Proficiency Level Descriptions

The Scale of Second Language Proficiency Levels for the College Student describes the development of second language proficiency in 10 levels. For each level, it defines what the learner is able to understand orally and in writing.

The proficiency test is made up of a number of items divided into two categories:

  • Items that focus on audio recordings and measure the respondent’s degree of proficiency in oral comprehension;
  • Items that focus on texts and measure the respondent’s degree of proficiency in written comprehension.

Oral Comprehension

The items measuring oral comprehension are based on audio recordings, which vary in length and complexity depending on the target proficiency level. The audio recordings serve as the foundation for the questions appearing in one or more items. 

Each item in oral comprehension includes:

  1. General instructions, given in words and images, which specify what the respondent must do, i.e., read the question and the choice of answers BEFORE listening to the recording;
  2. The audio recording, which starts automatically after a 15-second pause and plays only once. The volume can be adjusted with the slider bar on the screen. The recording can vary in form (audio message, dialogue, discussion, etc.) and provides the basis for the item question; some recordings are accompanied by an image illustrating the context.
  3. The question;
  4. The choice of answers;
  5. The Continue button to go to the next item.

LEVELS 1-2 OC

Level 1

Conditions: In predictable situations, students understand a few isolated words and expressions with the support of the speaker.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand information related to times, dates, telephone numbers, addresses;
  • understand information related to the days of the week and months of the year;
  • identify the parts of the body.

Level 2

Conditions: In predictable situations, students understand simple sentences and short conversations with the support of the speaker.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand information related to colours;
  • understand information and requests;
  • understand information related to an institution;
  • follow directions to find their way around an institution;
  • understand information related to height, weight and age.

LEVELS 3-4 OC

Level 3

Conditions: In predictable situations, students understand the gist of a simple conversation or message.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand information related to measurements;
  • understand information related to a housing or domestic problem;
  • understand information related to leisure or recreation;
  • understand the main idea in an advertisement.

Level 4

Conditions: In predictable situations, students understand the meaning of a simple conversation or message. The topic is familiar, the speech is clear, and the ideas are presented in a direct manner in everyday language.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand the main ideas in a presentation;
  • understand information related to who?, what?, when?, where? questions;
  • understand a telephone message;
  • understand a sequence of events based on time markers;
  • grasp the intention of a message;
  • situate events by identifying time and frequency indicators.

LEVELS 5-6 OC

Level 5

Conditions: In predictable situations, students understand the progression of ideas. The topic is concrete and familiar, the speech is clear, and the ideas are expressed succinctly in everyday language.

More specifically, they can:

  • follow a conversation;
  • understand key points in a presentation;
  • grasp the main ideas in a television or radio show;
  • understand the relationship between speakers;
  • understand the main ideas in a conversation;
  • understand the intention of communication.

Level 6

Conditions: In predictable situations or partially predictable situations, students understand conversations and discourse on concrete topics.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand primary and secondary ideas;
  • distinguish fact from opinion;
  • anticipate a conclusion or recommendation;
  • grasp the relationship between speakers.

LEVELS 7-8 OC

Level 7

Conditions: In predictable situations or partially predictable situations, students understand conversations or discourse on various concrete topics. The language is standard and speech is at a normal rate.

More specifically, they can:

  • follow most conversations with ease;
  • follow a conversation on work or recreational activities;
  • make inferences about the attitudes and emotions of speakers or about the mood of a conversation;
  • understand a variety of common words and popular idiomatic expressions.

Level 8

Conditions: In predictable situations or partially predictable situations, students understand conversations and opinion discourse on various concrete topics.

More specifically, they can:

  • follow most conversations in formal and informal contexts;
  • understand a structured presentation given the presence of questions and answers; markers (first, etc.); and words related to a presentation or opinion (present, think, believe, etc.);
  • distinguish fact from opinion;
  • grasp, comparisons, contrasts, and cause and effect relationships.

LEVELS 9-10 OC

Level 9

Conditions: In sometimes unpredictable situations, students understand conversations and discourse on various, sometimes abstract topics.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand points (for and against) that will facilitate decision-making;
  • distinguish fact from opinion in a discussion or presentation, even when implicit;
  • recognize the tone of a conversation or a presentation;
  • understand abstract remarks.

Level 10

Conditions: In sometimes unpredictable situations, students easily understand conversations and discourse on various sometimes abstract topics.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand criticism or reservations expressed during formal exchanges;
  • follow discourse even when speech is at a fast rate;
  • infer contradictions;
  • deduce the values conveyed by discourse.

Written Comprehension

The items measuring written comprehension are based on written texts, which vary in length and complexity depending on the target proficiency level. The texts serve as the foundation for the questions appearing in one or more items.

Each item in written comprehension includes:

  1. General instructions, given in words and images, which specify what the respondent must do, i.e., read the question and choice of answers BEFORE reading the text;
  2. The text, varying in type (invoice, birthday card, film poster, etc.), which provides the basis for the item question;
  3. The question;
  4. The choice of answers;
  5. The Continue button to go to the next item.

LEVELS 1-2 WC

Level 1

Conditions: Documents are very simple, relate to personal identity and refer to immediate needs. Students understand words, expressions or sentences.

More specifically, they can:

  • recognize everyday words and known names of people and places;
  • recognize common abbreviations;
  • identify the months of the year;
  • find elements related to personal identification to enter in a form. 

Level 2

Conditions: Documents are very simple, relate to personal identity and refer to immediate needs. Students partially understand brief, simple texts.

More specifically, they can:

  • find information in various documents;
  • recognize numbers written out in full;
  • recognize information used in weather forecasts.

LEVELS 3-4 WC

Level 3

Conditions: Documents are very simple or related to advertising and refer to daily life. Students understand the gist of brief, simple texts.

More specifically, they can:

  • understand informative documents;
  • understand brief descriptions;
  • understand information with the help of key words or visual cues;
  • identify basic grammar forms. 

Level 4

Conditions: Documents relate to concrete topics and refer to daily life. The language is simple and common. Students understand a few paragraphs.

More specifically, they can:

  • situate facts, academic events, classroom activities and instructions in time;
  • grasp the sequence of steps in directions;
  • answer general comprehension questions (who?, what?, when?, where?);
  • compare facts in order to make a choice.

LEVELS 5-6 WC

Level 5

Conditions: Documents relate to concrete topics and may include some complex elements, such as certain uncommon words. Students partially understand a few paragraphs.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify information in a news article;
  • identify information in an informative text;
  • demonstrate their understanding by associating information in a text;
  • find relevant information in a notice.

Level 6

Conditions: Documents relate to familiar topics and may include some complex elements, such as uncommon words. Students understand the main information in a one-page text.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify all the pertinent information in a news article;
  • infer the link between paragraphs;
  • identify certain cohesion markers in a text;
  • demonstrate their comprehension of a text made up of complex sentences that contain common relationship markers.

LEVELS 7-8 WC

Level 7

Conditions: Documents relate to subjects of general interest and may include complex elements, such as uncommon words or certain implicit concepts. Students understand the main idea in a text.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify the main idea and secondary ideas;
  • differentiate fact from opinion.

Level 8

Conditions: Documents relate to subjects of general interest and include arguments. Texts may relate to a specific field of study. They include complex elements, such as uncommon words, implicit concepts and abstract ideas. Students understand the main idea in documents of several pages.

More specifically, they can:

  • identify the main idea;
  • recognize different points of view;
  • understand an article related to their field of study;
  • understand a literary text.

LEVELS 9-10 WC

Level 9

Conditions: Documents include various complex elements, and may address unfamiliar or abstract topics. Students understand the main idea in complex documents.

More specifically, they can:

  • recount the author’s arguments;
  • recognize the function of linking words in a text;
  • identify the main idea and pinpoint some details.

Level 10

Conditions: Documents include various complex elements, and address abstract topics. Students understand the main idea, the tone and explanations in complex documents.

More specifically, they can:

  • recognize adjectives, adverbs and other words that convey tone;
  • recognize subtext;
  • recognize the links of cause, intention, time and consequence, expressed by the most common subordinating words.