B1 English Test for ILR: Speaking & Listening Guide for 2026

If you are preparing to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

For applicants who need to meet the requirement through an English test, the important first step is to make sure you book the correct approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) for your immigration route.

For settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR, the relevant English test requirement can involve speaking and listening skills.

This guide explains what that means and, more importantly, how you can practise speaking and listening before your test.

Important: AI B1 Examiner is an independent English-learning and practice app. It is not a Secure English Language Test, an approved SELT provider or a substitute for an official test. Always check the current requirements on GOV.UK before booking a test or making an immigration application.

What does B1 English mean?

B1 is a level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, usually shortened to CEFR.

At B1 level, you should be able to communicate about familiar subjects and everyday situations without needing highly advanced English.

For speaking practice, this means developing the ability to do more than memorise vocabulary or grammar rules.

You need to listen to a question, understand what the other person wants to know, decide what you want to say and respond clearly.

That is why regular conversation practice is valuable.

Do I need a B1 test for ILR?

The answer depends on your circumstances and immigration route.

GOV.UK states that people applying for citizenship or settlement may need to prove their knowledge of English, but there are also exemptions and circumstances where somebody may already satisfy the requirement.

If you need to prove your English through a test, make sure you check the current official requirements before booking anything.

Do not book a test simply because its name contains “B1”.

The test must meet the requirements for your application.

What is a SELT?

SELT means Secure English Language Test.

The UK government maintains a list of approved tests, providers and test locations.

If your immigration application requires a SELT, an ordinary online English test or general B1 certificate is not a replacement for the approved test.

AI B1 Examiner therefore has a different purpose.

It helps you practise English before taking your test.

Why speaking practice can feel difficult

Many learners can read a B1 question easily but find the same question much harder when somebody says it aloud.

For example:

What do you normally enjoy doing at weekends?

When reading the sentence, you have time to examine every word.

During a conversation, you have to understand it immediately and start forming an answer.

A useful response might be:

I normally spend time with my family at weekends. On Saturday we sometimes go shopping or have lunch together. On Sunday I usually stay at home because I like to relax before work on Monday.

This isn't advanced English.

What matters is that the speaker understood the question, answered it and developed the answer naturally.

Practise listening for meaning

Do not train yourself to understand only individual words.

To strengthen this skill, practise taking useful B1 listening notes so you can capture key words, numbers and changes without missing the next part of the audio.

Suppose you hear:

Can you tell me about a place you enjoyed visiting recently?

You might recognise:

place — enjoyed — visiting — recently

But the goal is to understand the whole intention:

The examiner wants me to talk about somewhere I visited in the past.

You can then construct your answer.

For example:

Last month I visited Brighton with my family. We went there by car and spent most of the day near the seafront. I enjoyed it because the weather was beautiful and we had plenty of time to relax.

A simple structure for B1 answers

When practising, try this structure:

Answer → Reason → Detail

For example:

Question: Do you prefer cooking at home or eating in restaurants?

Answer: I prefer cooking at home.

Reason: It is cheaper and I enjoy cooking.

Detail: At weekends I sometimes cook Chinese food for my family and we all eat together.

This creates a much more natural conversation than simply answering:

Cooking at home.

Five questions to practise today

Try answering these aloud:

1. Can you tell me about your family?
2. What do you normally do at weekends?
3. Tell me about somewhere you visited recently.
4. What kind of food do you enjoy eating?
5. What would you like to do next year?

Do not write the complete answers first.

Read the question, think briefly and then speak.

If your first answer is difficult, try the same question again.

Need more practice? Try our 30 B1 speaking test practice questions.

Ready for a timed practice session? Try B1 Speaking Mock Test #1.

Practise the conversation, not just the answer

Memorising model answers can help you learn useful sentence structures, but a speaking test is interactive.

The next question may depend on what you have just said.

That is where AI conversation practice can help.

AI B1 Examiner acts as a speaking partner. You can practise answering questions aloud, continue a conversation and review your session afterwards.

You can also practise short sessions repeatedly instead of waiting until you have enough time for a long lesson.

Use mistakes as practice material

If you make a grammar mistake while practising, that is useful information.

Suppose you say:

Yesterday I go shopping with my wife.

After identifying the mistake, practise:

Yesterday I went shopping with my wife.

Then create another sentence:

Last Saturday I went to London.

The objective is not to avoid making mistakes during practice.

The objective is to discover them before the real test.

Build a ten-minute daily routine

A simple practice routine can be:

2 minutes: Read or listen to several B1 questions.

5 minutes: Answer them aloud without reading prepared answers.

2 minutes: Review your answers and identify one thing to improve.

1 minute: Answer one of the questions again.

Doing this regularly helps make speaking English feel more automatic.

Practise with AI B1 Examiner

AI B1 Examiner provides interactive B1 speaking practice whenever you have time.

Instead of only reading sample questions, you can practise responding aloud to an AI examiner, work with different conversation topics, review your answers and repeat difficult areas.

Practise B1 speaking with AI B1 Examiner and turn exam preparation into a short daily conversation habit.

Before booking your test

Planning to apply from March 2027? Read what the B1-to-B2 settlement change means.

Immigration and SELT requirements can change.

Before paying for an examination, check the current GOV.UK English-language and SELT guidance for your particular immigration route and make sure you are booking an approved test with an approved provider and location.

AI B1 Examiner is designed for practice and preparation only and does not issue an English-language qualification.