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Free level check · try 8 questions now

Find your English and maths level, free

Quick answer

Answer 8 quick questions, with no sign-up, to see whether you're nearer Functional Skills Level 1 or Level 2. Then create a free account for the full check: 15 to 25 minutes a subject, with a score for each area and what to work on. If you're 19 or over in England and don't yet have a grade 4 (C) in GCSE English or maths, you can usually study for it for free.

  • No sign-up for the quick check: 8 questions a subject and a Level 1 or Level 2 guide straight away
  • A detailed free report from the full check: a score for each area and what to work on
  • Level 1 and Level 2 together at 15% off both, if your result is Level 1

Quick level check8 questions · about 3 minutes

Try 8 questions, no sign-up

Pick a subject. You see a quick Level 1 or Level 2 guide straight away.

Want the full scored check now?

Your free report

See exactly where you are, in minutes

Not just a level. You get a full report for English and for maths: your level, a score for every area, your strengths, what to work on and the course that suits your result. It shows on screen the moment you finish, we email it to you, and it stays in your free account.

A Lift College level check report showing English 58% Level 1 and maths 64% Level 1, with the Level 1 and Level 2 course offer
  • Your level for each subjectLevel 2, Level 1 or below Level 1, and how far you are from Level 2.
  • A score for every areaReading, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Number, measures, shape and space, and data.
  • Your strengths and what to work onDown to the questions you got right at each level, so a tutor can start where you need it.
  • The course that suits youWith what is in each course and live prices. Level 1 and Level 2 together save 15% on both.
The detail of a level check report: level ladder, a score bar for each maths area, right and wrong answers, strengths and areas to work on
Every area, scoredWhere you sit on the level ladder, a bar for each area, and your right and wrong answers.
The level check report email: your English level, questions right, a score table by area, what to work on and your next step
Emailed to youYour result, your scores by area and what to work on, sent to the email you sign up with.
The level check report on a phone
In your account, any timeSign back in on your phone or computer to see your report again.
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How it works

Three steps

  1. Try 8 questions

    Maths or English, no sign-up. See a quick Level 1 or Level 2 guide.

  2. Take the full checks

    Create a free account, then English and maths, 15 to 25 minutes each. No card needed.

  3. See your level

    Your full report shows straight away, is emailed to you and stays in your free account.

Find your level free →

Practice questions

Free Functional Skills maths and English practice questions

These are the 8 quick questions for each subject, with the answers. Levels 1 and 2 are both included. For a scored result by area, take the free full check.

Maths: 8 questions with answers

  1. What is 3,450 + 1,275? (Level 1)

    1. 4,725
    2. 4,625
    3. 4,715
    4. 5,725

    Answer: 4,725. 3,450 + 1,275 = 4,725.

  2. What is 25% of £80? (Level 1)

    1. £25
    2. £20
    3. £32
    4. £16

    Answer: £20. 25% is a quarter, and £80 ÷ 4 = £20.

  3. A bus leaves at 14:35 and the journey takes 50 minutes. When does it arrive? (Level 1)

    1. 15:15
    2. 15:35
    3. 15:25
    4. 14:85

    Answer: 15:25. 14:35 plus 25 minutes is 15:00, then 25 more minutes is 15:25.

  4. £30 is shared in the ratio 2 : 3. What are the two shares? (Level 1)

    1. £10 and £20
    2. £15 and £15
    3. £12 and £18
    4. £6 and £24

    Answer: £12 and £18. There are 5 parts, so 1 part is £6. 2 parts are £12 and 3 parts are £18.

  5. A £64 coat is reduced by 15%. What is the sale price? (Level 2)

    1. £49.00
    2. £54.40
    3. £55.60
    4. £9.60

    Answer: £54.40. 15% of £64 is £9.60, and £64 − £9.60 = £54.40.

  6. A room is 7.5 m long and 4 m wide. What is its floor area? (Level 2)

    1. 23 m²
    2. 11.5 m²
    3. 30 m²
    4. 28 m²

    Answer: 30 m². Area is length × width: 7.5 × 4 = 30 m².

  7. What is the mean of 12, 15, 9, 20 and 14? (Level 2)

    1. 14
    2. 15
    3. 12
    4. 70

    Answer: 14. The total is 70. Divided by 5 numbers, the mean is 14.

  8. A recipe uses 250 g of flour for 4 people. How much flour is needed for 10 people? (Level 2)

    1. 500 g
    2. 625 g
    3. 600 g
    4. 1,000 g

    Answer: 625 g. 250 ÷ 4 = 62.5 g a person, and 62.5 × 10 = 625 g.

English: 8 questions with answers

  1. Which spelling is correct? (Level 1)

    1. necesary
    2. neccessary
    3. necessary
    4. necessery

    Answer: necessary. One c and a double s: necessary.

  2. Choose the word that fits: "We ___ going to the meeting." (Level 1)

    1. was
    2. were
    3. where
    4. wear

    Answer: were. "We" takes "were".

  3. Which sentence is correct? (Level 1)

    1. Its going to rain today.
    2. It's going to rain today.
    3. Its' going to rain today.
    4. It is' going to rain today.

    Answer: It's going to rain today.. "It's" is short for "it is".

  4. Notice: The first aid training on Tuesday has moved to Thursday at 10am in Room 4. Please bring your ID badge.

    When is the training now? (Level 1)

    1. Tuesday at 10am
    2. Thursday at 10am
    3. Thursday at 4pm
    4. Tuesday in Room 4

    Answer: Thursday at 10am. The notice says it has moved to Thursday at 10am.

  5. Notice: The first aid training on Tuesday has moved to Thursday at 10am in Room 4. Please bring your ID badge.

    What is the main purpose of this notice? (Level 1)

    1. To persuade
    2. To entertain
    3. To inform
    4. To complain

    Answer: To inform. It gives people facts about a change, so it informs.

  6. In a formal letter, which word is the best replacement for "start"? (Level 2)

    1. kick off
    2. commence
    3. get going
    4. crack on

    Answer: commence. "Commence" suits a formal letter. The others are informal.

  7. Which of these is an opinion, not a fact? (Level 2)

    1. The course has 12 units.
    2. The exam is sat on screen.
    3. This is the best course in the UK.
    4. Results come within 20 working days.

    Answer: This is the best course in the UK.. "The best" is a judgement that cannot be proved.

  8. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (Level 2)

    1. Before you start read, the instructions carefully.
    2. Before you start, read the instructions carefully.
    3. Before, you start read the instructions carefully.
    4. Before you start read the instructions, carefully.

    Answer: Before you start, read the instructions carefully.. The comma comes after the opening part, "Before you start".

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Want to keep practising? Try the free maths course or the free English course for adults.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free English and maths level check online?

Yes. Start with 8 quick questions for each subject on this page, with no sign-up, for a Level 1 or Level 2 guide. Lift College's full free level check then takes between 15 and 25 minutes for each subject. You create a free account, answer the questions online and see your Functional Skills level straight away, with a score for each area such as reading, spelling and grammar, number, measures and data. It tells you which level to start at. It is not a qualification.

Should I start Functional Skills at Level 1 or Level 2?

Level 2 is the same level as GCSE grades 9 to 4 and is the one most employers and courses ask for. Level 1 is the same level as GCSE grades 3 to 1 and builds the skills you need for Level 2. If you are not sure, take a free level check first: it shows the level that suits you now.

Who can get free GCSE English and maths as an adult?

In England, adults aged 19 or over on 31 August who live in the UK and have not already got a grade 4 or C (or a comparable qualification) in that subject. It covers GCSE, Functional Skills from Entry Level to Level 2, and approved stepping-stone qualifications. Source: ASF funding rules 2026-27, section 2.4.

I already have a grade C, but my maths is rusty. Can I still do it free?

Possibly. The rules allow full funding if a provider assesses your current skills as below grade 4, even if you passed before.

Can I just re-sit the GCSE exam for free?

No. The rules say the fund will not pay for someone to only re-sit the exam. You need to enrol on a course, or pay as a private candidate.

Are Functional Skills free too, and do they count like a GCSE?

Functional Skills English and maths from Entry Level to Level 2 are fully funded under the same entitlement. Level 2 is the same level as GCSE grade 4. Many employers and courses accept it, but universities and teacher training providers set their own rules, so check with them.

What if I live in London, a combined authority area, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

In London and other devolved areas of England, your authority runs adult education funding, but the free English and maths entitlement is set in law, so it still applies. In Northern Ireland, all Essential Skills courses are free. In Wales, Essential Skills Wales courses run through Adult Learning Wales and colleges, who can tell you about fees. In Scotland, literacy and numeracy support comes through your council's community learning service, and colleges can tell you whether you qualify for a fee waiver.