LingardHow the English test works
The entire test is in English with no translations. You’ll cycle through three types of questions: determining the meaning of a word in context, filling in a blank in a sentence, and answering a question about a short text. Each question gives you four options to choose from.
The test adapts to your performance. If you do well on a set of three questions, the next set will be a level harder; if you struggle, the difficulty will drop. It wraps up after 12 to 21 questions once your answers consistently point to a specific level. If your results land between two levels, you’ll receive the lower one.
What it checks in English
At the beginner levels, you’ll read everyday texts like notes left at home, bus notices, store hours, and invitations. The fill-in-the-blank questions focus on everyday verb forms and essential small words, like prepositions of place and time. The intermediate levels introduce local news, reviews, and announcements, testing linking words like although and specific prepositions or verb forms.
The advanced levels feature commentary, research summaries, and critiques. The vocabulary reflects serious writing, and the grammar becomes more formal, covering inversion, conditionals without if, and fixed phrases. The test measures your reading, vocabulary, and grammar in context. It does not evaluate speaking, listening, or writing skills.
What the six levels mean
- A1 · Beginners
- You can understand familiar names, common words, and very simple sentences, such as signs, notes, or short messages.
- A2 · Pre-intermediate
- You can read short, simple texts and find the information you need in everyday materials like ads, menus, timetables, and short personal letters.
- B1 · Intermediate
- You can understand texts written in everyday language about familiar subjects, as well as descriptions of events, feelings, and wishes in personal letters and simple stories.
- B2 · Upper-intermediate
- You can read articles and reports on current issues where the writer takes a clear position, and you can read contemporary fiction.
- C1 · Advanced
- You can understand long, complex factual and literary texts and notice differences in style, even outside your own field.
- C2 · Proficiency
- You can read practically anything with ease, including abstract and demanding texts like specialized articles and complex literary works.
What to read at your level
Knowing your level is the best way to decide what to read next. Lingard’s English library is organized using the same CEFR scale. At A2, you’ll find short dialogues and light articles. B1 offers summaries and retellings of popular books and films. B2 and C1 feature longer articles, and you can dive into unabridged classics like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes when you’re ready for the original text. Just open a text at your level, tap any unfamiliar words, and save the ones you want to practice later.
Questions about the test
- Is the test free?
- Yes. You don’t need an account or an email address, and you’ll see your level as soon as you finish the last question.
- How long does it take?
- The test consists of 12 to 21 questions and has no time limit. It usually takes about 12 minutes to complete.
- Is the result an official certificate?
- No. It provides an estimate of your reading level on the CEFR scale based on vocabulary, grammar in context, and reading comprehension. It doesn’t test speaking, listening, or writing, and it does not replace a formal language exam.
- Can I take it again?
- Yes, as often as you like. The questions are pulled from a larger pool, so your next attempt will not be a repeat of the first.