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100+ Free CELI 5 (C2) Practice Questions

Pass your CELI 5 — C2 (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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ASCOLTO — Ascolta la relazione economica e rispondi. Trascrizione: "L'inflazione, pur in rallentamento, resta al di sopra dell'obiettivo del 2% fissato dalla banca centrale; di conseguenza, è improbabile un taglio dei tassi nel breve periodo." Cosa si prevede per i tassi d'interesse? (LISTENING — Listen to the economic report and answer. Transcript: "Inflation, though slowing, remains above the central bank's 2% target; consequently, a rate cut is unlikely in the short term." What is forecast for interest rates?)

A
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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CELI 5 (C2) Exam

CELI 5 (C2) is the top level of the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia's Italian certification, testing near-native mastery of reading, listening, linguistic competence, writing and speaking; this free bank drills the objective C2 reading, grammar and listening items.

Sample CELI 5 (C2) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CELI 5 (C2) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Leggi il brano e rispondi. "La sua prosa, lungi dall'essere algida, vibra di una sotterranea passione che il lettore percepisce solo a una seconda, più avvertita lettura." Cosa intende l'autore con l'espressione "lungi dall'essere algida"? (Read the passage and answer. "His prose, far from being icy, vibrates with an underground passion that the reader perceives only on a second, more attentive reading." What does the author mean by the expression "far from being icy"?)
A.La prosa è scritta in modo glaciale e distaccato (The prose is written in a glacial and detached manner)
B.Contrariamente a quanto si potrebbe credere, la prosa non è fredda (Contrary to what one might think, the prose is not cold)
C.La prosa parla del freddo e del gelo (The prose deals with cold and frost)
D.La prosa è priva di qualsiasi emozione (The prose lacks any emotion)
Explanation: "Lungi dall'essere" is a formal C2 construction meaning 'far from being', which negates the adjective that follows. "Algida" (literary for 'icy/cold') is therefore denied: the prose is NOT cold but actually passionate. The phrase sets up a contrast immediately confirmed by "vibra di passione".
2Scegli la parola che meglio completa la frase in un registro formale. "Il provvedimento, una volta ________ in Gazzetta Ufficiale, acquisterà piena efficacia giuridica." (Choose the word that best completes the sentence in a formal register. "The measure, once ________ in the Official Gazette, will acquire full legal effect.")
A.messo (put)
B.scritto (written)
C.pubblicato (published)
D.detto (said)
Explanation: In legal-administrative Italian, a law or measure is 'pubblicato in Gazzetta Ufficiale' — this is the fixed collocation for official publication that confers legal effect. C2 requires command of specialized registers and their set phrases.
3Completa con la forma verbale corretta. "Se solo me l'________ detto prima, avrei potuto rimediare in tempo." (Complete with the correct verb form. "If only you ________ told me earlier, I could have remedied it in time.")
A.avessi (had — congiuntivo trapassato)
B.avresti (would have — condizionale)
C.avevi (had — indicativo imperfetto)
D.abbia (have — congiuntivo presente)
Explanation: This is a third-type (impossible/past) hypothetical: the protasis takes the congiuntivo trapassato 'avessi detto' and the apodosis the condizionale composto 'avrei potuto'. "Se solo" reinforces an unreal regret about the past, requiring 'avessi'.
4Quale espressione idiomatica significa 'rendere le cose ancora più difficili in una situazione già complicata'? (Which idiomatic expression means 'to make things even more difficult in an already complicated situation'?)
A.Gettare acqua sul fuoco (to throw water on the fire)
B.Mettere il carro davanti ai buoi (to put the cart before the oxen)
C.Gettare benzina sul fuoco (to throw petrol on the fire)
D.Tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino (to draw water to one's own mill)
Explanation: "Gettare benzina sul fuoco" means to aggravate an already tense or difficult situation — literally adding fuel to a fire. C2 candidates must distinguish near-identical idioms with opposite or unrelated meanings.
5Leggi il brano giornalistico e rispondi. "L'ennesimo rinvio del piano infrastrutturale ha esasperato gli amministratori locali, ormai stanchi di promesse disattese che si susseguono da un decennio." Qual è il tono dominante del passaggio? (Read the journalistic passage and answer. "The umpteenth postponement of the infrastructure plan has exasperated local administrators, by now tired of broken promises that have followed one another for a decade." What is the dominant tone of the passage?)
A.Entusiastico e ottimista (enthusiastic and optimistic)
B.Critico e di denuncia (critical and accusatory)
C.Neutrale e puramente descrittivo (neutral and purely descriptive)
D.Ironico e scherzoso (ironic and playful)
Explanation: Loaded vocabulary signals the tone: "ennesimo" (umpteenth, expressing frustration), "esasperato", "promesse disattese" (broken promises). These value-laden choices create a critical, denunciatory register typical of editorial journalism — a key C2 reading skill is detecting authorial stance through word choice.
6Completa la frase con il connettivo più appropriato. "L'azienda ha registrato perdite ingenti; ________, ha deciso di non licenziare alcun dipendente." (Complete the sentence with the most appropriate connective. "The company recorded huge losses; ________, it decided not to lay off any employee.")
A.pertanto (therefore)
B.ciononostante (nevertheless)
C.ossia (that is)
D.infatti (indeed)
Explanation: There is a contrast between heavy losses (expected to cause layoffs) and the decision NOT to fire anyone. The concessive connective "ciononostante" (nevertheless/despite this) correctly signals that the second clause runs counter to expectation.
7Quale parola è sinonimo di 'effimero' in un contesto letterario? (Which word is a synonym of 'effimero' (ephemeral) in a literary context?)
A.duraturo (lasting)
B.caduco (transient/perishable)
C.tangibile (tangible)
D.imperituro (everlasting)
Explanation: "Effimero" means short-lived/fleeting; its literary synonym is "caduco" (perishable, transient, prone to fading). C2 vocabulary tests fine synonymy among elevated, low-frequency adjectives.
8Completa con la preposizione corretta. "Mi sono imbattuto ________ un'edizione rarissima di quel romanzo." (Complete with the correct preposition. "I came across ________ a very rare edition of that novel.")
A.su (on)
B.in (in)
C.con (with)
D.di (of)
Explanation: The verb "imbattersi" (to come across / run into by chance) is governed by the preposition 'in': 'imbattersi IN qualcosa/qualcuno'. Mastery of verb-preposition government is essential at C2.
9Leggi e individua l'inferenza corretta. "Benché non lo ammettesse apertamente, dal modo in cui evitava lo sguardo dei colleghi traspariva un certo imbarazzo per l'accaduto." Cosa si deduce dal testo? (Read and identify the correct inference. "Although he would not admit it openly, from the way he avoided his colleagues' gaze a certain embarrassment about what had happened could be discerned." What can be inferred from the text?)
A.Aveva dichiarato apertamente il proprio imbarazzo (He had openly declared his embarrassment)
B.Non provava alcun imbarazzo (He felt no embarrassment at all)
C.Era imbarazzato pur non volendolo riconoscere (He was embarrassed even though he did not want to acknowledge it)
D.Era orgoglioso di ciò che era successo (He was proud of what had happened)
Explanation: "Benché non lo ammettesse" tells us he refused to admit it, while "traspariva un certo imbarazzo" tells us the embarrassment showed despite him. The inference combines both: real but unacknowledged embarrassment. C2 reading requires integrating concessive clauses with implied evidence.
10Scegli la forma corretta del periodo ipotetico misto. "Se avessi studiato medicina, oggi ________ medico." (Choose the correct form of the mixed conditional. "If I had studied medicine, today I ________ a doctor.")
A.sarei stato (would have been)
B.sarei (would be)
C.fossi (were — subjunctive)
D.sarò (will be)
Explanation: This is a mixed hypothetical: past unreal condition ('se avessi studiato') with a present consequence ('oggi'). The result clause therefore takes the present conditional 'sarei', not the past conditional. The adverb 'oggi' anchors the consequence in the present.

About the CELI 5 (C2) Exam

The CELI 5 is the highest level of the CELI (Certificati di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) system, corresponding to level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. It is produced and administered by the CVCL — the language assessment and certification centre of the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia — and delivered through accredited exam centres worldwide, including Italian Cultural Institutes. CELI 5 certifies a command of Italian comparable, or almost, to that of an educated native speaker: candidates can use the language successfully in any context of study or work, grasp subtle nuances of meaning, and handle complex literary, academic, journalistic and specialized texts. The exam consists of five parts — Reading Comprehension (Part A), Written Production (Part B), Linguistic Competence (Part C), Listening Comprehension (Part D) and an Oral Production interview. The Written test (Parts A–D) is marked out of 150 and the Oral out of 50, for a total of 200; the exam is passed with 117 points or more, provided the minimum of 89 on the Written and 28 on the Oral is met. C-level CELI exams are offered in the June and November sessions; the June 2026 standard session is held on Tuesday 9 June 2026. This free practice bank focuses on the objective Reading, Linguistic Competence and Listening sections, calibrated to C2 mastery level.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

About 5 hours total: approximately 2 h 45 min for written production, 1 h 40 min for the linguistic competence and listening fascicles, and a separate ~20 min oral interview.

Passing Score

Total 117–200 out of 200 (Written 150 + Oral 50), with a minimum of 89/150 on the Written test and 28/50 on the Oral test. Grades A, B and C pass; D and E fail.

Exam Fee

Varies by exam centre, generally around 110–160 EUR for C-level exams in 2026 (roughly 140 EUR is common). Italian Cultural Institutes and university centres set local prices — confirm with your centre. (CVCL — Centro per la Valutazione e le Certificazioni Linguistiche, Universita per Stranieri di Perugia.)

CELI 5 (C2) Exam Content Outline

20%

Reading Comprehension (Parte A)

Complex literary, academic and journalistic texts: detailed meaning, authorial stance, tone, irony, inference, and figurative/specialized language at C2 mastery level.

30%

Written Production (Parte B)

Open compositions (essay/article/report plus a second task) assessed on C2 scales. Productive section, not part of this multiple-choice bank.

10%

Linguistic Competence (Parte C)

Completion/cloze and objective items on advanced grammar, mood and tense, prepositions, clitics, derivation, collocations and register.

15%

Listening Comprehension (Parte D)

Complex spoken Italian (lectures, debates, interviews, news, announcements) with multiple-choice and completion items on main idea, attitude and inference.

25%

Oral Production

Spoken interview assessing fluent, accurate, nuanced C2 production. Productive section, not part of this multiple-choice bank.

How to Pass the CELI 5 (C2) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Total 117–200 out of 200 (Written 150 + Oral 50), with a minimum of 89/150 on the Written test and 28/50 on the Oral test. Grades A, B and C pass; D and E fail.
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: About 5 hours total: approximately 2 h 45 min for written production, 1 h 40 min for the linguistic competence and listening fascicles, and a separate ~20 min oral interview.
  • Exam fee: Varies by exam centre, generally around 110–160 EUR for C-level exams in 2026 (roughly 140 EUR is common). Italian Cultural Institutes and university centres set local prices — confirm with your centre.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CELI 5 (C2) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read widely in authentic registers — Italian literary fiction, broadsheet editorials and academic essays — and practice identifying tone, irony, authorial stance and figurative language, which the C2 reading part tests heavily.
2Drill the advanced grammar that the Linguistic Competence part targets: the full subjunctive system, mixed hypothetical periods, reported speech back-shift, clitic clusters (gliene, ce ne) and consecutio temporum.
3Build a deep bank of idioms, proverbs, collocations and near-synonyms, and learn to distinguish look-alike idioms (gettare acqua sul fuoco vs benzina sul fuoco) that the C2 vocabulary items exploit.
4Train listening on complex authentic audio — lectures, debates, interviews and radio editorials — and practice catching the speaker's attitude, reformulations and implied meaning rather than just surface facts.
5Master specialized and formal registers (legal, economic, scientific, institutional) so set phrases such as 'pubblicato in Gazzetta Ufficiale' or 'effetti collaterali' feel automatic.
6Sit timed full-length CELI 5 sample papers from the CVCL so you are comfortable with the ~5-hour exam load and the partial-credit scoring on the productive tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What level is the CELI 5 and who awards it?

CELI 5 corresponds to level C2 (mastery) of the CEFR — the highest of the six CELI levels. It is produced and awarded by the CVCL, the language assessment and certification centre of the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia, and delivered through accredited exam centres worldwide.

How is the CELI 5 (C2) exam structured?

It has five parts: Part A Reading Comprehension, Part B Written Production, Part C Linguistic Competence, Part D Listening Comprehension, and an Oral Production interview. The Written test (Parts A–D) is worth 150 points and the Oral 50, for a total of 200.

What score do I need to pass the CELI 5 (C2)?

You need at least 117 out of 200 overall, with a minimum of 89/150 on the Written test and 28/50 on the Oral test. Results are graded A (173–200), B (144–172) and C (117–143) as passes; D and E are failing.

How long does the CELI 5 (C2) exam take?

About 5 hours in total: roughly 2 hours 45 minutes for written production, about 1 hour 40 minutes for the linguistic competence and listening fascicles, and a separate oral interview of about 20 minutes.

When can I sit the CELI 5 (C2) in 2026?

C-level CELI exams (C1 and C2) are offered in the June and November sessions. The June 2026 standard CELI session is held on Tuesday 9 June 2026; confirm the exact date and registration deadline with your local exam centre.

Does the CELI 5 (C2) have multiple-choice sections?

Yes. The Reading Comprehension, Linguistic Competence and Listening Comprehension parts use objective items (multiple choice, completion/cloze and matching). Written Production and Oral Production are open productive tasks. This free bank focuses on the objective sections.