Language stages
These are the levels of competency that you will be expected to have before beginning a course at each stage and the level of competency you will reach at the end of each course.
The level of competency you will be expected to have before beginning a course is indicated in the course title. Students interested in our language courses should determine their level of competency before enrolling on a course.
Students who enrol on our pathway to a degree in modern languages are required to start at stage E or above.
We have also noted which Common European Framework Reference (CEFR) each stage corresponds to.
Levels of competency
Determining your level of language competency can be difficult but we have developed a set of descriptions to help:
| Recommended level of competence at entry | Stage | Level of competence reached at end of the module | CEFR |
|---|---|---|---|
| You have no previous knowledge of the language. | A | Basic survival skills: understanding basic written and spoken texts; taking part in simple conversation; conveying simple information in writing. | Preparation for A1 |
| A+ | Stage A+ has been created as a bridge between Stage A and Stage B. | Preparation for A1 | |
| You may have studied the language a long time ago and you may be a bit rusty now (one year's part-time study or 'rusty' GCSE in the language studied). | B | You should have sufficient vocabulary for coping with everyday situations with predictable content and simple survival needs. You should be able to handle very short social exchanges. You should be able to understand a simple description. | Preparation for A2 |
| You may have acquired survival skills in the language and had some opportunity to use the language recently (two years' part-time study or a good recent GCSE pass in the language studied). | C | You should be able to confidently cope with everyday situations. You should be able to make and respond to invitations, apologies etc. You should be able to understand a simple and direct exchange of limited information on familiar and routine matters. | Preparation for A2 |
| You may have had a good command of the language some time ago and you want to re-activate and build upon your comprehension and expression (three years' part-time study or 'rusty' A-level in the language studied). | D | You should have enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to understand topics such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events. You should be able to understand the main points in an idea or problem with reasonable precision. | Preparation for B1 |
| You have recently completed an A-level in the language studied and you are ready to take it a step further (four year's part-time study or A-level in the language studied). | E | You should have a sufficient range of language to be able to understand descriptions and arguments on most topics related to family, hobbies and interests, work, travel and current events. You should be able to identify unfamiliar words from the context on topics related to your field or interests. | Preparation for B1 |
| You have a very good working knowledge of the language and you want a stimulating course to match and stretch your competencies (five years part-time study or advanced stage E). | F | You should be able with some effort to be able to keep up with fast and colloquial discussions. You should be able to understand detailed information reliably. | Preparation for B1/B2 |
| You have an excellent command of the language and use it on a regular basis. This level will enhance your near-native language skills (six years part-time study or advanced stage F). | G/H | You should have a good command of broad lexical repertoire and a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms. You should be able to understand language effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage. | Preparation for B2/C1 |
Contact us
If you have any queries or need any further information about deciding on a stage to study, please contact:
