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A1 vs A2 in English: What You *Actually* Need to Master to Level Up

Updated 9 min read
A1 vs A2 in English: What You *Actually* Need to Master to Level Up

You see “A1” and “A2” everywhere - apps, courses, certificates.
But what do they really mean for your daily English?

  • When are you still A1 (beginner)?
  • When are you truly A2 (pre-intermediate)?
  • What, exactly, do you need to master to level up?

This guide gives you:

  • a simple A1 vs A2 breakdown (no exam jargon)
  • clear skills checklists for each level
  • concrete “If you can do this, you’re A2” benchmarks
  • a 30-day plan to move from A1 to A2

If you’re not sure where you are right now, don’t guess - take an online placement test at nwmoon.com and get a clear starting point before you plan the next 30–90 days.

A1 vs A2 in One Sentence

  • A1 = “survival mode”
    You can introduce yourself, answer very simple questions, and handle short, memorised situations.

  • A2 = “daily life mode”
    You can handle most everyday situations with simple language, even when you don’t know every word.

Think of it like this:

A1: “I can say something.”
A2: “I can keep a basic conversation going.”

Let’s break that down more precisely.

What A1 English Looks Like (Beginner)

At A1, you:

  • understand very simple sentences about familiar topics
  • speak in short phrases and fixed expressions
  • often need the other person to speak slowly and clearly
  • get lost if the topic changes or the sentence is long

A1 – Typical Abilities

Speaking

  • Can say your name, age, country, job
  • Can talk about family, home, daily routine with short phrases:
    • “I get up at 7.”
    • “I like pizza.”
    • “I work in a shop.”
  • Can answer, but struggle to ask many questions
  • Long pauses; searching for words

Listening

  • Understands very slow, clear speech
  • Recognises common words: numbers, days, food, basic verbs
  • Needs repetition and gestures to follow

Reading

  • Can read short, simple texts:
    • menus, signs, short messages, basic profiles
  • Needs time and maybe a dictionary for longer texts

Writing

  • Can write short sentences about yourself
  • Makes many grammar and spelling mistakes, but meaning is sometimes clear:
    • “I have 25 years.”
    • “I live in Rome with my familie.”

Grammar & Vocabulary

  • Present simple for I / you / we / they
  • Basic there is/are, have got, can
  • Very limited vocabulary (maybe 300–600 words actively)

What A2 English Looks Like (Pre-Intermediate)

At A2, you:

  • can survive most everyday situations with simple language
  • understand the main idea of slow, clear speech on familiar topics
  • can combine sentences, not just speak in isolated phrases
  • still make mistakes, but you can often repair your message

A2 – Typical Abilities

Speaking

  • Can start, continue, and end simple conversations:
    • “So, what do you usually do at the weekend?”
    • “That sounds nice. I usually…”
  • Can describe:
    • past experiences in a basic way (“Last weekend I went…”)
    • future plans (“Next month I’m going to…”)
  • Can handle common situations:
    • ordering food, small talk, basic travel problems, simple work chat

Listening

  • Understands the main point of:
    • short stories
    • simple workplace conversations
    • everyday videos (if speech is clear)
  • Still needs subtitles or repetition for speed and accents, but follows better

Reading

  • Can read:
    • short emails
    • simple blog posts
    • messages from friends
  • Understands the general meaning even with unknown words

Writing

  • Can write:
    • short emails
    • simple descriptions (home, job, weekend)
    • basic stories in the past
  • Grammar mistakes, but usually understandable:
    • “Yesterday I went to supermarket and buy some food.”

Grammar & Vocabulary

  • Present simple & continuous
  • Past simple (common regular & irregular verbs)
  • Basic future (going to / present continuous for plans)
  • Comparative/superlative adjectives (bigger, the most important)
  • Vocabulary for family, work, hobbies, travel, daily life (maybe 800–1500 words actively)

A1 vs A2 – Side-by-Side Comparison

SkillA1 (Beginner)A2 (Pre-Intermediate)
SpeakingSingle sentences, memorised phrasesShort conversations with back-and-forth questions
ListeningNeeds very slow speech and repetitionUnderstands main idea of simple, clear speech
ReadingVery short texts onlyShort emails, simple articles, basic stories
WritingIsolated sentences about selfShort paragraphs (4–8 sentences) about familiar topics
GrammarMostly present simple + “to be”Adds past simple, present continuous, basic future
VocabularyVery limited, mostly “survival” wordsBroader topics: work, travel, health, hobbies, simple opinions
FluencyLong pauses, often stuckStill pausing, but can keep going with simple language
ConfidenceOften afraid to speakReady to try, can repair mistakes, still nervous but more functional

How to Know If You’re Really A2 (Honest Self-Check)

You’re probably A2 if you can honestly say “yes” to most of these:

  • I can tell a simple story about last weekend in 5–8 sentences.
  • I can ask and answer questions about work, hobbies, and family.
  • I can handle everyday problems (late bus, wrong order, simple complaint).
  • I can understand the main idea of a short video (with subtitles) and talk about it.
  • I can write a short email to a friend about my week (even with mistakes).
  • When I don’t know a word, I can explain it in a simple way.

If you say “yes” only to some, you are probably A1+ on the way to A2 - which is exactly the moment when a clear plan is most important.

If you want a more objective answer, take the placement test at nwmoon.com. It’s designed to place you on the A1–C2 scale so you don’t waste time training the wrong level.

What You Actually Need to Master to Go from A1 → A2

Forget huge textbooks. To reach A2, you need to control a limited set of high-value skills.

1. Core Grammar (Enough to Communicate)

You don’t need every rule. You do need:

  • present simple: I work / I don’t work / Do you work?
  • present continuous: I’m working / She is cooking
  • past simple: I went / I didn’t go / Did you go?
  • “going to” for plans: I’m going to visit my friend.
  • there is / there are
  • can / can’t for ability & permission

Focus on accuracy with these, not everything.

2. Everyday Vocabulary (Not Random Word Lists)

Your A2 vocabulary should cover:

  • family & relationships
  • house & city
  • jobs & routine at work
  • food & restaurants
  • free time & hobbies
  • travel & transport
  • basic health (“headache, sick, appointment”)

Think in topics, not just words. For each topic, know:

  • 10–20 nouns
  • 5–10 verbs
  • 5–10 adjectives
  • 3–5 useful phrases/chunks

3. Speaking Building Blocks

To sound A2, you need ready-made “lego pieces”:

  • starting opinions:
    • I think… / In my opinion…
  • adding ideas:
    • Also… / And another thing is…
  • giving examples:
    • For example… / Like when…
  • buying time:
    • Let me think… / How can I say…?

These small expressions let you keep going even with limited vocabulary.

4. Basic Storytelling in the Past

A1 can say: “Yesterday I go to park.”
A2 can say:

“Yesterday I went to the park with my friend. We walked and talked for an hour. Then we had coffee. It was really relaxing.”

You don’t need complex tenses. You need past simple + time expressions:

  • yesterday, last week, two days ago, in the morning, at the weekend

5. Functional Tasks You Should Handle at A2

By A2, you should be able to:

  • book a table / appointment (phone or in person)
  • check into a hotel, ask simple questions
  • explain a simple problem (Wi-Fi, order, ticket)
  • write a short message to change plans
  • introduce yourself and ask basic questions in a social situation

If you cannot yet do these tasks comfortably with simple language, they become your A1→A2 goals.

30-Day Plan: Move from A1 to A2

You don’t reach A2 by “studying English sometimes”.
You get there by 30–60 focused minutes most days with the right tasks.

Here is a simple 4-week blueprint.

Week 1 – Foundations & Routine

Focus on: present simple + daily routine + family

  • 3 days:
    • Learn/review present simple (positive, negative, questions).
    • Write 10 sentences about your daily routine.
  • 2 days:
    • Learn vocabulary for family & home (20–30 words).
    • Speak for 2 minutes about your family.

Goal by end of week:

You can describe a normal day and your family in 6–10 sentences.

Week 2 – Past Simple & Weekend Stories

Focus on: past simple + time expressions

  • 3 days:
    • Study past simple of common verbs (go, do, have, see, eat, make, work…).
    • Write a short story (6–8 sentences) about last weekend.
  • 2 days:
    • Record yourself telling the same story.
    • Listen once and try again with small improvements.

Goal by end of week:

You can tell a simple story about what you did last weekend.

Week 3 – Everyday Situations (Travel, Food, Work)

Focus on: functional language

  • Choose two situations (for example: restaurant + travel).
  • For each situation:
    • learn 10–15 key words
    • learn 3–5 useful sentences, e.g.:
      • Could I have…?
      • Is there… near here?
      • I booked a room under the name…
    • practise a 2–3 minute role-play (even alone).

Goal by end of week:

You can survive a simple restaurant or travel conversation without freezing.

Week 4 – Connect & Combine

Focus on: joining sentences + simple opinions

  • Learn and use basic connectors:
    • and, but, because, then, after that, so
  • Practise:
    • giving opinions about 3 topics (work, free time, cities)
    • adding a reason and an example

Example A1:

“I like my job. It’s good.”

Example A2:

“I like my job because my colleagues are friendly and the schedule is flexible. For example, I can work from home on Fridays.”

Goal by end of week:

You can speak for 2–3 minutes about a topic with reasons and examples.

If you want this 30-day plan turned into real lessons + guided homework (instead of doing it alone), start with the placement test at nwmoon.com. nwmoon teachers use your results to choose the exact A1→A2 targets you need most, then recycle them through speaking practice and weekly review so progress stays measurable.

Common Mistakes About A1 and A2

  1. “I finished an A2 book, so I’m A2.”

    • Level is about what you can do, not what you finished.

  2. “A2 means I never make simple mistakes.”

    • No. A2 still includes many mistakes, but you can communicate in daily life.

  3. “If I just do vocabulary lists, I’ll move up.”

    • Without speaking, listening, and real tasks, words stay passive.

  4. “I must be B1 already because I’ve studied for years.”

    • Time ≠ level. Practice type and consistency decide your level.

Quick Reference Table – A1 → A2 Checklist

AreaA1 NowA2 Target
SpeakingShort sentences about self2–3 minute talk with reasons & examples
ListeningOnly very slow speechMain idea of clear, simple speech
GrammarPresent simplePresent + past simple + “going to”
VocabularySurvival topicsDaily life topics (work, travel, hobbies, etc)
WritingIsolated sentencesShort paragraphs (6–10 sentences)
Everyday useCan introduce selfCan handle common situations with simple English

Practice Exercises (Try Them This Week)

Exercise 1 – A1 vs A2 Self-Assessment

  1. For each skill (speaking, listening, reading, writing), answer:
    • “What can I do now?”
    • “What would A2 look like in this skill for me?”
  2. Write one concrete goal per skill for the next month.

Exercise 2 – A2 Conversation Checklist

Next time you have a short conversation in English (live or online), try to:

  • use one connector (because / and / but / then)
  • ask at least one question
  • give one example

Afterwards, ask yourself:

  • Did I do those three things?
  • Which one felt hardest?

Exercise 3 – 10-Day Story Challenge

For 10 days:

  1. Every evening, write 4–6 sentences about your day in the past simple.
  2. Once every 3 days, record yourself reading one of your stories aloud.

You are training past simple, fluency, and confidence at the same time.

Conclusion

The difference between A1 and A2 is not magic, age, or talent. It’s about:

  • controlling a small group of key grammar structures
  • knowing everyday vocabulary well enough to reuse it
  • being able to handle real-life situations with simple English
  • turning phrases and stories into habit, not theory

When you focus on these specific A2 skills, your progress becomes clear and measurable.

If you’d like help checking your level honestly and building a step-by-step plan to move from A1 to A2 (or A2 to B1), visit nwmoon.com. Start with the placement test, then follow a structured path with 1:1 lessons, personalised homework, and (if you want it) controlled AI practice inside your student dashboard, so you’re not just “studying English”, you’re moving up a level on purpose.

Your next level isn’t far.
It’s just a set of concrete skills you can start building today.

Last modified: 30 Mar 2026