What does lexile level mean
About Lexile® Measures for Reading
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Skip to main contentLexile measures provide educators with an interpretive — not prescriptive — tool for measuring student growth and predicting future success. The idea behind the Lexile® Framework for Reading is simple: if we know how well a student can read and how hard a specific book is to comprehend, we can predict how well that student will likely understand that book.
There are two Lexile measures: the Lexile reading measure and the Lexile text measure.
A student gets a Lexile reading measure from a reading test or program. For example, if a student receives an 880L on their end-of-grade reading test, their Lexile reading measure is 880L. More than 65 popular reading assessments and programs and 25 state assessments report Lexile reading measures.
A book, article or piece of text gets a Lexile text measure when it’s analyzed by MetaMetrics®. For example, the first Harry Potter book measures 880L, so its Lexile text measure is 880L.
The Lexile Scale
The Lexile Framework measures students and texts on the same developmental scale to seamlessly match readers to targeted texts.
When the Shoe FitsYou know your shoe size. But imagine how frustrating it would be to try to buy shoes if you couldn’t find out what size they were.
The same goes for non-Lexile reading scores. A student scored “286” in reading, for example— what would that mean? How would that student find materials to match a “286”?
That’s what makes the Lexile Framework for Reading different from other reading scales. It comes to life when you match a Lexile reading measure with a Lexile text measure. The Lexile scale is like a thermometer from below 0L for beginner readers to above 2000L.
The Lexile measure is shown as a number with an “L” after it — 880L indicates an 880 Lexile measure. When a Lexile text measure matches a Lexile reading measure, this is called a “targeted” reading experience. The reader will likely have some challenge with the text, but not enough to get frustrated. This is the best way to grow as a reader — with text that’s not too hard but not too easy.
Lexile measures provide educators with valuable information about students’ abilities, as well as the difficulty of a text, such as a book or a magazine article. Here are just a few ways educators use Lexile measures:
- Personalize learning. Educators best serve students when they treat them like individuals. They can personalize learning by using free Lexile resources to connect students with materials in their Lexile range, or reading comprehension “sweet spot,” which is from 100L below to 50L above their reported Lexile measure.
- Differentiate instruction. When all students in a classroom are using the same textbook, Lexile measures help teachers predict which students might need extra help, and which ones might need enrichment (see the following Forecasted Comprehension figure).
- Communicate with parents. Lexile measures offer educators a way to communicate with parents about their children’s progress. When parents know their child’s Lexile measure, they can use that information at home to connect their child with reading material. Educators can direct parents to additional Lexile parent resources.
These are just a few of the ways educators work with Lexile measures. Please read about all the ways that Lexile measures can work for you.
Forecasted Comprehension
The Lexile Framework helps teachers forecast students' comprehension of a text by knowing their Lexile reading measures.
Introduction - Reading and Lexile Scores
What is a Lexile Score?
A Lexile score is a standard score that matches a Grade 1-12 student’s reading ability with the difficulty of the reading material.
When the reader's score and that of the reading material are the same, the student is expected to read with 75% comprehension – difficult enough to be challenging without undue frustration and to encourage reading progress.
Scores range from 200 to 1700.
Lexile measures are a measure of text difficulty. They do not address age-appropriateness, student interest or the quality of the text.
Google does not use Lexile scores, and while in the past Google Advanced Search used to rate websites as beginning, intermediate or advanced reading level - Google no longer offers this feature. However, an alternative way to search and obtain results with reading levels marked is here: Choosito.com Search.
This site http://www.lexile.com/ will let you enter your lexile level range and find a list of books that not only meet your lexile requirements, but your interests, i.e. social issues or technology, and your age range. However, the age range is limited to 18 years and younger.
You can also see if a particular book is listed to learn the lexile level.
Sample Lexile Texts
Examples of Reading Levels
This Lexile map shows texts matched to levels of reading ability. The literature titles and reading selections are examples that range from 200L to 1700L on the Lexile scale.
Lexile Grade Level
Lexile-to-Grade Correspondence
Student's Guide to Lexiles
This guide gives Grades 1-12 students practical information about Lexiles—what they are, what they mean, and how students can use them to find reading materials that match their reading abilities and interests.
Perhaps you already recognize the term “Lexile” as the reading level number for an article in an EBSCOhost database search. Or maybe you know that a Lexile is a measure of your reading ability based on your score from a reading test.
But do you know what the number really means?
How Can Lexiles Help Me Find Reading Materials?
Lexiles can help you find books and articles based on your individual reading ability and interests. For example, if you are a 980L reader, you should be able to read and understand most texts at this level. It is best to find materials within a range of 100L below and 50L above your Lexile measure. Texts below 980L will be easier to read; texts above 980L will be more challenging.
I don’t know my Lexile measure. Can I get a Lexile measure from EBSCOhost, based on the magazines I like to read?
If you or your teachers do not know your actual Lexile measure, you can use a school library or public library EBSCOhost database to estimate your reading ability. Log into EBSCOhost on your library’s computer and choose a database with Lexiles, such as Primary Search, Middle Search Plus or MAS Ultra.
On the Basic Search screen, check Full Text, then type in a magazine name in the Publication field. Click Search. EBSCOhost will bring up all of the articles from that magazine. Each article will have a different Lexile measure, which will give you a general idea of the magazine’s reading level.
Lexile Framework for Reading GL Education Group (April 14, 2011)
Examples of Reading Levels (Framework)
This Lexile map shows texts matched to levels of reading ability. The literature titles and reading selections are examples that range from 200L to 1700L on the Lexile scale.
Lexile Framework for Reading for Parents and Educators
The educators and researchers at MetaMetrics created the Lexile Framework for Reading to transform the world of education with a research-driven, scientific system to help all readers navigate the path to success in school, college and careers.
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A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 ‹ Ingleks
What grammar and vocabulary students learn at each level of study - from Beginner to Proficiency.
Among philologists and linguists, it is customary to divide the knowledge of a foreign language into six levels. This concept is called the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), and it appeared at the end of the 20th century. In 2001, the Council of Europe decided to use the CEFR to assess language proficiency in any language taught as a foreign language.
Following the CEFR system, there are three language proficiency groups - A, B, C, each of which is divided into two subgroups:
We have listed the aspects of English that students learn at each level of education. Vertically there are columns with types of speech activity: listening, speaking, reading, writing. The two extreme columns display what grammar and vocabulary the student should know at a particular stage. The levels of training are shown horizontally - from Beginner to Proficiency. At the intersection of a row and a column, a description is given of what knowledge the student acquires at each level.
| Learn to greet and thank in English. Talk about yourself in 2-3 sentences, answer simple questions. | Greet and say goodbye to the interlocutor, maintain a short dialogue: learn about the affairs, interests of the interlocutor, about his family and profession. | Read elementary sentences (no more than 7-9 words). | Listen to short sentences with basic vocabulary. | You can write your name, date of birth, brief information about yourself. |
| Basic vocabulary: simple nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns. | |
| A1 Elementary (Upper Basic) | Learn to talk about yourself and your family, your hobbies, food, music and other areas. | Exchange 2-3 phrases about yourself, your family, your city. Express an opinion about what you like. Ask about the interests of the interlocutor. Hear and understand simple words and phrases. | Read short texts and dialogues with familiar vocabulary. | Listen to simple and frequently used words and phrases. Understand short instructions. | Write short greeting cards, messages. Fill in a questionnaire about yourself (name, nationality, address). |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Pre- (Intermediate elementary) | Learn to talk briefly about yourself, work and hobbies. Express an opinion based on the material studied. | Maintain a small and simple dialogue on everyday topics. Request information about direction, location, order a service. | Read and understand short texts (400-500 words) with a small amount of unfamiliar vocabulary. | Recognize and listen to dialogues with familiar vocabulary. | Write messages using familiar vocabulary (up to 10-15 sentences). |
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| B1 Intermediate
| Learn to describe events and experiences, express opinions and give examples. | Participate in a spontaneous dialogue on any everyday topics, express a personal attitude to a phenomenon or object. | Read general texts and understand their main idea, despite the presence of 10% unfamiliar vocabulary. In stories, to catch the plot, to understand the replicas of the characters. | Understand the speaker's point of view in short dialogues. Understand context, catch special vocabulary. | Write a personal letter or short text without using a dictionary. |
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| B2 Upper-Intermediate (High Intermediate) |
| Understand native speakers and engage in dialogue. | Read and understand feature articles, literary texts in non-adapted English. | Listen and understand radio broadcasts, interviews, podcasts. | Write detailed texts on various topics. Write essays and articles in formal and informal styles. | Mixed Conditionals Modal Verbs Gerund & Infinitive
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| C1 Advanced (Advanced) | Learn to spontaneously express your opinion on any topic, use synonyms and complex grammatical constructions. | You will communicate freely with native speakers - ask questions and justify answers. | Read, understand and analyze unadapted articles, books and other texts. | Understand native speakers, including dialects, accents, adverbs. | Write business correspondence, write articles and essays on any topic using advanced grammar and stylistically colored vocabulary. |
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| C2 Proficient (Professional) | Learn to speak on any topic, even highly specialized (medicine, law). | Use idioms and stylistic figures in speech in conversation. | Read and understand any text, whether it is an excerpt from a work of fiction or a popular science article. | Understand spoken language, even if the native speaker speaks quickly. Listen to any audio program in English. | Write in any style (formal or informal) and on any topic. | Use complex grammatical structures. Use phraseological units. |
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For clarity, we suggest comparing how students with different levels of English speak on the same topic.
Beginner: I want to eat this tasty chocolate bar. I want to eat this delicious chocolate bar.
Elementary: I would like to eat this delicious chocolate bar. I would like to eat this delicious chocolate bar.
Pre-Intermediate: I feel like eating this yummy chocolate bar. I want to eat this delicious chocolate bar.
Intermediate: I wanna scarf down this yummy chocolate bar. I want to eat this delicious chocolate bar.
Upper-Intermediate: I’d kill for this super delicious chocolate bar. “I would kill for this super delicious candy bar.
Advanced: I’m drooling over this chocolate bar. Yum-yum! “I want this candy bar so much it makes me salivate. Om-Nom-nom!
Proficiency: I wish I could eat this chocolate bar which seems to be finger-licking good. - I would eat this chocolate bar - it seems so tasty that you will lick your fingers.
If you want to learn more about any of the levels of English proficiency, read the corresponding article from our selection:
We also recommend that you watch a video on the topic "How to determine your level of English?".
If you're having trouble figuring out your level using the table, take our online English proficiency test.
European Language Proficiency Levels
(A1) - Beginner
(A2) - Lower Intermediate
(B1) - Intermediate
(B2) - Upper Intermediate
(C1) - Advanced
(C2) - Professional
There are two main recognized English language proficiency scales: International and European. The proposed table gives a description of each of the levels and shows the correspondence between the levels according to the International and European classification.
| A2 |
Below average (Pre-Intermediate) | You can talk about yourself, your family, profession, preliminaries (in music, kitchen, kitchens, Khubbika, Khubbika, Khubbika, Khubbika, Khubbika, Khubbika, Khubni , season…). |
| B1 | Average (Intermediate) | You can understand in most radio and television programs about current events. You know how to express your own opinion, justify your views, retell the content of what you read or see, conduct personal and business correspondence of medium complexity, read adapted literature in a foreign language. |
| B2 | above the average (Upper-Intermediate) | You speak the conversational language in various situations (from household to professional) language. You can speak almost clearly and in detail on a wide range of issues, explain your point of view on an important issue, giving arguments for and against. |
| C1 | Advanced (Advanced) | You understand the various detailed texts and you can identify the implicit values contained in them, it is possible without preparation, it is possible without the preparations, it is not necessary. in the choice of words to express their thoughts. Your speech is distinguished by a variety of linguistic means and the accuracy of their use in situations of everyday, educational or professional communication. You can write clear, logical, detailed messages on complex topics. |
| C2 | Professional (Proficency) | You freely understand any oral or written information, you can generalize information received from different or oral or oral or oral or oral or oral or oral or orally present it in the form of a clearly reasoned coherent message. |
You understand the texts of advertisements, announcements at the airport, store, inscriptions on products, postcards, you know how to write personal and business letters. Read and retell not very difficult texts. 
You read non-adapted literature in a foreign language, you know how to retell the content of complex texts. 
You can express your thoughts fluently and clearly, even on complex issues, while conveying the subtlest shades of meaning. More information about the European scale can be found on the website of the Council of Europe at (in English): http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Cadre1_en.asp
(A1) – initial
According to the generally accepted method of teaching foreign languages, 4 types of speech activity develop at each level: Speaking, Reading, Listening and Writing. Chief among these is speaking, and it is to the goal of speaking fluently and correctly that all other learning is subordinated. Level A1 is the basics of a foreign language. Here they are introduced to the alphabet and the peculiarities of the pronunciation of sounds that have no analogues in our native language. They learn to understand foreign speech and speak within the framework of the studied vocabulary on certain topics.
(A2) - below average
Level A 2 is a kind of "key moment" in the life of a foreign language learner.
It is at this level that all the basic grammar is laid down that is necessary to keep a conversation on a certain topic, expressing one's opinion or requirement in a familiar context. You can forget about the expression “I understand, but I can’t say”. Of course, it is important how conscientiously you worked throughout this level of language learning, as well as what knowledge you had at the start.
(B1) - intermediate
B1 - this is the so-called "average" level of language proficiency, but in fact this is already quite a decent level, allowing you to speak a foreign language quite fluently, discuss many professional and everyday topics, understand hearing almost everything said in a foreign language at a normal pace. Students understand what is being discussed in most radio and television programs, know how to express their own opinion, justify their views, retell the content of what they have read or seen, conduct personal and business correspondence of medium complexity, read literature in a foreign language.
This level of language proficiency allows you to take entrance exams to Russian universities and preparatory courses abroad.
(B2) - above average
B2 is not just an average level of foreign language proficiency, it is already a serious level of knowledge sufficient for foreign language communication in almost all areas of communication. Knowledge at level B2 is enough to live and communicate in a country where the studied language is considered the main one. Knowledge at this level is consolidated, systematized and expanded by more complex cases of using grammatical structures. At this stage of learning in each of the main activities (Speaking, Reading, Listening, Writing) in more detail.
(C1) - advanced
This is a serious level of knowledge of a foreign language, because it is the level C1 that graduates of the philological faculties of higher educational institutions of our country should master. That is, for the most part, people who teach a foreign language as a foreign language speak it at an advanced level.
At this level, a person already spontaneously (that is, without prior preparation) and relatively freely can verbally express his opinion on any topic, including narrowly focused ones. At the same time, he does not have difficulties using complex grammatical constructions and with a large number of synonyms that are used to reinforce his point of view with examples and so on. At this level of learning, the ability to speak about everything will develop, even if you do not know much about the topic of conversation, the main thing is not what you say, but how you say it.
(C2) - professional level
This is the highest level of foreign language proficiency New grammar material at this stage of training, students will not meet, since all the grammar was passed at the previous levels. Grammar is repeated and consolidated on the basis of thematic articles with a large content of specific vocabulary. As for vocabulary , it will be replenished due to specific vocabulary, jargon, terms.
