Did you know that the B2 level is considered by many to be the first stage of fluency? It’s true, and if you have a B1 level right now, you’re almost there. That’s pretty impressive!
You must have studied for so many hours to get to where you are today, and now you’re reaching an incredible level where your abilities to speak and understand will skyrocket.
Personally, I just reached this level in French last month, and I’m shocked, I mean, we’re only one level away from fluency!
Let’s go over this super important B1 vocabulary so that you can be on your way to mastering the B1 level and move forward to the new life that awaits you.
What Does It Mean To Have A B1 In English?
Achieving a B1 level in English implies a solid intermediate proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
At this stage, individuals can effectively communicate on familiar topics, expressing themselves with clarity in everyday conversations.
It’s estimated that to reach this level, one needs a vocabulary of about 1,900 words, and about 400 hours of total time studied. With a B1 level in English you should be able to:
Introduce yourself (more or less) fluently
Have basic conversations while making some mistakes
Talk about your background, family, hobbies, and interests
Go to a restaurant and order in the language
Read and understand stories for children
Practical Strategies for Learning B1 Vocabulary
If you haven’t quite reached the B1 level yet, many methods can get you there quickly. For example, it took me only 2 months to get from A2 to B1 in French! In this section, I’ll tell you exactly how I was able to achieve that in such a short amount of time.
Immersive learning techniques
There are many ways that you can immerse yourself in the English language, even if you don’t live in an English-speaking country. My favorite techniques that I personally use are:
Journaling using Google translate
Listening to comprehensible input videos
Watch videos of simple conversations in English (and study them)
Listen to English music and read the lyrics
Read stories in English
B1 Level English Adjective List
In the chart I created below, I put 18 of the most commonly used (B1) adjectives. If you learn all of these, you’ll be in a good position to pass a B1 English test. Here is the link to a Quizlet Flashcard deck that I made for you with these words.
B1 English Adjective | Sentence Example |
Happy | I am happy |
Sad | That song is sad |
Angry | Your brother is angry |
Excited | My mother is excited |
Nervous | I am nervous for the meeting |
Tired | She's tired from working |
Funny | Your father is funny |
Serious | Act serious! This isn't a joke |
Busy | Are you busy right now? |
Kind | He is a kind man |
Mean | They are mean people |
Late | You arrived late, again |
Early | I tried to arrive early |
Successful | You will be successful learning English |
Unsuccessful | He was unsuccessful in his attempts |
Responsible | She needs to be responsible |
Irresponsible | He is so irresponsible |
Delicious | This ice-cream is delicious |
B1 Level English Verb List
You probably already know some of these verbs but make sure you have all of them memorized because they are needed to be at the B1 level in English. Read them over and if you are having a hard time remembering some - use this Quizlet Flashcard Deck that I made for you with all of them.
B1 English Verb | Sentence Example |
To go | I want to go home |
To come | Does she want to come tonight? |
To work | I don't want to work |
To read | I am going to read today |
To write | I will write a book |
To speak | Do you know how to speak English? |
To listen | I want to listen to music |
To watch | I could watch movies everyday |
To understand | I wish I could understand English better |
To study | I am going to study English everyday |
To learn | I want to learn Spanish |
To teach | I am going to teach French |
To buy | I did not buy that book |
To sell | Can you sell me a cup of juice? |
To call | Try to call me this evening |
To visit | I will visit Peru |
To eat | I want to eat soon |
To drink | Would you like something to drink? |
To cook | I want to cook today |
To clean | I tried to clean the house |
To travel | I like to travel sometimes |
To live | I want to live in Brazil |
To ask | I would like to ask you something |
To answer | Can you answer the question? |
To tell | Try to tell me something I don't know |
To help | I want to help you |
To wait | Why can't you wait until next week? |
To plan | I wanted to plan a trip to Canada |
To decide | You decide where we go |
To remember | I couldn't remember the directions |
To forget | I tried to forget, it didn't work |
To try | I want to try that |
To succeed | She has to succeed this year |
To fail | I don't want to fail |
To agree | Try to agree with me on this |
To disagree | I don't want to disagree with you |
B1 Level English Noun List
Any of these 40 English nouns could appear on a B1 test, so make sure that you know all of them. Here is the Quizlet that I made for you with these nouns. You got this!
B1 English Noun | Sentence Example |
Family | I have a big family |
Job | I want to get a job |
School | Do you go to school? |
Book | Does she have my book? |
Movie | What movie is that? |
City | I am in New York City |
Country | I don't like this country too much |
Car | I love that car |
Bus | She doesn't want to take the bus |
Train | Is there a train in this city? |
Plane | I don't like being on planes |
Money | Do you have any money? |
Time | What time is it? |
Room | This room is dirty |
Hobby | My favorite hobby is playing guitar |
Music | I love listening to music |
Nature | Do you like hiking in nature? |
Weather | The weather is terrible today |
Problem | I don't have a problem with that |
Solution | So, what's the solution? |
Question | I have a question, teacher |
Answer | Does anyone here know the answer? |
Friendship | Friendships help us live happier lives |
Happiness | I just want to feel that happiness again |
Sadness | She feels sadness in her heart |
News | So what's the news? Is everything okay? |
B1 Vocabulary For Giving & Taking Directions
This is the vocabulary that you will hear if you ever have to get directions in English. Furthermore, if you ever put your phone in English, you’ll hear these terms being used by your Google Maps when it gives you directions. So learn these well, you never know when you might need them.
Word/Phrase For A Direction | Sentence |
Left | Turn left at the stop sign |
Right | Turn right in 1 kilometer |
Straight | Go straight at the stop sign |
North | Take the highway 71-North |
South | Take the highway 35-South |
East | Continue east on Spring Road for 3 kilometers |
West | Take highway 98-West towards York |
Turn around | Turn around in .5 kilometers |
Conclusion: English B1 Vocabulary List
The B1 English level is an exciting turning point, once you reach it you are officially no longer a beginner. So take it seriously, and try to learn as much as possible. Plus, if you didn’t know, the next level is B2, which is considered by many polyglots (including me) to be the first level of fluency!
Good work today, keep learning and searching for new materials and you’ll reach all of your goals and more in no time. I believe in you!
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