This free placement test shows your English level in about ten minutes. Answer up to 36 questions on grammar and vocabulary, from A1 to C2, and see your CEFR level straight away, with no sign-up. Not sure what to practise next? After the test, try our past perfect exercises for intermediate learners or review a course unit such as Unit 3 Education.
The CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, describes language ability in six levels from A1 to C2. They form three bands: basic users (A1 and A2), independent users (B1 and B2) and proficient users (C1 and C2). Your result in this free placement test is one of these six levels.
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Take the Free Placement Test: Find Your English Level
Free Placement Test
Find your CEFR level, from A1 to C2
Test your grammar and vocabulary and find out your English level in about 10 minutes. It is free and you do not need to sign up.
- Up to 36 questions, from easy to difficult
- One click per question, no dictionary
- If you do not know, choose “I don’t know” instead of guessing
My brothers ___ at school now.
We ___ got a big garden.
Ahmed ___ football with his friends on Sundays.
Monday, Tuesday, ___, Thursday.
The opposite of "cheap" is ___.
Blue is my ___ colour. I like it best.
You ___ wear a seat belt in a car. It is the law.
I have never ___ sushi.
English ___ in many countries.
You can borrow books from a ___.
My mother's mother is my ___.
She was very ___ with her exam results, so she smiled all day.
When we got to the cinema, the film ___ already started.
I wish I ___ a car, then I would not need to take the bus.
If I had known you were ill, I ___ you.
He decided to ___ smoking because it was bad for his health.
Could you ___ me a favour, please?
The company decided to ___ the launch of the new product until next spring.
By next June, I ___ in this company for ten years.
I ___ my hair cut yesterday, and I love the result.
No sooner had we left the house ___ it started to rain.
The company plans to ___ out a new range of products next year.
After studying the evidence, the committee ___ the conclusion that the plan was unrealistic.
I always ___ the twins because they look exactly the same.
Not only ___ the exam, but she also won a scholarship.
___ I need most is a quiet place to study.
We took a taxi, but the bus was just as fast. We ___ have taken a taxi.
Many students are ___ to speak English in class because they fear making mistakes.
With good teachers and enough support, children can ___ at school.
Because of the heavy rain, it was ___ that the match would be cancelled.
Scarcely ___ the room when the lights went out.
It is his honesty ___ I admire most.
The manager is believed ___ the company two years before the scandal broke.
The new regulations are intended to ___ the abuse of the system.
She is very ___: she checks every detail twice before she sends a report.
Constant criticism can ___ a child's confidence.
Your English level is
| Level | Correct answers |
|---|
Grammar to review
This is a quick estimate based on grammar and vocabulary only. It is not an official certificate.
Quick Answer: What Is a Free Placement Test?
A free placement test is a short quiz that estimates your English level so you know where to start studying. This free placement test uses multiple-choice questions on grammar and vocabulary and reports your result on the CEFR scale, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient). It is a quick estimate, not an official certificate, but it is accurate enough to help you choose the right exercises.
How This Free Placement Test Works
The test is built like a staircase. You start with very easy questions at A1 and climb one level at a time. Each level has six questions, three on grammar and three on vocabulary, and the questions get harder as you move up. Every question has four options and you answer with one click, so the whole test is quick and easy to finish on a phone.
Six levels, six questions each
The 36 questions are split evenly across the six CEFR levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Inside each level you see a mix of grammar and vocabulary, so one weak area cannot hide behind a strong one. At the end you see your score for grammar and your score for vocabulary, plus your score at every level you reached.
How you move up a level
To pass a level you need at least five correct answers out of six. If you pass, the next level opens. If you do not, the test stops and your result is the last level you passed. This means a beginner never has to struggle through advanced questions, and a strong student does not waste time on easy ones. If you score four out of six, the result screen tells you that you are almost at the next level.
Why there is an “I don’t know” button
Guessing makes any placement test less accurate, because a lucky guess can push you into a level that is too high. If you really do not know an answer, choose “I don’t know”. It counts as a wrong answer, exactly like a bad guess, but it keeps your result honest. Do not use a dictionary or a translator while you take the test, and do not ask anyone for help. The test is only useful if it shows what you can do on your own today.
What Each CEFR Level Means for Your English
The CEFR, or Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, is the international scale used to describe language ability. It has six levels in three bands: basic users (A1 and A2), independent users (B1 and B2) and proficient users (C1 and C2). Here is what each result from this free placement test means in practice.
A1 Beginner
At A1 you know very basic words and can use simple sentences about yourself, your family and your daily life. You can introduce yourself, ask simple questions and understand slow, clear speech. To progress, build your core vocabulary, learn the present simple and the verb to be, and practise short sentences every day.
A2 Elementary
At A2 you can talk about familiar topics such as shopping, food, hobbies and your routine, using short connected sentences. You use modals such as have to and should, the present perfect for experiences and the simple passive, and you can talk about things you have done. To reach B1, read short texts, learn common phrasal verbs and start writing short paragraphs about your day.
B1 Intermediate
At B1 you can deal with most everyday situations, describe experiences and give reasons for your opinions. You can follow the main points of clear speech and write simple connected texts. Typical B1 grammar includes the past perfect, wishes, used to, the first conditional with will, the third conditional and reported speech. To reach B2, widen your vocabulary and practise longer reading and listening.
B2 Upper-Intermediate
At B2 you understand the main ideas of complex texts and speak with enough fluency to talk to native speakers without strain. You can write clear, detailed texts and defend a point of view. Typical B2 grammar includes the future perfect, the causative (have something done), mixed conditionals and relative clauses. Many universities ask for this level.
C1 Advanced
At C1 you use English flexibly for study and work. You understand long, demanding texts, pick up implied meaning and express ideas fluently without searching for words. C1 grammar includes inversion after negative adverbs, cleft sentences and impersonal reporting such as is said to be. To reach C2, read widely and learn how words combine naturally.
C2 Proficiency
At C2 you understand almost everything you hear or read and you express yourself precisely, even in complex or sensitive situations. You control rare structures and can choose exactly the right word for the shade of meaning you want. Very few learners need more than C1, so a C2 result from this free placement test is an excellent score.
Grammar and Vocabulary in the Free Placement Test
The test checks the language that matters most at each stage, so your result reflects real ability and not just memory of rules. You will not see the same questions in a different order, because the options on every question are shuffled each time, which makes retaking the test more useful.
Grammar structures and vocabulary for each level, A1 to C2
Each level below lists six grammar structures and six vocabulary areas that the free placement test and the matching exercises on this website cover.
| Level | Grammar structures | Vocabulary |
|---|---|---|
| A1 Beginner | the verb to be (am, is, are) present simple have got there is and there are can and can’t would like | family members days of the week numbers and colours favourites and opinions (favourite, expensive) food and drink places at home and school |
| A2 Elementary | modals of obligation and advice (have to, should) present perfect for experiences (I have never eaten) comparatives and superlatives past continuous passive voice (present and past simple) gerunds (like swimming) | shopping and money places in town food and restaurants hobbies and free time family and feelings (grandmother, pleased) common opposites (cheap, expensive) |
| B1 Intermediate | past perfect wish and if only third conditional reported speech used to first conditional with will | feelings and character (anxious, cheerful) common phrasal verbs (give up, take up) work and jobs (postpone a meeting) health and lifestyle travel and transport make, do and take collocations (do a favour) |
| B2 Upper-Intermediate | future perfect and future continuous causative (have something done) inversion (No sooner had we left…than) wish and if only with the past perfect relative clauses with correct punctuation mixed conditionals | linking words (however, although) work and business words (launch, profit) phrasal verbs (bring out, carry out) word families (confuse, confusing, confusion) -ed and -ing adjectives collocations (draw a conclusion) |
| C1 Advanced | inversion after negative adverbs (Not only did she…) cleft sentences (What I need is) impersonal reporting (is said to be) reporting verbs (admit, deny, insist) needn’t have emphasis words (do, such, so) | phrasal verbs (draw on) attitude and change words (reluctant, thrive, inevitable) academic words (evidence, analyse) abstract nouns (tendency, controversy) formal linking phrases (nevertheless) synonyms with different shades of meaning |
| C2 Proficiency | inversion in formal style (Hardly, Scarcely) perfect infinitives in reporting (is believed to have left) it-cleft sentences (It is honesty that I admire) concession (Much as, however much) the subjunctive (It is vital that he be) ellipsis and substitution | precise verbs (curb, undermine) subtle adjectives (meticulous, ambiguous) connotation and tone proverbs and idioms formal and informal register rare collocations |
If you miss grammar questions, the result screen lists the topics to review. Each topic links to a search of this website, so you can find lessons and exercises on exactly the point you need.
Vocabulary: words, phrasal verbs and collocations
Vocabulary is not only a list of single words. Natives choose word partners without thinking, so the free placement test also checks phrasal verbs and collocations, which are the combinations that sound natural. A student can know every word in a sentence and still choose the wrong partner for a verb. Learning words together with the words that usually go with them is one of the fastest ways to sound more natural.
Who Should Take This Free Placement Test?
The test is made for secondary school students, university students and independent learners who want a quick answer to a simple question: where do I stand in English today? It is especially useful at the start of the school year, before an exam season, or when you are about to choose between easier and harder exercises on this website. Self-learners can use it to pick a course book that matches their level, and parents can use it to see where a child needs support.
Teachers can also use this free placement test with a whole class. Ask each student to take it alone on a phone, write down the CEFR level and the topics to review, and compare the results. You quickly see who needs extra practice with the basics and who is ready for more demanding work, which makes it easier to plan mixed-level lessons and group activities.
Placement Test or Exam: What Is the Difference?
A placement test and an exam answer different questions. An exam measures what you have learned on a fixed syllabus and gives a mark or a certificate. A placement test only estimates your current level so that you start in the right place. That is why a free placement test is short, adaptive and low pressure: nobody passes or fails it, and the result is simply a guide.
A good result here does not replace an official certificate, and a lower result does not mean you cannot succeed in your exams. It means your next steps should start a little earlier. If you are preparing for a national exam, use your result to decide how much time to give to grammar and to vocabulary, then practise with exam-style questions as well.
How to Plan Your Study with Your Free Placement Test Result
Your result is most useful when you turn it into a small weekly routine. Do not try to fix everything at once. Choose one grammar topic and one vocabulary theme and work on them for a week before you move on.
A simple four-week plan
- Week 1: open the topic list on your result screen and study the first grammar topic. Read an explanation, then do ten practice questions.
- Week 2: learn twenty new words or phrases from your level, written inside full sentences, and revise them twice during the week.
- Week 3: study the second grammar topic from the list and write five sentences of your own that use it correctly.
- Week 4: retake the free placement test, compare your scores for grammar and vocabulary with the first time, and choose your next two goals.
How much should you study each day?
Fifteen to twenty minutes a day is enough to see progress, as long as you do it almost every day. Short sessions are easier to repeat than long ones, and regular contact with English is what moves words from short-term to long-term memory. Mix activities during the week: one day for grammar exercises, one day for vocabulary, one day for reading, and one day for listening to a song, a video or a podcast at your level.
Tips for the Best Result in the Free Placement Test
- Take the test in a quiet place. Ten minutes without interruptions is enough.
- Work alone. A result you did not earn will send you to exercises that are too difficult.
- Read each sentence completely before you look at the four options.
- Choose “I don’t know” instead of guessing when you have no idea.
- Do not change your habits. Answer with the English you really use, not with what you think a teacher wants.
- Retake the test after a month of practice. The options are shuffled each time, so you can measure your progress.
- Look at your grammar and vocabulary scores separately. Many students are stronger in one than in the other.
- Use the topic list. It tells you where your points were lost, which is better than the level alone.
What to Do After the Free Placement Test
A level is only a starting point. The value of a free placement test is that it tells you what to practise next. Every result screen has a button that opens the exercises for your level on this website. For free reading and listening practice at your level, you can also visit British Council LearnEnglish.
If your result is A1 or A2
Focus on the basics and practise a little every day. Learn the most common verbs, build sentences with the present simple and the past simple and repeat useful phrases out loud. Short, frequent practice works better than one long session each week. Open the A1 exercises and the A2 exercises to start.
If your result is B1 or B2
You can already communicate, so now you need accuracy and range. Work on tenses, conditionals and linking words, and read longer texts. For grammar practice, try the past perfect exercises, then open the B1 exercises or the B2 exercises.
If your result is C1 or C2
At this stage the gains come from precision. Read articles and books, notice how writers combine words, and write short texts using structures such as inversion and formal linking phrases. The C1 exercises and C2 exercises are the best place to continue.
Common Mistakes a Free Placement Test Can Reveal
Most learners lose points in the same places. Knowing them helps you study more efficiently, whatever your level.
- Forgetting the -s on the third person singular in the present simple.
- Using the present perfect with a finished time such as last year.
- Mixing up say and tell, or much and many.
- Choosing the wrong preposition after a verb or an adjective.
- Translating word for word from Arabic or French instead of learning the English expression.
- Using the wrong form of an adjective, such as bored and boring.
- Choosing a word that looks familiar from French, even though the meaning is different.
- Writing a long sentence without linking words, so the ideas are hard to follow.
Free Placement Test FAQ
Is this free placement test really free?
Yes. The test is completely free, you do not need to create an account and you can take it as many times as you like.
How long does the free placement test take?
Most students finish in about ten minutes. There are up to 36 questions, but the test stops early if you do not pass a level, so beginners usually finish in less time.
How accurate is this free placement test?
It gives a good estimate of your level in grammar and vocabulary. It does not test speaking, listening, reading or writing, and it is not an official certificate, so use it to choose what to study and not to prove your level.
What does my result mean on the CEFR scale?
The CEFR has six levels. A1 and A2 are basic, B1 and B2 are independent, and C1 and C2 are proficient. The section above explains what you can do at each level and what to practise next.
Can I take the free placement test again?
Yes. The answer options are shuffled every time, so you can retake the test after a few weeks of practice to see how much you have improved.
Why did the test stop before the last question?
The test ends when you score fewer than five out of six at a level. Your result is the last level you passed, so there is no need to answer harder questions that are above your level.
- Past Perfect Exercises Intermediate, Part 2: practise the tense with a game and questions
- Ticket 2 English Unit 3: Education: lesson and vocabulary for the unit
- Gateway 2 Unit 1: Education: lesson and vocabulary for the unit
- All B1 exercises and all B2 exercises
