CEFR Level A2

At the A2 level students are beginning to be able to function in social situations.

They are able to use simple everyday polite forms of greeting and address; greet
people, ask how they are and react to news; handle very short social exchanges;
ask and answer questions about what they do at work and in their free time; make
and respond to invitations; discuss what to do, where to go and make
arrangements to meet; make and accept offers. They can also function ‘out and
about’. They can make simple transactions in shops, post offices or banks; get
simple information about travel; use public transport, ask for basic information, ask
and give directions, and buy tickets.

Global
Students at this level 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). They can communicate in
simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on
familiar and routine matters. They can describe in simple terms aspects of their
background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Listening
They can understand clear, slow, standard speech related to areas of most
immediate personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information,
shopping, local geography and employment) and can catch the main point in short,
clear, simple messages and announcements.

Reading
Students are able to understand short, simple texts containing high frequency
vocabulary and shared international expressions. They can find specific, predictable
information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses and
timetables.

Spoken Interaction
At A2 level, students can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a
simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. They can
handle very short social exchanges, even though they cannot usually keep the
conversation going of their own accord.

Spoken Production
Students are able to use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple
terms family and other people, living conditions, educational background and
present or most recent job.

Writing
They can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of
immediate need, linking a series of simple phrases and sentences with simple
connectors like ‘and’ , ‘but’ and ‘because’. They can write a very simple personal
letter, for example thanking someone for something.
Listening Proficiency Scales
At the A2 level, students can identify the main point of TV news items reporting.
They can understand enough to manage simple, routine exchanges without too
much effort and can generally identify the topic of discussion around them which is
conducted slowly and clearly. They can generally understand clear, standard speech
on familiar matters, although in a real life situation they might have to ask for
repetition or reformulation. They can understand enough to be able to meet
concrete needs in everyday life, provided that speech is clear and slow, and can
understand phrases and expressions related to immediate needs. Students can
handle simple business in shops, post offices or banks and can understand simple
directions relating to how to get from A to B, on foot or by public transport. They
can understand the essential information from short recorded passages dealing with
predictable everyday matters which are spoken slowly and clearly. They are able to
identify the main point of TV news items reporting events, accidents, etc, where the
visual material supports the commentary and can catch the main point in short,
clear, simple messages and announcements.

Reading Proficiency Scales

They can understand short, simple texts containing the most common words,
including some shared international words, those written in common everyday
language and those related to their job. They can find specific information in simple
everyday material such as advertisements, brochures, menus and timetables. They
can identify specific information in simple written material such as letters,
brochures and short newspaper articles describing familiar topics and can
understand simple instructions on equipment encountered in everyday life, such as
a public telephone. They can understand everyday signs and notices in public
places, such as streets, restaurants, railway stations and in workplaces.

Speaking Proficiency scales

Students at the A2 level can construct phrases on familiar topics with sufficient
ease to handle short exchanges, despite very noticeable hesitation and false starts.
They can produce brief everyday expressions in order to satisfy simple needs of a
concrete type: personal details, daily routines, wants and needs, requests for
information. They are able to use basic sentence patterns and communicate with
memorised phrases, groups of a few words and formulae about themselves and
other people, what they do, places, possessions etc. They have a limited repertoire
of short memorised phrases covering predictable survival situations; frequent
breakdowns and misunderstandings occur in non-routine situations. They have
sufficient vocabulary for the expression of basic communicative needs and for
coping with simple survival needs. They can control a narrow repertoire dealing
with concrete everyday need and use some simple structures correctly, but still
systematically make basic mistakes such as tense confusion and forget to mark
agreement. Nevertheless, it is usually clear what they are trying to say.
Pronunciation is generally clear enough to be understood despite a noticeable
foreign accent, but conversational partners will need to ask for repetition from time
to time. They can expand learned phrases through simple recombinations of their
elements, can tell a story or describe something in a simple list of points and can
link groups of words with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’. Students
at this level can handle very short social exchanges, using everyday polite forms of
greeting and address. They can make and respond to invitations, suggestions and
apologies, can ask for attention and can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward
narrative or description as a linear sequence of points.

Writing Proficiency Scales

They can give short, basic descriptions of events and activities and can write very
simple personal letters expressing thanks and apology. They are able to write short,
simple notes and messages relating to matters of everyday life, can describe plans
and arrangements and can explain what they like or dislike about something. They
can describe their family, living conditions, schooling, present or most recent job
and can describe past activities and personal experiences.
 Level A2 Learner Outcomes

Students will be able to use the following:

Functions/notions Have to
Describing habits and routines Should
Describing people Nouns: Countable and uncountable,
Describing things much and many
Requests Possessives ‘s and s’
Suggestions Prepositions of time: on/at/in
Advice Prepositional phrases (place, time and
Invitations movement)
Present continuous for arrangements Articles
Obligations and necessity Basic determiners (e.g. any, some, a
Describing places lot of)
Describing past experiences and Wider range (e.g. all, none, not (any),
storytelling enough, (a) few)
Discourse markers Demonstrative adjectives
Linkers: sequential – past time Adjectives ending in ‘-ed’ and ‘-ing’
Verb forms Comparative and Superlative
Imperatives (+/-) adjectives
Present Use of ‘than’ and definite article
Present simple Adverbs of frequency
Present continuous Simple adverbs of place, manner and
Past time
Past simple Adverbial phrases of time, place and
Past continuous frequency including word order
Used to Very basic intensifiers (very, really)
Future Basic intensifiers (quite, so, a bit)
Going to Lexis
Present continuous for the future Food and drink
(arrangements) Things in the town, shops and
Future time (will & going to) shopping
Present Perfect Travel and services vocabulary
Gerund and infinitive Objects and rooms
To + infinitive (to express purpose) Adjectives: personality, description,
Verb + to + infinitive feelings
Conditionals Topics
Zero and first conditional Hobbies and pastimes
Phrasal verbs, common Holidays
Modals: can, could Work and jobs
Modals: Possibility: may, might Shopping
Possibly, probably, perhaps Leisure activities
Modals: Obligation & Necessity Education
Must/mustn’t
 Level A2 Learner Outcomes: Examples

Functions/notions It has lots of old buildings. It is

Describing habits and routines famous
On Sundays I visit my mother. for its castle and its architecture.
I phone my family at the weekend. Every
The director comes to our office every year in summer it holds an
Tuesday. international
Describing people arts festival which brings performers
Marco has blue eyes. and visitors from around the world.
Ekaterina is tall and slim.
Mary has long blonde hair. Describing past experiences and
Describing things storytelling
It’s green and it’s made of plastic. Last year I went to Spain for a walking
It’s small, round and made of rubber. holiday. Sometimes I stayed in local
Requests mountain hostels and sometimes
Can you give me that book, please? I slept in my tent. One evening I was
Can you open the window? far from any village, so I camped at
Could I have a glass of milk, please? the
Could you pass the sugar, please? edge of a forest beside a small river.
Suggestions I ate some food and watched the sun
Shall we go home now? go down.
Let’s go to the cinema? Discourse markers
Why don’t we phone Jim? Linkers: sequential – past time
Advice First we went to Naples. We stayed
You should ask the teacher. there
You could try the Internet 5 days and visited Pompeii. After that
Invitations we went to … but I didn’t like it.
Would you like to come to my party? Finally we stayed a week in ...
Do you fancy going to the club Verb forms
tonight? Imperatives (+/-)
Offers Somebody stop him!
Can I help you? Push the bar.
Shall I carry your bag? Please don’t smoke in here.
Present continuous for Break the glass in an emergency
arrangements Present simple
We are meeting John at 8 o’clock. Do you like British food?
They are seeing Helen later tonight. The plane lands at six.
Obligations and necessity I love this programme.
We have to get home. Dad’s waiting. Present continuous
We must hurry. We’re late. I am staying with Hilary at the
moment.
Describing places What is he wearing?
Edinburgh is the capital city of
Scotland.
Past simple Verb + -ing/infinitive
He gave me a nice present. (like / want vs would like)
She bought some flowers for her I love playing tennis.
mother. I hate washing up.
I began to play chess when I was 5. I enjoy dancing
Past continuous Would you like to go to the cinema?
I was living in Spain when I met her. I want another drink.
It was raining, so we decided to get a To + infinitive (express purpose)
taxi. I go jogging to get fit.
Used to They’re going to Scotland to see the
She used to be a ballet dancer. Loch Ness monster.
He used to wear glasses but now he I went to the post office to buy
uses contacts. stamps.
Future Verb + to + infinitive
Going to She wants to go home now.
He’s going to buy a car next year. I forgot to lock the door.
She’s going to have an operation in They hope to arrive at 9 o’clock.
October. Conditionals
Present continuous for the future Zero and first conditional
(arrangements) If I stay in the sun I get a headache.
She’s playing basketball tonight. If I eat eggs I feel sick.
I’m seeing him at 11.00 this morning. If I fail my exams, my father will be
Future time (will & going to) angry.
I’m going to see John on Saturday I’ll stay in if it rains this afternoon.
( =. . . already decided) Phrasal verbs, common
I’ll tell him about the party ( . . you He got up at 6 o’clock.
are Put your coat on, it’s raining.
deciding as you speak) The plane takes off in few minutes.
A: I’m going to fail. Modals
B: No you won’t. I’ll help you. Can/could
Present Perfect A. Could I use your computer?
He has lost his wallet. B. Yes. Of course you can.
Have you got your results yet? This could be England’s best chance.
Have you ever been to Greece? Can I have some more spaghetti,
They’ve gone to Italy on holiday. please?
Have they come back from the shops? Modals: Possibility
She hasn’t been to school this week. Might, May
I’ve known him for 5 years/since She might come. I don’t know.
2007. He may know the answer to your
Gerund and infinitive question.
Gerunds Possibly, probably, perhaps
Walking is the best exercise. I’ll probably see you later.
He goes jogging every morning. He is probably Argentina’s most
famous footballer.
Perhaps she’s late.
Modals: Obligation & Necessity
Must/mustn’t
You must get to work on time.
I must go to bed. I’m really tired. Prepositional phrases (place, time
You mustn’t smoke here. and movement)
I must phone her tonight. It’s her He went inside the building.
birthday. We walked along the beach.
Have to They arrived at the station in the
Students have to fill in a form if they middle
want to leave early. of the night.
I have to go to Madrid tomorrow. Articles
I’ve got a job interview. With countable and uncountable
Should nouns
You should stay in and study tonight. She has blonde hair.
You’ve got an exam on Friday. I love pizza, but the pizzas at Gino’s
You shouldn’t drink so much cola. It’s are not very good.
bad for your teeth. I’ve got bad news for you.
Nouns Everybody wants coffee.
Countable and uncountable, Determiners
much and many Basic (e.g. any, some, a lot of)
She has eight chairs in her lounge. I don’t have any money.
How much furniture does he have? He spends a lot of time in his garage.
I need some help/advice. Can I have some water, please?
Would you like a piece of cake/cup Wider range (e.g. all, none, not
of tea? (any),
I need as much information as enough, (a) few)
possible. I am going to have a party for
Possessives a few friends.
Use of ‘s and s’ We don’t have enough eggs to make
I’ll meet you outside Mary’s house. our cake.
That’s John’s car. None of my friends are going to the
The children’s clothes are all dirty. club.
Possessive pronouns Adjectives
That’s not our ball, it’s theirs. Demonstrative
It always wags its tail when it’s happy. Those children over there are very
Is Heather a friend of yours? noisy.
Prepositions / prepositional These shoes are killing me.
phrases He left for the city on 19th February.
Prepositions of time: on/at/in That night the volcano erupted.
He was born on Christmas Day. Ending in ‘-ed’ and ‘-ing’
I’ll read the book during the holidays. The film was really boring.
The train arrives at 17.15. Her story was really amusing.
The journey was really exciting.
The crowd was already excited.
Adjectives – comparative, –use of
than
This book is more interesting than
these ones.
My sister is much older than me.
 Lexis
Adjectives – superlative, – use of Food and drink
definite article I love strawberries and cream.
The fastest mammal in the world is Let’s get some fish and chips.
the cheetah. Things in the town, shops and
Maths is the most difficult subject for shopping
me. Keep left.
Adverbs Insert exact money.
Adverbs of frequency Do you know where the post office is?
Have you ever been to the United I want to buy some stamps.
States? Where can I buy some coffee beans?
He often visits his family. Travel and services vocabulary
He usually stays here with us. A return ticket to Brighton, please.
He always carries a bag. Can you tell me the way to IKEA?
She hardly ever leaves her room. What time do you close?
Simple adverbs of place, manner I’m looking for the bus station.
and time Objects and rooms
There’s water everywhere. The fruit is in a bowl in the dining
He quickly opened the door. room.
I am going to London tomorrow. The kitchen is the warmest room in
Adverbial phrases of time, place the house.
and frequency including word The tools are in the garage.
order. Adjectives: personality,
He went home yesterday. description,
They were here today. feelings
Intensifiers Pedro is a quiet and serious boy.
Very basic (very, really) She is tall, blonde and wears very
She was very unhappy. smart clothes.
I am really sorry for losing your book. I am very happy with my new job, but
Basic (quite, so, a bit) my boss is very strict.
The water is quite cold. Topics
I am so happy with my new flat. Hobbies and pastimes
It is getting a bit cold now. I want to Holidays
go home. Work and jobs
Shopping
Leisure activities
Education

Learner Training

 Increased familiarity with a (probably bilingual) dictionary

 Increased familiarity with phonemic chart - layout, voiced/unvoiced, main simple
vowel sounds
 Revision of vocabulary learning techniques
 Guessing the meaning of unknown words
 Strategies for asking for something without knowing the exact word
 Awareness of skimming and scanning reading skills
 Awareness of note taking skills