The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR distinguishes three competence slots subdivides in their turn in two levels, each one for a total of six total levels
A1
Elementary
Base competence
He/She understands and uses expressions of everyday use and basic sentences aimed at satisfying needs of a concrete nature. He/She can introduce himself/herself and others and is able to ask questions and answer about personal details such as where he or she lives, the people he/she knows and the things he/she has. He/She easily interacts as long as long as the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to cooperate.
A2
Pre-Intermediate
Base competence
He/She understands frequently used sentences and expressions relating to fields of immediate relevance (eg. personal and family information, doing shopping, local geography, employment). He/She communicates in simple and routine tasks that require a simple exchange of information about familiar and common topics. He/She can describe in simple terms some aspects of his/her background, of the surrounding environment and he/she can express immediate needs.
B1
Intermediate
Independent competence
He/She understands the key points of family topics related to school, leisure, and so on. He/She can move easily in situations that may occur while travelling in the country where the language is spoken. He/She is able to produce a simple text related to familiar or self-interest topics. He/She is able to describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly explain the reasons of his/her opinions and plans.
B2
Upper-intermediate
Independent competence
He/She understands the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. He/She is able to interact with a certain degree of fluency and spontaneity that make a natural interaction possible with native speakers effortlessly for the interlocutor. He/She can produce a clear and detailed text on a wide range of topics and explain a point of view on a subject by providing the pros and cons of the various options.
C1
Advanced
Mastery competence
He/She understands a wide range of complex and long texts and he/she recognises the implicit meaning. He/She expresses himself/herself with gentleness and naturalness. He/She uses the language in a flexibly and effectively way for social, professional, and academic purposes. He/She can produce clear, well-constructed, detailed texts on complex topics, showing a secure control of the textural structure, connectors and cohesion elements.
C2
Mastery
Mastery competence
He/She easily understands almost everything he/she hears and reads. He/She can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reorganizing the topics into a coherent presentation. He/She can expresses himself/herself spontaneously, in a very fluid and precise way, by identifying the subtlest nuances of meaning in complex situations.