A1 Beginner English: what learners can do and how to practise
At CEFR A1 Beginner level, a learner is working towards three skills in reading and writing. This guide explains each one in plain English, with something to try at home and practice prompts you can use today.
What this level focuses on
Understanding Familiar Words & Simple Sentences
Curriculum reference: CEFR A1 Reading
Recognising common words and following short, simple sentences in everyday situations.
Try at home
Read labels, signs and short messages together and say what each one means.
Writing Short, Simple Messages
Curriculum reference: CEFR A1 Writing
Writing short messages about everyday things in simple sentences.
Try at home
Write a short text message to a friend inviting them to something.
Filling in Forms With Personal Details
Curriculum reference: CEFR A1 Writing
Writing basic personal information such as name, address and nationality on a form.
Try at home
Practise with a simple practice form: name, age, country and hobbies.
How much should they write?
A good target for a early years piece at this level is just a few short sentences, which is about 50 words when practising in LiteracyLab AI. Short and regular beats long and rare: one carefully improved piece teaches more than three rushed ones.
Three practice prompts to try this week
- Describe your best toy using three describing words.
- Write a short message to someone you love.
- What is the weather like today? Write two sentences.
Want more? Try the free prompt generator for this age group.
Common questions
How much should a learner at this level write?
Just a few short sentences, or about 50 words is a sensible target for practice. Quality matters more than length.
What are the main skills at this level?
Understanding Familiar Words & Simple Sentences; Writing Short, Simple Messages; Filling in Forms With Personal Details. Each is explained above with something to try at home.
How do I know if my child is on track?
Compare their writing with the three focus areas above and ask their teacher for a view. A tool such as LiteracyLab AI can show, for each piece, what worked and the next step, but your child's teacher knows their progress best.
How to give feedback at home
- Keep it short and happy: two or three sentences, often, is better than one long session.
- Let your child read their writing aloud to you. Ask what they would add.
- Praise one specific thing, such as a good capital letter or a lovely describing word.
Get feedback on a piece of writing
LiteracyLab AI reads a child's own writing and gives specific feedback: what worked, one thing to try next, and a corrected version, matched to their year and curriculum. The Free plan includes 3 pieces a month and needs no card.
CEFR levels describe what a learner can do in a language, not their age or school year, so these pages are organised by level.