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What the B1 Polish exam looks like - part by part

As of 26 October 2026

The certificate exam in Polish at B1 level has five parts: four written parts (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, grammar and writing) and one oral part (speaking). The written part takes no more than 190 minutes, and the oral part no more than 15 minutes. To pass, you need at least 50% of the points in each part.

The five parts at a glance

The times and points in the table come from the official B1 exam papers from 2023 and 2024, published on certyfikatpolski.pl.

In total you can get 160 points, but each part counts separately. A very good score in grammar will not make up for a weak score in listening. If you get less than 50% in any part, you do not pass the exam.

Listening, reading and grammar

Listening comprehension: you listen to recordings and mark your answers. You choose one of several options, decide “yes” or “no”, or match people to opinions. In the 2023 and 2024 papers, the first recording was played only once and the others twice.

Reading comprehension: five tasks with texts. You choose answers, decide whether sentences are true or not, put removed parts back into the text and match titles to texts.

Grammar: eight short tasks in which you choose the correct form or write it yourself. They test, among other things, word endings, conjunctions, comparison of adjectives and adverbs, tenses, verb aspect and mood, prepositions, asking questions and rewriting sentences.

Writing: two texts from one set

In the 2023 and 2024 papers, there were three sets to choose from. You choose one set and write both texts from it: a shorter one (25 to 50 words in those papers) and a longer one (150 to 175 words). Together that is about 200 words.

You can get 30 points for writing, 10 for each of three criteria:

• task completion - the content, form and length of the text
• range of language - vocabulary, sentence structure and style
• accuracy - grammar, spelling and punctuation

So the number of words matters, because length is part of the first criterion. It is a good idea to practise writing with a timer and to check your finished text against these criteria, for example in the B1 bez stresu app.

Speaking: you draw a set

The oral part takes no more than 15 minutes. You draw one of three sets, and each set has two or three tasks. You do the tasks in front of the exam board.

In the sample sets on certyfikatpolski.pl, the tasks are describing a picture, a short talk on a given topic and a conversation with the examiner in a specific situation. You can get 40 points for speaking, so you need at least 20 to pass this part.

What to bring to the exam

• an identity document with a photo - you show it when you enter the exam room
• a pen - you may not write in pencil or use correction fluid
• the exam schedule, so you know when and where you need to be

You may not bring any aids, such as notes, into the room, or any devices that can send, receive or record information, such as a phone. If you break this rule, the chair of the exam board stops your exam and cancels it, so it is best to leave your phone outside the room.

What happens on exam day

1. Arrive on time, as shown in the schedule. Check the times of the written and oral parts in advance with the exam centre where you are taking the exam.
2. You enter the room one at a time, in the order on the list, and show your photo ID.
3. You sign the exam papers in the marked place and check that nothing is missing. If something is missing, tell the exam board.
4. There is a break of at least 10 minutes between the written modules. You leave the room during the break.
5. If you finish a module early, you give your work to a member of the exam board and leave.
6. In the oral part, you draw a set and do the tasks in front of the exam board. The whole oral part takes no more than 15 minutes.

During the exam, you do not talk to other candidates and you do not leave your seat. You get your result in writing. If you do not agree with the marks for the written part, you can ask the Państwowa Komisja do spraw Poświadczania Znajomości Języka Polskiego jako Obcego (State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language) to check it again within 21 days of receiving your result. The fee is EUR 20 or the equivalent in złoty.

Organisational details, such as the times and the order of the parts, are confirmed by the exam centre where you take the exam.