Test Results
Based on multiple assessments, my English level as of June 8, 2024 is roughly Intermediate (B1+). The corresponding IELTS estimate falls between 5.0 and 5.5.
| Level | CEFR | IELTS |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | A1 | 0-4.0 |
| Elementary | A2 | 4.5 |
| Pre-Intermediate | B1 | 5.0 |
| Intermediate | B1+ | 5.5 |
| Upper-Intermediate | B2 | 6.0-6.5 |
| Advance | C1 — C2 | 7.0-8.5 |
Test Process
Startford
Result: B1+
Test content
- 60 grammar questions
- 30 reading questions
- 2 essays
- 5-minute 1-on-1 conversation.
BigBen Assessment
Result: B1
Test content
- 30 grammar questions
- 30 reading questions
Vocabulary
- 欧路词典 (Eudic dictionary app): 3881 (May 23, 2024). The vocabulary size measured on December 26, 2023 was 3981.
- Test your vocabulary: 5520
Exam-Oriented English Ability
- National Postgraduate Entrance Examination English II: 71 points (2023)
- National English Competition for College Students: Third Prize (2012)
- CET-6 (College English Test Band 6): 488 points (2011)
- CET-4 (College English Test Band 4): 515 points (2010)
After all these years, it feels like my English ability has been going in circles without moving forward…
Yuanwei English (原味英语)
Back when I was at ByteDance, there was an internal English proficiency tool called Yuanwei English (原味英语, literally “Original-Flavor English”), which mainly tested English used in the workplace. My result was B2. That was probably because I was exposed to a lot of English at the time and was familiar with common expressions and vocabulary in the business context, so the overall result came out on the high side.
IELTS Self-Assessment
I found a set of real IELTS practice papers and tried the listening and speaking sections. Well, it was a complete disaster — I’d rate myself around 4.5.