ZERO PROFICIENCY

Unable to communicate in the language.

FORMULAIC PROFICIENCY

Able to perform in a very limited capacity within the most immediate, predictable areas of need, using essentially formulaic language.

MINIMUM ‘CREATIVE’ PROFICIENCY

Able to satisfy immediate, predictable needs, using predominantly formulaic language.

BASIC TRANSACTIONAL PROFICIENCY

Able to satisfy basic everyday transactional needs.

TRANSACTIONAL PROFICIENCY

Able to satisfy everyday transactional needs and limited social needs.

BASIC SOCIAL PROFICIENCY

Able to satisfy basic social needs, and routine needs pertinent to everyday commerce and to linguistically undemanding ‘vocational’ fields.

SOCIAL PROFICIENCY

Level 2+ behaviour is significantly better than level 2 but has not reached Level 3.

BASIC ‘VOCATIONAL’ PROFICIENCY

Able to perform effectively in most informal and formal situations pertinent to social and community life and everyday commerce and recreation, and in situations which are not linguistically demanding in own ‘vocational’ fields.

BASIC ‘VOCATIONAL’ PROFICIENCY PLUS

Level 3+ behaviour is significantly better than level 3 but has not reached Level 4.

‘VOCATIONAL’ PROFICIENCY

Able to perform very effectively in almost all situations pertinent to social and community life and everyday commerce and recreation, and generally in almost all situations pertinent to own ‘vocational’ fields.

ADVANCED ‘VOCATIONAL’ PROFICIENCY

Level 4+ behaviour is significantly better than level 4 but has not reached Level 5.

NATIVE-LIKE PROFICIENCY

Proficiency equivalent to that of a native speaker of the same sociocultural variety.