A2 Elementary English: what learners can do and how to practise
At CEFR A2 Elementary 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
Finding Specific Information in Everyday Texts
Curriculum reference: CEFR A2 Reading
Scanning a timetable, advert or notice for the one piece of information you need.
Try at home
Give a simple leaflet or timetable and ask a question such as 'What time does it start?'
Writing Short, Simple Notes & Messages
Curriculum reference: CEFR A2 Writing
Writing brief notes and messages about immediate needs and familiar topics.
Try at home
Write a short note leaving instructions for someone at home.
Understanding Short Personal Letters
Curriculum reference: CEFR A2 Reading
Understanding the main message and details in a short, friendly letter or message.
Try at home
Read a short note together and ask who wrote it, what they want and what happens next.
How much should they write?
A good target for a primary years piece at this level is one or two short paragraphs, which is about 80 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
- Write a letter to a character from your favourite book.
- Should children have a longer lunch break? Give two reasons.
- Write the first paragraph of an adventure story that starts with a surprise.
Want more? Try the free prompt generator for this age group.
Common questions
How much should a learner at this level write?
One or two short paragraphs, or about 80 words is a sensible target for practice. Quality matters more than length.
What are the main skills at this level?
Finding Specific Information in Everyday Texts; Writing Short, Simple Notes & Messages; Understanding Short Personal Letters. 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
- Have your child plan in three bullet points first, then write.
- Read the piece aloud together and let your child spot what to fix before you do.
- Pick one thing to improve each time, such as an interesting opening, rather than correcting everything.
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.