Oral Production: the Official CEFR Descriptors from B1 to B2
Oral production is one of the CEFR's core language activities: it covers situations where the speaker talks at length without a listener taking turns in return — a presentation, a report, a talk, an extended argument delivered to an audience. Unlike interaction, the whole burden of the discourse rests on the speaker: structuring ideas, linking them, sustaining the distance without a conversational partner to lean on.
The B1→B2 boundary marks a real shift in the nature of the discourse. At B1, the speaker links simple sentences into a linear sequence — a description, a short narrative, a brief explanation, carried by elementary connectors ('and', 'but', 'because'). B2 adds clarity of development, the ability to defend a viewpoint with arguments and counter-arguments, and a fluency that no longer depends on heavy preparation. This page reproduces every official descriptor for this activity at B1, B1+ and B2, scale by scale.
The official descriptors, scale by scale
6 Companion Volume scales cover oral production between B1 and B2. For each one, the B1 and B2 descriptors are shown side by side; where the CEFR publishes B1+ descriptors, they appear in the amber transition band.
Sustained monologue: describing experience
B1 — independent user
Can give straightforward descriptions on a variety of familiar subjects within their field of interest.
Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a sequence of points.
Can give detailed accounts of experiences, describing feelings and reactions.
Can relate details of unpredictable occurrences, e.g. an accident.
Can relate the plot of a book or film and describe their reactions.
Can describe dreams, hopes and ambitions.
Can describe events, real or imagined.
Can narrate a story.
B2 — independent user
Can give clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to their field of interest.
Can describe the personal significance of events and experiences in detail.
B1+ — transition zone
Can clearly express feelings about something experienced and give reasons to explain those feelings.
Sustained monologue: putting a case (e.g. in a debate)
B1 — independent user
Can express opinions on subjects relating to everyday life, using simple expressions.
Can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions, plans and actions.
Can explain whether or not they approve of what someone has done and give reasons to justify this opinion.
B2 — independent user
Can develop a clear argument, expanding and supporting their points of view at some length with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
Can construct a chain of reasoned argument.
Can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
B1+ — transition zone
Can develop an argument well enough to be followed without difficulty most of the time.
Can give simple reasons to justify a viewpoint on a familiar topic.
Sustained monologue: giving information
B1 — independent user
Can report straightforward factual information on a familiar topic, for example to indicate the nature of a problem or to give detailed directions, provided they can prepare beforehand.
B2 — independent user
Can communicate detailed information reliably.
Can give a clear, detailed description of how to carry out a procedure.
B1+ — transition zone
Can explain the main points in an idea or problem with reasonable precision.
Can describe how to do something, giving detailed instructions.
Addressing audiences
B1 — independent user
Can give a prepared straightforward presentation on a familiar topic within their field which is clear enough to be followed without difficulty most of the time, and in which the main points are explained with reasonable precision.
Can take follow-up questions, but may have to ask for repetition if the delivery is rapid.
B2 — independent user
Can give a clear, prepared presentation, giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view and giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Can take a series of follow-up questions with a degree of fluency and spontaneity which poses no strain for either themselves or the audience.
B1+ — transition zone
Can give a prepared presentation on a familiar topic within their field, outlining similarities and differences (e.g. between products, countries/regions, plans).
Overall oral production
B1 — independent user
Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of a variety of subjects within their field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence of points.
B2 — independent user
Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects related to their field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
Public announcements
B1 — independent user
Can deliver short, rehearsed announcements on a topic pertinent to everyday occurrences in their field which, despite possible problems with stress and intonation (= non-manuals in a sign language), are nevertheless clearly intelligible.
B2 — independent user
Can deliver announcements on most general topics with a degree of clarity, fluency and spontaneity which causes no strain or inconvenience to the recipient.
The Examiner's Perspective
Réda Haiat — CEFR Assessment Expert · 22 Years of Experience
Oral production is the activity where the B1/B2 boundary shows up fastest — often within the first thirty seconds. At B1, the speaker produces discourse that holds together, but stays additive: ideas are strung together in the order they occur to the speaker, linked by simple connectors. At B2, structure precedes the utterance — the speaker knows where they're going before they start, and the discourse carries the marks of that planning: signposting, prioritising, controlled backtracking.
This isn't about fluency in the sense of speed. A B1 speaker can talk fast and hesitation-free and still be B1, if they're juxtaposing. A B2 speaker can search for words and still be B2, if the discourse is architected. The B2 descriptors say as much through what they demand: developing an argument, highlighting, marking the relative importance of points — operations that all assume command over what you're saying, not just delivery of it.
B1+ is the zone where the speaker starts to structure, but only on subjects they've mastered. That's the real tipping point: on home ground, they give the illusion of B2; move them to a less familiar or more abstract topic, and they fall back into juxtaposition. It's this dependence on home ground that separates B1+ from genuine B2.
What I listen for at the boundary
- Is the discourse signposted and structured, or does it unfold as the thought occurs?
- Do connectors mark a real logical relationship, or do they just function as spoken punctuation?
- Does the speaker prioritise (essential vs. secondary), or treat everything at the same level?
- Does it hold up on a topic pushed outside their comfort zone, or does the structure collapse?
- Can they reformulate when they sense they haven't been understood, or do they just repeat verbatim?
Frequently asked questions
How many official descriptors cover oral production between B1 and B2?
33 official descriptors cover this zone: 16 at B1, 6 at B1+ and 11 at B2, spread across 6 scales. All of them are reproduced on this page.
What does the B1+ level mean?
B1+ is a CEFR "plus level": it describes a strong B1 competence, beyond the B1 threshold but not yet meeting the B2 criteria. The Companion Volume publishes specific descriptors for these intermediate bands — that is the transition zone shown between the B1 and B2 columns.
Can I reuse these descriptors?
Yes. The CEFR descriptors are published by the Council of Europe under the CC BY 4.0 licence: you may reproduce and adapt them, including commercially, provided you credit the Council of Europe. That is exactly what this page does.
Going further
Sources
- Council of Europe — CEFR Companion Volume (2020): https://rm.coe.int/cefr-companion-volume-with-new-descriptors-2018/1680787989
- The CEFR on the Council of Europe website: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/