What is YOUR English vocabulary level? Take this test!

Hello, lovely students, and welcome  back to English with Lucy. Today,  

we are going to work out what your vocabulary  level is in English, from A1 to C2.

It's really important to know what  level you are so that you can choose  

the right learning materials to help you improve.

If you've been feeling stuck using  the same words over and over, you  

might be studying materials at the wrong level.

In today's lesson, I am going to give you  a test. I'm going to ask you 5 different  

vocabulary questions at each level,  starting from A1 and moving up to C2.

However, if you want to  take this really seriously,

I have developed a really in-depth Online  Vocabulary Level Test that you can take for free.

This will more accurately  measure your vocabulary level.

If you would like to take the free  Online Vocabulary English Level Test,  

just click on the link in the description box.

I've also put a QR code there and  the link, in case you need it.

The vocabulary test follows  the CEFR levels—A1 to C2.

If you get a certain number of  questions wrong in any level,

the test stops.

You will receive your results via email.

Let's see if you can get all the  way to the end, to the C2 questions.

But now let's focus on the test  in this video. This is different.

Here's how it will work: 

I'm going to read the question and  I will give you 5 seconds to answer.

If you need more time, press the pause  button and take all the time you need.

Then, I'll give you the answer, and  sometimes some extra information to  

make you understand why it's the correct answer.

I recommend you write your answers as  we go to make sure you don't lose track  

of your score. And then, at the end,  make sure you share your score in the  

comments so that we can celebrate your  incredible vocabulary skills together!

Right, let's see how long you can play along for.

I've added in timestamps of each section  in case you want to skip easier questions.

Let's start with A1.

What is another way to say the  underlined word in this sentence?

'The exam was very DIFFICULT,  and I don't think I passed.'

The underlined word is DIFFICULT.

Is it A) easy, B) simple, C) nice or D) hard?

The correct answer is D) 'hard'.

Let's move on to question 2: 'Don't forget to  take your _ (what) when you travel abroad.'

Is it A) passbook, B) passkey,  C) passport or D) password?

The answer is C) 'passport.'  A 'passport' is an official  

document for travelling between countries.

Next, number 3: 'We watched a football  _ with our friends last night.'

A) match, B) maths, C) mate or D) march.

Did you pick A) 'match?'  If you did, fantastic job!

Moving on to question 4: 'When  you finish eating in a restaurant,  

you ask for the _.' What? A) dish,  B) bill, C) order or D) menu.

B) 'bill' is what we're looking for here.  Interestingly, in American English, people usually  

ask for the 'check'. Time for our last question  at A1 level. Number 5: 'I read an interesting _  

(what) about London in a magazine yesterday?'  A) book, B) note, C) article or D) textbook.

Did you say C) 'article'? Well done.  Okay, how did you do at A1 level?

I think it's time to kick things up a  notch. Let's look at some A2-level vocab.

One: What does the underlined  word in the sentence mean?

'I found this coin in my garden and I think it's  ANCIENT.' And the underlined word is ANCIENT.

Is it A) very new, B) very old, C)  very expensive or D) very cheap?

That's right, it's B) 'very old'. Question 2:  

'Are you going _ (what) on holiday  or are you staying in the UK?'

A) abroad, B) foreign, C)  touring, D) another country?

The correct answer is A) 'abroad'.  It means to or in a foreign country.

'Another country' is incorrect because we  would need 'to' before it—'to another country'.

Let's keep going. Number 3:

'The tourists _ (what) about the soup?  They said it was too salty!' A) attacked,  

B) pleased, C) complained or D) disagreed.

C) 'complained' is the word  we need. When you 'complain',  

you say you are not satisfied with something.

Moving on to number 4:

'I have a lot of old clothes that I  want to give to _.' What? A) character,  

B) charity, C) change, D) chance.

The answer is B) 'charity'. If  you give something to 'charity',  

you donate it to an organisation  that helps people in need.

Nice work if you got that  right. Let's do number 5:

'Does your company _ (what) a lot of people?'  A) employ, B) apply, C) spend or D) fill.

It is A) 'employ'. Okay, how are you  doing so far? What's your score out of 10?

Are you ready for B1?

Let's start.

Number 1: Which word is a synonym—a word with  a similar meaning of the underlined word here?

'Everything is more expensive. So we have to  RAISE our prices.' RAISE is underlined here.

Is it A) decrease, B) drop, C) grow, D) increase?

That's right—'increase'. 'Grow' has a similar  

meaning to 'increase,' but  we don't use it with prices.

Okay, let's move to the next one—number 2:

'I usually read the _ (what) in  the morning newspapers to check  

if there are any important stories  I should know about.' A) subtitles,

B) headlines, C) titles, D) headers?

Yep, B) 'headlines' are the main titles  of news stories, often in large print.

Ready for the next one? What is the meaning of  the underlined word? 'There is a lot of lovely  

ACCOMMODATION in our village.' ACCOMMODATION is  underlined. Is it A) a place to live or stay,  

B) a place to shop, C) a place  to eat or D) a place to drink?

If you choose A) 'a place to live or stay,'  pat yourself on the back. A lot of proficient  

speakers of English find the spelling  of 'accommodation' difficult. Remember,  

it's double 'c', double 'm'.  Let's keep going—number 4:  

'Since I started my new job, I've had more  work and I don't have as much _ (what) time.'

Is it A) pleasure,

B) relax, C) pause or D) leisure?

The answer is 'leisure'. 'Leisure  time' is a strong collocation;  

these are words that are used together  very frequently and sound natural.

It refers to free time when you're not working.

Let's do number 5: Which word is an antonym,  the opposite of 'exactly'? Is it A) totally,  

B) approximately, C) absolutely or D) definitely.

It should be B) 'approximately'.

Okay, that was B1, how many did you get  out of 5? Are you ready to move up to B2?

Number 1: What does the word 'enquiry' mean?

Is it A) a request for information  or an investigation into a matter?

Is it B) to officially  forbid or prevent something?

C) to make it impossible  for someone to do something?

Or D) the reason or incentive for doing something?

You should have 'A'. You might also see  this word written as inquiry with an 'i',  

especially in American English.

Let's move on to number 2: I can feel it  getting a lot more difficult at B2 level.

Which phrasal verb can I use  instead of the underlined word?

'I spilt some juice, but luckily the carpet  ABSORBED most of it and no one noticed.'

The underlined word is ABSORBED.

Is it A) got rid of, B) showed  up, C) soaked up or D) cleaned up?

Raise your hand if you said C) 'soaked up'!  I think that's most of you, hopefully. Moving  

on—number 3: 'The sign on the door clearly  _ (what) smoking inside the building.'

Is it A) blocks, B) prohibits,  C) rules or D) denies.

B) 'prohibits' is the correct word  meaning to officially forbid something.

Okay, next one—number 4: 'The spy had to _ (what)

herself as a waiter to gather  information without being noticed.'

Is it A) disgust, B) disguise,  C) distract or D) discuss?

B) 'disguise' is correct.

It refers to changing your  appearance to hide who you are.

Okay, one more B2 question to go  and then we are at the C levels!

Number 5: 'She was _ (what) of classical  music and attended concerts regularly.'

Is it A) pleased, B)  addicted, C) lover or D) fond?

The answer is D) 'fond'. Did you get it?

So, 'addicted' could work in terms of meaning, but  it's followed by the preposition 'to,' not 'of'.

And you could say someone  is 'a lover of something',  

but we were missing the  article 'a' in our sentence.

How are you doing? Are you ready to move on to C1?

This is where it gets really  challenging. Let's start with number 1:

Which word means 'lacking in  flavour' or 'without a strong taste'?

Is it A) tart, B) acrid, C) bland or D) biting?

C) 'bland' is our answer. Let's  see how you get on with number 2:

'His humble background made him _ (what)

the more determined to succeed on his own terms.'  Is it A) each, B) such, C) all or D) every?

It is C) 'all'. 'All the more' is an  idiom meaning 'even more than before'.

Hopefully, this video makes you all the  more determined to improve your English.

Okay, next question 3: 'Due to the  recent unrest a _ (what) was imposed,  

and residents of the city were  required to stay indoors after 8pm.'

Is that A) curfew, B) prohibition,  C) time limit or D) check-in?

A) 'curfew' is the correct answer  here. It's a rule requiring people  

to stay indoors between specified  times. Did you know that one?

Let's see about number 4: 'The match was  cancelled _ (what) account of the heavy  

rain and unsafe conditions for both players and  fans.' Is it A) by, B) at, C) from or D) on?

It should be D) 'on'. 'On account of'  is a phrase that means 'because of'.

These prepositional phrases can be really tricky.

Are you ready for the last C1 question.

Number 5: 'Marcus decided to go out  on a _ (what) and invested all of his  

savings in a local start-up.' Is it  A) limb, B) leg, C) arm or D) branch?

It is A) 'limb'.

'Out on a limb' or 'to go  out on a limb' is an idiom  

we use to say we are doing or saying  something that most people wouldn't.

Okay, how is C1 for you? It's now time for  the toughest questions of the day—C2 level.

Number 1: What is a synonym  of the underlined word?

'The team had an AUSPICIOUS start to this season.'  

AUSPICIOUS is underlined here. Is it A) promising,  B) curious, c) disadvantageous or D) unfavourable?

The correct answer is A) 'promising'.

Okay, next one—number 2: 'To find  the perfect present for my mum,  

I had to _ (what) my options from tons  of choices available in the shop.'

Is it A) circle round, B) narrow  down, C) round up or D) shave down?

B) 'narrow down' is the phrasal verb we're  after, it means to reduce the number of options.

Okay, number 3: 'Instead of offering  constructive criticism, Angela chose to _ (what)

at Carrie's ideas, dismissing them as  foolish.' Is it A) scarf, B) scald, C) scold

or D) scoff.

It is D) 'scoff'.

'If we scoff at something,'  we mock or dismiss something.

These similar-sounding words can be really tricky.

Are you ready for number 4?

'I completely _ (what) the presentation; I  had barely prepared and the audience asked  

so many questions I couldn't answer.' Is it A)  bundled, B) bungled, C) burgled or D) burdened?

The extremely fun-to-say B) 'bungled' is  our correct answer. I love that—'bungled'!

'To bungle something' means  to do it badly or mess it up.

Okay, it's time for our final  question of the day. Number 5:  

Which word is the closest synonym of  the underlined word in this sentence?

'The unusually high temperatures  WORSENED the drought conditions.'

The underlined word is WORSENED.  Is it A) remedied, B) alleviated,  

C) exacerbated or D) mitigated?

It's C) 'to exacerbate' means  to make a problem worse.

Share your score out of 30 if you want to,

or let me know about any words that were  new or particularly interesting for you.

If you want to get some more insight  into your level of vocabulary,  

try my free English Vocabulary Level  Test. I've put the link below or on  

screen now—see how far you can get in that test.

If you get too many answers  wrong, the test will end.

I hope you enjoyed today's lesson. I will  see you soon for another video. Muah!