The 10 tell-tale signals: B2 or C1?
How the examiner spots B2 in 30 seconds — and how to lift every signal to C1.
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What's Inside
- 10 patterns that reveal B2 to the examiner — each with a C1 fix
- One paragraph lifted through three stages (B2 → C1 → C1+)
- Which grading criterion each signal drags down
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the examiner spot B2 instead of C1?
By recurring signals: only short main clauses, everyday fillers like "man kann sagen", missing passive and little nominalisation. These patterns are often correct but not academic — and mainly pull down vocabulary/repertoire and expression. C1 shows itself in complex sentences, impersonal language and precise collocations.
How do I lift a text from B2 to C1?
Through a few targeted levers: nominalise, use passive and impersonal expressions, choose connectors more precisely, use fixed collocations instead of all-purpose words. It's not about more words but denser, more precise sentences — the same idea, phrased one level up.
Which grading criterion does the B2-versus-C1 gap affect?
Mainly vocabulary/repertoire and expression: here the examiner judges the range and precision of your linguistic means. A text can be correct in content and still lose points in exactly these criteria if it stays at B2 level.
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