NEI Score™
A 40-point speaking assessment that measures your English across four skill areas — giving you a clear, objective picture of where you are and how far you’ve come.
What Is NEI Score?
NEI Score is a 40-point scale that evaluates your speaking proficiency across four categories: Vocabulary (10), Grammar (10), Pronunciation (10), and Fluency (10). Your instructor conducts a Progress Speaking Assessment at regular intervals, producing a single composite score that tracks your growth over time.
Four Categories, 10 Points Each
Vocabulary
Range and precision of word choice, including general and industry-specific terminology appropriate to the conversation context. Scored 0 – 10.
Grammar
Accuracy and complexity of sentence structures, from basic constructions to advanced professional communication patterns. Scored 0 – 10.
Pronunciation
Clarity, stress patterns, intonation, and overall intelligibility as evaluated by your instructor during the assessment. Scored 0 – 10.
Fluency
Ability to speak naturally and spontaneously, maintaining conversational flow and responding without excessive hesitation. Scored 0 – 10.
Assessment Schedule
Progress Speaking Assessments happen at set intervals so you can see concrete improvement over time.
First Assessment
Your first Progress Speaking Assessment takes place after completing your first 20 lesson units. This establishes your baseline NEI Score.
Subsequent Assessments
After the baseline, you are assessed every 24 lesson units. Students typically improve by approximately 2 points per assessment cycle.
Typical Improvement
On average, learners gain about 2 points for every 24 lesson units completed — visible, measurable progress that keeps you motivated.
Learning Success Manager
After every Progress Speaking Assessment, you meet with your Learning Success Manager to review your results. Together you discuss what improved, identify focus areas, and adjust your lesson plan so the next cycle targets exactly where you need it most.
Target Scores
Your Learning Success Manager helps you set a personal Target Score — a concrete milestone tailored to your goals. Whether you are preparing for an international role, aiming for a certification benchmark, or simply want to hold fluent conversations, your Target Score gives you a clear destination and makes every point of progress meaningful.
TOEIC & CEFR Alignment
NEI Score maps to globally recognized frameworks so you can understand your level in context. The ranges below are approximate correlations.
| NEI Score | CEFR | TOEIC (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 30+ | C1 or above | 945+ |
| 23–29 | B2 | 785–945 |
| 17–22 | B1 | 550–785 |
| 10–16 | A2 | 225–550 |
What Can You Do at Each Level?
The NEI Score bands describe what you can expect to do in English — both in everyday conversation and in the workplace.
| NEI Score | Level | Conversational Abilities | Workplace Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 and above | Native-like | Read any book, listen to radio and podcasts, translate between languages. | Effectively negotiate in English, translate documents and conversations. |
| 32–35 | Business Impact | Have conversations about even unfamiliar topics, argue persuasively, give opinions on complex issues. Understand fast-paced news reporting. | Lead meetings, give presentations with Q&A sessions. |
| 28–31 | Business Proficient | Follow the plot of movies and TV shows without subtitles. | Participate in international conferences, actively contribute in discussions and meetings, read scientific papers in your field. |
| 24–27 | Business Functional | Have conversations about familiar topics, read texts written for adults and young adults. | Talk about important topics in your field, have limited participation in meetings such as adding ideas and opinions. |
| 20–23 | Business OK | Handle everyday tasks in English-speaking countries, make small talk and express opinions about common topics. | Talk about the main responsibilities of your job, discuss work-related topics with foreign colleagues and clients. |
| 17–19 | Business Minimum | Give simple directions to a foreign visitor, communicate basic needs abroad (hotels, restaurants, shopping). | Talk about most of your job responsibilities with some difficulty, discuss the purpose and goals of your company. |
| 11–16 | Pre-Business | Communicate your basic needs abroad with some difficulty (hotels, restaurants, etc.). | Talk about the main idea of your job and company, use important vocabulary related to your field. |
Score Improvement Timeline
Based on Core NEI (1 lesson unit per week), here is the average time to achieve each level of improvement.
| Points Improvement | Months (Average) | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 6 | |
| 4 | 12 | |
| 6 | 18 | |
| 8 | 24 | |
| 10 | 30 | |
| 12 | 36 | |
| 14 | 42 | |
| 16 | 48 | |
| 18 | 54 | |
| 20 | 60 |
Real Learner Progress
See how real NEI students improved their scores over time with consistent practice.
Learner A
Learner B
NEI Score for Companies
HR and L&D managers use NEI Score to track team-wide language proficiency, set benchmarks, and demonstrate training ROI to stakeholders.
- Team-wide proficiency benchmarking
- Individual and group progress dashboards
- Exportable reports for stakeholder reviews
