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About the English IQ Test

This test provides the quickest way to assess English proficiency in alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a system that establishes standardised competency levels for individuals who are not native speakers.

CEFR Levels: A1-Basic, A2-Lower Intermediate, B1-Intermediate, B2-Upper Intermediate, C1-Near Native-Speaker,C2-Native-Speaker

How many different words exist in English?

There is no single sensible answer to this question.

It's difficult to count the number of words in a language because it's challenging to determine what actually qualifies as a word.

The noun 'dog' refers to an animal, and the verb means 'to follow persistently' ('beharrlich verfolgen').

But is 'dog-tired' a word, or are these just two words joined together? Similarly, is 'hot dog' two words, or one? It can also be written as 'hot-dog' or even 'hotdog.'"

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has

616,500 entries

The OED + all technical, scientific, commercial, and specialised dictionaries and glossaries combined contain approximately

2,000,000 words

How many different words do you need?

Number of different words appearing in different publications over a 12-month period.

+100,000
80,000
50,000
20,000
15,000
1,000

How many different words do you know?

Words from the English IQ test categorized in different levels of difficulty:

Basic (A1)

01 time
02 world
03 money
04 important
05 decision
06 understand
07 explain
08 success
09 difference
10 attempt

Lower Intermediate (A2)

11 immediately
12 memory
13 beautiful
14 freedom
15 smile
16 surprise
17 search
18 exciting
19 influence
20 friendship

Intermediate (B1)

21 ambition
22 retirement
23 exception
24 discount
25 distribute
26 satisfaction
27 inherit
28 turnover
29 precious
30 fortunately

Upper Intermediate (B2)

31 imminent
32 indigenous
33 attain
34 reluctantly
35 beneficiary
36 vacancy
37 purchaser
38 sibling
39 ludicrous
40 contradictory

Near Native Speaker (C1)

41 affluent
42 blatant
43 squander
44 panache
45 pervasive
46 clandestine
47 lackluster
48 insidious
49 precocious
50 derision

Native Speaker (C2)

51 eavesdrop
52 blurb
53 voracious
54 exorbitant
55 lampoon
56 gregarious
57 assiduous
58 moniker
59 tetchy
60 teetotal

OWAD words and phrases are selected from the English proficiency levels of near-native (C1) and native (C2) speakers.

Linguistic Expert

61 curmudgeon
62 malodorous
63 plenipotentiary
64 rambunctious
65 humongous
66 senescence
67 contumely
68 spatchcock
69 polyhedron
70 caterwaul

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Test Rationale

Should you have any questions or comments concerning the rationale for this test, please write to:

paul@owad.de