Advantages ILA
• All levels year round
• Based on CEFR
• Online level test
• Min. 6 levels at any time
Whatever dates you choose and however much time you have available for studying French, we have a suitable French language course for you. We follow the Common European Framework issued by the European Commission for language learning. Our immersion school in Montpellier offers a minimum of 6 different French language levels, most of the time we provide 8 – 10 levels of French proficiency.
Our French immersion school in France offers a French level test online to allow you to grade your French level defined by the CEFR.
Placement French level test
With your booking confirmation you receive an access code to do our online level test prior to arrival. This guarantees you to start your course in the appropriate French level group – you will therefore not lose any of your valuable language training time due to a placement test and evaluation taken only once here.
The French test levels you can achieve are: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.
French language course levels
All our French courses aim to help you progress in French and acquire the language skills described in the CEFR level reference. Our French language School offers all French language certification levels. DELF and DALF certifications officially validate these levels through exams. The success rate for the DELF and DALF exams in our French language school has varied on average between 70% and 85% for the last 10 years.
Our school holds the most important international and national language centers accreditations (EAQUALS, IALC and LABEL QUALITE FLE, GROUPEMENT FLE). We do our best to ensure that academic excellence is a guarantee of success in the French language learning at all levels , thanks to a proven teaching method and competent and enthusiastic teachers.
What are the French language proficiency levels offered by ILA?
A1 – Basic User
At the A1 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand and use basic everyday expressions and phrases related to familiar topics such as greetings, introductions, and personal information. (For example, “Bonjour” (hello), “Comment allez-vous?” (how are you?), “Je m’appelle Bard” (my name is Bard), “Je suis d’Angleterre” (I am from England), “J’ai un chat” (I have a cat).)
- Introduce yourself and others and ask and answer simple questions about personal details such as your name, where you live, and people you know. (For example, “Je m’appelle Bard et vous?” (My name is Bard and what is yours?), “D’où venez-vous?” (Where are you from?), “Avez-vous des frères et sœurs?” (Do you have brothers and sisters?), “Où habitez-vous?” (Where do you live?))
- Interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. (For example, ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, making a simple purchase at a store.)
At this level, you will still be making many mistakes, but you should be able to communicate basic information and interact with others in simple situations.
A2 – Basic User
At the A2 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand and use sentences and frequently used expressions related to everyday matters such as personal and family information, shopping, local geography, and employment. (For example, “Je voudrais acheter du pain” (I would like to buy some bread), “Combien coûte ce t-shirt?” (How much is this t-shirt?), “Où se trouve la gare?” (Where is the train station?), “Je suis étudiant” (I am a student).)
- Communicate in simple and routine tasks that require a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. (For example, ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, making a simple purchase at a store, scheduling an appointment.)
- Describe in simple terms aspects of your background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need. (For example, “Je viens de France” (I am from France), “J’habite dans un appartement” (I live in an apartment), “J’ai besoin d’aide” (I need help).)
At this level, you will still make mistakes, but you should be able to handle many common situations in French. You will be able to understand and communicate basic information, interact with others in familiar contexts, and describe simple aspects of your life
B1 – Independent User
At the B1 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand the main points of clear standard input on a wide range of familiar topics regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. (For example, following the main points of a discussion in a meeting, understanding the key ideas in a newspaper article, comprehending the plot of a movie or TV show.)
- Deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in a French-speaking area. (For example, ordering food in a restaurant, asking for directions, making a purchase at a store, seeking help in an emergency.)
- Produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. (For example, writing a short essay about your hobbies, describing a recent trip, giving a presentation about your work.)
- Describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. (For example, talking about your past experiences, sharing your hopes for the future, explaining your reasons for choosing a particular career path.)
At this level, you can function as an independent language learner. You can understand and communicate complex information, interact with native speakers in a variety of situations, and express your thoughts and ideas in a clear and organized way.
B2 – Independent User
At the B2 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialization. (For example, following a complex lecture on a scientific topic, understanding the arguments in a philosophical debate, comprehending the details of a legal contract.)
- Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. (For example, engaging in a lively conversation about current events, participating in a discussion about a literary work, expressing your opinions confidently in a business meeting.)
- Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. (For example, writing a persuasive essay on a social issue, giving a presentation on your research findings, drafting a detailed proposal for a project.)
At this level, you can function as an effective and independent communicator in French. You can understand and express complex ideas, interact with native speakers fluently and spontaneously, and produce well-structured and informative written and spoken language.
C1 – Proficient User
At the C1 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, even those that contain complex ideas and implicit meaning. (For example, comprehending a lengthy academic article on a specialized topic, following a sophisticated argument in a philosophical essay, grasping the nuances of a literary novel.)
- Express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. (For example, delivering a speech on a complex topic without hesitation, engaging in a lively debate with native speakers, expressing your thoughts and ideas effortlessly in a variety of social settings.)
- Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes. (For example, adapting your communication style to different audiences, using language appropriately in formal and informal settings, producing clear and persuasive arguments in written and spoken forms.)
- Produce clear, well-structured, and detailed text on complex subjects, demonstrating controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices. (For example, writing a comprehensive research paper, drafting a detailed business proposal, creating a compelling narrative essay.)
At this level, you can operate effectively as a proficient user of French in a wide range of demanding contexts. You can understand complex information, express yourself fluently and spontaneously, and produce well-structured and informative written and spoken language.
C2 – Proficient User
At the C2 level of French, you will be able to:
- Understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, even complex and abstract discussions on unfamiliar topics. (For example, following a complex lecture on a scientific theory, grasping the nuances of a literary work, comprehending the subtleties of a political debate.)
- Summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. (For example, synthesizing information from multiple research papers, compiling a comprehensive report on a complex issue, creating a detailed presentation of a new concept.)
- Express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations. (For example, delivering a speech on a highly specialized topic without notes, engaging in a nuanced debate with native experts, expressing your thoughts and ideas with precision and eloquence in any context.)
At this level, you have achieved mastery of French and can operate effectively as a highly proficient language user in any situation. You can understand and express yourself with ease and precision, even in the most demanding contexts.
* Other exams such as TCF (French knowledge test), TCF (French Evaluation Test) or DLC (language proficiency certificate) are also available for level certificates.
Test your French level online for free!