Understand your English level

Sam Colley
Reading time: 4 minutes

Learning English as a second language is a journey that can be fun and tough. A key part of this journey is knowing your current skill level. The Global Scale of English (GSE) helps learners check their skills. The GSE is a scale from 10 to 90 that measures English ability. It gives clear information about what learners can do at each level. In this blog, we’ll look at how to find out your English level using GSE scores, levels, and "I can..." statements.

Why understanding your English level matters

You may wonder, ‘Why is it important for me to know my language level’? If you start studying without knowing your skill level, you might feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or find learning too easy and be put off or not make any learning progress.
Knowing your English level helps you in many ways, such as to:

  1. Set realistic goals: Tailor your learning objectives to your current abilities.
  2. Choose appropriate materials: Select books, courses, and resources that match your proficiency.
  3. Track progress: Measure improvement over time and stay motivated.

GSE levels and what they mean

The GSE levels range from Starter to Expert, each with specific "I can..." statements that describe what you should be able to do at that level. Here’s a breakdown of each level, along with some practical examples:

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GSE 10-19: Starter – CEFR <A1

At this level, you can use and understand a small number of words and phrases.

For example: You can say hello and introduce yourself. Simple phrases like "My name is John" or "How are you?" are within your grasp.

GSE 20-29: Beginner – CEFR <A1-A1

As a beginner, you can ask and answer simple questions, write short sentences, and share personal information.

For example: You can order food and drink in a simple way. For instance, you might say, "I would like a coffee, please," or "Where is the bathroom?"

GSE 30-39: Pre-intermediate – CEFR A2+

At this stage, you can talk about everyday topics and understand the main information in conversations.

For example: You can make a hotel reservation over the phone. You might say, "I need a room for two nights," or "Do you have free Wi-Fi?"

GSE 40-49: Intermediate – CEFR B1

Intermediate learners can share their opinions, explain their reasoning, and write longer texts, such as short essays.

For example: You can describe your weekend plans. For example, "This weekend, I am going to visit my grandparents and go hiking."

GSE 50-59: High Intermediate – CEFR B1+

At this level, you can lead and participate in conversations on familiar and unfamiliar topics, and write documents expressing opinion or fact, such as reports and articles.

For example: You can make a complaint. You might say, "I am not satisfied with the service because my order was incorrect."

GSE 60-69: Pre-advanced – CEFR B1-B2

Pre-advanced learners can speak more fluently about a broad range of topics and share detailed ideas and explanations in writing.

For example: You can understand a wide range of TV shows and films. For example, you can follow the plot and dialogue of a drama series without subtitles.

GSE 70-79: Advanced – CEFR B2+-C1

At the advanced level, you can speak fluently in personal, professional, and academic contexts and understand unfamiliar topics, even colloquialisms.

For example: You can make and understand jokes using word-play. For instance, you might understand a pun or a play on words in a conversation.

GSE 80-90: Expert – CEFR C1-C2

Expert learners can talk spontaneously, fluently, and precisely, read and write documents with ease, and understand spoken English in all contexts.

For example: You can participate in fast-paced conversations on complex topics. You might discuss global economic issues or debate philosophical ideas with ease.

Assessing your English proficiency

To accurately find out your GSE level, consider taking a standardized test that provides a GSE score. Many language schools and online platforms offer assessments specifically designed to measure your English proficiency according to the GSE framework or you could try the app Test of English (PTE) or app English International Certificate (PEIC).

Understanding yourself to improve your English study

Understanding your English level as an ESL learner is an essential step in mastering the language. Whether you're a beginner who can recognize simple greetings or an advanced learner who can understand complex arguments in newspaper articles, the GSE provides a clear pathway for your language learning journey so you can clearly see where you stand and what you need to work on next.

Read our blog posts ‘Learning a language while working full-time’ and ‘English conversation mistakes to avoid’

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    How can teachers encourage parents to get kids reading at home?

    By Donatella Fitzgerald MBE

    “Sharing a story with your child is one of the most incredible things you can do for them.” – .

    Research shows that getting kids reading at home can increase their reading ability at school – and improve their overall well-being. Parents and guardians can make a big difference. But how can teachers encourage parents to get their children to read more at home? We explore some strategies you can use.

    Tell parents about the benefits

    Reading can give children a break from technology-centered activities. It can help them to relax and unwind; reading a book can make children laugh and feel happier! Through hearing stories, children are also exposed to a rich and broad vocabulary.

    “It is important for teachers to establish contact with parents as much as possible and give very clear guidelines on the benefits of reading, and how they can create a reading routine and help their children read at home,” says Kasia Janitz-De La Rue, Product Development Director at app.

    So, encourage parents to find time for a reading routine. Just before bedtime is a great time, as .

    Give parents practical ideas for reading strategies

    Encourage parents to read with and not to their child. It doesn’t matter how long they set aside to read – just 10 minutes of quality reading time can make a big difference.

    Here are a few tips concrete reading tips for teachers to share with parents:

    • Ask children lots of questions while reading.
    • Use encouragement and praise to keep children engaged. Saying things like “what fantastic ideas” or “you thought so carefully about that, what might happen now?"will keep their minds working.
    • Use their past experiences to talk about what’s being read. Things like “have you learnt about…at school?” or “do you remember when we watched…and found out about…?” are good conversation starters.
    • Tune in and listen to children, and be curious about their interests. “I didn’t know you knew so much about…” or “I love reading stories about…with you,” are good phrases to keep in mind.

    It’s also a great idea to share online resources with parents. You can also suggest that parents look up read-aloud YouTube videos featuring authors, teachers or librarians reading their favorite stories. This way, children can watch and listen as often as they like.

    Recommend graded readers

    Graded readers are books that use language in line with a child‘s learning level. They can help children build confidence, and help slowly expose them to authentic reading levels.

    Encourage parents to identify what genre their child is interested in and show them the readers available. Each time parents see their children move up a level, they’re sure to see their children’s love for reading grow.

    Suggest before, during, and after reading activities

    Before reading

    Parents can take turns with their children to predict what the story is about – or what will happen next. Here is an activity teachers may suggest they try:

    “Start with the cover of the book and the blurb on the back cover. Reveal the cover slowly to ask the child what they can see. Ask them to guess what is on the cover. Once they have seen the cover, ask them questions about the images on the cover – who, what, why, where and how?”

    While reading

    Remind parents to focus on their children’s reading comprehension by using strategies like prediction, questioning, clarifying, and summarising. Teachers can ask parents to:

    • check ideas and understanding as the child reads: ‘So, you think that….’ ‘Did you expect…to happen?’ ‘Why do you think that happened?’
    • use the pictures in the book to help with comprehension
    • describe what is happening and talk about the characters.

    After reading

    Don’t forget: parents can continue to explore the book’s topic once reading time is done! A few ideas to share with parents include:

    • organising a puppet show for family members and siblings after making puppets of the characters in the book
    • having children draw a picture of their favorite character or their favorite page in the story
    • encouraging children to express their opinion on the book.