Reviewed by the PolishReady team
How to Prepare for the Polish B1 Exam: 6-Week Study Plan
A week-by-week B1 plan with hours, skills, and exam-format drills — not a second overview of the certificate. Built for candidates who already use everyday Polish.
Key takeaways
- This plan is an exam sprint for people who already use daily Polish, not a beginner course.
- Steal hours from your strongest paper; adult B1 fails per section, not on an average.
- Weeks 1–3 diagnose and lock input; weeks 4–5 are handwritten writing and recorded speaking.
- Week 6 is one full mock plus documents and route — not a new textbook.
This is a study calendar, not another “what is B1” page. Use the B1 preparation guide for pass rules and who needs the certificate. Use this plan only if you already function in daily Polish and need six weeks of exam-shaped work.
Protect the weak paper first. Adult B1 is 50% in each section. If writing is slow, weeks 4–5 get extra hours even if reading feels comfortable. The table below is the default split; steal hours from your strongest paper, never from the one you fail in a mock.
Every session should look like the exam: timed questions, two listens, a handwritten letter, or a recording. Vocabulary lists and grammar PDFs only count when they sit inside one of those tasks.
Week 1 is diagnostic only: one timed task per paper, honest notes, no new textbook. Weeks 2–3 are input (reading scan, two-pass listening, case drills after prepositions). Weeks 4–5 are output (letter formats and picture/role-play recordings).
Week 6 is one full timed set plus logistics: ID, route, pens, confirmation email. Sleep beats a new grammar chapter. A tired candidate repeats mistakes they already know.
Follow the table in order. Link each drill to the matching PolishReady B1 skill page. For session weekends and who sits B1 vs B2, open the 2026 dates page and confirm at your centre — this plan does not replace the calendar.
Week-by-week hours and drills
| Week | Hours | Focus | Exam-format drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6–8 | Diagnose all five papers | One timed task per skill on the B1 prep hub; write the weak paper at the top of a note. |
| 2 | 8–10 | Reading under time + two-pass listening | B1 reading notices/articles with a timer; B1 listening with gist then details. |
| 3 | 8–10 | Grammar that carries points | Case-after-preposition drills and agreement in phrases you will reuse in the letter. |
| 4 | 8–10 | Handwritten letters | Two formal letters (complaint + request) by hand; upload for structured feedback. |
| 5 | 8–10 | Picture + role-play speaking | Record a 60-second picture description and one shop or office role-play each day. |
| 6 | 6–8 | Full mock and logistics | One complete timed set; exam-day checklist; confirm the 2026 weekend at your centre. |