The descriptors are updated regularly and the current version “ATrainP-5, Edition A, Version 2, LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY LEVELS” was approved by the nations in the Military Committee Joint Standardization Board and promulgated on May 19, 2016.

It can be downloaded from NATO’s official site at the following address:  http://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/listpromulg.html

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The L2 READING descriptors read as follows: 

The candidate will be:

“able to read with complete comprehension concrete, factual, authentic written material on familiar subjects.

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[The candidate]

• can also understand a significant amount of more complex general and professional

material, including unfamiliar subject matter.

• demonstrates some ability to learn through reading. Contexts include not only factual

news items but also some informational and editorial items in major periodicals intended for educated native readers; personal and some professional correspondence; as well as some reports and related material in special fields of competence.

• can readily separate main ideas from less important details and use linguistic context,

real-world knowledge, and a broad reading vocabulary to make intelligent guesses about unfamiliar material. However, the candidate may not always accurately interpret written texts built upon hypothesis, supported opinion, argumentation, and various forms of elaboration.

• may partially understand abstract concepts in texts on complex topics without fully

understanding abstract linguistic formulations.

• demonstrates inconsistent ability to “read between the lines” (or understand implicit

information), distinguishes between different stylistic levels, and recognizes humor or emotional overtones in a text.”