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Equivalency Scale

To accommodate English language teachers worldwide, Ellii uses a generic leveling system that is recognizable internationally. This scale indicates approximate equivalency to common standards and is subject to change.

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Illustration of a teacher beside a stack of levelled lessons
Approximate equivalency between Ellii's levels and CEFR, ELPS, NRS, CLB, ELD, CASAS, TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS
ElliiPre BegLow BegHigh BegLow IntHigh IntAdv
CEFRA0A1A2B1B2C1–C2
ELPSELPS 1ELPS 1ELPS 2ELPS 3ELPS 4ELPS 5+
NRSNRS 1NRS 2NRS 3NRS 4NRS 5–6NRS 6+
CLBPre CLBCLB 1–2CLB 3–4CLB 5–6CLB 7–8CLB 9–12
ELDPre ELDELD 1ELD 2ELD 3ELD 4ELD 5+
CASASPre AABCD/EE
TOEIC—60–105 listening 60–110 reading110–270 listening 115–270 reading275–395 listening 275–380 reading400–485 listening 385–450 reading490–495 listening 455–495 reading
TOEFL———57–8687–109110–120
IELTS———4–55.5–6.57–9

About This Equivalency Scale

Ellii uses a generic leveling system that is recognizable by English language teachers worldwide. (Pre Beg – Adv)

CEFR stands for The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and is used as an international guideline for language ability, especially in Europe. (A0–C2)

CLB stands for The Canadian Language Benchmarks and is a scale of language ability used in Canada. (1–12)

CASAS, TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS are standardized tests.

ELD stands for English Language Development standards. This equivalency is based on numeric proficiency scales commonly used in K–12 programs. WIDA (US) uses these descriptors:

  • Level 1 Entering
  • Level 2 Emerging
  • Level 3 Developing
  • Level 4 Expanding
  • Level 5 Bridging
  • Level 6 Reaching

See WIDA PRIME V2 Correlation for Ellii. For more information on how Ellii aligns with WIDA, view this summary. (Note: Ellii was formerly known as ESL Library.)

NRS refers to the National Reporting System for Adult Education. The descriptors for English as a Second Language (ESL) in the NRS system are divided into six educational functioning levels: Beginning ESL Literacy (1), Low Beginning ESL (2), High Beginning ESL (3), Low Intermediate ESL (4), High Intermediate ESL (5), and Advanced ESL (6).

ELPS stands for English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education in the US. These standards focus on the academic language skills needed by adult English language learners. The system is based on 10 ELP standards and 5 proficiency levels. When you enable ELPS correlations and levels in your Account Settings, they will appear as filters and tags on materials throughout the content library.

For more information on how Ellii aligns with the ELPS, view this summary.