100+ Free PLIDA B2 Practice Questions

Pass your PLIDA B2 — Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri, Level B2 exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

1 / 100

Question 1

Score: 0/0

Leggi e completa con la forma verbale corretta. FRASE: «Credevo che tu ______ già la notizia, invece non ne sapevi nulla.» (SENTENCE: "I thought you ______ the news already, but instead you knew nothing about it.")

sapessi (knew — imperfect subjunctive)

saprai (will know)

sappia (know — present subjunctive)

sai (know — indicative)

to track

Same family resources

Explore More PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri)

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: PLIDA B2 Exam

PLIDA B2 is the upper-intermediate Italian certificate from the Società Dante Alighieri, testing listening, reading, writing and speaking; the receptive Ascoltare and Leggere tests are entirely closed-response, each scored out of 30 with an 18/30 pass mark per skill.

Sample PLIDA B2 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PLIDA B2 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Ascolta il brano e rispondi. BRANO (audio): «Il giallo ormai è diventato alla portata di tutti, ha invaso qualsiasi genere. Uno apre un libro, apre un giallo, e una certezza ce l'ha: l'assassino lo troviamo. Questo credo sia uno dei motivi per cui il giallo alla gente piace, perché almeno da quel punto di vista trova la soluzione che cerca nella vita normale e che non arriva mai.» (AUDIO: "The crime novel is now within everyone's reach; it has invaded every genre. You open a book, you open a crime novel, and you have one certainty: we find the killer. I think this is one of the reasons people like crime fiction — at least there they find the resolution they look for in everyday life but never get.") Secondo lo scrittore, perché il giallo piace al pubblico? (According to the writer, why does the public like crime fiction?)

A.Perché offre la certezza di una soluzione che la vita reale non dà. (Because it offers the certainty of a resolution that real life does not give.)

B.Perché è più economico degli altri generi letterari. (Because it is cheaper than other literary genres.)

C.Perché descrive crimini realmente accaduti. (Because it describes crimes that really happened.)

D.Perché è scritto in un linguaggio molto semplice. (Because it is written in very simple language.)

Explanation: B2 listening tests inference of the speaker's main point. The speaker explicitly says people find 'la soluzione che cerca nella vita normale e che non arriva mai' — the appeal is the guaranteed resolution that real life withholds. Option 0 paraphrases this idea.

2Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Il mio primo romanzo era in parte autobiografico, nel senso che ho usato una parte della mia storia per raccontare la storia di altri. Poi mi sono dedicato al noir, perché sono convinto che scrivere una storia criminale sia di fatto una scusa per raccontare altro: la realtà storica, politica, sociale che circonda gli avvenimenti del romanzo.» (AUDIO: "My first novel was partly autobiographical... Then I devoted myself to noir, because I'm convinced that writing a crime story is in fact an excuse to recount something else: the historical, political and social reality surrounding the events of the novel.") Per lo scrittore, scrivere un noir è soprattutto un modo per... (For the writer, writing noir is above all a way to...)

A.intrattenere il lettore con la suspense. (entertain the reader with suspense.)

B.raccontare la realtà storica e sociale circostante. (recount the surrounding historical and social reality.)

C.rendere omaggio ai grandi autori del passato. (pay homage to the great authors of the past.)

D.descrivere la propria vita in modo nascosto. (describe his own life in a hidden way.)

Explanation: The key phrase 'una scusa per raccontare altro: la realtà storica, politica, sociale' tells you the crime plot is a pretext for portraying society. Option 1 restates this. At B2 you must distinguish the writer's deeper purpose from surface elements.

3Ascolta il brano e rispondi. BRANO (audio): «Volevo scrivere una storia strana, strampalata, ma cercavo un escamotage per renderla leggibile. Ho pensato alla formula del giallo, perché il giallo trascina il lettore, e mi piaceva confrontare visioni del mondo del tutto diverse: quelle della polizia, dei giudici, dell'assassino.» (AUDIO: "I wanted to write a strange, bizarre story, but I was looking for a device to make it readable. I thought of the crime-fiction formula, because crime fiction pulls the reader along, and I liked contrasting completely different worldviews: those of the police, the judges, the killer.") Perché lo scrittore ha scelto la forma del giallo? (Why did the writer choose the crime-fiction form?)

A.Perché voleva scrivere un romanzo storico tradizionale. (Because he wanted to write a traditional historical novel.)

B.Perché conosceva personalmente molti poliziotti. (Because he personally knew many police officers.)

C.Perché coinvolge il lettore e permette di confrontare visioni diverse. (Because it engages the reader and lets him contrast different viewpoints.)

D.Perché è il genere più facile da pubblicare. (Because it is the easiest genre to get published.)

Explanation: Two reasons are stated: 'il giallo trascina il lettore' (engages the reader) and 'mi piaceva confrontare visioni del mondo del tutto diverse' (contrasting worldviews). Option 2 combines both. B2 listening often requires holding two pieces of information.

4Ascolta il brano e rispondi. BRANO (audio): «Scrivere gialli per me significa indagare sulle mie paure e trovare quella chiave del racconto per cui la mia paura diventa comprensibile ed empatica con quella di chi mi legge. Cerco una verità dentro di me, una verità che mi spaventa: del presente, della morte, di quello che mi può accadere.» (AUDIO: "For me, writing crime stories means investigating my own fears and finding the key whereby my fear becomes understandable and empathetic with that of my readers. I look for a truth inside me, a truth that frightens me: about the present, about death, about what might happen to me.") Per lo scrittore, scrivere gialli è un modo per... (For the writer, writing crime stories is a way to...)

A.esplorare e condividere le proprie paure. (explore and share his own fears.)

B.guadagnare bene e diventare famoso. (earn well and become famous.)

C.evitare di pensare alla morte. (avoid thinking about death.)

D.criticare la società contemporanea. (criticise contemporary society.)

Explanation: The speaker says writing means 'indagare sulle mie paure' so that his fear becomes 'empatica con quella di chi mi legge' — exploring and sharing fear with readers. Option 0 is the synthesis.

5Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Cento anni fa gli europei rappresentavano forse più di un quinto dell'intera popolazione del globo. Oggi rappresentano un decimo, e tra una cinquantina di anni saranno meno di un quindicesimo della popolazione mondiale. Dal punto di vista demografico, l'Europa sta diventando molto più piccola rispetto al passato.» (AUDIO: "A hundred years ago Europeans were perhaps more than a fifth of the world's population. Today they are a tenth, and in about fifty years they will be less than a fifteenth. Demographically, Europe is becoming much smaller than in the past.") Il cambiamento più evidente dell'Europa recente riguarda... (The most evident change in recent Europe concerns...)

A.l'aumento della sua ricchezza economica. (the increase in its economic wealth.)

B.il suo peso demografico nel mondo, in calo. (its declining demographic weight in the world.)

C.l'estensione dei suoi confini fisici. (the extension of its physical borders.)

D.la perdita della sua lingua comune. (the loss of its common language.)

Explanation: The whole passage tracks Europe's shrinking share of world population (one fifth → one tenth → one fifteenth). The 'change' is demographic decline relative to the world. Option 1 captures this.

6Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «L'Europa è stata quasi per 500 anni esportatrice di persone, popolando altri continenti, mentre da qualche decennio è diventata importatrice. Il grande problema europeo è quello di essere un continente rimasto estremamente eterogeneo: cinquant'anni di unificazione economica non hanno portato all'omogeneizzazione che dovrebbe esserci.» (AUDIO: "For nearly 500 years Europe exported people, populating other continents, while for some decades it has become an importer. Europe's great problem is being a continent that has remained extremely heterogeneous: fifty years of economic unification have not produced the homogenisation there should be.") La difficoltà maggiore per l'Europa di oggi, secondo l'esperto, è... (According to the expert, the greatest difficulty for Europe today is...)

A.l'eccessiva paura del futuro. (an excessive fear of the future.)

B.l'attenzione esagerata ai temi economici. (excessive attention to economic matters.)

C.il persistere di troppe differenze interne. (the persistence of too many internal differences.)

D.la mancanza di risorse naturali. (the lack of natural resources.)

Explanation: The speaker names the 'grande problema europeo' as remaining 'estremamente eterogeneo' — persistent internal differences despite unification. Option 2 paraphrases 'eterogeneo'.

7Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Abbiamo deciso di fare il robot piccolo per richiamare l'idea dell'apprendimento — il bambino che apprende — ma anche per una questione pratica: un robot di queste dimensioni consente a chiunque di usarlo. Lo posso usare io, un robotico, ma anche un informatico, uno psicologo, un neuroscienziato.» (AUDIO: "We decided to make the robot small to evoke the idea of learning — the learning child — but also for a practical reason: a robot this size can be used by anyone. I, a roboticist, can use it, but so can a computer scientist, a psychologist, a neuroscientist.") Il lavoro in open source sul robot ha portato risultati in termini di... (The open-source work on the robot brought results in terms of...)

A.qualità della programmazione. (programming quality.)

B.coinvolgimento della comunità scientifica. (involvement of the scientific community.)

C.efficienza nella raccolta dei fondi. (efficiency in fundraising.)

D.riduzione dei costi di produzione. (reduction of production costs.)

Explanation: The small, open design lets 'chiunque' — roboticists, computer scientists, psychologists, neuroscientists — use it, i.e. it draws in the wider scientific community. Option 1 is the result the speaker emphasises.

8Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Adesso gli abbiamo dato la capacità di stare in piedi e camminare; stiamo facendo una versione nuova dove il robot è un po' più alto, quindi cresce proprio. Avevamo bisogno di mettere più sensori e siamo riusciti a mettere questo sensore tattile, credo sia l'unica piattaforma con un corpo coperto di sensori tattili per gestire l'interazione con l'essere umano.» (AUDIO: "Now we have given it the ability to stand and walk; we are making a new version where the robot is a bit taller, so it actually grows. We needed to add more sensors and we managed to add this tactile sensor — I think it is the only platform with a body covered in tactile sensors to handle interaction with humans.") L'altezza del robot è aumentata perché in questo modo il robot... (The robot's height has increased because in this way the robot...)

A.è più simile a un bambino vero. (is more similar to a real child.)

B.fa movimenti più complessi. (makes more complex movements.)

C.può contenere più componenti. (can hold more components.)

D.consuma meno energia. (uses less energy.)

Explanation: The taller version is linked to needing/adding more sensors: 'Avevamo bisogno di mettere più sensori'. The increased size accommodates more components. Option 2 reflects this causal link, which B2 listeners must infer.

9Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Mentre la spesa delle aziende per finanziare la ricerca delle università è in calo, la spesa per la ricerca propria, quella fatta in casa, è in aumento addirittura del 24%. E questo aumento si registra dal 2007 in qui, cioè nel periodo della crisi: vuol dire che anche le aziende italiane hanno cominciato a rispondere con l'innovazione alle difficoltà.» (AUDIO: "While companies' spending to fund university research is falling, spending on their own in-house research is rising — by as much as 24%. And this rise has been recorded since 2007, i.e. during the crisis: it means Italian companies too have started responding to difficulties with innovation.") L'aumento della ricerca nelle aziende è, secondo l'economista... (According to the economist, the increase in research within companies is...)

A.una conseguenza dei problemi del mondo universitario. (a consequence of the problems of the university world.)

B.il risultato di un cambio generazionale fra gli imprenditori. (the result of a generational change among entrepreneurs.)

C.la reazione delle imprese alla lunga fase di recessione economica. (firms' reaction to the long phase of economic recession.)

D.una decisione imposta dal governo italiano. (a decision imposed by the Italian government.)

Explanation: The economist ties the 24% rise to the crisis period ('dal 2007 in qui... nel periodo della crisi') and says firms 'hanno cominciato a rispondere con l'innovazione alle difficoltà'. So in-house research grew as a reaction to recession. Option 2 matches.

10Ascolta il brano e completa la frase. BRANO (audio): «Noi pensiamo che il ricercatore sia necessariamente chi lavora in università, chi scrive libri; ma il ricercatore è anche colui che crea processi e prodotti dentro il sistema produttivo, utili per la società, non solo per vincere un concorso.» (AUDIO: "We think a researcher is necessarily someone who works in a university, who writes books; but a researcher is also the person who creates processes and products within the production system, useful for society, not just to win a competitive exam.") In Italia la ricerca svolta nel settore privato è ancora poco... (In Italy, research carried out in the private sector is still little...)

A.rigorosa. (rigorous.)

B.competitiva. (competitive.)

C.valorizzata. (valued / recognised.)

D.costosa. (expensive.)

Explanation: The speaker argues that the researcher figure is wrongly limited to academia, implying private-sector research is under-recognised. The official answer is 'valorizzata' (valued). 'Valorizzare' = to give value/recognition to something.

About the PLIDA B2 Exam

PLIDA B2 is the upper-intermediate level of the PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) certification, the official Italian-as-a-foreign-language qualification issued by the Società Dante Alighieri under an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the University of Roma La Sapienza. The B2 exam tests four skills — Ascoltare (listening), Leggere (reading), Scrivere (writing) and Parlare (speaking) — and certifies that a candidate can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract subjects, interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity, and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics. The two receptive tests (Listening and Reading) are entirely closed-response: Ascoltare has 18 items across four parts in 50 minutes, and Leggere has 15 items across four parts in 70 minutes. Item types include four-option multiple choice, summary-sentence matching, gap-fill from a list, text-attribution tables and paragraph reinsertion. Each skill is marked out of 30, and a candidate must score at least 18/30 in every skill to pass. B2 is widely used as the minimum level for enrolment in Italian universities and is a strong asset for work in Italy; lower levels (A2 for the long-term EU residence permit, B1 for citizenship) cover other administrative requirements.

Questions

33 scored questions

Time Limit

Receptive (multiple-choice) tests: Ascoltare 50 minutes (audios played twice, plus 10 minutes to transfer answers) and Leggere 70 minutes. The production tests — Scrivere (about 60 minutes) and Parlare (about 15 minutes) — are separate and not multiple-choice.

Passing Score

Sufficiency of 18 out of 30 must be reached in EACH of the four skills (Ascoltare, Leggere, Scrivere, Parlare). All four minimums must be met for the certificate to be issued.

Exam Fee

Set by each authorised PLIDA centre; commonly around €80–€120 for the full B2 exam in Italy (one centre, for example, charges €100 plus a €100 administrative fee). Check your local centre for the exact amount. (Società Dante Alighieri, through its worldwide network of authorised PLIDA examination centres.)

PLIDA B2 Exam Content Outline

50%

Ascoltare — Listening Comprehension

18 items across four parts in 50 minutes: matching spoken texts to summary sentences, multiple-choice completion after interviews and monologues, and gap-fill from a list. Audios are played twice; topics span culture, science, society and current affairs.

50%

Leggere — Reading Comprehension

15 items across four parts in 70 minutes: four-option multiple choice on a long text, text-attribution tables (text A/B/both), paragraph reinsertion to restore cohesion, and question-to-paragraph matching. Tests detail, inference, register and B2 vocabulary and grammar.

How to Pass the PLIDA B2 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Sufficiency of 18 out of 30 must be reached in EACH of the four skills (Ascoltare, Leggere, Scrivere, Parlare). All four minimums must be met for the certificate to be issued.
Exam length: 33 questions
Time limit: Receptive (multiple-choice) tests: Ascoltare 50 minutes (audios played twice, plus 10 minutes to transfer answers) and Leggere 70 minutes. The production tests — Scrivere (about 60 minutes) and Parlare (about 15 minutes) — are separate and not multiple-choice.
Exam fee: Set by each authorised PLIDA centre; commonly around €80–€120 for the full B2 exam in Italy (one centre, for example, charges €100 plus a €100 administrative fee). Check your local centre for the exact amount.

Keys to Passing

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

PLIDA B2 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Listen to authentic Italian interviews, podcasts and radio programmes on culture, science and current affairs, and practise catching both specific details and the speaker's overall attitude, since B2 listening rewards inference.

2Master the congiuntivo (present, past, imperfect and trapassato) and its triggers — verbs of opinion, impersonal expressions, and conjunctions like benché, sebbene, affinché and a patto che — because the subjunctive is heavily tested at B2.

3Drill the periodo ipotetico, especially the third type (se avessi saputo... sarei venuto), and the futuro nel passato in reported speech, as these are classic B2 grammar points.

4Build a bank of connectives (tuttavia, pertanto, poiché, purché, lungi dall'essere) and practise choosing the right one to express contrast, cause, purpose or condition.

5For the Leggere paragraph-reinsertion and attribution tasks, practise tracking the logical flow of an argument and identifying which idea a sentence refers to, rather than just matching keywords.

6Take full timed practice of Ascoltare (50 minutes) and Leggere (70 minutes) so you are comfortable with the pacing, and remember that each listening audio is played twice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PLIDA B2 and who issues it?

PLIDA B2 is the upper-intermediate (CEFR B2) level of the PLIDA Italian-as-a-foreign-language certification, issued by the Società Dante Alighieri. It certifies that you can understand complex texts and discussions and express yourself fluently on a wide range of concrete and abstract topics.

How are the Ascoltare and Leggere tests structured?

Ascoltare (Listening) has 18 closed-response items in four parts and lasts 50 minutes, with each audio played twice. Leggere (Reading) has 15 closed-response items in four parts and lasts 70 minutes. Item types include multiple choice, matching, gap-fill from a list and text-attribution tables.

What score do I need to pass PLIDA B2?

Each of the four skills — Ascoltare, Leggere, Scrivere and Parlare — is graded out of 30, and you must reach the sufficiency mark of 18/30 in every skill. Failing even one skill means the full certificate is not awarded, although passed skills can usually be carried over for a limited time.

Are the PLIDA B2 listening and reading tests multiple-choice?

Yes. The two receptive tests, Ascoltare and Leggere, are entirely closed-response (multiple choice, matching, gap-fill and attribution tables). Only the Scrivere (writing) and Parlare (speaking) tests are open production tasks scored by examiners.

What is PLIDA B2 used for?

B2 is widely accepted as the minimum Italian level required to enrol in Italian universities and is a valuable proof of language ability for work in Italy. For administrative purposes, A2 is required for the long-term EU residence permit and B1 for Italian citizenship.

How much does the PLIDA B2 exam cost?

The fee is set by each authorised PLIDA centre rather than centrally. In Italy it is commonly around €80–€120 for the full B2 exam; one centre, for example, charges a €100 exam fee plus a €100 administrative fee. Always confirm the price with your local centre.