The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), which aims to promote international and professional mobility, provides a common basis for describing the skills needed to reach different levels of language proficiency. It presents a reference system that is designed to establish co-relations between various tests and ability levels. This means that test takers, teachers, and people making decisions based on the results of these tests (universities, employers etc.) can use the CEFRL to compare the performance of a test taker against any test in any language.

The CEFRL defines skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking in any language. The Framework is broken down into six levels, falling into three main groups:

• A1 – A2 (Basic User)
• B1 – B2 (Independent User)
• C1 – C2 (Proficient User)

ETS regularly carries out correlation studies between its tests and the CEFRL to ensure that reliable and precise correlations can be made over time. The most recent such study was conducted in October 2006, for such well-known tests as the TOEIC® Listening and Reading test, the TOEIC^® Speaking and Writing tests, the TOEFL^® iBT test, and the TOEIC Bridge™ test.

A panel of 22 experts (English language teachers, language school directors, specialists in linguistics, professors etc.) from 10 EU countries participated in these standard-setting studies. At the end of the process, these experts defined the 6 “cut scores” representing the "minimum marks" required to pass at each of the six CEFR levels.

Results of the standard-setting study

The expert panels were able to successfully co-relate the ETS tests and the CEFRL levels:

Mapping TOEFL iBT on the Common European Framework of Reference

Mapping the TOEIC and Bridge tests on the Common European Framework of Reference

Complete CEFRL report

Interpreting the results

Now academic institutions, employers language programmes and language learners can interpret the recommended minimum scores on the TOEIC L&R tests by referring to the global descriptors. The TOEIC can-do table illustrates what a TOEIC score translates into, in terms of abilities of the test-taker. However these should be considered as guidelines; and ETS does not recommend the use of rigid cut scores.

Download the TOEIC Listening and Reading correlation and can-do tables here

Download the TOEIC Speaking and Writing proficiency descriptors here

If you are a decision-maker and you would like to know more about the interpretation of these results, or you would like to know what levels to recommend for a function or level of study, contact us now .