English Level by Age: what is typical at 6 to 17
Pick an age and see the typical CEFR range, what many children can already do in English and what matters most this year.
The Fleydo English level by age chart shows the CEFR level that many children reach at each age from 6 to 17 when they have regular English lessons. Each age shows a typical range rather than a target, from Pre-A1 at 6 to B1 → B2 at 17, together with what a child can usually do, what school English focuses on and what to prioritise next. The free Fleydo English level test gives an indicative level, and a free trial lesson with a native English-speaking teacher checks it in conversation.
These are typical ranges with regular lessons, not targets: a child who started English later or has fewer hours a week usually sits lower, and that is normal.
Choose an age from 6 to 17 to see the typical range for that year.
At 9, many children are at A1 and starting A2: they describe their day, their home and their hobbies in simple sentences and follow a short story read aloud.
What many children can usually do
- Describe their daily routine, their house and their hobbies in simple sentences
- Understand a short story or a cartoon when it is read or spoken clearly
- Write a few sentences about themselves, with some help with spelling
What school English focuses on
Present tense in regular use, longer vocabulary lists, short reading passages and the first short written tasks.
What to prioritise this year
Get speaking going beyond set phrases. Weekly conversation with real questions and gentle correction helps the A2 patterns settle.
English level by age: the full chart from 6 to 17
The table lists the typical CEFR range for each age with regular lessons, the usual school grade and one thing many children at that age can do. Use it to see the shape of the journey, not to measure one child against it.
| Age | Grade | Typical CEFR range | Can usually |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Grade 1 | Pre-A1 | At 6, many children with regular lessons are at Pre-A1: they know some English words, songs and greetings and are starting to repeat short phrases. |
| 7 | Grade 2 | Pre-A1 → A1 | At 7, many children move from Pre-A1 towards A1: they understand simple instructions and answer easy questions with a word or a short phrase. |
| 8 | Grade 3 | A1 | At 8, many children are at A1: they talk about themselves and their family in short sentences and read very simple texts with pictures. |
| 9 | Grade 4 | A1 → A2 | At 9, many children are at A1 and starting A2: they describe their day, their home and their hobbies in simple sentences and follow a short story read aloud. |
| 10 | Grade 4/5 | A1 → A2 | At 10, many children are moving from A1 into A2: they talk about what happened yesterday and what they will do at the weekend, and read a short text on their own. |
| 11 | Grade 5 | A2 | At 11, many children are at A2: they hold a simple conversation about everyday topics, understand short clear texts and write a short paragraph. |
| 12 | Grade 6 | A2 | At 12, many children are at a secure A2 and reaching for B1: they explain what they think and why in simple terms and follow longer texts and videos. |
| 13 | Grade 7 | A2 → B1 | At 13, many teenagers are between A2 and B1: they follow what a clear speaker or a straightforward text is getting at when the topic is familiar, and can say what they think, what they plan and what happened to them. |
| 14 | Grade 8 | A2 → B1 | At 14, many teenagers are between A2 and B1, often close to B1: they handle most everyday conversations, follow films and articles on familiar subjects and write clear short texts. |
| 15 | Grade 9 | B1 → B2 | At 15, many teenagers are at B1: they talk about ideas as well as facts, understand most clear spoken English on familiar topics and write organised texts. |
| 16 | Grade 10/11 | B1 → B2 | At 16, many teenagers are between B1 and B2: they follow speech at natural speed on familiar subjects, read longer texts in detail and write clear, structured essays. |
| 17 | Grade 11/12 | B1 → B2 | At 17, many teenagers are at B2 or working towards it: they can study, present and argue in English and are ready for exam preparation such as Cambridge or IELTS. |
Why do English levels at the same age differ so much?
The starting age matters more than any other single factor. A child who began English at 6 has had three or four years of exposure by the time they are 10, while a child who began at 9 is still at the very start. Both can be perfectly normal learners, and the second child is not behind; they are simply earlier in the same journey. This is why the chart shows ranges and why Fleydo places children by CEFR level as well as school grade.
Hours per week come next. Two short lessons a week add up to a steady climb; one lesson every other week barely holds a level. Children who have English at school plus regular lessons elsewhere usually move up a level roughly every 1.5 to 2 years, with the pace picking up in the teenage years once children can handle explicit grammar and longer texts. Children with less contact time move more slowly, which is expected rather than a cause for worry.
The chance to speak is the factor most parents underestimate. In a large class each child gets very little speaking time per lesson. A child who speaks English every week in a small group or one-to-one, with someone who answers back and corrects gently, usually sounds more confident than their grammar scores alone would suggest. That is why two children with the same grammar scores can sound quite different.
Finally, reading habits in the child's first language carry over. Children who read for pleasure at home usually find English reading and vocabulary easier, because they already know how to follow a story, guess a word from context and sit with a text. Children who do not yet read much in any language often need more listening and speaking first, and their reading in English catches up later.
English level by age: parents' questions
No. A1 is inside the typical range for a 9-year-old with regular lessons, and it is the normal level for a 9-year-old who started English only a year or two ago. What matters at this age is steady contact with the language: short, regular lessons, plenty of listening and a chance to speak every week. Many children at A1 move into A2 over the next year or two with regular lessons.
Yes, some 6-year-olds reach A1, usually children who started English before school, hear it at home or watch a lot of English-language content. Most 6-year-olds with regular lessons are at Pre-A1, which means they know words, songs and greetings but do not yet build their own sentences. Both are normal. At this age, enjoyment and listening matter more than the label.
With regular lessons, many children take about 5 to 7 years to go from A1 to B2, for example from A1 at age 8 or 9 to B2 at 15 or 16. The pace is rarely even: the step from A2 to B1 is often the slowest, and progress usually speeds up again once a teenager is reading longer texts. Weekly speaking practice and homework that is actually checked help at every stage.
No. The chart describes children and teenagers aged 6 to 17 who learn English alongside school. Adults start at any level and progress depends on hours of study and daily use rather than age. Adult beginners usually start with one-to-one lessons so the teacher can set the pace, and an adult preparing for IELTS is usually at B1 or above. Adults can use the free Fleydo English level test and then book a free trial lesson.
Start with the free Fleydo English level test: 32 questions, about 12 minutes, no sign-up, with an indicative CEFR level from Pre-A1 to B2. Then book a free trial lesson, where a native English-speaking teacher checks speaking and listening in about 30 minutes and sends you a written recommendation.
The three Cambridge Young Learners exams line up roughly with the first CEFR steps: Starters sits at roughly Pre-A1, Movers at roughly A1 and Flyers at roughly A2. In practice many children take Starters around age 7 to 8, Movers around 8 to 10 and Flyers around 10 to 12, but the right moment depends on the child's level, not their birthday. Fleydo group classes for Grades 1–6 work at the same Pre-A1 to A2 levels as these three exams. If a specific Cambridge exam is the goal, mention it when booking the free trial lesson so the teacher can take it into account in the written recommendation.
Many 12-year-olds with regular lessons are at A2 and starting to reach for B1. In everyday terms, a 12-year-old at A2 can keep a simple conversation going about school and hobbies, understand a short article or a video on a familiar topic and write a short connected text. A 12-year-old who started English later may be at A1, which is a normal starting point rather than a problem.
Fleydo group classes are formed by school grade and CEFR level, so a child joins classmates of the same age at the same level: Grade 1–2 at Pre-A1, Grade 3 at A1, Grade 4 at A1–A2, Grades 5–6 at A2, Grades 7–8 at A2–B1 and the Prime Class and Super Class at B1–B2. Complete beginners and children under 6 usually start one-to-one. The teacher confirms the placement in the free trial lesson.
Find out where your child really is
The chart shows typical ranges. In a free 30-minute trial lesson a native English-speaking teacher checks your child's real level in conversation and sends you a written recommendation. No payment, no obligation.
