French level test

How the test works

Part 1: words. You see 42 words, one at a time, and say whether you know each one. A third of them are made up. Saying yes to a made-up word lowers your result, because it shows how much of your “yes” is guessing. This format comes from language research: it is the one used by LexTALE, a vocabulary test from psycholinguistics, and by the placement step of DIALANG, the European diagnostic language test.

Part 2: grammar. 10 sentences with a gap and four options. Vocabulary alone can mislead, especially between close languages such as Spanish and Portuguese, where many words look alike. The grammar questions correct for that.

The test adapts as you go: after each answer it picks the next question close to your current estimate, so you spend your time on the questions that say the most about you.

Each word and each question belongs to a level. Your result is the highest level where you know at least half of the words and grammar, which goes together with knowing about 80% of the level below. We chose this rule because it matches the published vocabulary sizes for each CEFR level. The range shows how sure the test can be with this many questions.

What the levels mean

The CEFR is the European scale used by most language exams, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery).

A1	Beginner. You recognise the most common everyday words and can handle very simple sentences.
A2	Elementary. You know the vocabulary of daily routines and understand simple sentences about familiar topics.
B1	Intermediate. You understand the main points on familiar topics and can get by in most everyday and travel situations.
B2	Upper intermediate. You follow most conversations and texts on general topics and can express yourself in some detail.
C1+	Advanced. You know a wide vocabulary, including uncommon words, and handle complex grammar. This test cannot tell C1 from C2.

What this test can and cannot tell you

• It measures reading vocabulary and grammar. It does not measure speaking, listening or writing.
• It is short. Expect the result to be right to within one level either way; that is why you get a range.
• The levels of the questions come from published graded lists and syllabuses. The test has not yet been checked against the results of people who took an official exam.
• For an official level, take an exam such as DELF, DALF, TCF.

Questions about the test

Sources

• Lemhöfer & Broersma (2012), “Introducing LexTALE”, Behavior Research Methods
• Brysbaert (2013), “Lextale_FR: a fast, free, and efficient test to measure language proficiency in French”, Psychologica Belgica
• Alderson (2005), Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency (the DIALANG placement test)
• Council of Europe, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
• Milton & Alexiou (2009), vocabulary size and the CEFR levels