The four skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking

You read short texts from daily life and answer questions: true or false, multiple choice, or matching.

• Typical texts: a notice (avviso), an advertisement (annuncio), a timetable (orario), a short e-mail or message, an invitation, a menu, a letter from an office.
• You look for the information that is asked: a date, a time, a price, a place, a document that you have to bring. You do not need to understand every word.
• At A2 the texts are short (50 to 150 words); at B1 they are longer and may have an opinion or a story.
• How to practise: read a little every day, such as notices at the post office, the supermarket leaflet, and the messages of the school, and underline the words that you do not know.

You hear short recordings, often twice, and you answer questions about what you heard.

• Typical recordings: announcements in a station or a shop, a voice message, a telephone call, a short dialogue between two people, a weather forecast.
• The questions ask for a number, a time, a place or the reason for something. Read the questions before the recording starts.
• Numbers, dates and times are very frequent: learn them well, in particular the hours (“alle otto e mezza”, “le quindici”) and the prices (“dodici euro e cinquanta”).
• How to practise: listen to short Italian audio every day, the radio, the announcements of the train, and use the listening practice on Asagno with the text to check.

You write short texts, with the information that the task asks and in a form that suits the situation.

• At A2: fill in a form, write a short message to a friend or a colleague (for example to say that you are ill, to invite or to ask for information) of about 30 to 60 words.
• At B1: write a longer e-mail or a letter (80 to 150 words), for example to complain about a service, to describe a trip or to give your opinion.
• Use the form of the greeting: “Caro Marco” for a friend, “Gentile signora” or “Gentile Dottor Rossi” for a formal letter, and close with “Cordiali saluti” or “Ciao”.
• Answer every point of the task, and write simple sentences that you are sure of. Check the verbs, the articles and the spelling at the end.

Exam tip: Read the task slowly and cross out each point as you write it: missing a point costs more than a grammar mistake.

In the certificates, the speaking part is an interview or a conversation with an examiner, often recorded. You talk about yourself and everyday topics.

• Typical tasks: introduce yourself, talk about your family, your work and your day, answer personal questions, ask for information, and describe a picture.
• At B1 you also tell a story about the past, give your opinion and explain a reason (“perché…”, “secondo me…”), and take part in a short role-play, for example at an office.
• Speak slowly and clearly. If you do not understand, say “Può ripetere, per favore?”. If you do not know a word, explain it with other words.
• How to practise: say your answers aloud every day, record yourself, and use the speaking practice on Asagno, which gives you feedback on the pronunciation.