These plans are built around the format of CILS B1 Cittadinanza, the exam with the most sessions, with notes for CELI 2 i, PLIDA B1 and CERT.IT B1 at the end. They train exactly what the exam marks: understanding everyday Italian, writing a short practical text, and holding a simple conversation1,2.
First, which plan is yours?
Take one free timed mock or a few practice sets before you choose. Then:
| Your situation | Plan |
|---|---|
| You understand most everyday conversations, can write a simple email with some mistakes, and the mock scores are near the line | 4 weeks, about 60–90 minutes a day |
| You manage in shops and offices but get lost in long recordings, and writing takes a long time | 8 weeks, about 45–60 minutes a day |
| You manage in shops and offices but need a lot of time to read and write, or you can only study 30–45 minutes a day | 12 weeks, about 30–45 minutes a day, with more time for each step |
| You struggle to understand simple questions or write a few sentences | None yet. Take a course or study for a few months first, then come back to the 12-week plan |
Honesty matters here: a plan cannot replace the time it takes to reach B1, but it can make sure the time you have goes into what the exam actually measures.
What every week includes
- Listening, 4–5 times a week. Short recordings about daily life: answer first, then listen again with the transcript. In CILS, statements are "true" only if the information is actually said3.
- Reading and grammar, 4–5 times a week. One notice or article plus a short gap-fill. Read the questions first, then find the evidence.
- Writing, 2–3 times a week. One 80–120 word email or message, timed (40 minutes in CILS)3. Get it corrected, then rewrite it.
- Speaking, every day, 10 minutes. Out loud, even alone. Record yourself once a week and listen back.
- A grammar point a week, chosen from the list below.
The grammar that shows up most at B1
From the official CILS syllabus1:
- Passato prossimo vs imperfetto: telling what happened vs describing how things were.
- Essere or avere in the past, and agreement (sono andata, ho mangiato).
- The present conditional for polite requests: vorrei, potrebbe, sarebbe possibile.
- Pronouns: lo/la/li/le, gli/le, ci and ne in common uses.
- Prepositions with articles (nel, sul, dal, alla) and da + time (abito qui da tre anni).
- Connectives: perché, quindi, però, mentre, quando, siccome.
- Tu or Lei: verbs, pronouns and greetings that match.
The 4-week plan
Week 1: find your weakest skill.
- Day 1: a timed mock. Note your lowest skill: in CILS you must pass each one, so it decides the result4.
- Days 2–6: listening and reading every day; two emails (one Lei, one tu); prepare your 1-minute self-presentation (name, origin, where you live and since when, work, family).
- Day 7: rest, or light listening.
Week 2: build the writing routine.
- Three timed emails on new topics (landlord, school, doctor, office, employer). For each: cover every point in the prompt, open and close correctly, stay between 80 and 120 words.
- Speaking: one conversation topic a day (your neighbourhood, work, free time, Italy and your country, public services). Talk for 2–3 minutes, then answer three "why?" questions you ask yourself.
- Grammar: past tenses and polite conditional.
Week 3: exam conditions.
- Day 1: a second full timed mock.
- Spend 60% of the remaining time on your two lowest skills.
- Two more emails, with corrections. Make a list of your repeated mistakes and check it before each new text.
Week 4: sharpen, then rest.
- Days 1–3: a third mock or the official sample paper under timed conditions, then review every mistake.
- Days 4–5: short practice only; reread your mistake list and your self-presentation.
- Days 6–7: rest. Prepare documents and the route to the centre (see the exam-week checklist).
The 8-week plan
Weeks 1–2: foundations.
- A mock on day 1, just to see the format. Do not worry about the score.
- Daily: one short recording and one short text with a gap-fill.
- Grammar: present tense of the common irregular verbs, articles and prepositions, passato prossimo.
- Writing: two short messages a week (40–60 words) to build the openings and closings.
- Speaking: write and practise your self-presentation, then say it without reading.
Weeks 3–4: everyday Italy.
- Topics: home and bills, health, work, school, the Comune, transport. Learn 10–15 useful words per topic and use them in a sentence.
- Writing: two full emails a week (80–120 words), corrected and rewritten.
- Speaking: one conversation topic every two days; describe, compare, give a reason.
- Grammar: imperfetto, conditional for requests, object pronouns.
Weeks 5–6: exam format.
- A full timed mock at the start of week 5.
- Listening: practise "true only if it's said": for every false statement, say why it is false.
- Reading: time yourself (40 minutes for both CILS reading tasks)3.
- Writing: three timed emails a week.
- Grammar: connectives and relative che/cui.
Week 7: full rehearsal.
- Two full mocks, on two different days, at the time of day of your exam.
- Review your mistake list; redo the tasks you got wrong.
- Speaking: ask someone to play the examiner, with follow-up questions you didn't prepare.
Week 8: light week.
- Short daily practice only, no new grammar.
- Reread your best emails and your mistake list.
- Two days before: stop studying, prepare documents and travel.
The 12-week plan
The same steps as the 8-week plan, spread over more weeks so that each skill gets more repetition at a lighter daily load.
Weeks 1–3: foundations.
- A mock on day 1, just to see the format. Do not worry about the score.
- Daily: one short recording and one short text with a gap-fill.
- Grammar: present tense of the common irregular verbs (week 1), articles and prepositions (week 2), passato prossimo (week 3).
- Writing: two short messages a week (40–60 words) to build the openings and closings.
- Speaking: write your self-presentation in week 1, practise it in week 2, say it without reading in week 3.
Weeks 4–6: everyday Italy.
- Topics: home, bills and health (weeks 4–5); work, school, the Comune and transport (weeks 5–6). Learn 10–15 useful words per topic and use them in a sentence.
- Writing: one full email a week (80–120 words) in week 4, then two a week, corrected and rewritten.
- Speaking: one conversation topic every two days; describe, compare, give a reason.
- Grammar: imperfetto (week 4), conditional for requests (week 5), object pronouns (week 6).
Weeks 7–9: exam format.
- A full timed mock at the start of week 7.
- Listening: practise "true only if it's said": for every false statement, say why it is false.
- Reading: time yourself (40 minutes for both CILS reading tasks)3.
- Writing: two timed emails a week, and a third in week 9.
- Grammar: connectives (week 7), relative che/cui (week 8), a review of your mistake list (week 9).
Week 10: find the gaps.
- A second full timed mock. Note your lowest skill: in CILS you must pass each one4.
- Spend 60% of the remaining time on your two lowest skills.
- Make a list of your repeated mistakes and check it before each new text.
Week 11: full rehearsal.
- Two full mocks, on two different days, at the time of day of your exam.
- Redo the tasks you got wrong.
- Speaking: ask someone to play the examiner, with follow-up questions you didn't prepare.
Week 12: light week.
- Short daily practice only, no new grammar.
- Reread your best emails and your mistake list.
- Two days before: stop studying, prepare documents and travel.
Exam-week checklist
- A valid identity document, the one you registered with5.
- A black pen for CILS (blue or black for the others), and a spare5,6.
- Your registration confirmation and the centre's address; arrive early.
- No dictionaries or phones in the room7.
- Food and water: the written part of CILS lasts about two hours, with a 15-minute break, and the oral is often in the afternoon7,5.
Adjusting the plan for other certificates
- CELI 2 i: replace one long email a week with the three CELI writing tasks (answers of 8–15 words, a 40–50 word formal email, an 80–90 word message), practise open gap-fills, and prepare short explanations of everyday rights and duties and photo descriptions for the oral8,9.
- PLIDA B1: writing is longer: practise 110–150 and 70–100 word texts, and never stop below the minimum, which annuls the task. Practise 3–4 minute monologues after 3 minutes of preparation6.
- CERT.IT B1: practise pairs of 50–80 word texts, and a spoken voice message with no one answering10.
More detail in which certificate should I choose and the guides to CILS, CELI 2 i, PLIDA and CERT.IT.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pass the B1 citizenship exam with 4 weeks of study?
If you already understand everyday Italian and can write a simple email, 4 focused weeks can be enough to learn the format and fix your weakest skill. If you are clearly below B1, plan for 8 or 12 weeks, or longer.
How many hours a day should I study for the B1 exam?
About 60–90 minutes a day for the 4-week plan, 45–60 minutes for the 8-week plan and 30–45 minutes for the 12-week plan, with one rest day a week. Regular short sessions work better than one long session at the weekend.
Should I choose the 4-, 8- or 12-week plan?
Take a free mock first. If the scores are near the line, 4 weeks are enough to learn the format. If you get lost in long recordings or writing takes you a long time, choose 8 weeks. If you can only study 30–45 minutes a day, or you need more repetition on each step, choose 12 weeks.
What is the best way to practise the writing task?
Write timed texts in the exam's format, get them corrected, and rewrite them. Keep a list of your repeated mistakes and check it before every new text.