How to prepare for the B2 exam in Polish

How B2 differs from B1 in practice

The difference between B1 and B2 is above all a shift from language "for getting things done" to language "for persuading and analysing". We describe the parts of the exam, the sessions and the fees in our guide to the B2 exam; here we focus on how to prepare for it.

A preparation plan in four stages

The most effective plan starts with a diagnosis and ends with training under exam conditions. The time of each stage depends on your starting level and the number of hours per week – so we give the order, not a rigid calendar.

1. Diagnosis. Check whether you have a secure B1 in all five skills. Gaps from B1 (e.g. aspect, the genitive plural) cost even more points at B2. A placement test and a trial lesson will help.
2. B2 grammar and vocabulary. Systematically, with exercises in sentences, not from a list of rules. At the same time build topic vocabulary: work, education, media, environment, society.
3. Writing and speaking in new forms. Every week one longer text with corrections and one conversation with argumentation. This is a stage you cannot get through without feedback from a teacher.
4. Exam training. Full papers within the exam time limit, analysis of mistakes and strengthening the part closest to the 60% threshold.

If you need B2 for university, first find out by when the university requires the certificate, and only then choose the session – in 2027 adults can choose sessions in February, April and June.

B2 grammar: topics with examples

At B2 grammar is no longer about knowing endings but about choosing the construction that fits the style of the text. Below are the topics that most often cause difficulty.

If you still mix up aspect or case endings, go back to the basics of aspect – at B2 these mistakes are marked more strictly than at B1.

Writing at B2: the essay and the official letter

Writing at B2 tests whether you can build a logical text with a thesis and arguments and choose a style to suit the addressee. Two forms are worth practising especially carefully.

The essay – an argumentative text

The essay has a fixed layout: an introduction with a thesis, two or three arguments with examples, and a conclusion that returns to the thesis. Expressions that organise the text help with this:

The official letter and the application

In a letter to an institution, what counts is the official style: polite forms, no mental shortcuts and a clearly worded request.

A common mistake is mixing styles: Cześć at the beginning of a letter to an office or Pozdrawiam serdecznie in an application. You can read more about official correspondence in our guide to the formal letter, and regular training with correction is provided by the writing course.

Speaking at B2: discussion and commentary

In the oral part at B2 it is not enough to talk about yourself – you have to present a position, justify it and respond to another view. Useful phrases are worth having on the tip of your tongue, not only in your notes:

• Expressing an opinion: Jestem przekonany, że… / Wydaje mi się, że… / Trudno mi się z tym zgodzić, ponieważ…
• Responding to another person's view: Autor tekstu twierdzi, że… / Rozumiem ten argument, ale… / Częściowo się zgadzam, jednak…
• Gaining time: To dobre pytanie. / Jak by to ująć… / Zastanówmy się nad tym.
• Paraphrase when you lack a word: Chodzi mi o takie miejsce, w którym… / To coś w rodzaju…

Speak in full complex sentences and avoid one-word answers – at B2 the Commission also assesses the fluency and coherence of your speech.

Reading and listening: how to train every day

Understanding longer texts develops only through regular contact with authentic language. Read opinion articles and columns, listen to radio programmes and podcasts about social topics – and each time summarise the text in three sentences. Such a summary trains comprehension, vocabulary and speaking at once, and the ability to summarise and comment is part of the B2 standard.

The most common mistakes in preparing for B2

• Studying only grammar. Grammar is one of five parts, and you have to pass the threshold in each of them.
• No feedback on your texts. Without corrections the same mistakes in the essay repeat until the exam itself.
• Starting timed practice too late. 250 minutes of the written part is an effort that has to be practised beforehand.
• Choosing a session "at the last minute". Leave time for the results and a possible second attempt if the certificate is needed for admission.

In the online B2 course you practise all parts of the exam with assessment of writing and speaking, and you can get explanations in Polish, English, Russian or Spanish. Start with a trial lesson – we will assess how far you are from B2 and suggest a realistic session.