How the vocabulary size test works
Our free vocabulary size test estimates how many English words you know using a fast yes/no recognition format — the same method (LexTALE) that linguists use in research. You'll see 40–60 items: real English words mixed with plausible-looking made-up ones. Tap Yes if you know the word, No if you don't.
The invented words are the trick. They catch over-confident guessing, so your estimate reflects the vocabulary you actually recognise — not the vocabulary you'd like to have. Pick one of three difficulty tracks (Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced) and you'll have your result in 2–4 minutes. No signup, no email.
What your vocabulary size means
So how many words do you know — and what does that number mean? Your vocabulary size maps closely to your CEFR English level. Here's a rough guide from beginner to near-native:
| Words you know | CEFR level | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| ~1,500 | A1–A2 | Everyday basics, greetings, simple conversations |
| ~2,500 | A2–B1 | Routine topics, travel, basic work tasks |
| ~3,250 | B1 | Most everyday situations; describe experiences and opinions |
| ~5,000 | B2 | Fluent interaction; understand complex texts |
| ~10,000 | C1 | Flexible academic and professional use |
| ~16,000–22,000 | C2 | Near-native; understand virtually anything |
For reference, a native English-speaking adult knows roughly 15,000–20,000 word families. Knowing your vocabulary size — your answer to "what is my vocabulary size?" — is one of the clearest single indicators of overall English proficiency.
Passive vs active vocabulary
There are two kinds of vocabulary, and this test measures the bigger one. Your passive (recognition) vocabulary — the words you understand when you read or hear them — is typically 30–50% larger than your active (speaking) vocabulary, the words you produce yourself. That gap is normal and holds in every language, including your native one. A vocabulary size test measures recognition, so the number you get is your passive vocabulary; the words you can actively use in speech are a subset of it.
How we estimate your vocabulary size
The estimate is based on LexTALE (the Lexical Test for Advanced Learners of English), a validated yes/no vocabulary test developed by Lemhöfer & Broersma (2012) and widely used in psycholinguistics research. Because a simple "yes" count would reward guessing, we mix in invented non-words and apply a yes-bias correction: saying yes to fake words lowers your score. Each real word is weighted by its frequency band, so recognising rare, advanced words counts for more than common ones. The result is a defensible ballpark — not a certificate — that tracks your true vocabulary size within a reasonable margin.
Frequently asked questions
How many words do you need to be fluent in English?
How many words are there in the English language?
What counts as a word (word family)?
Is a vocabulary size test the same as a CEFR level test?
Is the vocabulary size test free?
Find your full English level
A vocabulary size test tells you how many words you know. To measure your complete English level — across grammar, reading, and vocabulary — take our free adaptive CEFR test and get your exact A1–C2 result in about 12 minutes.