A thorough language evaluation tool that enables people to evaluate their level of skill in speaking, reading, writing, and listening in their native tongue is called the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLBs). Every CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) level represents a particular stage of language acquisition. Assess a person’s language proficiency using these criteria. Since they offer a clear framework for defining and contrasting language talents. People can gain a better understanding of their language skills’ strengths and limitations by using the CLBs, and language teachers can create curricula and learning resources that cater to the needs of students with varying degrees of proficiency.
CLB level 1: Initial beginner
Speaking
Even simple words and thoughts are difficult for the person to explain, and this difficulty shows up even when speaking to a familiar listener. They might be able to communicate their requirements in simple words, but only with a lot of help from gestures, hints, and direction. They may revert to using their native language because they have little to no control over fundamental grammatical structures and tenses.
Reading
The reader’s comprehension is substantially impaired, and most words are difficult for them to recognize. Most letters, numerals, a few short words, and short, simple expressions referring to commonplace items and urgent requirements can be recognized by them. However, they are unable to process new vocabulary, understand connected or intricate texts, or infer the meaning of unexpected words from context. As a result, they place a lot of reliance on illustrations and other visual cues to interpret the text.
Writing
The writer is only capable of producing brief, uncomplicated passages made up of letters, numbers, simple words, and well-known phrases. However, these sentences are incredibly brief, and the author routinely violates capitalization, punctuation, and spelling rules. They struggle greatly to communicate even the most elementary facts or thoughts because they have very little vocabulary and little knowledge of linguistic processes.
Listing
Even when spoken slowly and clearly, the listener has limited comprehension and can only understand a few simple words and short statements that address fundamental concepts. To aid their understanding, the listener may require repetition and additional gestures, such as hand motions or visuals.
CLB level 2: Developing beginner
Speaking
During the conversation, the speaker uses short sentences and basic words, and there is little evidence of a cohesive argument. To communicate effectively, the speaker relies heavily on a compassionate and reliable listener who can provide guidance, prompts, and gestures. The speaker has very limited control over basic syntax, tenses, and linguistic structure, which results in a slow speech tempo with many pauses and hesitations.
Reading
The reader can identify key terms and basic information and may comprehend sentences and brief phrases that contain well-known words and phrases. However, they have a significantly limited ability to decode unfamiliar words, understand connected text, or infer the meaning of unknown words. They comprehend the basic rules of English spelling and the relationships between sounds and symbols. To fully comprehend the message, the reader may require a bilingual dictionary and rely heavily on visual aids, such as pictures and graphics.
Writing
The writer has a limited understanding of word order and word forms, which makes it difficult for them to express straightforward facts and ideas. They can only use common terms and phrases but can communicate essential personal identity information, basic words, simple phrases, and a few brief lines about very familiar information related to urgent needs.
Listing
When spoken to slowly and with clarity, the listener may be able to understand a few basic words, short phrases, and statements related to their immediate needs. Visual aids may help enhance comprehension.
CLB level 3: Adequate beginners
Speaking
Basic information can be conveyed by using simple phrases that describe urgent needs and personal experiences. Even though he or she will likely need visual cues or prompts to compose sentences, they may be able to understand how sentences are constructed and construct coherent discourses. Pronunciation is often difficult, and speech is often garbled.
Reading
It is easier for the reader to comprehend a text when it is brief, neatly ordered, and supported by visual cues. In particular, using straightforward language that addresses topics that people encounter frequently on a daily basis. In addition to knowing some basic connected discourse, he or she is able to guess or decipher the meaning of words that are unknown or unfamiliar based on well-known terms and phrases.
Writing
Writing short sentences based on well-known details from her own experiences and real-world scenarios is becoming easier for the writer. She is becoming more comfortable with basic language structures and common terminology, and she is able to utilize these skills to create short sentences. Word order and word forms interfere with comprehension, making it impossible for him or her to convey simple messages.
Listing
A listener can understand simple core words, formulaic phrases, and a few brief sentences when they are spoken slowly and clearly in undemanding circumstances. He or she might need to repeat something, paraphrase it, translate it, or use visual signals.
CLB level 4: Fluent beginners
Speaking
During informal, undemanding situations, speakers may share basic ideas about typical daily experiences, wants, and requirements. Although he or she is capable of making short sentences and demonstrating ongoing conversation, he or she is unlikely to be able to properly use grammar, vocabulary, and tenses.
Reading
Using a bilingual dictionary and possibly relying on visuals and other visual cues, a reader can understand the overall meaning by recognizing the objective, main concepts, and some specific details within short, undemanding texts. The ability to comprehend only a small number of complicated sentences and structures is also a prerequisite for understanding fundamental grammatical rules.
Writing
Writing brief, straightforward texts about personal experiences and well-known issues or circumstances relevant to everyday life is possible when the message is grammatically and lexically sound. Students learn capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Listing
In a one-on-one or small group context, listeners can understand basic communication that addresses well-known issues. It is helpful to the listener if speech is delivered slowly, possibly using visual cues or context cues. Identifying common idioms and understanding more complex sentences might be possible.
CLB level 5: Initial Intermediate
Speaking
The speaker can start a conversation in small groups when the surroundings are comfortable and they are fluent enough. As well as a few idioms, he or she is able to express specific information regarding personal needs and well-known topics.
Reading
Although a bilingual dictionary may still be needed to comprehend meaning, readers should be able to comprehend practical, predictable literature without one as long as the content is concrete, factual, and descriptive. It is usually easy for him or her to spot the objective, key points, critical information, and relationships between paragraphs, styles, and registers, but he or she frequently wants explanations and rereads in order to comprehend.
Writing
Despite her skills as a writer, complex structures can be challenging for her. Using connective vocabulary, connective words, and phrases, he or she can write straightforward descriptions, narrations, and conversations that are familiar to the reader and brief. This is possible when the topic and passage are familiar and brief.
Listing
Communication that is relatively complicated is comprehended and responded to by the listener in both formal and informal settings. It is easier for him or her to distinguish between overall meanings and implicit meanings if he or she is knowledgeable about complicated sentences and language patterns. The theme of a phone call might be understood if it is well-known and pronounced well.
CLB level 6: Developing Intermediate
Speaking
In some settings, the speaker is capable of communicating through the telephone or in a more professional manner. It is often easy to understand what is being said, despite some hesitations and mistakes in grammar. In addition to knowing a variety of ordinary words, including some idioms and frequent cultural references, he or she is able to modify speech to reflect the audience’s requirements.
Reading
It is possible for the reader to comprehend some relatively complex texts in predictable, practical settings, whether formal or informal, with the aid of images and concise, unilingual dictionaries. Comprehending complicated words and structures depends on developing a working knowledge of them, even when visual cues are needed.
Writing
Writers can create paragraphs with a sufficient paragraph structure by establishing a main theme, providing supporting information, using connectives, and managing grammar, punctuation, and formatting appropriately. It is possible for the author to sometimes use language that is inappropriate for the target audience, or to construct sentences and words that sound awkward.
Listening
As long as the listener understands certain abstract ideas and notions connected to personal experience, a fairly complex discourse is understood. He or she can better understand when the language is clearly spoken and at a slower pace than normal. This level of proficiency is characterized by the recognition of several registers and the comprehension of an increasing number of idiomatic expressions.
CLB level 7: Adequate Intermediate
Speaking
The speaker uses an expanding vocabulary of the concrete and idiomatic language in order to alter his or her style and register to suit various audiences and circumstances. A wide range of well-known themes can be presented with some abstract and tangible knowledge, and he or she can speak with some confidence in many everyday social, academic, and professional contexts.
Reading
The reader can distinguish the text’s aim, primary concepts, precise details, and many suggested meanings using a unilingual dictionary to validate and fine-tune the interpretation of unfamiliar terminology. In addition, he or she is able to understand idioms, concrete, abstract, or specialized terminology, and factual, descriptive, or argumentative written language with explicit and implied meanings.
Writing
Using a combination of well-written and concise paragraphs, the author can communicate the key ideas in detail and provide sufficient support for the ideas in the passages. In this work, various terminology is used and ideas are developed and concluded. It can look awkward or laborious when writing using mother tongue grammar and patterns.
Listening
Listeners are capable of comprehending a growing range of abstract ideas and concepts based on general knowledge and life experience, as well as participating in fairly complicated informal and formal discussions. When the delivery is faster than usual, he or she might still have trouble keeping up with phone calls or chats involving many people. A variety of registers, styles, idioms, and meanings might be recognizable to him or her.
CLB level 8: Fluent Intermediate
Speaking
The speaker’s communication is evidently connected even when dealing with unfamiliar groups and situations that can be more formal and demand more attention. His or her language includes idiomatic, abstract, and concrete elements, along with some well-known cultural references.
Reading
Readers can identify moods, attitudes, and registers as they gather, integrate, and compare the information. For unfamiliar terms, the reader may consult a unilingual dictionary, but it is most likely that the meaning can be discerned based on the context and general meaning of the passage.
Writing
A writer can produce predictable, useful, and relevant texts in both formal and informal settings that are understandable and relatively complex, covering well-known tangible, and abstract subjects. When conveying somewhat complicated ideas, he or she can use a variety of natural idiomatic language, cultural allusions, and figures of speech.
Listening
It is possible for the listener to comprehend moderately complicated communication in formal as well as informal contexts, such as abstract concepts and ideas based on general experience, personal knowledge, and unique circumstances. Even though he or she might have difficulty keeping up with colloquial or idiomatic dialogues that move quickly, he or she can carry on a conversation for long periods of time and in more challenging situations.
CLB level 9: Initial Advanced
Speaking
It is easy for the speaker to convey ideas in complex and broad contexts, and he is capable of providing information on broad, abstract, and complex topics. Language, structure, and tenses are fluidly understood by him or her, and they are able to adapt their speech patterns and registers to a variety of audiences and situations. Vocabulary or pronunciation is rarely a hindrance to communication.
Reading
In various unexpected settings and on various new topics, the reader is capable of understanding complicated texts. In addition to colloquial and figurative language, the text can also be dense, long, and grammatically complex. It is difficult for him or her to understand obscure idioms, cultural allusions, and figures of speech because he or she has limited knowledge of complicated grammar and syntax.
Writing
An experienced writer can produce prose up to 1,500 words long on abstract and unfamiliar topics that require investigation with proper concept structure and topic development. Despite some grammar, word choice, and combination errors, the speaker addresses the situation and purpose appropriately with concrete, abstract, and idiomatic language. Depending on the genre or culture, this language may also contain some expressions that are unique to that genre or culture.
Listening
Despite complex grammar and syntax, the listener is able to comprehend meaning regardless of whether it is concrete, abstract, or technical. Even though he or she is capable of carrying on a long-term conversation, he or she may have difficulty understanding subtleties in linguistic types, speech styles, registers, verbal humor, low-frequency idioms, or cultural references.
CLB level 10: Developing Advanced
Speaking
The speaker uses a rising amount of figures of speech and cultural references, as well as concrete, abstract, and idiomatic terms, to communicate effectively in a variety of demanding contexts. A person with this skill has the ability to communicate verbally and in writing with peers and superiors in small as well as large groups.
Reading
By analyzing the author’s goal, mood, attitude, and point of view, a reader can ascertain the text’s purpose, main ideas, and supporting details. A literate individual can often understand the meaning of linguistically challenging writing without a dictionary nearby.
Writing
In typically ordinary but challenging settings, the writer can create intricate formal and informal texts up to 3,000 words in length. There is a great deal of clarity and consideration in the main points, as well as the detail and subtlety used to support them. Seldom do people commit grammatical, word choice, or sentence structure errors.
Listening
As a listener, one is capable of comprehending a wide variety of complex, comprehensive formal and informal communication on most topics of general interest or that pertain to one’s personal or professional life. Despite familiarity with complicated grammar and syntax, deciphering colloquial humor, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references can be challenging, particularly when a speaker speaks rapidly.
CLB level 11: Adequate Advanced
Speaking
In demanding, complex, or challenging non-routine work, educational, or social circumstances, the speaker can communicate on challenging, abstract, broad, and specialized topics with advanced communication skills. Furthermore, he or she communicates in a coherent and connected way regardless of the circumstances, audience, genre, or goal.
Reading
It is possible for the reader to comprehend a wide variety of difficult multifunctional writings in the most unforeseen circumstances and on new topics, even when the book is exceedingly long and dense with complex logic, latent subtleties, highly idiomatic and metaphorical language, and sociocultural references. A complete understanding of styles, registers and linguistic styles allows an author to recognize his or her aim, primary ideas, intent, mood, attitude, point of view, and line of reasoning.
Writing
In a cohesive manner, he or she can combine substantial, complex information from several sources into a cohesive text of any length required by the genre, task, and goal. Written in a manner that shows confidence, and control over complex and diverse structures.
Listening
An intricate, in-depth understanding of intricate, esoteric, conceptual, or technological communication is presented by the listener. Only rarely do they experience challenges understanding verbal humor, low-frequency idioms, irony, sarcasm, cultural allusions, metaphors and symbols, and idiomatic expressions.
CLB level 12: Fluent Advanced
Speaking
Together with a vast vocabulary, the speaker also possesses good control over a wide range of complex grammar structures, including figures of speech, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references. In formal and group contexts, he or she is capable of expressing complicated, abstract, all-encompassing, and specialized knowledge.
Reading
Fluently understands complex unfamiliar multifunctional books with a range of styles and formats in both challenging and unpredictably structured genres. From difficult, unpredictable texts that contain abstract, conceptual, or specialist vocabulary, he or she deciphers figurative and idiomatic language, colloquialisms, and cultural allusions.
Writing
In addition to using suitable, accurate, and idiomatic terminology, the author makes use of allusions to different genres and cultural heritages. A proficient editor can edit, revise, and proofread all textual components. Publish or make public complex ideas clearly, efficiently, and stylistically.
Listening
Despite their differences in language style, the listener understands all idioms, irony, sarcasm, and cultural allusions, as well as metaphorical and symbolic language deeply. Besides understanding both formal and informal terminology, he or she can infer meaning from silence.
