When we think about progressing in a language, we usually think about learning more vocabulary or more grammar rules.
And while that's certainly part of it, the transition from B2 level to C1 level is much more nuanced.
It's fundamentally about developing your fluency, flexibility and sophistication in your communication.
It's not necessarily about adding more tools to your English, but using the tools you already have like a master.
In today's episode, I'm going to explain to you the main differences between a B2 level speaker of English and a C1 level speaker of English.
And also I'm going to be giving you here some useful tips to help you reach a solid C1 level.
Let's get started.
Hey there, how's it going?
I'm Thiago.
I've been an English teacher for 20 years and I am a Cambridge certified English teacher.
Welcome to the channel.
To get started with the conversation here, let me give you an analogy.
Think of the B2 level like being a skilled driver.
A skilled driver who can competently navigate most roads in the city, understanding the rules and getting from point A to point B effectively.
But then we have the C1 driver.
Think of C1 like being an experienced race car driver.
This driver can handle any terrain, any weather condition and execute complex maneuvers with precision and ease.
You see, it's not about just driving, but driving with mastery and intuitive control, bringing that to English learning at B2 level.
It's all about being able to understand people and being understood, which is an excellent goal to have already.
But if you wanna move to a solid C1 level, that is not enough.
It's not just about understanding English and being understood, but it's about using English like a master and developing a better, deeper and inner intuition for the language.
Let's kick things off by looking at speaking, because I know this is often where the main differences become most apparent between the levels.
So first, let's talk about fluency.
At the B2 level you are capable of extended turns, but there might be noticeable hesitation in your speech.
You might find yourself searching for the right words.
For example, a B2 speaker might say something like this.
I think that, you know...
The environment is a very big problem and we should do something about it.
You see, you can hear those pauses, these ums in your nose, a little bit of hesitation there.
That is typical B2 level production in speech.
Now, at C1, that changes significantly.
Your speech becomes much more spontaneous and almost effortless.
Hesitation only happens when you're grappling with a genuinely complex conceptual idea.
In other words, when you are dealing with a very hard topic.
Then you might hesitate even at C1 level.
But it's not because you are searching for basic vocabulary.
A C1 speaker might express a similar idea like this.
Listen.
The profound environmental implications of our consumerist society need a paradigm shift in our approach to resource management and sustainable practices.
You see the difference?
Now there is more flow, lack of fillers and more advanced vocabulary.
Aside from fluency, when it comes to speaking, we also have to look at discourse management.
This is basically about how extended your sentences are.
Can you produce longer stretches of language when you speak or you usually stick to shorter, simpler sentences?
It's about how you connect your ideas and organize your thoughts when you speak.
Now a B2 speaker can produce generally coherent discourse or speech using basic linking words effectively.
They're good at making their point clear.
Here's an example of a typical B2 level learner speaking production when it comes to discourse management.
I like living in the city.
And also, it has good shops.
But sometimes it's too noisy.
So I prefer the countryside.
You see, simple, clear connections.
Now at C1, you are expected to produce discourse that is not just coherent but well organized and varied.
You use a wider range of cohesive devices to structure arguments, compare ideas and build towards a conclusion.
So a typical C1 level speaker, a good C1 level speaker, might say something like this.
On the one hand, urban living offers unparalleled access to cultural amenities and professional opportunities.
However, a more compelling argument for rural existence lies in the tranquility and strong community bonds it fosters.
You see the difference here?
First of all, there are some more sophisticated conjunctions like, on the one hand, and however.
You see, these signal a more sophisticated structuring of argument, not to mention the more advanced vocabulary.
Keep in mind that you don't have to use super crazy advanced vocabulary all the time in everyday speech, but you should be able to use those whenever you need it, whenever you want it.
Maybe as you are speaking, you want to add a little flair of sophistication.
So it's important that you have a larger arsenal of words and structures at your disposal.
By the way, if you are in need of improving your English fluency, I highly recommend you check out my Speaking Accelerator program.
The next group starts now next Monday on September 15th.
And for three weeks, we're gonna be talking about one specific topic.
You're going to be learning tons of vocabulary and grammar structures you can use to talk about those topics.
The whole communication happens on Telegram and you get personalized feedback from me via audio messages on Telegram on your fluency pronunciation vocabulary use, discourse management, grammar structures and so on.
It's a great program for busy people.
If you don't have time for classes but you still need some guidance from a teacher, this is a great program.
For three weeks, we're going to be talking on Telegram via auto messages and I'm going to be coaching you when you're speaking, not to mention all the cool things you're going to learn.
Learn more in the description of the video.
I think it's going to be worth it for you.
All right.
So far, we have covered two aspects of speaking fluency and discourse management, and how they are different between B2 level and C1 level.
Now let's talk about the last component of speaking, which is the topics you can handle.
At B2 level, you are comfortable discussing a range of familiar topics, things you encounter in everyday life, personal experiences or common issues.
Here's an example of a question.
Tell me about a time you traveled to a new country and what you enjoyed.
You see, this is something concrete and personal.
This is the kind of topic that a B2 level speaker should not worry about being able to answer something familiar, something concrete.
Now at C1, you are expected to handle that plus a wide range of topics, including unfamiliar and abstract ones, with little hesitation.
You'll be asked to speculate about things, hypothesize about things and discuss complex societal or scientific issues.
Here's an example of a question more at C1 level.
Listen.
Discuss the ethical implications of genetic engineering in the context of human enhancement.
Whoa, you see?
Now that is a much more abstract topic, isn't it?
For you to be able to give a proper response to this question, You need not only more vocabulary, but also the ability to form abstract arguments and express complex opinions.
A B2 level speaker will definitely struggle with this kind of question.
A C1 level speaker with a solid C1 level won't.
Now moving on to listening and reading other skills.
The key progression here is from understanding the main points to grasping subtle details and inferred meaning.
Inferred meaning is meaning that is not explicitly given.
So you are able to listen to an audio passage and understand not only what's explicitly said there, but also what is implicitly said.
You get meaning even though it's not explicitly given.
The same thing when you read a text.
So you infer meaning.
A B2 level speaker really struggles to do that.
So let's start with listening nuance.
A B2 listener can follow the gist or the main idea and most details of what they hear.
Let me give an example here.
Imagine you are at work and then your boss walks in the room and then your boss says All right, team.
So don't worry.
The meeting today is going to be short.
We might be here for 10 or 15 minutes tops.
A B2 level speaker would say, well, the boss said the meeting was going to be short.
I understood that we wouldn't be there or here long.
You see, so a B2 level speaker of English will get the surface meaning of something. that is spoken.
Now imagine the same boss walks in the room and he goes something like this.
All right, everybody.
Look, the meeting today shouldn't take too long.
So let's get started here because we have some issues to cover.
Now, a C1 speaker would probably say something like this.
Well, when my boss said I'm sure this meeting won't take up too much of our time, I immediately understood that from his tone and his eye roll it was actually going to be a long and arduous session.
You see, so the C1 listener isn't just hearing the words, but also interpreting the true message via body language, tone of voice gestures, right.
It's more nuanced.
The listening is more nuanced.
So while a B2 level learner is able to understand most everyday conversations, the understanding is usually more superficial, like more at surface level, and it's usually more about the main idea, not the specific details.
Now a C1 level learner is able to also infer meaning from passages and conversations they hear.
Get tone, body language, body gesture right.
And also listen to specific information.
Listen for specific details.
So for a C1 level learner it's much easier to get specific information from a passage than to a B2 level learner.
A similar thing happens in reading.
The complexity of texts increases dramatically.
A B2 reader can scan for relevant information and understand the general meaning of non-routine letters and articles.
By letters we can understand emails, basically. nowadays, right?
Here's an example.
A B2 level learner is able to read a newspaper article about local events and understand the main story.
They can extract the key facts.
Now, at C1, you are expected to handle a broader range of demanding or challenging and longer texts.
And crucially, you are able to identify implicit meaning.
This includes complex arguments in serious newspapers, academic articles, or literary fiction.
Here's an example.
Let's see one level.
A C1 level learner is totally able to read and understand a detailed financial report, an in-depth academic paper on climate change or a literary novel where character motivations are implied rather than stated explicitly.
You know people say that good writing, good fiction writing, is when you show, you don't tell.
So a more advanced speaker of english is able to understand character motivations in a story just by what's happening in the scene.
The author doesn't have to say this character was angry, this character was sad.
Just by describing the situation and the character's behavior you are able to understand how the character was feeling.
So this is not just about getting the facts.
It's about analyzing the structure, the arguments, and the author's intent in that piece of text.
Now let's turn our attention to writing and use of English.
By use of English, I mean vocabulary use and grammar use.
A significant difference lies in the lexical depth, in other words vocabulary depth.
At B2, you use a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately.
You get your message across clearly.
In other words, you speak and people understand you.
That's it.
For example, a B2 speaker might go something like this.
The company's problems are a frequent thing that happens every year.
You see, it's clear, but perhaps a bit repetitive or even generic.
Nothing really stands out here in terms of language, but it gets the job done.
Now at C1, you are expected to use a broader, wider range of vocabulary, including less common lexis, effectively and precisely.
This means choosing the perfect word, not just a good enough word.
Now a C1 level speaker might say something like this the company's financial struggles have become a perennial problem that re-emerges with predictable regularity.
Whoa see the difference here?
So first of all, i'm using this collocation perennial problem instead of frequent thing.
Not only is this more advanced, but also conveys a much stronger and more precise meaning.
Still talking about use of English, the demand for grammar and structure also levels up.
B2 level learners have a good degree of control over simple and some complex grammatical forms.
They can construct sentences correctly.
Here's an example at B2 level.
I have never seen such a beautiful painting in my whole life.
You see, this is perfectly correct and understandable.
By the way, look at this sentence again.
I have never seen such a beautiful painting in my whole life.
If you make a mistake even with that kind of sentence, you know, you are definitely not B2.
You might be a B1 level speaker at best.
All right.
So be careful with that.
So B2 level speakers are able to produce simple and correct grammar structures when they speak.
Now for C1 level learners.
The expectation now is for a wide range of simple and complex grammatical forms with full control, flexibility and sophistication.
This means not just using them correctly, but using them naturally and strategically, perhaps for emphasis or even stylistic effect.
Again, maybe you wanna add a little flair of sophistication to your communication.
Here's an example at C1 level.
Never have I seen such a beautiful painting in my entire life.
You see, now I'm using inversion.
Never have I seen.
This is a more advanced construction.
Also, I'm adding emphasis and a more sophisticated, even slightly formal tone which is characteristic of C1 level.
I know that getting all these things in place can be challenging, especially if you are learning English by yourself.
So, I highly encourage you also to book a one-on-one call with me.
I call it the Fluency Discovery Call.
For one hour and a half on Zoom.
You and I meet, I chat with you, I analyze your English speaking and I help you determine what your current level of English is, And I give you an action plan of things you should focus on in the next months for you to see improvement.
So if you need some one-on-one help, start by booking a one-on-one call with me, and then we take it from there.
All right.
It's going to be great to meet you.
So.
Finally, when it comes to writing skills, the difference in task fulfillment is about moving from clear and functional writing to a more persuasive, well-structured and sophisticated style.
A b, two writer can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects expressing unjustifying opinions, for example, an essay clearly stating pros and cons of an issue and then giving an opinion using straightforward linking words.
A B2 level learner is able to produce that kind of text.
By the way, let me just open a parenthesis here and say something to you guys who are watching me now.
You can start by worrying about your comments on YouTube.
I can't tell you how many comments per day I get that are badly written.
And look, I mean, I'm not saying that you have to write a Shakespearean comment here on YouTube.
But you know basic conventions like capital letters when they're needed, proper punctuation like commas and periods.
I mean...
If you want to be a solid B2 level learner and even C1 level learner, start by writing better comments in the videos you watch.
I mean, Don't write in a sloppy, quick way, you know?
Put some thought into your comments.
Double-check to see if your comments are well-written, are correctly written, and then post them.
All right.
So start there.
I mean, to me, it's...
It doesn't make any sense, you know, to see people saying I am a B2, I am a C1 level, or I'm trying to get to C1, I'm already B2.
But the way they write the comments here under the videos is just horrible.
So start by fixing the way you write comments.
I mean, that's a trait of a solid B2 and C1 level speaker of English.
A C1 writer, on the other hand, does this with much more finesse or sophistication, producing a well-organized, coherent whole and communicating complex ideas in a convincing way.
They might employ rhetorical questions or other advanced techniques to engage the reader.
So a C1 level learner, for example, is able to write a report that not only outlines facts but also synthesizes information from various sources, argues for a specific course of action and anticipates counterarguments, using sophisticated introductory and concluding phrases and varied sentence structures to maintain reader interest.
So, at C1 level, the writing here is much more refined, much more sophisticated.
All right.
So remember this.
If you can't even write a proper YouTube comment under a video, do you think you are a C1?
Think again.
All right.
So.
I say this, guys, not to be a jerk.
I say this because it's the truth.
I mean, I feel like many people here on YouTube, because of all the videos that are available about English learning and all the teachers and coaches and influencers, Many learners are confused and they think that they are at B2 level, when in reality, they are barely A2 level speakers, or they think they are ready to go for C1, but they still struggle with you know, B1 level stuff, all right?
So, you know, I'm just giving you here a reality check, all right?
If you think you are B2, probably you are not.
And if you think you are ready for C1, probably you are not, all right?
Get help from a teacher, an experienced teacher, who actually knows what he's talking about.
Because otherwise you're going to be, you know, living in illusion land, all right?
So how do you make this leap?
How do you make this transition from B2 to C1?
It's all about a mindset shift.
A mindset shift?
Yeah, because you need to move beyond just understanding language to actively engaging with it and producing it with a higher degree of control and nuance.
It's about being an active learner.
You see, if you haven't been an active learner of English, if you have just been consuming content passively, you are not ready to step up for C1.
And I would even argue even B2 level, you know?
You might not even be ready for B2 yet, right?
You might be a B1, B1 plus at best.
So the first mindset shift you need is this.
I mean you have to become more of an active learner if you want to get to a solid B2 and then C1 level.
Now, let me give you here some tips, some actionable steps you can take.
For listening, you can actively seek out challenging listening materials.
Don't just listen to things you understand easily.
Watch documentaries, listen to podcasts on complex topics like science or philosophy, and also engage with debates where different viewpoints are expressed.
Focus on understanding not just what is said, but how it's said, the tone and the implications.
For reading, diversify your reading.
Move beyond simplified articles.
Read quality newspapers like The Guardian or The New York Times, academic journals in your field of interest and literary fiction.
Pay attention to authorial voice, complex sentence structures, and advanced vocabulary in context.
For speaking, push yourself to discuss abstract and unfamiliar topics.
Don't shy away from expressing complex opinions.
Practice hypothesizing, speculating, and justifying your views.
A great tip is to record yourself speaking on a challenging topic and then listen back to identify areas for improvement in fluency, vocabulary and discourse management and for writing practice writing essays, reports and reviews on challenging subjects.
Don't just summarize, analyze, evaluate, and persuade.
Critically review your own writing, focusing on varying sentence structure, using a wider range of sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring strong coherence and cohesion throughout.
Seek feedback from teachers or advanced peers, right.
So again, this is a mindset shift that you can start implementing now.
You can start adopting now, all right, even as a b1 learner or b2 learner, all right, Remember the journey to see one is a significant but incredibly rewarding one.
It's about transforming from someone who can simply get by or survive in English to someone who can articulate their thoughts with precision, influence others with their words and truly engage with the complexities of the English-speaking world.
It's about moving from being understood to being an articulate and influential communicator.
You have the foundations at B2.
Now it's time to build the skyscraper.
Keep pushing yourself and keep experimenting with the language.
I hope you enjoyed this episode and I hope this episode also served as a bit of a reality check for you.
If you think you are already at B2, chances are you're not.
And if you think you are ready for C1, chances are you're not yet.
We need to solidify some things first.
All right, get help.
Get help.
Stop surfing around youtube and the internet just believing whatever someone on youtube is telling you.
Okay, get professional help to really determine your level and what you have to do next.
All right, Don't forget to learn more about my Speaking Accelerator program.
The group starts now next Monday on the 15th of September.
And, if you prefer, you can also book a one-on-one call with me so that we can diagnose your current level of English together and think about next steps for you to really get to a solid B2 level and then a C1 level of English.
And if you want to keep learning about levels, I highly recommend you watch this episode that I did a few months ago, where I go in detail about the B2 level.
What does it mean to be a B2 level speaker of English?
And it's a much more in-depth episode.
So I really recommend you watch it now and learn more about it.
