A1–B2 vocabulary: insights and issues arising from the English Profile Wordlists project

Abstract

AbstractThe English Profile Wordlists provide a web resource showing the most common words and phrases in use by learners of English. Designed for use by language professionals from teacher trainers to examination writers, and with input from contributors and reviewers from around the world, the Wordlists document learner vocabulary through corpus-informed research. Vocabulary is graded according to the four Basic and Independent User levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (levels A1–B2) and is selected following a ‘can-do’ rationale – focussing on what learners do know rather than on what they should know. Preview versions of the British and American English Wordlists are available through public preview, offering detailed search functionality. There are further development opportunities to extend the Wordlists for young learners and for Business English, as well as to cover vocabulary at the C levels.