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Five levels. One story.

Lexo writes every book at five levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the scale most courses and exams use. At every level you read the same story; what changes is the language it’s told in: how long the sentences are, how many different words there are, and how much of the original’s detail survives.

  1. A2

    Elementary

    Short sentences and everyday words.

    What you read

    Short, clear sentences built from everyday words. Most sentences say one thing. The story moves in plain steps, and the same words come back often.

    A good fit if

    You can follow a slow, simple conversation about familiar things and know the most common words.

  2. B1

    Intermediate

    You follow clear stories about familiar things.

    What you read

    Clear storytelling with some longer sentences, a wider vocabulary and simple dialogue. You follow the plot without help and meet a few new words on each page.

    A good fit if

    You can read straightforward texts on familiar subjects and get the gist of what you hear.

  3. B2

    Upper intermediate

    Longer sentences, richer vocabulary.

    What you read

    Longer sentences with subordinate clauses, richer vocabulary and more of the original’s detail, description and humor.

    A good fit if

    You read news articles or simple novels with some effort and want to read more independently.

  4. C1

    Advanced

    Close to the original, lightly condensed.

    What you read

    Close to the original, lightly condensed. The voice and style of the author come through; only some of the length is trimmed.

    A good fit if

    You read long, complex texts and want the real book, a little shorter.

  5. C2

    Proficient

    The complete novel.

    What you read

    The complete novel.

    A good fit if

    You read almost anything and want every word of it, with help when you need it.

A2and B1, side by side

The same opening, at two levels.

Here is chapter 1 of Journey to the Center of the Earth in Albanian, as Lexo writes it at A2 and at B1. The numbers are for the whole chapter. Turn on the English to see what each sentence says.

A2Elementary

Short sentences and everyday words.

Profesori i paduruar

Një të diel pasdite të vitit 1863, xhaxhai u kthye herët.One Sunday afternoon in 1863, my uncle returned early. Ne jetonim në Hamburg, pranë një kanali të ngushtë.We lived in Hamburg, near a narrow canal. Marta, shërbyesja jonë, ngriti kokën në kuzhinë.Martha, our housekeeper, raised her head in the kitchen.

«Zoti Lidenbrok erdhi që tani!Mr. Lidenbrock has come already! Por dreka nuk është gati!»But lunch isn't ready! «Është ende herët, Marta», thashë unë.“It's still early, Martha,” I said. «Atëherë duhet t’ia shpjegosh ti, Aksel!»“Then you must explain it to him, Axel!”

Por unë kisha frikë nga zëri i tij i zemëruar.But I was afraid of his angry voice. Ai kaloi me nxitim nëpër dhomën e ngrënies.He hurried through the dining room. E hodhi kapelën mbi tryezë.He threw his hat onto the table. «Aksel!Axel! Eja pas meje në kabinet!»Come after me into the study!

words
231
sentences
33
words per sentence
7
different words
124

B1Intermediate

You follow clear stories about familiar things.

Profesori i paduruar

Të dielën, më 24 maj 1863, xhaxhai im u kthye herët në shtëpi.On Sunday, May 24, 1863, my uncle returned home early. Në shtëpinë tonë të vogël në Hamburg, dreka ishte ende në zjarr.In our small house in Hamburg, lunch was still cooking. Marta hapi derën e dhomës së ngrënies dhe më pa e shqetësuar.Martha opened the dining-room door and looked at me, worried. «Profesor Lidenbroku erdhi kaq shpejt!“Professor Lidenbrock came so early! Po dreka nuk është gati!»But lunch isn’t ready!”

Xhaxhai ishte njeriu më i paduruar që njihja.My uncle was the most impatient man I knew. «Ora është vetëm një e gjysmë», i thashë."It's only half past one," I said. «Atëherë pse është kthyer?"Then why has he returned? Të lutem, Aksel, mbushja mendjen të presë.»Please, Axel, persuade her to wait. Ajo nxitoi drejt kuzhinës dhe ma la mua këtë detyrë të pamundur.She hurried toward the kitchen and left me with this impossible task.

Po bëhesha gati të ikja lart, kur u hap dera e jashtme.I was getting ready to go upstairs when the outside door opened. Hapa të rëndë u dëgjuan në korridor.Heavy footsteps were heard in the corridor. Xhaxhai kaloi me nxitim nëpër dhomën e ngrënies.Uncle hurried through the dining room. E hodhi bastunin në një qoshe dhe kapelën mbi tryezë.He tossed his walking stick into a corner and his hat onto the table. «Aksel, eja pas meje!»“Axel, come after me!” Pastaj u zhduk në kabinetin e tij.Then he disappeared into his study.

words
358
sentences
40
words per sentence
9
different words
187

Choosing a level

Pick the level at which you can read a page without stopping on every line. Research on reading in a second language suggests that most readers need to know about 98% of the words in a text, roughly one unknown word in fifty, to follow fiction without help (Hu & Nation 2000, Unknown vocabulary density and reading comprehension). Lexo helps with the rest: tap any word for its meaning in that sentence.

You choose the level for each book, so you can read an adventure at B1 and a favorite you know well at B2. If a book turns out too easy or too hard, another level of a book you own is $1.99.

More on levels: How to choose your reading level in a new language; CEFR levels A1 to C2 explained: what you can read at each level.

Questions about levels

What is the CEFR?

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, published by the Council of Europe in 2001, describes language ability on six levels from A1 to C2. Courses, textbooks and exams around the world use it, so its levels are a common language for saying how well someone reads, listens, speaks and writes.

Why does Lexo start at A2?

A novel needs some language to tell a story, even when it’s simplified. A2 is the first level at which a whole book can be told in short, clear sentences with everyday words. If you are starting from zero, a beginner course is the better first step.

Do the levels change the story?

You read the same story at every level. What changes is how it’s told: the length of the sentences, the range of words, and how much of the original’s detail is kept. C1 is close to the original and lightly condensed; C2 is the complete novel.

How do I know which level is right for me?

Read a page. If you understand most of it without stopping and meet only a few new words, it’s a good level for reading a whole book. If you stop on every line, try the level below. Tapping a word in Lexo shows what it means in that sentence, so a few unknown words on a page are fine.

Can I change level later?

You choose the level for each book. One purchase is one book, in one language, at one level, and you can add another level of a book you own for $1.99, or for one Lexo Plus credit.