Menu

cils citizenship

The Italian Language Test for Citizenship

The Italian Language Test for Citizenship 

Due to the amendments to the Italian law in December 2018, it is now compulsory to obtain an Italian B1 language certification for all applicants for Italian citizenship through marriage or residence.

Anyone applying for dual citizenship under these terms must prove an adequate competence in the Italian language.

What does “B1” stand for?

The Italian level B1 is the third level of Italian in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a definition of the different language levels stated by the Council of Europe.

In other words, those who have reached the B1 language level have a level of Italian that is beyond the basics but still not perfect. He or she can interact with the language on a day-to-day basis, deal with most of the situations on a trip to Italy, describe personal experiences, events, or aspirations, and briefly express his opinions. 

How To Prepare For The B1 Exam 

To reach a B1 Italian level, it means that you have already completed the two previous levels: A1 (beginner) and A2 (elementary). If you haven’t done it yet, I suggest you sign up for general Italian classes at a language institution near you or by hiring a private tutor. For online learning options, I recommend using:

  • Preply is an online marketplace with tutors from all over the world, including Italy. Certain tutors are trained to prepare students for the certification exams.
  • Rocket Italian is an online, self-paced course that can help you lay out an itinerary for your study time, and it’s available for complete beginners too.

If you have already studied some Italian but don’t know at what level it is, I suggest you have your level assessed by a professional teacher (if you would like your Italian to be assessed by me, you can book your call here).

Don’t forget that it’s a crucial part of your preparation to train all four competencies of language learning, which are reading, writing, speaking, and listening. All of the B1 certification exam is, in fact, split into different tasks, each one tackling one of these competencies.

How long does it take to learn Italian at a B1 level? 

It all depends on your level. If you are an absolute beginner in Italian, it might take anywhere from 12 to 36 months, depending on your time commitment and native language. If you already have a solid intermediate level, it might take you only as little as a couple of months. 

A1 and A2 grammar topics 
  • the Italian pronunciation 
  • the articles
  • the number and gender of adjectives and nouns 
  • the present indicative of regular verbs
  • the present indicative of irregular verbs
  • the reflexive verbs
  • the modal verbs (voglio, posso, devo)
  • the verb piacere and other impersonal verbs 
  • the past tense (passato prossimo)
  • the reflexive verb with the passato prossimo  
  • the imperfect tense (the imperfetto)
  • the future simple 
  • the imperative
  • the direct and indirect object pronouns
  • the possessive adjectives
  • the present progressive 
  • the direct and indirect object pronouns 
  • the impersonal form “si” 
  • the indefinite adjectives (nessuno, niente, ogni, etc..)
  • the articulated prepositions 
  • the imperfect tense
  • the imperative form 
  • the future tense 
  • the conditional form 
  • the particle “ci”
B1 grammar topics for the Citizenship Exam
  • the reflexive verbs used with the passato prossimo and other verbal forms
  • the difference in the usage of the passato and prossimo and imperfetto  
  • the double object pronouns (me lo, te la..)
  • the pronouns “ci” and “ne”
  • the correct use of articles and prepositions 
  • the indefinite adjectives (qualche, alcuni, nessuno)
  • the comparatives (più buono, più bello) 
  • the present conditional
  • the present subjunctive 
B1 conversation topics
  • your work
  • your vacations 
  • your hobbies, like favorite music, movies, sport or books
  • the environment (pollution, recycling, etc)
  • the healthcare system in your country and in Italy
  • the education system in your country and Italy
  • your shopping habits 
  • relationships 
  • your educational background and your plans for future training
  • and, more broadly, debating the advantages and disadvantages of any particular topic

What Are The Available Certifications For The B1 Cittadinanza test?

  • CILS B1 Cittadinanza – the University of Siena for foreigners (more information here)
  • CELI 2 Cittadinanza  – the University of Perugia for foreigners (more information here)
  • PLIDA B1 – Dante Alighieri Association (more information here)

All of the above certifications are available in Italy and at Italian institutions and schools around the world.

What’s the structure of the tests? 

All of the B1 language tests aim at assessing all of the competencies of language learning and they’re generally split into five sections covering listening, reading, writing and speaking. However, one task’s specifics and lengths may change from one type of exam to another.  

The CILS B1 certification 

I would say that the CILS certification is most recognized worldwide as it has the most significant number of exam centers worldwide, spread among Italian schools, universities, or other types of institutions.  It is also easier to access prep material for the CILS certification online in the form of courses or books.

The CILS offers two types of B1 exams: The CILS B1 Cittadinanza and the CILS B1. 

How does the CILS B1 Cittadinanza differ from the regular CILS B1?

The CILS B1 Cittadinanza has been specially designed for all those applicants that need to obtain the Italian Certification for Citizenship. It thus has a focus on the communicative aspects that the potential passport holder might be involved in. 

The CILS B1 level for Citizenship includes a reduced number of tasks compared to the regular CILS B1 exam (two listening tasks, two reading tasks, one speaking task, and one writing task) and takes around 2 hours instead of 5. 

However, one thing to keep in mind is that, the CILS B1 for Citizenship has to be passed in full. It means that you’ll have to pass all the sections of the exam he other to succeed at exam. This is different from the other CILS tests, where the applicants are allowed to you retake only those parts of the exam that they have not passed, if they have failed in the first place. 

List of CILS exam centers around the world

More information about how to pass the CILS B1 Cittadinanza test here.

The CELI certification 

The CELI certification is very similar to the CILS certification. The CELI also provides a shortened citizenship exam (CELI 2 Cittadinanza). However, this letter is only available in Italy. So, if you do not live in Italy, I would recommend taking the CILS B1 for Citizenship, which is offered by many language schools  around the world.
 
Check out my page here if you want to learn more about the CELI 2 exam.

The PLIDA certification 

Because the PLIDA exam does not have a Citizenship version, you must take a regular B1 exam.  Although this exam is longer than the CILS and CELI, I believe it is easier. This certification  It is mostly available in South America, Canada, and Europe.  Only one or two centers in the United States currently provide it.
More information about the PLIDA B1 exam here.

Test preparation material 

To pass the B1 Cittadinanza exam successfully, you don’t just need to have a good command of the topics I listed above, but you also need to be acquainted with the exam structure. Knowing beforehand in what order the tasks are presented, how much time you will be allowed for every task, and the specific requirements of each task will make the difference on the day of the exam.

My suggestion is to get as many exam samples as you can. You can find them online in the form of a certification or as a textbook on Amazon.Just dial your accreditation and your level.

Once you reach the intermediate level, you can start to train to pass your B1 citizenship certification. 

The best game plan is to buy a textbook that collects the certification test samples. 

                   

Do you offer a prep course for the B1 Citizenship Test?

We offer individual classes for highly motivated students who want to perfect their Italian and get in the right shape for the exam.

If you can’t commit to regular classes or just need a quick fix for the exam (e.g., a customized learning plan or getting your mock test checked out), you can book a one time individual class with me here.  

How to succeed at the CILS B1 for Citizenship – My best strategies 

How to succeed at the CILS B1 for Citizenship – My best strategies 

If you are here, you need to pass the Italian certification test to get your citizenship. In this post, I will expand on the CILS B1 for Citizenship test (CILS B1 cittadinanza).

For the sake of thoroughness, I must say there are at least two other B1 certifications that will also serve you to get your citizenship. The reason why I am expanding on the CILS is that:

  • The CILS is the most popular one and the one that many of my students have already taken and passed. 
  • People who want to become citizens can take a test called CILS B1 Cittadinanza, which is easier to take and shorter than the regular CILS B1 exam.
  • The CILS B1 Cittadinanza can be taken both in Italy and abroad, while other citizenship exams, like the CELI, can be taken just in Italy. 

The CILS B1 for citizenship (CILS B1 Cittadinanza) consists of four sections and will take  2.05 hours to complete, with a 15 minute break.  

The four sections are: 

  • the listening section  
  • the reading comprehension and syntax section  
  • the writing section 
  • the oral section  
In this post I expand on the best strategies to pass the exam, which are more or less the same ones I use in private exam preparation courses. 
 
What are the best strategies to pass the Italian CILS Cittadinanza? 

 

The listening section (PART 1)

Preparing for the Listening Section

The Italian CILS B1 for Citizenship consists of 2 audio recordings.

What’s the best way to improve your listening skills in order to pass the CILS Citizenship test? 

Your listening skills are not perfect at this stage, and you can probably understand when Italian is spoken slowly and uses simple vocabulary. That’s totally normal at your level. 

However, if you want to improve your Italian listening at this point, you should start using audio materials that are suitable for your level. 

How do you know what kind of Italian audio resources are appropriate for you level? Easy. The rule of thumb is that if you don’t understand most of it, you are not using the correct audio source for your level. To challenge your listening and gradually improve, you should not try to understand a movie or even the Italian TV news (that will turn into an overwhelming activity and is not useful to hone your intermediate listening skills). Instead, it would help if you listened to audio sources that are slightly higher than your current level of Italian. Ideally, it should be challenging, without being too difficult or too easy.  Like this, you’ll help your brain absorb the new language naturally and consciously. 

That means that you should listen to understandable content (you understand most of it).

A great technique to enhance your listening skills at this level is to use Italian short story books with incorporated audio for beginner or intermediate levels. You can find a comprehensive list of the best short stories available with slow audio on my articles here:

REMEMBER: the key to improving your listening skills in Italian is being exposed to the right content at the right level as much as possible. 

Another helpful resource to improve your listening comprehension skills is:

You can learn more about this resource on my blog post here. It’s especially great for getting the hang of how conversations work in Italian.

The reading section (PART 2)

Preparing for the Reading Section

The Italian CILS for Citizenship (B1) consists of 2 short texts and lasts 40 minutes. The first text requires you to complete multiple-choice answers. The second text is a vocabulary-based exercise about choosing the right word for each gap. 

How to improve your reading to pass the B1 Italian language exam? 

At this level, I recommend my students use the Italian short stories for levels A2–B1 (see above links) or use A2 reading content out of an Italian textbooks, like Al Dente 1 or Al Dente 2 (some of the best pre-intermediate textbooks available on the market, in my opinion)

As stated in many of my articles, reading is a fundamental part of your Italian language learning process (often and mistakenly underrated!) . When reading, you naturally pick up on the natural language patterns and use the passive vocabulary and grammar you’ve learned in different situations.

The short stories are great because they are short and you can easily choose those that adapt more to your actual level. If you want to improve your beginner or intermediate reading skills, I recommend using these short stories in simple Italian. That’s what I use with my private clients too and I guarantee it’s one of the best ways to improve your Italian   vocabulary, and more broadly, your ability of putting sentences together. 

My favorite Italian Short Stories

The writing section (PART 3)

Preparing for the Writing Section

The writing part for the CILS B1 Cittadinanza consists of two writing prompts. Usually of of them involves writing  an e-email (around 80 words) and the second one involves writing a short essay (approximately 100 words) about a general topic regarding your life (e.g., describing your latest birthday or vacation).  You’ll need to choose and complete only one prompt. 

 A sample of writing prompts from a CILS B1 Citizenship Test.

How to improve your Italian writing to pass a certification? 

Needless to say that you need to practice your writing skills to pass this task. 

Writing won’t only help you pass your Italian exam, though. It’s also a fantastic way to brush up on high-frequency errors, prepositions, and verb conjugations in Italian. 

The most important part is to have your Italian texts corrected and edited by your professional teacher (best case scenario) or your language exchange partner. Most learners use their language exchange partners only to practice their conversational skills. Why not use your Italian conversation partner to have your short essay corrected? I guarantee you will be surprised at how much you can learn from your mistakes.

To give you an idea of how writing can be effective and efficient to improve your Italian grammar and speaking flow...

This is a short text written by an intermediate student preparing for her citizenship exam; as you can see, it is possible to detect some of her high-frequency mistakes through a simple piece of writing.

A writing prompt can serve as a magical tool to point out your common mistakes in grammar and vocabulary. In this case, despite having reached an intermediate level, she was misusing the words meglio/migliore, male/cattivo, and il/lo. Addressing high-frequency mistakes is essential. If you don’t do that at the due time, they will become automatic mistakes and spoil your overall fluency in the long run. 

The oral section (PART 4)

Preparing for the Oral Section
 

The speaking part for the CILS B1 Cittadinanza consists of four speaking prompts, and you’ll have the chance to choose which one you want to expand on. 

Once you start talking about your chosen topic, the examiner will step in with some questions to test your ability to debate and be engaged in a real conversation. 

Before this, you’ll also be asked to introduce yourself. 

The speaking part lasts around 3-5 minutes, and it is recorded on the spot. 

CILS B1 Cittadinanza SAMPLE

you can sneak a peek into a sample of the citizenship exam test here!

Best textbooks to study for the CILS B1 Citizenship exam

Once you reach the intermediate level, you can start to train to pass your CILS B1 citizenship certification. The best game plan is to buy a textbook that collects the certification test samples.  

         

Do you offer a prep course for the Cils B1 Cittadinanza?

I offer individual courses for highly motivated students who want to perfect their Italian and get in the right shape for the exam.

If you don’t have time to commit to regular meetings or just need a quick fix for the exam (e.g., a customized learning plan), you can book a one-time session with me here.

Dates 

These are the upcoming dates for the CILS Cittadinanza Exam in 2023, both in Italy and abroad 

2023

  • February 16th 
  • April 23rd 
  • June 8th 
  • July 20th 
  • October 23rd
  • December 5th 

Remember that you must register for the exam at least 40 days before the exam. 

Cost 

The exam costs between 120 and 180 USD, this varies slightly depending on the examination center. 

This page contains an up-to-date list of CILS B1 Citizenship examination centers in Italy and abroad.

CILS exam centers 

 

CILS B1 Cittadinanza – Listening Portion

CILS B1 Cittadinanza (Citizenship): Listening Part 

  • The exam lasts a total of 2.05 hours. 
  • To complete the listening portion, you’ll be given 30 minutes (which is going to be the first one of five different tasks) 
  • Listening is broken down into two parts:  prova n.1 and prova n.2. In prova n.1, you’ll have to listen to six short texts and answer a multiple-choice question. In prova n.2, you must listen to two short passages and then identify which passages contain information and which do not.

How to do well on the listening portion of the exam

  • Get at least a pre-intermediate level of proficiency,  in order to gain the ability of understanding intermediate level sentences and topics. 
  • Work independently with the CILS B1 study materials and take as many practice exams as you can manage.Check out the PDF of the complete B1 Cittadinanza(Citizenship) test here.

How do you get to the level of listening required to pass the exam? 

If you’re concerned about your ability to understand spoken Italian or just want to improve it, let me assure you that I hear you! Listening is one of the most complex linguistic areas to master for a variety of reasons: opportunities to be exposed to the language are limited if you don’t live in Italy, and finding appropriate listening Italian content to practice can be hard at times. 

Particularly the last one. 

Listening to content that is tailored to your level is one of the best ways to learn to understand Italian better. To put it another way, you won’t need to be exposed to native content to improve your Italian listening comprehension skills to the B1 intermediate level.  And it’ s not enough to listen to something slowly; what’s importanti is that the content you’re using has the appropriate vocabulary and grammar for your level. 

This does not mean you should read children’s books (which I never recommend to my private students) because they contain complex Italian tenses (for example, passato remoto or the subjunctive) that you will not require at your level. 

It means you should listen to Italian audio content for beginners or intermediates. 

What is the best way to find such content? 

There are basically two ways to improve your listening skills at the beginner or intermediate level, in my opinion. 

  • Read and listen to short stories with audiobooks, likethese ones.
  • Listen to podcasts in simple Italian (with transcription), like these ones.

The rest, in my experience, does not work.

The importance of reading and listening simultaneously 

All the options I suggested also include a written transcript. The reason for this is that you may have trouble deciphering what’s going on, even if the input is slow and simple. This is due to the fact that you will be exposed to a large number of new words (especially if your native language is very different from Italian). 

Having a written text or transcript allows you to read and listen at the same time, which is the only way to improve your listening skills in my experience. 

After a while, you’ll be able to get rid of the transcripts and become a more confident learner. 

When you read, you’ll visualize the sounds you hear in written form, especially if you’re a visual learner like me.

How will this fit into your CILS B1 preparation? 

It all comes down to your Italian level. If you’re an intermediate learner who thinks your listening skills are stuck at a beginner level, make a commitment to listen to one short story book a month or week and you’ll notice your listening skills improve by leaps and bounds without even realizing it.

If you’d like to have your listening skills assessed by me, this is the place to go.



Schermata_2022-02-08_alle_11.14.20-removebg-preview

Do you enjoy watching videos to learn Italian?

Lingopie is a Netflix-like platform that allows you to improve your Italian by watching TV shows, documentaries, and vlogs (separate by genre and level). They offer a beginner-friendly option too.

CILS B1 Citizenship: Writing Part 

CILS B1 Cittadinanza (Citizenship): Writing Part 

The duration of the entire exam is 2.05 hours

The writing portion will take 40 minutes

There’s only one task.  

The CILS B1 citizenship writing section includes two writing prompts. Only one prompt must be chosen and completed. You’ll be asked to: 

  • write down a text in the shape of an email or message (around 80 words) that you write to your work / friend / a local authority / a school / etc…
  • a short essay (around 100 words) about a general topic in your life, for example, describing your latest birthday or vacation 

An example of writing prompts from an official B1 Cittadinanza Test. 

How to do well on the exam’s writing section 

  • It is necessary to have a good understanding of intermediate Italian grammar topics. Check out my post here to find out which ones they are. 
  • Complete as many mock tests as you can and have your teacher correct them. 

The importance of writing in Italian 

I’d like to say a few words about the importance of writing when studying for the Cittadinanza test or in general as one of the best ways to improve your Italian. 

When you’re writing..

  • you’re speaking in slow motion; 
  • you have time to consider what you want to say and how you want to say it; 
  • you have time to consult a dictionary; 
  • you have the opportunity to practice your sentence-building skills;
  • you can have it corrected by a teacher who can point out common errors, polish imperfections, and help you elevate the level of your sentences and fluency
  • And most importantly,  you will cement and internalize everything you learned in formal classes; 

More sample writing prompts for the B1 Cittadianza Exam 

  1. Stai facendo un soggiorno linguistico a Firenze. La persona con cui condividi l’appartamento è molto disordinata. Scrivi una mail alla direttrice della scuola per spiegare la situazione e chiedere di cambiare alloggio (You are doing a language study stay in Florence. The person you share the apartment with is very messy. Write an email to the head of the school to explain the situation and ask to change accommodation.).

more samples to come in the next days…

Book a one-on-one coaching session with us to help you prepare for and pass the Citizenship Exam’s speaking portion.

Here is where you can book your session.

Learn relevant vocabulary for your Italian Citizenship Exam with my short story in intermediate Italian (with slow audio)

Fiona is the first in her Italian-American family to learn her ancestors’ language. At university in the US, she earned a scholarship and moved to Rome to improve her Italian for a semester. But there’s more to the story. To complete an Italian citizenship application, she must obtain a copy of her great-grandfather’s birth certificate. This brings her to Sicily. In Sicily, she has several encounters that will forever alter her future. 

CILS B1 Cittadinanza: Speaking Part

CILS B1 Cittadinanza (Citizenship): Speaking Part

If you’re here, it’s because you’ve already scheduled (or plan to schedule) your Cils B1 Cittadinanza exam in order to obtain your Italian citizenship. 

This post aims to dispel any doubts and help you succeed in the speaking portion of the Cittadinanza exam. As you are aware, the Citizenship exam also includes reading, listening, grammar, and writing sections; however, many students find the speaking portion to be the most intimidating, as you will be put on the spot, right in front of the examiner, and will be prompt and asked to discuss topics in a foreign language.How does the exam work? 

The CILS B1 Cittadinanza (speaking part)

The total time for the exam is 2.05 hours. The entire exam is made up of different tasks, but in this article, we will concentrate on the speaking task, which is the final part of the exam. The speaking section is only 10 minutes long and consists of two tasks 

  • task 1: a brief introduction of yourself
  • task 2: a topic of your choice to develop in the shape of a conversation with the examiner 

My recommendations are based on my private client experience teaching CILS preparation classes. These suggestions and resources are intended for students who already have a good intermediate or pre-intermediate level of English. If you are a beginner, move on to general Italian (A1-A2) and return to this page once you have mastered intermediate Italian.

Tips and Ideas for Task 1 (talking about yourself)
  • Get ready to talk about yourself; this will be the examiner’s first question.
  • While introducing yourself, I suggest mentioning : your name, your age, where you live, your job/your studies , if you have a family or not, and the reason why you’re sitting for the exam 
  • My recommendation is to also explain how you’ve learned Italian so far and why. This is a fairly easy topic to discuss and will easily help you speak more and make a good impression on the examiner.
Tips and Ideas for Task 2
  • There are four topic questions that are different. Choose the one you’re comfortable talking about.
  • If you get a Yes-or-No question, say more than just a quick “Ye” or “No.” Give a reason or comment, e.g Is vegetarian food healthy? Yes, because it can contain a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • Throughout this task, the examiner will interrupt you to ask you questions about the topic you choose. If you can’t understand his or her questions, ask him or her to repeat them. Use the following questions: Mi scusi non ho capito la domanda, può ripetere? / Mi scusi non ho capito cosa significa la parola “X”, puoi aiutarmi? 
  • Always address the examiner in the formal form “Lei“. 
How to Perform Well in the Speaking Part of the Exam 
  1. Have a solid grasp on intermediate Italian grammar topics. To pass this test, your Italian level should be between A2 and B1. 
  2. Complete as many practice tests as you can and have your teacher correct them. 
  3. Examine the available CILS B1 Cittadinanza prep-textbooks to become acquainted with the test structure (Percorso CILS B1 Cittadinanza, Pronti per il test B1 Cittadinanza) 
  4. Practice your Italian speaking skills by writing down your responses to speaking prompts.

Why is writing the way to pass the exam?

Imagine if your teacher asked you an impromptu question about the traffic situation in your hometown and you had to respond for at least five minutes. How would you handle it? Maybe your Italian is good enough to discuss traffic and cities, but you don’t have a formalized opinion about it, even in your native language. 

This is where writing comes in. 

When writing, you’ll have all the time you need to formalize your ideas and thoughts, look up words in a dictionary, and possibly have your sentences corrected by a teacher who can point out common errors, polish imperfections, and help you elevate the level of your sentences and fluency.

When you’re writing you’re essentially warming up for you speaking part. 

A good exercise is simply to answer in writing to the most common speaking prompts used in the exam.

List of common topics used in the CILS B1 for Citizenship test 

  1. Ti piace viaggiare? (racconta un tuo viaggio).
  2. Ti piace leggere o andare al cinema (racconta un libro che hai letto o un film che hai visto).
  3. Ti piace cucinare? (racconta una ricetta e/o una storia legata alla cucina o al cibo)
  4. Ci sono delle differenze tra la cultura italiana e la tua? (racconta una somiglianza e una differenza tra le due culture)
  5. Fai la raccolta differenziata? Quali sono le principali regole da seguire? Pensi che sia una cosa giusta? Nel tuo Paese è presente?
  6. Preferisci la città o campagna? Spiega i perché della tua risposta.
  7. Hai la patente di guida italiana? Ci sono delle differenze tra l’esame di guida in Italia e quello nel tuo Paese?
  8. Quando cerchi una casa da prendere in affitto o comprare a che cosa fai attenzione? Quali sono le tue esigenze? 
Useful links
  • A PDF file most common speaking prompts used in the CILS B1 Cittadinanza exam followed by my answers in intermediate Italian (with tips and tricks on how to pass the exam).
  • A sample test of the CILS B1 cittadinanza (link here)
  • Information on my 1-to-1 exam preparations classes 
  • Useful CILS B1 prep textbooks and guides 

          

Dates 

These are the upcoming dates for the CILS Cittadinanza Exam in 2023, both in Italy and abroad 

2023

  • February 16th 
  • April 23rd 
  • June 8th 
  • July 20th 
  • October 23rd
  • December 5th 

Remember that you must register for the exam at least 40 days before the exam. 

Cost 

The exam costs around between 120 and 180 USD, this varies slightly depending on the examination center. 

This page contains an up-to-date list of CILS B1 Citizenship examination centers in Italy and abroad.

CILS exam centers 

The CILS Citizenship Exam: how to prepare

The CILS B1 Citizenship: The exam components and the grammar topics 

The CILS Uno B1 for Citizenship is a test that all those who wish to apply for Italian citizenship through marriage or residence ought to pass. 

In this post, you will thoroughly learn about 

  • The exam components of the Cils Citizenship exam (B1, intermediate level).
  • The intermediate grammar topics that you should familiar with to pass the exam.

The components of the CILS Citizenship Exam 

Listening comprehension 

The listening comprehension tasks (prova 1 and prova 2) comprise three short audio files and last 30 minutes. The audio consists of three texts read by native speakers (one text for prova 1 and two short texts for prova 2). The tasks are wrapped up with a multiple-choice questionnaire. 

Each audio file is played twice.

An example of the listening comprehension prompt: 

  • Ascolta i testi, poi leggi le informazioni. Scegli le informazioni presenti nei testi. 

Reading comprehension and syntax 

In the first part of this task (prova 1, the reading comprehension) you will be asked to read one short text (350–450 words long). The text can be presented in the shape of an email, an article, a blog post, or a list of items that discuss general topics tailored to the intermediate level. The text is paired with one exercise in which you will have to choose which pieces of information are presented in the text and which ones are not.

In the second part of this task (prova 2, syntax) you’ll be presented with a text and you’ll have to fill in the gaps in the text. You’ll be provided with some options to choose from for each blank. (three for each gap).

This task lasts 40 minutes.

Writing production

The writing task for the Cils Cittadinanza comprises two short writing prompts and lasts 40 minutes. You’ll have to choose just one prompt to complete. Usually, there are two types of writing prompts:

  • writing an email to seek information.
  • Describe a personal event or preference.

The text should be around 80–120 words long. 

This task lasts 40 minutes.

Speaking part 

There are two short tasks for the speaking part of the CILS cittadinanza. The first part concerns a brief presentation of yourself. 

The second part, which is the core of the speaking part, will involve a conversation with the examiner. The topics to be discussed usually touch on your personal events or preferences. The candidate is expected to express his or her opinions, show agreement or disagreement, and comment on the examiner’s questions and observations. You’ll be able to choose one from four different topics presented in a list. 

The speaking portion lasts about 4–6 minutes. 

Your presentation will be recorded.

Examples of speaking prompts

  • Nel tuo tempo libero ti piace leggere un libro o navigare in internet? Perché (Do you like reading a book or surfing the internet in your free time? Why?)
  • Ti piace la città dove vivi? Che cosa vorresti fare per migliorare la vita nella città dove vivi? Do you like the city where you live? What would you like to do to improve life in the city where you live?

You can find more speaking prompts to prepare for your oral exam here: 

The entire exam will last 2.05 hours, with a 15-minute break in between the reading comprehension and writing production sections.

How long do you need to wait to get the results of the exam? 

Your exam will be recorded and sent to the Università per Stranieri di Siena in Italy. The university will need a minimum of 90 days to correct your exam. You should expect your results to come back at any time within 90 days of your test. And another 40-60 days to get the certificate. 

After passing the exam and receiving your certificate, you can submit it to your local Italian consulate or embassy to get your Italian citizenship. 

Grammar topics for the CILS Citizenship (B1 level)

Are you looking for more information on how to ace the CILS Citizenship test?
 
Take a look here:
 
 

Helpful textbook for your CILS B1 exam preparation

My favorite textbooks for preparing my students to the B1 citizenship level (providing they have already reached an intermediate level of the language)