Comprehensive Guide to the CEFR 2020 Companion Volume: Frameworks & Descriptors
The 2020 CEFR Companion Volume is the Council of Europe’s official update to the 2001 framework. It does not replace the original six levels (A1–C2); it extends them with new, modality-inclusive and gender-neutral “can-do” descriptor scales for mediation, online interaction and plurilingual/pluricultural competence.
What this guide covers
- What the 2020 Companion Volume changes relative to the 2001 CEFR
- The new descriptor families: mediation, online interaction, plurilingual/pluricultural competence
- How the six reference levels and “plus” levels are organised
- How teachers can use the descriptors for planning and assessment
Out of scope
- Exam-specific score conversion (see the Cambridge Scale and IELTS pages)
- Full reproduction of every illustrative descriptor scale (consult the official volume)
- Language-specific reference level descriptions (RLDs)
Pedagogical scope of this guide
This page summarises the 2020 CEFR Companion Volume (Council of Europe) for classroom teachers and assessment designers. It focuses on what changed from the 2001 edition and on the practical use of the expanded descriptor scales. It is a teaching reference, not a substitute for the official volume, which remains the authoritative source for the complete descriptor tables.
What changed: 2001 CEFR vs 2020 Companion Volume
The Companion Volume published in 2020 (an update of the 2018 provisional edition) is best understood as a complement, not a replacement. The conceptual model — an action-oriented approach describing users as “social agents” across the six levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 — is unchanged. What the Companion Volume adds is a substantially expanded and updated bank of illustrative descriptors.
| Dimension | 2001 CEFR | 2020 Companion Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Reference levels | A1–C2 (six levels) | Same six levels retained; “plus” levels (A2+, B1+, B2+) more fully described; a Pre-A1 milestone added |
| Mediation | Introduced conceptually, few descriptors | Fully developed scales for mediating a text, concepts and communication |
| Online interaction | Not covered | New descriptor scales for online conversation and goal-oriented transactions |
| Plurilingual/pluricultural competence | Discussed, not scaled | New illustrative descriptor scales |
| Language of descriptors | Native-speaker reference points | Native-speaker norm removed; modality-inclusive (adaptable to sign languages) and gender-neutral wording |
| Phonology | Single holistic scale | Redeveloped scales for sound articulation and prosody |
Summarised from the Council of Europe (2020) Companion Volume. Consult the official volume for the complete descriptor scales.
The new mediation descriptors
Mediation is the headline addition. In the Companion Volume, mediation describes how a language user acts as a social agent who creates bridges and helps to construct or convey meaning — within one language or across languages. The descriptors are organised into three broad areas.
The three mediation activity families are:
- Mediating a text — relaying specific information, explaining data, summarising, translating and note-taking for others.
- Mediating concepts — collaborating in a group, facilitating collaborative interaction, and managing/encouraging conceptual talk.
- Mediating communication — facilitating pluricultural space, acting as an intermediary, and facilitating communication in delicate situations or disagreements.
| Level | Illustrative “mediating a text” capability |
|---|---|
| A2 | Can convey the main point(s) in short, simple texts on familiar topics, using simple language. |
| B1 | Can relay the main points made in clear, well-structured spoken or written texts on familiar subjects. |
| B2 | Can convey detailed information and arguments reliably, e.g. the significant point(s) in complex but well-structured texts within their fields of interest. |
| C1 | Can relay clearly, in well-structured language, the significant ideas in long, complex texts, whether or not related to their own fields of interest. |
Paraphrased for teaching use. The exact official wording of each scale must be taken from the Council of Europe (2020) Companion Volume.
For precise, unedited descriptor wording, always cite the official Council of Europe volume. This page paraphrases milestones so that the meaning is clear for lesson planning; it does not reproduce the complete scales.
The new online interaction descriptors
The Companion Volume recognises that a great deal of real communication now happens online. Two new scales were added: online conversation and discussion, and goal-oriented online transactions and collaboration. These describe abilities such as posting comprehensibly in real time, dealing with misunderstandings in text-based exchange, and collaborating on shared documents or tasks.
Plurilingual and pluricultural competence
The Companion Volume gives descriptor scales to plurilingual and pluricultural competence — the ability to draw flexibly on a whole linguistic and cultural repertoire rather than treating each language as a separate silo. This reframes the “ideal” learner away from an imagined native speaker and toward an effective multilingual communicator.
Are the 2020 descriptors inclusive?
Yes. The Council of Europe deliberately removed native-speaker reference points, wrote descriptors to be gender-neutral, and made them modality-inclusive so that they can be applied to sign languages as well as spoken languages. This was a specific design goal of the update.
Using the descriptors in your classroom
Practical applications for teachers:
- Turn Can-Do descriptors into transparent lesson aims and student-facing checklists.
- Build mediation into speaking tasks (summarise, relay, facilitate) rather than only presentation-style output.
- Design online-interaction tasks that mirror the new scales (moderated forums, collaborative docs).
- Anchor rubrics to descriptor language to improve consistency — see the formative assessment page for rater calibration.
Free download
CEFR 2020 Companion Volume Descriptor Summary Grid
A one-page reference grid mapping the six levels against the new mediation, online-interaction and plurilingual descriptor families — ready to keep beside your planning.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 2001 CEFR and the 2020 CEFR Companion Volume?
The 2020 Companion Volume updates rather than replaces the 2001 CEFR. It keeps the same six reference levels (A1–C2) and action-oriented approach, but adds new and expanded illustrative descriptor scales — most notably for mediation, online interaction and plurilingual/pluricultural competence — and rewrites descriptors to be gender-neutral and modality-inclusive.
How does the 2020 Companion Volume define language mediation?
Mediation describes the language user as a social agent who builds bridges and helps construct or convey meaning, within or across languages. The Companion Volume organises it into three families: mediating a text (relaying, summarising, translating), mediating concepts (facilitating collaborative and conceptual talk), and mediating communication (acting as intermediary and facilitating pluricultural space).
Are the 2020 CEFR descriptors gender-neutral and modality-inclusive?
Yes. The Council of Europe deliberately removed native-speaker reference points and wrote the updated descriptors in gender-neutral language. They were also made modality-inclusive so that they can be applied to sign languages as well as spoken languages.
The 2020 Council of Europe CEFR Companion Volume updates the 2001 framework by introducing modality-inclusive, gender-neutral can-do descriptors for mediation, online interaction and plurilingual competence without replacing the original conceptual foundation.
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References & further reading
- Council of Europe – CEFR and Companion Volume (official portal)
- Council of Europe (2020) – CEFR Companion Volume (full text PDF)
- European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML)
Written and reviewed by Ian L. Evans, TeflToday.org. Last reviewed August 4, 2026.