CEFR Listening Descriptors

understand with ease virtually any kind of language, whether live or broadcast, delivered at fast natural speed.

understand enough to follow extended discourse on abstract and complex topics beyond their own field, though they may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the variety is unfamiliar.

recognise a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts.

follow extended discourse even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly.

understand standard language or a familiar variety, live or broadcast, on both familiar and unfamiliar topics normally encountered in personal, social, academic or vocational life. Only extreme background noise, inadequate discourse structure and/or idiomatic usage influence the ability to understand.

understand the main ideas of propositionally and linguistically complex discourse on both concrete and abstract topics delivered in standard language or a familiar variety, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation.

follow extended discourse and complex lines of argument, provided the topic is reasonably familiar, and the direction of the argument is signposted by explicit markers.

understand straightforward factual information about common everyday or job-related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details, provided people articulate clearly in a generally familiar variety.

understand the main points made in clear standard language or a familiar variety on familiar matters regularly encountered at work, school, leisure, etc., including short narratives.

understand enough to be able to meet needs of a concrete type, provided people articulate clearlyand slowly.

Can understand phrases and expressions related to areas of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment), provided people articulate clearly and slowly.

follow language which is very slow and carefully articulated, with long pauses for them to assimilate meaning.

recognise concrete information (e.g. places and times) on familiar topics encountered in everyday life, provided it is delivered slowly and clearly.

understand short, very simple questions and statements, provided they are delivered slowly and clearly and accompanied by visuals or manual gestures to support understanding and repeated if necessary.

recognise everyday, familiar words/signs, provided they are delivered clearly and slowly in a clearly defined, familiar everyday context.

recognise numbers, prices, dates and days of the week, provided they are delivered slowly and clearly in a defined, familiar everyday context.

identify the sociocultural implications of most of the language used in colloquial discussions that take place at a natural speed.

easily follow complex interactions between third parties in group discussion and debate, even on abstract, complex, unfamiliar topics.

identify the attitude of each participant in an animated discussion characterised by overlapping turns, digressions and colloquialisms that is delivered at a natural speed in varieties that are familiar.

keep up with an animated conversation between proficient users of the target language.

catch much of what is said around them, with some effort, but may find it difficult to participate effectively in discussion with several users of the target language who do not modify their language in any way.

identify the main reasons for and against an argument or idea in a discussion conducted in clear standard language or a familiar variety.

follow chronological sequence in extended informal discourse, e.g. in a story or anecdote.

generally identify the topic of discussion around them when it is conducted slowly and clearly.

recognise when people agree and disagree in a conversation conducted slowly and clearly.

follow in outline short, simple social exchanges, conducted very slowly and clearly.

understand some expressions when people are discussing them, family, school, hobbies or surroundings, provided the delivery is slow and clear.

understand words and short sentences in a simple conversation (e.g. between a customer and a salesperson in a shop), provided people communicate very slowly and very clearly.

follow specialised lectures and presentations employing colloquialism, regional usage or unfamiliar terminology.

make appropriate inferences when links or implications are not made explicit.

get the point of jokes or allusions in a presentation.

follow most lectures, discussions and debates with relative ease.

follow the essentials of lectures, talks and reports and other forms of academic/professional presentation which are propositionally and linguistically complex.

understand the point of view expressed on topics that are of current interest or that relate to their specialised field, provided the talk is delivered in standard language or a familiar variety.

follow complex lines of argument in a clearly articulated lecture, provided the topic is reasonably familiar.

distinguish main themes from asides, provided the lecture or talk is delivered in standard language or a familiar variety.

recognise the point of view expressed and distinguish this from facts being reporting.

follow a lecture or talk within their own field, provided the subject matter is familiar and the presentation straightforward and clearly structured.

distinguish between main ideas and supporting details in standard lectures on familiar subjects, provided these are delivered in clearly articulated standard language or a familiar variety.

follow in outline straightforward short talks on familiar topics, provided these are delivered in clearly articulated standard language or a familiar variety.

follow a straightforward conference presentation or demonstration with visual support (e.g. slides, handouts) on a topic or product within their field, understanding explanations given.

understand the main points of what is said in a straightforward monologue (e.g. a guided tour), provided the delivery is clear and relatively slow.

follow the general outline of a demonstration or presentation on a familiar or predictable topic, where the message is expressed slowly and clearly in simple language and there is visual support (e.g. slides, handouts).

follow a very simple, well-structured presentation or demonstration, provided it is illustrated with slides, concrete examples or diagrams, it is delivered slowly and clearly with repetition, and the topic is familiar.

understand the outline of simple information given in a predictable situation, such as on a guided tour (e.g. "This is where the President lives").

understand in outline very simple information being explained in a predictable situation like a guided tour, provided the delivery is very slow and clear and that there are long pauses from time to time.

extract specific information from poor quality, [audibly and/or visually] distorted public announcements, e.g. in a station or sports stadium, or on an old recording.

understand complex technical information, such as operating instructions or specifications for familiar products and services.

extract specific information from poor quality, [audibly and/or visually] distorted public announcements, e.g. in a station or sports stadium, or on an old recording.

understand complex technical information, such as operating instructions or specifications for familiar products and services.

understand announcements and messages on concrete and abstract topics delivered in standard language or a familiar variety at normal speed.

understand detailed instructions well enough to be able to follow them successfully.

understand simple technical information, such as operating instructions for everyday equipment.

follow detailed directions.

understand public announcements at airports, stations and on planes, buses and trains, provided these are clearly articulated with minimum interference from background noise.

understand and follow a series of instructions for familiar everyday activities such as sports, cooking, etc., provided they are delivered slowly and clearly.

understand straightforward announcements (e.g. of a cinema programme or sports event, that a train has been delayed), provided the delivery is slow and clear.

catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.

understand simple directions on how to get from X to Y, by foot or public transport.

understand basic instructions on times, dates and numbers, etc., and on routine tasks and assignments to be carried out.

understand instructions addressed carefully and slowly to them and follow short, simple directions.

understand when someone tells them slowly and clearly where something is, provided the object is in the immediate environment.

understand figures, prices and times given slowly and clearly in an announcement by loudspeaker, e.g. at a railway station or in a shop.

understand short, simple instructions for actions such as "Stop", "Close the door", etc., provided they are delivered slowly face-to-face, accompanied by pictures or manual gestures and repeated if necessary.

understand a wide range of recorded and broadcast material, including some non-standard usage, and identify finer points of detail including implicit attitudes and relationships between people.

understand a wide range of recorded and broadcast material, including some non-standard usage, and identify finer points of detail including implicit attitudes and relationships between people.

understand recordings in the standard form of the language likely to be encountered in social, professional or academic life and identify viewpoints and attitudes as well as the information content.

understand most documentaries and most other recorded or broadcast material delivered in the standard form of the language and can identify mood, attitude, etc.

understand the information content of the majority of recorded or broadcast material on topics of personal interest delivered in clear standard language.

understand the main points of news bulletins and simpler recorded material about familiar subjects delivered relatively slowly and clearly.

understand the main points and important details in stories and other narratives (e.g. a description of a holiday), provided the delivery is slow and clear.

understand the most important information contained in short commercials concerning goods and services of interest (e.g. music, video games, travel).

understand in an interview what people say they do in their free time, what they particularly like doing and what they do not like doing, provided they speak slowly and clearly.

understand and extract the essential information from short, recorded passages dealing with predictable everyday matters which are delivered slowly and clearly.

extract important information from short broadcasts (e.g. the weather forecast, concert announcements, sports results), provided people talk clearly.

understand the important points of a story and manage to follow the plot, provided the story is told slowly and clearly.

pick out concrete information (e.g. places and times) from short recordings on familiar everyday topics, provided they are delivered very slowly and clearly.

recognise words, names and numbers that they already know in simple, short recordings, provided these are delivered very slowly and clearly.

follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic usage.

understand in detail the arguments presented in demanding television broadcasts such as current affairs programmes, interviews, discussion programmes and chat shows.

understand nuances and implied meaning in most films, plays and TV programmes, provided these are delivered in standard language or a familiar variety.

follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic usage.

understand in detail the arguments presented in demanding television broadcasts such as current affairs programmes, interviews, discussion programmes and chat shows.

understand nuances and implied meaning in most films, plays and TV programmes, provided these are delivered in standard language or a familiar variety.

extract the main points from the arguments and discussions in news and current affairs programmes.

understand most TV news and current affairs programmes.

understand documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and the majority of films in the standard form of the language or a familiar variety.

understand a large part of many TV programmes on topics of personal interest such as interviews, short lectures and news reports when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

follow many films in which visuals and action carry much of the storyline, and which are delivered clearly in straightforward language.

catch the main points in TV programmes on familiar topics when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

identify the main point of TV news items reporting events, accidents, etc. where the visuals support the commentary.

follow a TV commercial or a trailer for or scene from a film, understanding what topic(s) are concerned, provided the images are a great help in understanding and the delivery is clear and relatively slow.

follow changes of topic of factual TV news items, and form an idea of the main content.

recognise familiar words and phrases and identify the topics in headline news summaries and many of the products in advertisements, by exploiting visual information and general knowledge.

identify the subject of a video document on the basis of visual information and previous knowledge.