Website currently under development - Re-opening in 2025
 

Online Language Level Test

Our online level tests are simple to complete and free to use. The results of your level test will be sent directly to your email address. This is a great way to find out, in a short period of time, exactly how good your language is.

Each online level test is a multiple-choice grammar test that gives you an approximate indication of your language level, based on the Common European and American Council Reference framework. Cactus online level tests are designed to produce for beginner to advanced level and are straight-forward to complete. The tests do not assess the skills of speaking, listing, reading and writing therefore to gain a more comprehensive understanding of your true level please refer to our level descriptions.

Each language level test consists of 40 questions. You do not have to answer them all. Please only answer questions to which you know the answer. The result of the test assumes that you did not guess any of the answers. All students taking a course that is not a Beginners course must take the online level test to ensure they are placed in the correct group for their ability. Have a question? Why not Download our free Language Holidays Brochure for Adults?

Cactus also offers courses for English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and many other languages for adults and junior language programmes for English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Choose your language level test below:

Arabic language test
Cantonese language test
Croatian language test
Czech language test
Danish language test
Dutch language test
English language test
French language test
German language test
Greek language test
Hebrew language test
Hindi language test
Italian language test
Japanese language test
Korean language test
Mandarin language test
Norwegian language test
Polish language test
Portuguese language test
Russian language test
Spanish language test
Swedish language test
Thai language test
Turkish language test

Our Levels Explained

CEFR*/ ACTFL** Reference

CEFR*
Level Names

ACTFL**
Level Names

Cactus
Levels

A1 Beginner Novice
(Low/Mid/High)
Beginner
A2 Elementary Intermediate
(Low/Mid)
Elementary
B1 Intermediate Intermediate High Intermediate
B2 Upper Intermediate Advanced
(Low/Mid/High)
Upper Intermediate
C1 Advanced Superior Advanced
C2 Proficient Distinguished Proficient

Our course levels are based on these internationally recognised systems:

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines (ACTFL)

Level Descriptions

BEGINNER

Test score: 0-9

Take our online level test to check your level

You are a complete beginner and have no prior knowledge of the language, with the exception of perhaps a few key words.
You are a “false beginner”, i.e. you have some prior, but very basic, knowledge of the language, and find it difficult to produce more than a few key words and phrases. Maybe you haven’t used the language in a while and/or want to start at ‘the beginning’.
You have a very basic knowledge of the language. Your vocabulary is very limited and you have no real understanding of the grammar.

E.g. you can introduce yourself, ask simple directions and order food & drink in a café or restaurant.

At the end of Beginner (A1):

  • You can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type
  • You can introduce yourself and others
  • You can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where you live, what you do, people you know and things you have
  • You can ask and give directions
  • You can order food and drink
  • You can make very basic travel and accommodation arrangements
  • You can have a basic conversation, provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

ELEMENTARY

Test score: 10-19

Take our online level test to check your level

You can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. You can introduce yourself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where you live, people you know and things you have. You can interact in a simple way, provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

At the end of Elementary (A2):

  • You can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas including basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography and employment
  • You can communicate in simple and routine tasks, requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters
  • You can describe, in simple terms, aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need
  • You can comfortably ‘get by’ when visiting the country, albeit with some difficulty.

INTERMEDIATE

Test score: 20-29

Take our online level test to check your level

You can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). You can communicate in simple and routine tasks, requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. You can describe, in simple terms, aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

At the end of Intermediate (B1):

  • 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 whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken
  • You can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest
  • You can describe experiences and events
  • You can talk about dreams, hopes and ambitions
  • You can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans
  • You could consider working in the country using the language (e.g. bar/counter work, waiting service in cafés or basic office work).

UPPER INTERMEDIATE

Test score: 30-35

Take our online level test to check your 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 whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. You can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. You can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions, and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

At the end of Upper Intermediate (B2):

  • You can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialisation
  • You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible, without strain for either party
  • You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options
  • You can do business with speakers of the language in most run-of-the-mill situations.

ADVANCED

Test score: 36-39

Take our online level test to check your level

You can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialisation. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible, without strain for either party. You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

At the end of Advanced (C1):

  • You can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise 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 organisational patterns, logical flow of text, and clear awareness of the audience.

PROFICIENT

Test score: 40

Take our online level test to check your level

You can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise 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 organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

At the end of Proficient (C2):

  • You can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read
  • You can summarise information from different spoken and written sources
  • You can reconstruct arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation
  • You can express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely
  • You can differentiate finer shades of meaning, even in the most complex situations.

  • EAQA
  • FCO TRAVEL ADVICE
  • ICEF AGENCY
  • FELCA ACCREDITED
  • INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
  • IALC PARTNER
  • SUSSEX ENTERPRISE
  • WYSE
  • British Chambers of Commerce