CILS B2 key terms

The set of instructions that tells a candidate what to write about in a production task, including the situation, the reader and the points that must be covered.

A short plan made of bullet points that lists ideas and their order before writing a longer text; it helps keep a composition organised and complete.

A first version of a written text, produced quickly and then corrected and improved; at B2 the candidate is expected to revise it before the final copy.

A short text that reports only the main information of a longer text, using the writer's own words and leaving out examples and minor details.

Rewriting a sentence or short passage with different words while keeping the same meaning; useful for summaries and for answering questions without copying the original.

To support an opinion with reasons, examples and evidence rather than simply stating it; a key skill for B2 essays and for the oral discussion.

The main opinion or position that a writer defends in an argumentative text; the rest of the text should give reasons and examples in favour of it.

The level of formality of language, from very informal to formal; it must suit the reader and the situation, for example an office rather than a friend.

A word or short phrase such as 'tuttavia', 'percio' or 'inoltre' that links ideas and shows the logical relation between sentences; exam tasks often test choosing the right one.

An Italian verb mood used after expressions of opinion, doubt, wish or emotion, for example 'penso che sia', and in many subordinate clauses introduced by 'che'.

A sentence pattern with a condition and a result, usually built with 'se'; the choice of tenses shows whether the condition is real, possible or impossible.

Reporting what someone said without quotation marks, which requires changes of pronouns, tenses and time expressions compared with the original words.

A construction where the subject receives the action instead of doing it, formed with 'essere' or 'venire' plus the past participle; common in notices and news reports.

Pairs of pronouns joined together, such as 'glielo' or 'me ne', where an indirect object pronoun comes before a direct object pronoun or before 'ne'.

A small word meaning 'of it', 'of them' or 'from there', which replaces a quantity or a phrase introduced by 'di'; it often appears with verbs like 'parlare di'.

A word with a similar meaning to another word; recognising synonyms helps in reading tasks where the question uses different words from the text.

A word with the opposite meaning of another word, such as 'facile' and 'difficile'; antonym exercises test vocabulary range and precision.

A fixed group of words that works as a single unit of meaning, such as 'in ogni caso' or 'a piedi'; its meaning is not built from the single words.

A fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be understood from the individual words, for example 'in bocca al lupo'; B2 candidates should recognise common ones in listening and reading.

The central message that a text or a recording wants to communicate; questions often ask the candidate to identify it separately from the supporting details.

Understanding something that is not said directly, by connecting clues in the text with general knowledge; B2 reading and listening items often require this.

The name of a text, article or news item, usually short and often written to attract attention; it gives a first prediction about the content.

A block of sentences in a written text that develops one point; recognising paragraph structure helps locate information and follow the writer's plan.

A short public message, often in a newspaper, on a notice board or on the radio, giving information about offers, events, jobs or lost objects.

A printed or online form with empty spaces to be filled in with personal data or requests, common in administrative situations and in reading tasks.

The date or time by which something must be done, such as sending a document or paying a fee; missing it usually has consequences.

A formal complaint about a product or a service, usually written in a polite but firm register and asking for a solution.

An application for a job, a course or a selection, sent with a letter and a CV; the writing task may ask the candidate to produce one.

A short document listing a person's education, work experience and skills, used when applying for a job or a course.

A radio or television news programme made of short reports on current events; listening tasks often use this format.

A conversation in which one person asks another questions, for example a journalist and a specialist; the answers usually contain the information being tested.

A formal talk given to an audience on a specialised subject, often followed by questions; the speaker's language is usually planned and quite formal.

A recorded message left on an answering machine, typically giving a name, a reason for calling and a request to call back.

The part of an oral exam where the candidate speaks alone for a minute or two on a topic, organising ideas clearly and keeping going without help.

The part of an oral exam in which the candidate talks with the examiner or another candidate, taking turns, asking questions and responding to them.

The moment when it is a speaker's turn in a conversation; managing it well means not interrupting and signalling clearly when you have finished.

The rise and fall of the voice across a sentence, which in Italian carries meaning and helps show whether a statement is a question or is finished.