Language Grading

Graded language is classroom language that is adapted to the level of the learners in some way.
Many course books use graded language. It can be compared with authentic language, which is not
changed in any way.

Match the ‘coursebook’ levels below to the vocabulary and grammar points. Which level would
you expect to be introduced to these words or grammar points?

Beginner / Elementary / Pre-Intermediate / Intermediate / Upper Intermediate / Advanced

Vocabulary Level

Jobs, family, daily routines, time expressions Elementary (NEF)

Prefixes, medicine, history and warfare Advanced (NEF)

But, although, however, so, because Pre-Intermediate (New Headway)

Crime and punishment, relationships, headlines Upper Intermediate (Cutting Edge)

Job interviews, genres of story, prepositions and Intermediate (Speak Out)

expressions of time

Numbers 1 - 10, family, colours common Beginner (NEF)

verbs/adjectives

Grammar Level

Relative clauses Pre-intermediate (New Headway)

Narrative tenses Intermediate (Speak Out)

Forming nouns and gerunds, hypothetical situations in Upper Intermediate (Cutting Edge)
the past/present

Discourse markers, ellipsis and substitution Advanced (NEF)

Possessive pronouns (mine, hers, yours) Elementary (NEF)

Can/can’t, adverbs of frequency, present simple: he she Beginner (NEF)

it