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About Language Proficiency Levels in Snap Language Learner ESL Lessons

Snap Language Learner materials are organized into three broad levels of language proficiency.

Of course your level could be anywhere from just beginning to very advanced. What are these language proficiency levels? At what level should you choose Snap Language Learner materials?

What are the levels?

Snap Language Learner materials are organized into the following broad levels of language proficiency:

  • A Level, Basic, or Beginner
  • B Level or Intermediate
  • C Level or Advanced

These levels are based on the CEFR standard (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Use these levels as a rough reference only.

We use an adapted version of the CEFR because we follow our own teaching philosophy and methodology, so CEFR levels do not always “fit” our materials well.

What Will You Learn at Each Level?

To decide what your level of language proficiency is, you should understand what you will learn at each of our levels. See below what you can expect to learn at each level.

You will learn the following at this level:

  • Vocabulary size approximately 1,000–2,500 words.
  • Understand and use common vocabulary to talk about concrete, everyday things, and some abstract actions and states.
  • Understand levels of formality in the language; know and use some vocabulary and sentence structures to express such differences in levels of formality.
  • Understand and use a few words for academic and business communication.
  • Read and understand short passages about familiar topics.
  • Write sentences and short paragraphs about familiar topics.
  • Communicate everyday needs such as introducing yourself, asking questions about people, and talking about everyday events.
  • Communicate ideas about simple tasks and share information about routines.
  • Listen to and understand simple spoken transactions such as dialogs, announcements, excerpts from the media, and so on.
  • Listen for specific information.
  • Speak about familiar topics in the present, past, and future.

You will learn the following at this level:

  • Expand all basic topics to a deeper, more extensive level.
  • Vocabulary size approximately 2,400–4,000 words.
  • Understand and use common and complex vocabulary to talk about concrete and abstract actions and states.
  • Understand levels of formality in the language; know and use a large number of words and sentence structures to express such differences in levels of formality.
  • Understand and use a large number words for academic and business communication.
  • Read and understand medium-size passages about familiar and new topics.
    • Distinguish between figurative and literal language.
  • Interpret what you read (including the author’s purpose, point of view, and tone).
  • Start developing critical reading skills (e.g., analyzing and understanding the author’s argument).
  • Write paragraphs and short passages about familiar and new topics.
  • Write in common modes of writing (e.g., descriptive and persuasive).
  • Communicate everyday, complex, and abstract needs such as having discussions about people, places and things; talking about wishes, sugestions, and desires; and so on.
  • Communicate ideas about complex tasks and events and share information about them.
  • Listen to, understand, summarize, and discuss complex spoken transactions such as dialogs, announcements, media materials, and so on.
  • Listen for specific and general information.
  • Speak about familiar and unfamiliar topics in the present, past, and future.

You will learn the following at this level:

  • Expand all intermediate topics to a deeper, more extensive level.
  • Vocabulary size approximately 4,000–5,000 words or more.
  • Understand and use vocabulary words appropriate for communication in many areas such as in the academic, business, science and technology world (to mention a few).
  • Read and understand long passages about any topic.
  • Develop critical reading skills (e.g, analyzing and understanding the author’s argument, evaluating the evidence in written work).
  • Write passages in different modes of writing (e.g., narrative, descriptive, persuasive), including academic essays about any topic.
  • Listen to, understand, summarize, and discuss any type of spoken materials.
  • Speak about any mundane and academic topics.
  • Create effective, logical arguments in writing and speaking.

How Do You Choose Your Level?

On the ESL Lesson Catalog page, you choose your level (Basic, Intermediate, or advanced). This way you get to the materials that are right for you.

If you are unsure about your level, simply select the level you belive matches your language proficiency. Then, decide if you made the right choice.

Recommendation: Work through one or more lessons at the level you choose. Give yourself time to get used to our materials as you work through the lessons. After some time, you will know if you have the right level.

  • Are the materials too difficult? Choose a lower level.
  • Are the materials too easy? Choose a higher level.

What are Lessons, Units, and Courses?

Snap Language Learner materials are organized as shown below. If you see UNIT or COURSE before the title of a unit or course, you will know which is which.

Lessons

  • Lessons are generally short and cover a single topic.
  • You can generally complete a lesson all at once.
  • Lessons typically cover only one language skill (e.g., a “vocabulary lesson” or “a listening skill lesson”).
  • Lessons may or may not include exercises.
  • Lessons are great if you only want to learn or review a specific point.

Units

  • Units consist of several lessons and cover several topics around a theme.
  • Units may cover some language skill (e.g., a unit that covers grammar, listening, and reading).
  • Units include exercises.
  • Units are great if you want to learn or review several skills.

Courses

  • Courses that organize several lessons and units into a cohesive “packet.”
  • Courses can have different themes, but they all work together as a whole.
  • Courses cover many or all language skills such as vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  • Courses include exercises.
  • Courses are great if you want to learn the language and develop multiple language skills.

Video Series

  • Video series are typically ongoing video materials on a particular topic (e.g., vocabulary, reading skills).

Livestreams

  • Livestreams cover a variety of topics ranging from language and linguistics to interviews and games.
  • See the list of events livestream events for the Snap Language and Snap Language Learner channels on Youtube.

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