The B1 exam: how it works and how to pass it
By the end of this lesson you know how your B1 exam is built, how the result is calculated and why your weakest skill matters most.
5 min · Level A2+
All B1 exams for citizenship test four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. B1 means you can manage in everyday life: understand a notice from the Comune, write an email to your landlord, talk about your life and your work. You don't need perfect Italian, but clear Italian.
Every exam has minimum scores to reach: for each skill, or for the written part and the oral part. One very weak part can make you fail, even if the others go well. That's why you should study your weakest skill first.
The scores you see in the app are estimates for practice, not an official result. Nobody can promise you will pass; regular practice helps you a lot.
CILS: 4 tests (listening 30 minutes, reading 40, writing 40, speaking about 10), each worth 12 points, 48 in total. You need the threshold in every test: no averaging. Siena does not publish the threshold; 7/12 is our estimate. If you fail one test, you retake the whole exam.
CELI: the written part (reading, writing and listening, 40 points each) is worth 120 points: you need at least 72/120. In the oral you need at least 11/20. Reading and writing together last 2 hours, listening 20 minutes. If you pass only the written or only the oral part, that part stays valid for 1 year.
PLIDA: 4 tests (listening about 40 minutes, reading 40, writing 60, speaking about 15), each worth 30 points. You need at least 18/30 in every test; there is no total. Passed tests stay valid for 18 months: during that time you retake only the others.
CERT.IT: listening (20 points), reading (30) and writing (20) are one 90-minute block, the written part: you need at least 42/70. In the oral (about 10 minutes, 30 points) you need at least 18/30. At B1 level a passed part is not kept.
On the page
Fatima ha superato tutte e quattro le prove.
Fatima passed all four tests.
La soglia è il punteggio minimo da raggiungere.
The threshold is the minimum score you must reach.
Ion deve migliorare la sua abilità più debole: la scrittura.
Ion has to improve his weakest skill: writing.
All'orale Marco ha parlato della sua famiglia e del suo lavoro.
In the oral test Marco talked about his family and his job.
Questo punteggio è una stima, non un risultato ufficiale.
This score is an estimate, not an official result.
Common mistakes
✗ Studio soprattutto quello che so già fare bene.→ Studio soprattutto la mia abilità più debole.
It is natural to do the things we are good at. But in the exam a weak part weighs a lot: start with that one.
✗ Se lo scritto va bene, l'orale non conta.→ Anche l'orale conta: lo preparo bene.
In all four exams there is a minimum score for the oral part too.
✗ L'app mi dà un buon punteggio: supero di sicuro.→ L'app mi dà un buon punteggio: continuo ad allenarmi.
The app's scores are estimates for practice, not a promise.
Check yourself
B1 vuol dire parlare un italiano perfetto, senza errori.
Nelle simulazioni vai bene in lettura e male in scrittura. Che cosa studi prima?
CILS: che cosa succede se non superi una sola prova?
CELI: quanti punti servono almeno nello scritto?
PLIDA: quanti punti servono in ogni prova?
CERT.IT: se superi lo scritto ma non l'orale, puoi conservare lo scritto.
In one line
Four skills, minimum scores to reach: your weakest skill can decide the result, so study it first.
civicoach practice booklet · not an official document