.
If it ___ tomorrow, we will stay inside.
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Answer: B. rains The first conditional uses the present simple in the if-clause: if it rains.
He ___ his homework already.
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Answer: C. has finished Already signals the present perfect, which links the finished action to now: has finished.
You ___ smoke in the hospital. It is forbidden.
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Answer: D. must not Must not means it is forbidden. Do not have to means it is not necessary.
B1: Intermediate
6 questionsThe letter ___ yesterday morning.
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Answer: A. was sent Past simple passive: was sent. The letter receives the action, and the doer is unknown.
She asked me where I ___.
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Answer: B. lived Reported questions move the tense back and use statement order: where I lived.
I look forward to ___ from you.
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Answer: C. hearing In look forward to, "to" is a preposition, so the next verb takes -ing.
He ___ in London for five years before he moved to Dublin.
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Answer: D. had lived Past perfect shows the earlier of two past events: he had lived there first, then he moved.
If I ___ more free time, I would travel more.
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Answer: A. had The second conditional uses the past simple in the if-clause for an imaginary present: if I had.
I enjoy ___ books in the evening.
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Answer: B. reading Enjoy always takes the gerund: enjoy reading.
B2: Upper intermediate
6 questionsBy the time we arrived, the film ___.
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Answer: C. had started By the time marks an event that was already complete: the film had started.
She said she ___ the report the day before.
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Answer: D. had finished Past simple moves back to past perfect in reported speech: had finished.
The new bridge ___ next year.
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Answer: A. will be completed Future passive: will be plus the past participle completed.
He denied ___ the money.
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Answer: B. stealing Deny takes the gerund: deny stealing.
I wish I ___ how to swim.
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Answer: C. knew Wish about the present takes the past simple: I wish I knew. The past form shows the situation is not real.
Hardly ___ the room when the phone rang.
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Answer: D. had I entered A negative adverb at the start (hardly) causes inversion: had I entered.
C1: Advanced
6 questionsNot only ___ the deadline, but she also improved the design.
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Answer: A. did she meet After "not only" at the start of a clause, the auxiliary comes before the subject: did she meet.
He is reported ___ the country last week.
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Answer: B. to have left The reporting is now, and the action is earlier, so the perfect infinitive is correct: to have left.
I would rather you ___ that to anyone.
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Answer: C. did not mention I would rather plus a different subject takes the past subjunctive: I would rather you did not mention it.
___ for your help, I would have failed the exam.
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Answer: D. Had it not been A third conditional can drop "if" and invert: Had it not been for your help.
The committee approved the plan, ___ was surprising.
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Answer: A. which A non-defining relative clause after a comma uses which, not that.
By this time next year, she ___ her degree.
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Answer: B. will have finished An action complete before a future point takes the future perfect: will have finished.
C2: Proficient
6 questions___ his efforts, the project failed.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Despite Despite is a preposition and takes a noun phrase. Although needs a full clause with a subject and verb.
Seldom ___ such a remarkable performance.
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Answer: D. have I seen Seldom at the start triggers inversion: seldom have I seen.
The proposal, ___ merits are clear, still needs funding.
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Answer: A. whose Whose shows possession in a relative clause. Of which is possible only in a different structure, such as "the merits of which".
She spoke ___ she knew the subject intimately.
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Answer: B. as if As if introduces an imagined situation, and the past form knew marks it as unreal.
No sooner had he sat down ___ the bell rang.
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Answer: C. than The fixed pair is no sooner ... than. Scarcely and hardly pair with when.
It was not until midnight ___ he finished the report.
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Answer: D. that The cleft sentence "It was not until ... that ..." fixes the time in focus.
Your result
| Level | Correct | Band result |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
| A2 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
| B1 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
| B2 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
| C1 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
| C2 | 0 / 6 | Not passed |
A band passes at 4 of 6. The line in each bar marks the pass mark.
What each CEFR level means
| Level | Name | A person at this level can... |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Beginner | Introduce yourself, ask simple questions, understand slow, clear speech about everyday things. |
| A2 | Elementary | Handle short, routine conversations, describe your background and immediate needs. |
| B1 | Intermediate | Deal with travel and work situations, describe experiences and give short reasons and opinions. |
| B2 | Upper intermediate | Discuss most topics with fluency, understand the main ideas of complex texts, write clear, detailed text. |
| C1 | Advanced | Use English flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. |
| C2 | Proficient | Understand almost everything, summarise information from several sources and express fine shades of meaning. |
The bands come from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The table above paraphrases the official descriptors in plain English.
What to study next
Match your result with the drills below. Every drill marks answers instantly and explains the rule.
- A1: articles, irregular verbs and prepositions of time and place.
- A2: present perfect vs past simple, modal verbs and prepositions.
- B1: conditionals, reported speech and the passive voice.
- B2: conditionals type 2 and 3, reported speech and the passive voice.
- C1: gerund vs infinitive, the passive voice and reported speech.
- C2: the hardest verbs and patterns on every drill page.
Browse all grammar topics or see the CEFR level map.
Level test questions
Is this an official CEFR test?
No. This is a free study tool. Official CEFR certificates come from exam boards such as Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL and Trinity. This test gives you a working estimate and a per-level breakdown, so you know what to study next.
How long does the test take?
Most people finish in 15 to 20 minutes. There is no timer, and you can leave a question blank, although a blank counts as a wrong answer in the score.
Why does a level pass at 4 of 6 questions?
Four correct answers out of six is 67 per cent, which is high enough that lucky guesses rarely pass a whole level, and low enough that one careless mistake does not drop you a band. The real signal comes from passing several bands in a row.
Can I take the test more than once?
Yes. The test is free and unlimited, and nothing is saved. Each visit starts fresh, so you can retake it after a few weeks of practice and compare the result.