The CEFR Illustrative Descriptor Scales: Communicative language competences
Page
135
Phonolo
gic
al c
on
tr
ol
O
ver
all phonolo
gic
al c
on
tr
ol
Sound ar
ticula
tion
Pr
oso
dic f
ea
tur
es
A2
Pr
onuncia
tion is gener
ally clear enough t
o be
underst
ood
, but c
on
versa
tional par
tners will need
to ask f
or r
epetition fr
om time t
o time
. A str
ong
influenc
e fr
om the other language(s) they speak on
str
ess
, r
hythm and in
tona
tion ma
y aff
ec
t in
tellig
ibilit
y,
requir
ing c
ollabor
ation fr
om in
ter
locut
ors
.
Nev
er
theless
, pr
onuncia
tion of familiar w
or
ds is clear
.
Pr
onuncia
tion is gener
ally in
tellig
ible when
communica
ting in simple ev
er
yda
y situa
tions
, pr
ovided
the in
ter
locut
or makes an eff
or
t t
o understand specific
sounds
.
Sy
st
ema
tic mispr
onuncia
tion of phonemes does not
hinder in
tellig
ibilit
y, pr
ovided the in
ter
locut
or makes
an eff
or
t t
o r
ec
og
nise
and adjust t
o the influenc
e of the
speaker
’s language backg
round on pr
onuncia
tion.
Can use the pr
osodic f
ea
tur
es of ev
er
yda
y w
or
ds
and phr
ases in
tellig
ibly
, in spit
e of a str
ong influenc
e
on str
ess
, in
tona
tion and/or r
hythm fr
om the other
language(s) they speak
.
Pr
osodic f
ea
tur
es (e
.g
. w
or
d str
ess) ar
e adequa
te f
or
familiar ev
er
yda
y w
or
ds and simple utt
er
anc
es
.
A1
Pr
onuncia
tion of a v
er
y limit
ed r
eper
toir
e of lear
nt
w
or
ds and phr
ases can be underst
ood
with some eff
or
t
by in
ter
locut
ors used t
o dealing with speakers of the
language g
roup
. C
an r
epr
oduc
e c
or
rec
tly a limit
ed
range of sounds as w
ell as str
ess f
or simple
, familiar
w
or
ds and phr
ases
.
Can r
epr
oduc
e sounds in the tar
get language if
car
efully guided
.
Can ar
ticula
te a limit
ed number of sounds
, so tha
t
speech is only in
tellig
ible if the in
ter
locut
or pr
ovides
suppor
t (e
.g
. b
y r
epea
ting c
or
rec
tly and b
y
eliciting
repetition of new sounds).
Can use the pr
osodic f
ea
tur
es of a limit
ed r
eper
toir
e
of simple w
or
ds and phr
ases in
tellig
ibly
, in spit
e of
a v
er
y str
ong influenc
e on str
ess
, r
hythm and/or
in
tona
tion fr
om the other language(s) they speak
; their
in
ter
locut
or needs t
o be c
ollabor
ativ
e.
Page
136
3
CEFR – Companion volume
Orthographic control
This scale concerns the ability to copy, spell and use layout and punctuation. Key concepts operationalised in
the scale include the following:
f
copying words and sentences (at lower levels);
f
spelling;
f
intelligibility through a blend of spelling, punctuation and layout.
Orthographic control
C2
Writing is orthographically free of error.
C1
Layout, paragraphing and punctuation are consistent and helpful.
Spelling is accurate, apart from occasional slips of the pen.
B2
Can
produce clearly intelligible, continuous writing which follows standard layout and paragraphing
conventions.
Spelling and punctuation are reasonably accurate but may show signs of mother-tongue influence.
B1
Can produce continuous writing which is generally intelligible throughout.
Spelling, punctuation and layout are accurate enough to be followed most of the time.
A2
Can copy short sentences on everyday subjects, e.g. directions on how to get somewhere.
Can write with reasonable phonetic accuracy (but not necessarily fully standard spelling) short words that
are in their oral vocabulary.
A1
Can copy familiar words and short phrases, e.g. simple signs or instructions, names of everyday objects,
names of shops, and set phrases used regularly.
Can spell their address, nationality and other personal details.
Can use basic punctuation (e.g. full stops, question marks).
Pre-A1
No descriptors available
5.2. SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE
Sociolinguistic competence is concerned with the knowledge and skills required to deal with the social
dimension of language use. Since language is a sociocultural phenomenon, much of what is contained in the
CEFR, particularly in respect of the sociocultural, is also of relevance to sociolinguistic competence. The matters
treated here are those specifically relating to language use that are not dealt with elsewhere:
linguistic markers
of social relations; politeness conventions; register differences; and dialect and accent.
Sociolinguistic appropriateness
One scale is offered for “Sociolinguistic appropriateness”. Key concepts operationalised in the scale include the
following:
f
using polite forms and showing awareness of politeness conventions;
f
performing language functions in an appropriate way (at lower levels in a neutral register);
f
socialising, following basic routines at lower levels, without requiring the interlocutor(s) to behave differently
(from B2 up) and employing idiomatic expressions, allusive usage and humour (at C levels);
f
recognising sociocultural cues, especially those pointing to differences, and acting accordingly;
f
adopting an appropriate register (from B2 up).
