How many English words do you know?
A 3-minute estimate of your vocabulary size, mapped to the CEFR scale. We sample words across seven frequency bands — and sneak in a few invented words to keep everyone honest.
How many English words do you know?
Tick every word you genuinely know — meaning you could use it in a sentence or explain it. The test samples words across seven frequency bands and includes fake words to keep results honest. Takes about 3 minutes.
- ✓ Tick only words you truly know — not ones that "look familiar"
- ✓ Some words are invented on purpose; ticking them lowers your score
- ✓ Your result is an estimate mapped to the CEFR scale (A1–C2)
How does this test work?
Your score is estimated the same way research vocabulary tests work: you see a sample of words drawn from different frequency bands — from the top 1,000 most common English words up to rare words beyond the 15,000 range. The percentage you know in each band is projected onto the full band size, giving an estimate of total receptive vocabulary.
A handful of the words are invented — they look English but do not exist. If you tick them, the test lowers your estimate. This correction keeps honest scores accurate and catches overconfident guessing.
What does my score mean?
Vocabulary size correlates strongly with proficiency level. Rough benchmarks on the CEFR scale: A2 learners typically know 800–1,800 word families, B1 around 1,800–3,500, B2 around 3,500–5,500, C1 around 5,500–9,000, and C2 above 9,000. Treat the number as a compass, not a verdict — depth of knowledge (collocations, register, multiple meanings) matters as much as breadth.
How do I grow my vocabulary faster?
Prioritize frequency: the first 1,000 words cover about 85% of daily speech, and 3,000 words cover roughly 95%. Learn words inside real sentences, review with spaced repetition, and meet new words repeatedly through reading and listening. Our core vocabulary list, audio flashcards, and graded short stories are built for exactly that.