Here's a summary of the CEFR:

A1: Beginner
- Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.
- Can introduce himself/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has.
- Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2: Elementary
- 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).
- Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
- Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B1: Intermediate
- Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
- Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
- Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
- Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

B2: Upper Intermediate
- Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation.
- Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
- 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.

C1: Advanced
You are here!
- Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning.
- Can express himself/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
- Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
- Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

C2: Proficient
- Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.
- Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.
- Can express himself/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
Other than using this free self-assessment tool, you can take a standardised test to determine your level of English. Standardised tests are usually scored and will determine your level based on those scores. Such tests include IELTS, TOEIC, the Cambridge English Scale, TOEFL iBT, and the Global Scale of English (Pearson).
So what else can you do with a C1 level in English?
At this level, you have the full range of functionality at work or in the academic setting. You’re also able to have full autonomy in a native English-speaking country.
What level should you be at?
What should you be focusing on?
We believe that learning English is a continuous process and even at the advanced level, there’s always something new to learn. Maybe you want to improve your skills in public speaking, negotiating, or persuading. Set goals for yourself so that you can live up to your potential as a competent individual in the English-speaking world. You can consider enrolling in courses and classes to level-up those skills.
You may even want to advance to the next level of English, which is C2. It will take approximately 200 hours of learning to get to the C2 English level from your current level. But remember, your progress will depend on the type of course or class you take, and other factors such as your language learning background, the intensity of your study, your age, and the amount of your exposure to English outside of those lessons.
What’s next for you?
Your focus should be on levelling-up your skills so you can advance even further in your personal and professional life. You may want to learn presentation skills, persuasive speaking and writing skills, and techniques to elaborate and express opinions effectively.
You can start learning some of these skills by watching these video lessons on our blog:
- How to Elaborate When You Speak English
- How to Become a Better Writer
- How to Create Your Persona for Speaking English
Or listen to our podcast, The My English Matters Podcast. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. We update the podcast with new episodes regularly!
Are you ready to take your learning to the next level?
Based on your current level of English, we believe that the most suitable programme for you is Communicate with Confidence. This online course will teach you how to better express your feelings and opinions, with tips and techniques to improve your communication skills, and coaching calls to practise with other students.