The levels from 1 to 4
1 to 4 are the names of a scale in common use. What stands on this page is this project’s own reading of it — not an official assessment and not a certificate.
1
First steps
Reading Hangul, introducing yourself, simple sentences in the polite form ending in -yo.
What you can do at this level
- read and write Hangul
- introduce yourself and others
- understand numbers, the time, dates and prices
- say what you have, want and do
- ask and answer simple questions
Grammar at this level
Hangul and the sound rules, The basic sentence, Particles, Numbers, counters and time, Verb endings and speech levels, Tense and aspect, Negation …
2
Foundations
Talk about your day, the past and your plans, reasons and wishes.
What you can do at this level
- talk about the past and about plans
- express reasons, conditions and contrasts
- ask for things, suggest and offer
- address people and talk about them politely
- read short everyday texts
Grammar at this level
Hangul and the sound rules, The basic sentence, Particles, Numbers, counters and time, Verb endings and speech levels, Tense and aspect, Negation …
3
Intermediate
Tell a connected story, put whole clauses before a noun, give reasons for an opinion.
What you can do at this level
- describe a noun with a whole clause
- report what somebody said or asked
- give and weigh reasons for an opinion
- make guesses and describe experiences
- read shorter everyday texts on your own
Grammar at this level
Hangul and the sound rules, Particles, Verb endings and speech levels, Tense and aspect, Negation, Irregular verbs, Before a noun, and verbs as nouns …
4
Upper intermediate
Talk about society, work and culture, read longer texts.
What you can do at this level
- talk about work, education and society
- express concession, consequence and purpose
- read longer texts with a dictionary
- tell spoken style from written style
- weigh advantages and disadvantages
Grammar at this level
Before a noun, and verbs as nouns, Linking clauses, further, Reported speech, Passive and causative, Further patterns, The written style