--- title: "Learn English from zero — AI tutor for beginners | Carna" description: "Start English at A1 with an AI tutor: a curriculum that climbs in small steps, speaking scored on four criteria, and eight skills on the CEFR scale." canonical: https://carna.ai/en/for/beginners/ lang: en dateModified: 2026-10-30T00:06:08+03:00 --- INDIVIDUALS · EARLY ACCESS # Start English from zero Carna's material starts at A1 and builds every skill from there, in small steps, at your pace. [Join the early-access list](https://carna.app/individual-waitlist) [For your school: Carna for Schools](https://carna.ai/en/schools/) The first lessons assume no English at all What you will practise 1. A true beginner start Starts at A1 2. Speaking at your own pace Four speaking criteria 3. Progress you can see Eight skills, 0 to 100 Every score on one CEFR scale Starts at A1 1. A1 2. A2 3. B1 4. B2 5. C1 6. C2 Early access for individuals: one quiet email when it opens — THE PROBLEM, THE PRACTICE ## What gets in the way, and how Carna practises it. Three things that stop people on this path, each beside the practice built to remove it. 1. Starting from zero is intimidating when every resource assumes you already know the basics. ### A true beginner start The material begins at A1 and climbs in small steps — the scale splits A1 and B1 in two — so nothing assumes English you do not have yet. Starts at A1 2. Most beginner courses rush through foundations to get to the "interesting" content, leaving gaps that cause problems later. ### Speaking at your own pace Say it out loud, then say it again. Each try is scored on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, so you can see what to work on next instead of guessing. Four speaking criteria 3. Without someone to practise with, beginners repeat the same drills alone and never build real speaking confidence. ### Progress you can see Your learner profile scores eight skills, each from 0 to 100, on the CEFR scale from A1 to C2, so you can see which ones moved and what comes next. Eight skills, 0 to 100 — ONE SCALE ## Every score on one ladder. Whatever the path, the engine underneath is the one schools run today: eight skills, each with its own score, on the CEFR ladder from A1 to C2, and marking that happens the moment you submit. - **skills, each scored from 0 to 100**: 8 - **the CEFR range, in eight stages**: A1–C2 - **question types marked the moment you submit**: 9 of 11 Guided learning hours to reach each level 1. [A1, Beginner: 90–100 guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-a1/) 2. [A2, Elementary: 180–200 guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-a2/) 3. [B1, Intermediate: 350–400 guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-b1/) 4. [B2, Upper-Intermediate: 500–600 guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-b2/) 5. [C1, Advanced: 700–800 guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-c1/) 6. [C2, Proficient: 1,000+ guided hours](https://carna.ai/en/learn/cefr-c2/) Commonly cited guided-learning-hour ranges, not a Carna measurement. A1, marked, is where this path starts. Running in schools today ## Hear it while you read. Carna for Schools runs on the same engine today. A student opens a levelled book from the Library and hears it narrated, with the word being read lit up as it is spoken. Schools and language programmes teaching beginners can book a demo now. [Book a demo](https://carna.ai/en/schools/#demo) [See Carna for Schools](https://carna.ai/en/schools/) A student reading a narrated book in the Library; the word being read is lit up. Carna School London is a sample school; the names, scores and dates are demo data. FAQ ## Common questions. Straight answers, including what the individual tutor can and cannot do yet. ### Do I need to know any English at all to start? No. The material starts at A1, the first level of the CEFR scale, and the first lessons assume no English. ### How long does it take to reach A2 from zero? It depends on how often you practise. Commonly cited guided-learning figures put A1 at around 90 to 100 hours and A2 at around 180 to 200 in total — ranges from language teaching, not a Carna measurement. Carna does not promise a timeline; it shows every score on the same scale as you go. ### Will speaking practice be too hard for a complete beginner? At A1, speaking means short, everyday words and phrases — the CEFR's own description of the level — and the practice grows with you as you move up the scale. — KEEP EXPLORING ## More paths - [Carna for English teachersBuild tests you approve, assign work with due dates, and see each student course by course.](https://carna.ai/en/for/teachers/) - [Carna for working professionalsMeetings, emails and presentations, in short sessions around a working day.](https://carna.ai/en/for/professionals/) - [Carna for studentsAcademic writing, IELTS-format speaking, and every score on the CEFR scale.](https://carna.ai/en/for/students/) - [English for immigrants and expatsEveryday English for appointments, letters, work and neighbours.](https://carna.ai/en/for/immigrants/) - [English for migration and visasEveryday conversations, official documents, and material that starts at A1.](https://carna.ai/en/use-cases/migration/) - [Carna by audienceFive paths on one engine, and which one runs today.](https://carna.ai/en/for/) - [Carna AI TutorThe individual product, in early access.](https://carna.ai/en/ai-english-tutor/) EARLY ACCESS ## First in line when it opens. Carna's personal tutor covers all eight skills from A1 to C2, and it is not open to individual learners yet. The early-access list is how you get in first: one quiet email when it opens, no drip campaign. [Join the early-access list](https://carna.app/individual-waitlist) [See Carna for Schools](https://carna.ai/en/schools/)