B2 — Upper-Intermediate

B2 Upper-Intermediate English Practice

Five free exercises for upper-intermediate learners — tackle complex grammar, IELTS vocabulary, and authentic text types with confidence.

What You'll Learn

B2 (Upper-Intermediate) is the level at which English truly becomes a tool for academic and professional life. Learners at B2 can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. They can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party, and can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects.

The five exercises on this page mirror the types of tasks found in Cambridge First (FCE) and early IELTS preparation. Cloze Dropdown at B2 uses longer, more complex texts covering abstract topics such as science, society, and culture, and the grammar options include more subtle distinctions such as aspect (simple vs perfect), voice, and register. Unjumble at B2 introduces inverted sentences, cleft structures, and complex noun phrases that go beyond the straightforward subject-verb-object patterns of lower levels. Complete the Sentence at this level practises nuanced collocations, dependent prepositions, and fixed phrases. The Quiz sets include IELTS-style academic vocabulary from word families and topic sets used in IELTS Academic band 6.0 to 6.5. Dialogue Ordering develops discourse awareness, training you to recognise how conversations are structured through opening exchanges, clarification questions, and closing formulae.

B2 is also the level where vocabulary breadth becomes increasingly important alongside grammar accuracy. A passive vocabulary of 6,000 to 8,000 word families is typical at B2, but what distinguishes upper-intermediate learners is their command of collocations, idioms, and discourse markers. Use the vocabulary practice and IELTS vocabulary guide alongside these exercises. For exam-specific preparation, the IELTS Writing Task 2 guide explains how B2 grammar structures score marks in writing.

Once this page's exercises feel manageable, progress to C1 Advanced for collocations, academic vocabulary, and the precision needed for top IELTS bands and Cambridge Advanced (CAE).

Cloze Dropdown

Select the correct word for each gap in a text

B2–C1Grammar

Unjumble

Rearrange words into a correct sentence

B2–C1Word Order

Complete the Sentence

Choose the correct word or phrase to finish each sentence

B2–C1Collocation

Quiz (IELTS Sets)

Multiple-choice academic vocabulary and grammar

B2–C1IELTS

Dialogue Ordering

Rearrange lines of a conversation in order

B1–C1Discourse

Practice What You've Learned

LexFizz has 30 free interactive exercises — no sign-up needed.

Browse All Exercises →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does B2 upper-intermediate mean?
B2 learners can understand the main ideas of complex text on concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field. They interact with fluency and spontaneity, making regular conversation with native speakers possible without strain. They produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Which English exams are at B2 level?
The main B2 exam is Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE), now called B2 First. IELTS band 5.5 to 6.5 broadly corresponds to B2. TOEFL iBT scores of 72 to 94 are approximately B2. Many universities require B2 (or equivalent) for undergraduate study. Some UK immigration routes require B2 UKVI IELTS. The exercises on this page are specifically selected to build the skills tested in these qualifications.
What grammar is characteristic of B2 English?
Key B2 grammar includes: third and mixed conditionals (If she had applied earlier, she would have got the job), passive forms with various tenses (has been completed, will be announced), inversion for emphasis (Not only did he fail, but he also…), cleft sentences (It was the weather that caused the delay), subjunctive (It is essential that he be informed), complex reporting verbs (He claimed to have finished), and a full range of relative clauses including non-defining relatives.
How does Dialogue Ordering develop language skills at B2?
Dialogue Ordering presents the turns of a conversation in random order. Reconstructing the correct sequence requires understanding discourse markers (Well, actually…, Right, so…), adjacency pairs (question-answer, offer-acceptance, complaint-apology), register consistency, and logical information flow. At B2, dialogues cover formal situations such as job interviews, academic discussions, and professional negotiations, making this exercise directly relevant to IELTS Speaking and professional communication.
What vocabulary should B2 learners prioritise?
B2 vocabulary priorities are: Academic Word List (AWL) items such as analyse, assess, evaluate, significant, approach; IELTS topic vocabulary (environment, globalisation, technology, health, education); phrasal verbs used in formal registers (carry out, put forward, rule out); dependent prepositions (result in, consist of, contribute to); and common discourse markers (however, nevertheless, in contrast, as a result). The Quiz on LexFizz includes IELTS-style sets targeting these areas.
How can I use Cloze Dropdown to prepare for IELTS?
At B2 level, use Cloze Dropdown exercises with academic texts similar to IELTS Reading passages. Focus on: choosing the correct grammatical form when options look similar (who vs which, since vs for), selecting precise vocabulary when near-synonyms are presented, and maintaining consistency of tense and register throughout a text. This practice directly develops the precision needed for IELTS Use of English and reading comprehension tasks.
What is the difference between B2 and C1 English?
B2 learners communicate effectively on a wide range of topics but occasionally lack precision or fluency. C1 learners express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions, using language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes. The key difference is automaticity: at C1, correct language use becomes effortless, while at B2 there is still conscious processing of complex structures. Moving from B2 to C1 typically requires 250 to 300 guided hours.
Is B2 enough for university study in English?
Many universities in the UK, Ireland, and Australia accept B2 (IELTS 6.0 to 6.5) for undergraduate programmes, especially those with English language support. However, competitive programmes and postgraduate study typically require C1 (IELTS 7.0+). B2 is generally sufficient for foundation years and many vocational degrees. Check individual university requirements, as entry thresholds vary by department and institution.
How does Complete the Sentence differ at B2 from lower levels?
At B2, Complete the Sentence exercises focus on collocations, dependent prepositions, and lexical precision rather than basic grammar choices. For example, learners choose between 'make progress', 'do progress', or 'gain progress' (correct: make), or between 'comply with', 'comply to', or 'comply for' (correct: comply with). This collocational knowledge is what separates fluent B2 users from less natural-sounding intermediate speakers.
What reading strategies should B2 learners practise?
At B2, key reading strategies are: skimming for gist (reading quickly to get the main idea), scanning for specific information (locating names, dates, figures), identifying the writer's attitude (positive, critical, neutral), understanding discourse structure (introduction, argument, counterargument, conclusion), and inferring meaning of unknown vocabulary from context. True or False and Cloze Dropdown exercises on LexFizz develop all these strategies in an interactive format.