Language levels are useful abstractions, but they don't represent how people actually learn. Real language ability develops unevenly, shaped by exposure, context, and use rather than linear sequences.
Uneven fluency – strong comprehension with weak speaking skills – is not a failure of learning. It’s a common outcome of how people acquire languages through informal exposure.
Many language learners reach a stage where apps feel repetitive and progress feels stalled. This “intermediate trap” isn’t a lack of ability, but a mismatch between uneven knowledge and linear learning systems.
Understanding relies on recognition, while speaking depends on retrieval. When these skills develop unevenly, comprehension can feel strong while speaking remains difficult — even for advanced learners.
A lot of people reach a point where understanding feels easy, but speaking does not. They can follow conversations, watch films, or read without much effort. Yet when it’s time to respond, words arrive slowly, confidence drops, and speech feels harder than expected. This gap is often very confusing