English proficiency is the capacity of an individual to express themselves efficiently in the English language. It shows that a person can engage in complex conversations, use advanced grammar and vocabulary, and understand various ways of expressing themselves with high proficiency.
As a result, this leads to reduced efficiency, marked by a more basic understanding of the language, limited to simple grammar and vocabulary, with minimal ability to express complex ideas.
It's important to note that proficiency can look different for each individual, so standardized tests, such as IELTS, are created to provide a clear, objective measurement of one's language abilities.
English proficiency is typically assessed across four main skills:
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking (including pronunciation)
It's common for individuals to have varying proficiency levels across these different skills.