Official Italian certificate
General objectives
The PLIDA level B2 test aims to verify whether the candidate can understand the fundamental ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialization. Is able to interact with relative fluency and spontaneity, so much so that the interaction with a native speaker develops without undue stress and fatigue. You can produce clear and detailed text on a wide range of topics and express an opinion on a current topic, laying out the pros and cons of different options.
Individual skills
Oral production: You can produce clear and precise descriptions and expositions of a variety of topics that may fall into your field of interest, developing and supporting ideas with additional and relevant elements and examples.
Written production: Is able to write clear and articulated texts on different topics that are related to his field of interest, evaluating information and arguments extracted from different sources and synthesizing them.
Auditive comprehension: Can understand the basic concepts of standard language speeches on concrete and abstract topics, even when it is a linguistically complex one; to also understand the technical discussions of your specialization. You can follow long speeches and complex arguments as long as the topic is relatively familiar and the structure of the speech is indicated by explicit cues.
Comprehension of a written text: Is able to read largely autonomously, adapting the reading style and speed to different texts and purposes and selectively using the appropriate sources for reference and consultation. Has a large lexical heritage that is activated by reading, but may have difficulty with infrequent idioms.
Oral interaction: Is able to interact with such spontaneity and fluency as to allow a normal person easy interaction and relationships with native speakers, without effort for either party. Highlights the meaning attributed to events and experiences, clearly exposes points of view supporting them with appropriate explanations and arguments.
Written interaction: Able to deliver news and express points of view in writing effectively and referring to what others wrote.
Duration of the PLIDA level B2 exam
The total time of the test is 2 hours and 5 minutes.
- Oral comprehension: 35 minutes.
- Written comprehension: 30 minutes.
- Written expression: 50 minutes.
- Oral expression: 10 minutes.
Domains and contexts
Listed below, for each domain, are some contexts of use that occur in tests at this level.
Personal domain
- At home (watching television, listening to the radio)
- On various occasions of contact (meetings, family gatherings, dinners with friends, etc.)
Public domain
- At public service counters (in banks, post offices, etc.)
- In public offices (town halls, prefectures, police headquarters, etc.)
Professional domain
- At your workplace
Educational domain
- At school
- In other places related to their educational context (gym, dining room, patio, library, etc.)
- At the University
- At conferences and study seminars
Communication skills and general objectives.
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The B2 level candidate must know |
Example |
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Quickly locate in articles and report new and relevant information on a wide range of topics; |
Scroll through a specialized magazine article to get an idea of the main information. |
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Scroll through long and complex texts to identify useful and relevant information; |
Look in a competition notice for the requirements to get a scholarship. |
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Understand the general meaning and logical steps of a written argumentative text; |
Acknowledge the point of view expressed in an editorial |
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Understand the general meaning and the great part of the content of the thematic letters not daily; |
Understand information from a letter sent by a public office, a bank, etc. |
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Understand the basic concepts of complex speeches formulated in standard language on concrete and abstract topics; |
Take an orientation lesson in college. |
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Understand almost all radio informational texts and other audio material recorded in standard language, identifying the mood and attitude of the speaker; |
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Understand the essentials of lectures, speeches and reports and other complex academic or professional expositions; |
Take a college class. Understand the main points. |
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In a conversation, even animated, between native speakers they follow a discourse on a familiar topic; |
Understand the discussion between two colleagues in a work done together |
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Engage in a long conversation about almost all general arguments, illustrating and supporting one's own point of view with relevant example elements, with a certain degree of fluency; |
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Provide clear and precise descriptions related to topics, experiences and procedures; |
Illustrate a teacher with study |
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Make assumptions and plans, talk about facts, |
During a business meeting express |
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Discuss the dynamics of a car accident with the other people involved, trying to attribute responsibility to each. |
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Express feelings, attitudes and moods |
Say how you feel about a news item, an event, an opinion expressed by someone, etc. |
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Tell personal, historical and fantasy facts; |
Tell a particularly significant past experience |
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Give news and express points of view in writing effectively and referring to what others wrote; |
Respond by email to a request for information in the working area. |
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Write a relationship developing an argument, providing reasons for or against a specific point to see and explain the advantages and disadvantages of different options; |
Write a short essay or thesis at the end of a course on a topic agreed with the teacher |
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Write a study or work report reporting data, opinions and arguments drawn from multiple sources. |
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In a written communication give, accept or reject tasks, requests and advice in a direct and attenuated live way |
Write a work email to agree on activities to do with superiors and colleagues. |
Types of texts
The following list shows some types of texts that can be found in tests at this level.
Written texts
- Summary
- Newspaper articles on current affairs.
- Competition notices
- Literary pieces of contemporary fiction
- Work contracts
- Curriculum vitae
- Official documents
- Editorials
- Fables and stories
- Laws, regulations and statutes
- Business letters and formal emails, protesting a disservice, etc.
- Motivational letters and emails (accompanying a CV, to participate in a project, or a scholarship, etc.)
- Personal letters and emails
- Simple projects related to study and work activities
- Programs (of study courses, conferences, events cultural, etc.)
- Film or book reviews
- Newspaper, magazine, and website columns
- Short essays
- Commemorative writings
- School texts
- Acts and reports
- Entries in dictionaries and encyclopedias
Oral texts
- Job interviews
- Conferences
- Sports chronicles
- Television debates
- Short documentaries
- Formal and informal interactions in the workplace on related topics of common interest
- Formal interactions to use the services
- Interviews
- University classes
- News and radio broadcasts and television in standard language
- Presentations in the workplace (of products, projects, actions, etc.)
- Stories and fact reports, opinions of others and conversations