What is the GER?
What is the “Gemeinsame Europäische Referenzrahmen für Sprachen” (in English: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)? Anyone engaged in learning a foreign language will, sooner or later, encounter the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR serves to uniformly assess learning achievements or progress in a foreign language. It aims to make various European language certificates comparable and establish a benchmark for acquiring language skills
Understanding the GER
The different GER (CEFR) proficiency levels are initially divided as follows:
A: Basic User
B: Independent User
C: Proficient User
These three categories are further divided into levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. Why is this classification important or helpful for foreign language learners? This classification aids in assessing one’s own abilities and competencies and provides insight into what one should be able to do when intending to enroll in a specific course or take an exam.
A1 – Beginner At this level, one can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very simple sentences. You can introduce yourself and others and ask simple questions, for example about where someone lives, which people someone knows, or what things he owns. Also, you can answer such questions yourself. Generally, you can communicate in a simple way if the other person talks slowly and clearly and is willing to help.
A2 – Elementary At this level, you can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance. This includes information about the person and the family, shopping, work, and hobbies. You can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
B1 – Intermediate At this level, you can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. You can deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in an area where the language is spoken and can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions, and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2 – Upper-Intermediate At this level, you can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialization. Interaction with native speakers is quite possible without strain for either party. You can express yourself clearly and in detail on a wide range of subjects, explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1 – Advanced At this level, you can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. You can use the language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes. You can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices.
C2 – Mastery or Proficiency At this level, you can understand virtually everything heard or read with ease. You can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. You can express yourself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.