This project set out to pin down the key features of spoken and written English at the C1 level. That’s no easy task - C1 is a tricky level to define, partly because there’s still a lot of disagreement about what exactly makes someone a C1-level language user. One big reason for this is that the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) doesn’t give much detail when it comes to the C levels. 

As part of the English Profile Project, new descriptors were written to better define the C levels. Green (2012) explains just how challenging that process was, especially when trying to figure out what really counts as C1. 

At the same time, various authorities request C1-level certification. This project was sparked by a very practical need: to create an English test that a teacher certification agency could accept as proof that someone had reached C1. The agency required this level for non-native English speakers applying to train as English language teachers. 

That raised the core question behind the project: what language features truly define someone as a C1-level user, and how can these be established? 

Citation

Sheehan, S., Sanderson, P., & Harris, A. (2017). Identifying key criteria of written and spoken English at C1. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/JTHY-2F21