Rules checked 12 October 2026
It is a clear step up from B1. On IELTS for UKVI you need 5.5 in every skill instead of 4.0, and every B2 test examines reading, writing, speaking and listening together. Try twelve B2 questions to see where you stand.
Grammar 1. If I ______ about the delay earlier, I would have booked a later train.
Grammar 2. The report, ______ was published last week, shows a rise in rents.
Grammar 3. By the time we arrived, the film ______.
Grammar 4. She suggested ______ the meeting until Friday.
Grammar 5. I'm not used to ______ so early in the morning.
Grammar 6. Hardly ______ the house when it started to rain.
Vocabulary 7. The council has ______ a new rule: no parking on the high street after 6 p.m.
Vocabulary 8. Could you ______ me up from the station at seven?
The lift in Block B will be out of service from Monday 3 to Wednesday 5 November while a new control panel is fitted. Engineers will try to finish early, but residents should plan for all three days. Anyone who cannot use the stairs should contact the office before Friday so that we can arrange help with shopping and deliveries. Parcels will be held at the front desk, which will stay open until 9 p.m. during the work.
Reading 9. Why will the lift stop working?
Reading 10. What should residents who cannot use the stairs do?
Hi Tom, thanks for agreeing to cover my shift on Saturday. The delivery usually arrives at around eight, not seven as the rota says, so you don't need to come in early. The only thing I'd ask is that you check the fridge temperatures at the start and end of the day, because the inspector is visiting next week and I'd like the records to be complete. I'll do your Sunday shift in return, as we agreed. Priya
Reading 11. What does Priya tell Tom about the delivery?
Reading 12. Why does Priya want the fridge temperatures checked?
Pick an answer to start.
Talk for two minutes about a change in your town or city that has affected you. Say what changed, how it affected you, and whether you think it was a good idea.
| Test | B2 needs | Where |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI IELTS SELT Consortium | 5.5 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| PTE Academic UKVI Pearson | 59 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT LanguageCert | 60 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| LanguageCert General SELT LanguageCert | 60 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| Trinity ISE (Integrated Skills in English) Trinity College London | ISE II, pass | In the UK |
| Skills for English UKVI (4 component) PSI Services | B2, pass | Outside the UK |
| Test | B1 needs | Where |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI IELTS SELT Consortium | 4 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| PTE Academic UKVI Pearson | 43 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT LanguageCert | 40 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| LanguageCert General SELT LanguageCert | 40 in each skill | In and outside the UK |
| Trinity ISE (Integrated Skills in English) Trinity College London | ISE I, pass | In the UK |
| Skills for English UKVI (4 component) PSI Services | B1, pass | Outside the UK |
The B1 test for citizenship and for settlement before 26 March 2027 is speaking and listening only, so there is no reading or writing to pass. It is a short test at a centre, and you need B1 in both skills.
From 26 March 2027 settlement needs B2 in speaking and listening. If you may apply after that date, prepare for B2.
Harder than B1 in every way that counts: a higher line in each skill and all four skills in one sitting. Answer the twelve sample questions above: eight or more right is a good sign.
None is easier at the same level: each approved test is set to the same B2 line. Choose by format, centre and date: PTE results usually come within 2 days; LanguageCert takes 3 to 5 working days.
5.5 is the B2 line on IELTS for UKVI, and you need it in all four skills. A 6.0 in three skills and 5.0 in writing is not B2.
The B1 speaking and listening test is the shorter test: no reading or writing. You need B1 in both speaking and listening in the same test.
Book your test when your mocks say your English is ready.
£49 once. No VAT is charged.
Four timed B2 mocks in all four skills, marked against our B2 line, for 12 months.
Access for 12 months, until 13 October 2027. Sit all four B2 mocks, the last at least four weeks after the first. If your last mock is below our B2 line and no higher than your first, we refund the £49 in full. Or ask for a full refund within 14 days of paying, for any reason.
By paying you agree to our Terms and get access straight away, which ends your 14-day cancellation right. Your full refund within 14 days, for any reason, still applies.