How long you learn english

How many hours do you need for each level of English?

How long does it take to learn English

How long does it take to learn English up to the Intermediate level?

From elementary level to pre-intermediate level, training will take an additional 4-5 months. When mastering the pre-intermediate level, it is possible to learn English to intermediate in 6-7 months. Usually intermediate level is enough to get a job.

How long is one level of English?

On average, you can complete one level of English in 3-4 months. Therefore, if you started learning English from scratch, then you can reach the intermediate level (Intermediate) in about six months. This is if you train in a group with an intensity of 2 times a week.

How many hours do you need for the Advanced level?

How many hours does it take from B1 to B2?

В1 Intermediate / В2 Upper-Intermediate

To get to this level from scratch, students need 150-250 hours of work with a teacher and about 200-400 independent practice. Studying three times a week, you only need 1-1,5 years to reach the B1 or B2 level.

How many hours do you need for B2?

Is it possible to learn English in a year from scratch?

Special commissions have developed a list of language competencies, the proficiency of which means language proficiency. By googling about these criteria, you will find out if it is possible to learn enough English for communication and career in a year. The answer is yes!

Is it possible to learn English in a month?

Is it possible to learn English in 2 years?

Yes, maybe without big problems. The most important thing is to learn it to the point where you can start learning it on your own. It is more than realistic to do this in six months.

How many hours a week do you need to study English?

If you want to improve your level, the optimal number of English lessons is 2-3 times a week for 60-90 minutes. By doing this, you can make confident progress. We would like to draw your attention to the duration of the classes: it is believed that it is most effective to practice for at least 60 minutes.

How many years does it take to learn English?

Based on our practice, for confident communication abroad, it is necessary to study English for at least 2 years, if you master the language «from scratch». You need to spend 6-9 months for each level of training, see details here.

How long does it take to learn a language?

IDS studies show that it will take 1 hours to reach a basic level of proficiency in language group 480, and 2 hours in groups 4-720. If we can devote 10 hours a day to learning a language, then it will take us 48 days to reach a basic level of fluency in an easy language and 72 days in a difficult one.

How do I get to the Advanced level?

How to improve the level of English

How to learn English up to level C1?

Tips for reaching level C1

Can you learn English in 3 months?

Can you learn English well in three months from the beginner level? Theoretically, you can. But in practice, very few people will succeed. It will be much more effective to stretch this time and gradually, but confidently move towards the goal.

How long does it take to learn English?

Two of the most commonly asked questions asked by English language students are:

There are several language learning products which also give an attractive answer, such as:

Does fluency mean you can speak and write like a native speaker?

Fluency in a language is described in dictionaries as being able to express yourself easily and without difficulty. However, this does not simply mean that you are able to speak and write like a native speaker. Here’s an example from my own experiences:

I’m a native English speaker from London and a qualified English language teacher. I have given English language courses to students from all over the world, and I’ve lived and worked in five countries. I moved to Germany fifteen months ago, and I’ve been to German language courses, used language books and studied online, but my German is definitely not a native level, not even close!

We know that language learning can be divided into levels of ability, and these levels can measure our language ability in numerous areas, including:

However, the simple definition of “fluency” from a dictionary is not very clear. This makes it more difficult to know if we are actually fluent in another language or not. Instead, we need to look at specific descriptions of the English levels of proficiency and fluency.

What are the levels of proficiency in English?

English language proficiency can be broken into stages from beginner to proficiency, and there are various descriptions of English levels of ability which describe what you are able to do at each level.

One of the most well-known systems to measure English levels is the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for language learning, teaching and assessment). It divides levels of ability into three main stages (Basic, Independent, Proficient). Then, it gives more detailed descriptions across six levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).

English level A1 is the beginner level and C2 is the highest level of proficiency.

The CEFR has also been fundamental in creating level descriptions for official English proficiency exams, including the IELTS and the Cambridge exams (KEY, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE).

Click on the buttons below for a detailed breakdown and study targets for each English level:

What are the levels of fluency in English?

English fluency focuses primarily on speaking skills, and here is a summary of the different levels of English fluency. This is based on the information given for each English level in the CEFR.

How Long Does it Take to Learn English?

Setting realistic goals is the key to success for many things in life. Whether it’s committing to a fitness regime or learning a new language, the beginning can be exciting but overwhelming. Seeing real progress and hitting targets along the way is often what keeps you motivated to continue.

How long will it take me to learn English?

This is one of the most common questions new learners have. Because everyone learns at a slightly different pace, there is often no easy answer. To attain complete, native-level fluency could take a lifetime of dedication and practice. But the good news is, learning to communicate effectively in English—for travel, work or studies abroad—may not take as long as you think.

What is your English level?
Take our short English test to find out.

At EF English Live, we’re proud to be the experts in helping busy professionals and students to learn quickly and flexibly. Learning English online with us allows you to set your own study schedule and rate of progression. So if you’re wondering how long it takes to become fluent, the answer is really up to you.

How does an online English school work?

This is another common question. To better understand how long it takes to learn English with us, it helps to better understand how our course is structured.

EF English Live’s General English curriculum spans 16 fluency levels. These levels map to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) standards of English in the following way:

To find out how long it will take you to achieve your goal, it will help to understand how each level within our school works. Each of our 16 levels is divided into 6 study units. These 6 units are further broken down into 4 practical lessons. Within each lesson, you’ll complete a number of quick language-learning activities called steps.

It may sound complicated, but by breaking down your course into achievable modules, you can learn something new in each study session. Our academic team estimates that each unit should take around 3 to 4 dedicated study hours to complete, meaning a full level should take between 18 and 24 study hours.

While everyone learns differently, our most successful students find that they can retain what they’ve learned better by studying consistently in short bursts, rather than in long “cram” sessions. They also find supplementing their core online lessons with live classes with our online teachers really supports—and accelerates—their progress.

What is your English level?
Take our short English test to find out.

How long you learn english

Learning a language can feel like climbing a huge mountain. It’s not so bad when you start, but the higher up you get, the more difficult the terrain becomes. You’re tired, you’re out of breath, and you don’t know if it’s worth it to keep going. Things aren’t going well, and you’re getting discouraged.

When this happens, it can really help to have a more realistic sense of the work involved and the direction you must take. This way, you can prepare yourself for the road ahead and regain your energy. And I have some good news: If you’re reading this article, you’re almost there! You just need to keep pressing forward.

In this article, I’ll talk about how long it takes most people to learn English and give you some advice on how to learn English fast!

Let’s get started.

First, a Few Factors to Consider

So how long will it take, really? It depends on who you ask.

According to English UK, it generally takes 120 hours for each level of English fluency. But if you ask Cambridge ESOL, it takes closer to 200 hours per level.

One thing professionals agree on is that there are certain factors that influence how difficult English will be for you. (We covered a few of these points in our recent article titled Is English Hard to Learn? You can check it out for more information.)

If you speak German, Spanish, or French, you’ll likely have an easy time learning English! But if you speak a very different language, particularly a language that does not belong to the Romance language family (like Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic), learning English will be a lot harder for you.

If you already know more languages than your mother tongue, learning English won’t be nearly as difficult (no matter what your native language is). This is because you’ve already trained your brain to pick up new language patterns. In other words, once you learn a new language, every subsequent new language is easy to learn. And if the language(s) you learned are similar to English, that’s even better.

If you spend six or more hours a day learning English, you’re going to pick it up much faster than someone who only studies for an hour or less. In addition, investing in language courses or better learning tools can significantly help your learning process!

If you don’t have an end-goal or aren’t really passionate about the language, you probably won’t get very far. It’s important to have a goal (or series of goals) to help you along, and it’s even better if you can find ways to love learning English.

The more exposure to English you have each day, the faster you’ll learn. If you’re struggling to make progress, you might want to start implementing English-language content into your daily routine. Listen to English-language music, read books, stream movies on Netflix, or find an English YouTube channel to follow!

When you’re using the best tools available to you and learning in a way that works for you, you’ll absorb so much more information! I recommend doing a little research on learning styles, so you can make more effective study decisions based on how you prefer learning.

Children tend to be much more effective language-learners than adults. Their brains are more adept at acquiring new information in general, while the adult brain has more difficulty learning new things. My advice: If you’re young and want to continue improving your English, take advantage of your youth while you can. 😉 But if you’re learning English as an adult, don’t despair: You can still make progress and even perfect your language skills! It will just take a little longer.

1. Reaching Beginner Level (CEFR A1 – A2)

Level A1

Time: Approximately 70 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

Level A2

Time: Approximately 180-200 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

How to Learn Faster

Relevant Lessons

This lesson series provides five and a half hours of native English dialogue. In each of the twenty-five lessons, you’ll learn a new aspect of everyday English conversations, from common phrases to verb tenses.

Also see the following blog posts about basic conversations:

2. Reaching Intermediate Level (CEFR B1 – B2)

Level B1

Time: Approximately 350-400 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

Level B2

Time: Approximately 500-600 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

How to Learn Faster

Are you wondering how to learn English properly at this stage? Here are a few tips for you.

Relevant Lessons

In our Ordering Pizza lesson series for lower-intermediate learners, you’ll learn what to expect during a casual phone call. You’ll also learn things like:

❖ How to use the modal verb “would” for polite requests
❖ How to use wordplay and humor in conversations

Each lesson in this series also includes 1) a transcript so you can read along with the lesson, 2) a printed version of the conversation, and 3) a vocabulary list that you can study, practice, and add to your flashcard deck.

I also recommend checking out the following series and lessons:

3. Reaching Advanced Level (CEFR C1 – C2)

Level C1

Time: Approximately 700-800 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

Level C2

Time: Approximately 1000-1200 hours of regular study time.

Language points and abilities:

How to Learn Faster

You’re so close to total mastery! Here’s some advice on how to learn English effectively as you approach the advanced level.

Appropriate Lessons

EnglishClass101.com has plenty of audio and video lessons for advanced learners to help them hone their skills. For example, this lesson about Michael Jackson’s song Thriller provides learners with cultural information, more complex sentences to study, and an interesting topic to listen to.

I also recommend the following series and vocabulary lists:

Final Thoughts

I hope this article has shown you that becoming fluent in English is totally doable, even if there are some aspects of the language that seem insurmountable now.

Now that you know some of the milestones you can look forward to, are you wondering how to learn English more effectively?

At EnglishClass101.com, we understand that English has its tough points, and that you might be tempted to give up. We want you to know that you don’t have to make this journey alone!

Here are just a few of our features:

We’re dedicated to making English an accessible language for everyone, and that’s reflected in our themed lessons for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced students. There’s always room for growth, and we’ll be here to help on every step of your journey.

If you’ve read this entire article, it means that your English is already really good! But if you’re not satisfied with your current level, you can work on improving key areas (such as speaking, pronunciation, or grammar). Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes, so we hope you’ll stick with us.

Before you go, do you have any tips for fellow English-learners? Or maybe a question about something in this article? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

How long does it take to learn a language?

Ben Knight is Director of ELT Research here at Cambridge, managing a team of researchers working on a variety of projects to help us develop courses and materials. In this article, Ben discusses some of the research the team have been conducting around the time it takes to learn a language, and how we can help learners progress quicker.

We know that learning a language takes a lot of effort over quite a long time. But how long should it take? Should I expect to be fluent after three years of study, for example? How many hours do I need to study a day to get fluent in a year?

There’s no single answer to this question – it depends very much on what your target is, what your motivation and opportunities are, and lots of other background factors.

But we’re often asked by educational institutions and ministries around the world to advise them on how much time students need to make progress in their English. We’ve summarised a lot of our research and advice in this paper: how long does it take to learn a foreign language?

We’ve set out to capture what affects the number of hours you need to learn English. This provides a useful starting point for thinking about how you can improve the rate at which your students learn. For example, students with clear learning objectives – who can say what they want to be able to do in the language they are learning – tend to be more focused in their learning activities and make faster progress.

How can you help your students to describe what they want to be able to do in English?

We give some examples of hours needed for different profiles of learner – for example, for adults, teenagers and primary-level children, and with different levels of motivation or ‘language distance’ from English.

For motivated adult learners, they typically need between 100 and 200 hours of guided learning to get from one CEFR level to the next. As you go up the levels, you need more hours to get to the next one. To get from A1 to A2, it typically requires 100-150 hours of guided learning, but it can take 180-260 hours to get from B1 to B2.

When we talk about guided learning hours, we mean learning in a classroom or as part of a programme – i.e. including homework and other language learning activities which have been designed to improve your language skills. As your level increases, it becomes easier to make use of language learning opportunities outside the classroom – on-line communication or engaging with speakers of that language. So, you don’t necessarily need more classroom hours as you move up the CEFR scale.

Why do we have higher numbers of hours for primary school students? We know that young children in immersive contexts learn the language very quickly. The examples in this paper, however, are more about children learning English in countries where English is not used outside the classroom.

A general pattern in our findings is that it takes more hours to progress than most Ministries of Education expect. It can be difficult to provide more classroom hours and so educationalists are thinking more about how they can support learner autonomy. They are looking at how learners can make more of language learning opportunities outside the classroom.

Browse our collection of research papers in ELT: commissioned and collated by our research team, written by ELT specialists in the field.

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