Polish B1 listening: how to tackle exam tasks step by step

First, check the rules for the specific task

The official adult B1 timetable allocates 25 minutes to listening comprehension. When practising with older materials, follow the selected paper's instructions; its format may differ from the current timetable. Choose adult materials rather than papers for children and young people.

Do not assume every recording plays twice. In the official 2020 sample paper, the first task uses one playback, while later tasks also use two. The playback instruction is therefore part of the task. The strategy below is our suggested practice method, not an additional exam rule.

Before the recording: turn questions into listening goals

Read the instructions and example first. Establish whether you must choose an answer, assess a statement against the text, match messages or fill a gap. Check how to mark answers. During the time provided for reading the task, read the questions before analysing every detail of the answer options.

Underline the differences between options: a time, place, person, reason or purpose. For a gap, predict the type of information, such as a number or place name, without guessing the answer itself. If the question asks why an appointment changed, hearing the new date is not enough. You also need the connection between the events.

During the recording: follow meaning and keep moving

Listen to the whole idea. A speaker may first describe the original plan and then change it. Signals such as ale, jednak, zamiast and nie trzeba help establish which information applies. An option containing a word from the recording may still be wrong if it changes the person, time or intention.

Write brief notes rather than complete sentences. If you miss a detail, flag your uncertainty and return to the current question. If the instructions allow a second playback, use it to check specific doubts. With one playback, make decisions as you listen. Do not add your own pauses during an exam-style attempt.

Adapt your approach to the task format

The same topic can appear in different task types. Before answering, identify exactly what you need to establish.

• Multiple choice: compare the full meaning of the options. Reject one that describes an outdated plan or only part of the message.
• Statements about the text: assess the entire sentence. One changed word, such as always instead of sometimes, can alter its meaning.
• Matching: identify the main topic or intention of each message. Check whether the instructions allow options to be used more than once.
• Gap filling: identify the missing information and enter it in the required form. Do not replace what you heard with your own assumption.

Example: an announcement about changed workshop arrangements

This is our original listening exercise. Read the three questions below first, then play the recording and write down your answers. Listen to the announcement twice for this exercise. Afterwards, open the transcript and check the explanations.

• Practise B1 listening comprehension

Dialogue: booking a table and changing plans

Listen to the customer and waiter twice. Complete four details in Polish. Distinguish the options they discuss from the final choice.

• Practise B1 listening comprehension

After the task: identify the cause, not just the right letter

Compare your answers with the key before opening the transcript. For each mistake, mark the precise passage that supports the answer. Then identify the cause: an unfamiliar word, an unrecognised sound, a missed negative, a misread question or lost concentration.

If you know a word in writing but cannot recognise it in the recording, replay the short passage several times during review. Repeat it aloud, then listen again without the text. If the question's meaning caused the problem, explain in your own words why the other answers do not fit. Memorising a letter alone will offer little help with a new task.

A short practice routine you can repeat regularly

For one session, choose a single task with its paper, audio and answer key. Complete it according to the instructions, analyse mistakes and note two useful expressions. We suggest about 15–20 minutes for this work, depending on the recording's length; this is not an official task limit.

Return to the difficult passage after two days, then test the same skill using new material. Keep your first-attempt result separate from the outcome of repeated listening. The official sample-test page provides papers, recordings, transcripts and keys. Make sure the files belong to the same set.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

Exam rules checked against official sources on 23 September 2026. Follow the detailed instructions in your chosen paper and from your examination centre.

• Official adult B1 exam structurecertyfikatpolski.pl
• Official 2020 B1 sample paper: listening instructionswww.certyfikatpolski.pl
• Official sample papers, recordings and transcriptscertyfikatpolski.pl

How we prepare our guides

MyPolishExam, a platform operated by Artur Starosz AS Project, is responsible for these guides. We use AI to help develop the texts and translations. We compare information about the exam format with the official sources listed in each article. Examples, exercises and explanations are learning materials; we do not present them as assessments or recommendations from an examination board.