CILS B2 cheat sheet

Exam scoring: five sections, each max 20; pass requires at least 12/20 in every section, and wrong answers are not penalised.

Ascolto format: three tasks, 20 items, about 30 minutes; each recording is played twice.

Before each recording, read the items and underline the category required: person, place, action, time or reason.

First listening: fix situation, speakers and main point; second listening: confirm numbers, names and contrasts.

Contrast/correction markers ('invece', 'al contrario', 'in realtà', 'no, scusa') often introduce the final correct information.

Numbers, dates, prices and times are frequently corrected; treat the last corrected figure as the answer.

In true/false items, strong quantifiers ('tutti', 'sempre', 'mai') and negations decide; 'alcuni', 'spesso' limit the claim.

In matching tasks, match the category, not the first repeated word; a repeated word can belong to a distractor.

Section format: three tasks, 20 items, about 50 minutes; texts are authentic notices, articles, ads or letters.

Use about 15 minutes per task; one difficult item should not consume the time needed for the remaining texts.

Skim titles, subheadings, first and last sentences to identify genre, purpose and main idea before answering.

Scan for anchors: proper names, dates, numbers, place names and repeated key nouns locate the supporting sentence.

For multiple choice, reject options that are true but do not answer the question; the correct option is directly supported by the text.

For matching, compare lexical fields and discourse function; a heading must summarise the paragraph, not repeat one word.

Connectors ('tuttavia', 'quindi', 'infatti', 'd'altra parte') mark contrast, consequence or explanation and decide logical relations.

Underline negation and limiting words ('non', 'nessuno', 'solo', 'tranne') because they reverse or restrict meaning.

Answers must be justified by the text; outside knowledge or personal opinion is not evidence.

Section format: four tasks, 20 items, about 45 minutes; it covers lexis, verb forms, pronouns/prepositions and transformations.

Congiuntivo triggers: opinion, doubt, emotion ('penso che', 'dubito che', 'mi dispiace che') and conjunctions 'benché', 'affinché', 'purché', 'prima che', 'senza che'.

Hypothetical type 1: se + indicativo presente → indicativo presente/futuro (real condition).

Hypothetical type 2: se + congiuntivo imperfetto → condizionale presente (possible or unreal present).

Hypothetical type 3: se + congiuntivo trapassato → condizionale passato (impossible past).

Pronomi combinati formula: mi/ti/gli/le + lo/la/li/le → me lo, te la, glielo, gliele; the indirect pronoun precedes the direct.

Indirect speech backshift: presente → imperfetto; passato prossimo → trapassato prossimo; futuro → condizionale passato.

Passato remoto is common in written narratives; learn irregular first- and third-person forms (feci, disse, venne, presero).

Check agreement after pronouns: past participles agree with preceding direct object pronouns (l'ho vista, li ho visti).

Section format: two writing tasks, about 70 minutes total; each text is normally 120-140 words.

Task 1 is usually a letter or email; task 2 is usually an article, essay, review or report.

Formal letter formula: 'Gentile Signora/Direttore' + 'Lei' forms + 'Cordiali saluti'; informal: 'Ciao' + 'tu' + 'A presto'.

Open with the purpose in one sentence: 'Le scrivo per...' or 'Scrivo per...'; then give details in separate paragraphs.

Address every bullet point in the prompt; a missing point loses content marks even if the Italian is accurate.

Use a visible structure: introduction, two or three body points, conclusion; each paragraph should have one main idea.

B2 connectors: 'innanzitutto', 'inoltre', 'tuttavia', 'di conseguenza', 'in conclusione' signal sequence, addition, contrast, consequence and summary.

Reserve the last 5 minutes for agreement, accents, spelling and verb endings; these are high-frequency errors.

Copied prompt phrases do not demonstrate productive language; paraphrase the task to show B2 lexical range.

Section format: two tasks, about 10-12 minutes; one is interaction with the examiner and one is a monologue.

Interaction: answer the question, add one reason or example, and return the turn with a question or comment.

Monologue structure: introduction, two or three points with examples, conclusion; use signposting ('innanzitutto', 'd'altra parte', 'in conclusione').

Opinion formulas: 'secondo me', 'a mio parere', 'sono convinto che' + congiuntivo; support with 'perché', 'dal momento che'.

Hypothesize with type 2: 'Se potessi, ...' + condizionale; compare with 'rispetto a', 'mentre', 'invece'.

If a word is missing, paraphrase: 'una specie di', 'cioè', 'come si dice...' rather than stopping.

Ask for clarification with 'Può ripetere?', 'Cosa intende dire?', 'Non sono sicuro di aver capito'.

Self-correct major errors quickly ('scusi, intendevo...') and continue; fluency and interaction count more than perfect grammar.

Use B2 structures deliberately: congiuntivo after opinion, relative clauses ('che', 'cui'), conditional for hypotheses.