B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
B2 is the level most universities and employers ask for, and it maps roughly to IELTS band 5.5 to 6.5. At B2 you can argue a point of view, follow extended speech and read articles written for native speakers. These free lessons cover advanced passives, mixed conditionals, cleft sentences for emphasis, participle clauses and the more precise vocabulary that lifts writing above intermediate.
Grammar
22Narrative Tenses
At B2 you combine several past forms to tell a story clearly. Narrative tenses are the four past tenses working together: Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, and Past Perfect…
B2Future Forms: Choosing the Right One
English has many ways to talk about the future, and at B2 the skill is choosing the right one for the meaning. This lesson compares the main future forms and…
B2Future: be about to & be due to
Beyond will and going to, English has precise expressions for the near or scheduled future. At B2 these add nuance: how soon, how certain, or how officially planned something is.
B2Future in the Past
The future in the past describes something that was still in the future at a past moment - a plan, expectation, or prediction we had back then. It's essential for…
B2Mixed Conditionals
Mixed conditionals combine two different time frames in one sentence. They appear when the condition and the result belong to different times - most often a past condition with a…
B2Conditionals: unless, as long as, provided
Beyond if, English has several conjunctions that introduce conditions with subtle differences in meaning: unless, as long as, provided/providing (that), on condition that, even if, whether or not, in case.
B2Wish, If Only & It’s Time
To express regrets, wishes and complaints, English uses past tenses with present or unreal meaning after wish, if only, it's time, and would rather. The tense shifts “one step back”…
B2Modals of Obligation, Permission & Prohibition
At B2 you handle the finer distinctions between modal verbs of obligation, permission and prohibition - including the difference between external rules and personal opinion, and the tricky contrast between…
B2Speculation & Deduction
At B2 you speculate and deduce about both the present and the past, and you add expressions beyond modals. The degree of certainty - from sure to merely possible - …
B2Passive: Reporting Structures & Two Objects
At B2 the passive goes beyond the basics. You learn passive reporting structures (used to distance yourself from a claim) and the passive with two objects. These are common in…
B2Causative: have & get something done
The causative describes arranging for someone else to do something for you. Instead of doing the job yourself, you have or get it done. This is a key B2 structure…
B2Gerunds & Infinitives: Advanced Patterns
At B2 you master the trickier side of gerunds (-ing) and infinitives (to + verb): verbs that change meaning depending on which you choose, and the complex forms (perfect, passive,…
B2Verbs of the Senses: see, hear, feel
Verbs of perception - see, hear, watch, feel, notice, listen to - follow special patterns at B2. What follows them (an infinitive without to, or an -ing form) changes the…
B2Relative Clauses: Reduced & with Prepositions
B1 introduced basic relative clauses. At B2 you refine them: using prepositions in relative clauses, quantifiers + of which/whom, reduced relative clauses, and which to comment on a whole clause.
B2Participle Clauses
Participle clauses let you combine two ideas into one shorter, more elegant sentence. They use a participle (-ing, -ed, or having + past participle) instead of a full clause, and…
B2Clauses of Contrast, Purpose, Reason & Result
This lesson groups four key types of subordinate clause that B2 writing relies on: contrast (although), purpose (so that), reason (because/due to) and result (so...that). The challenge is the grammar…
B2Discourse Markers
Discourse markers (linking words) connect ideas across sentences and signal how a text is organised. Using them well is one of the clearest signs of B2 writing and a major…
B2Modifying Comparatives
B1 covered basic comparatives (bigger, more expensive). At B2 you modify them to show how big the difference is, and use special structures like the + comparative, the + comparative.
B2Compound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are made of two or more words joined (usually with a hyphen) to describe a noun: a well-known author, a five-year-old child. They make your English more precise…
B2Reflexive & Reciprocal Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, etc.) refer back to the subject, and reciprocal pronouns (each other, one another) show a two-way action. B2 focuses on when they're needed - and when…
B2Inversion with Negative Adverbials
Inversion means putting the auxiliary verb before the subject, as in a question. When certain negative or limiting adverbials start a sentence, English inverts the subject and verb for emphasis.…
B2Cleft Sentences
Cleft sentences split one idea into two parts to emphasise a particular element. “Cleft” means “divided.” They let you highlight what matters most - a very useful tool for clear,…
Reading
25How We Listen to Music
Read a balanced B2 article on how streaming changed music, for artists and listeners. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Environment and natureRethinking City Traffic
Read a B2 article arguing that cities should be designed for people, not just cars. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Jobs and workShould You Follow Your Passion?
Read a B2 article weighing both sides of the "follow your passion" debate. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Science and technologyThe Truth About Multitasking
Read a B2 science article on why multitasking is largely a myth. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Culture and customsReading a Film Review
Read a B2 documentary film review and follow the reviewer's opinion. A real-world reading text with key words and questions.
B2 Science and technologyThe Psychology of First Impressions
Read a B2 article on how and why we judge people in seconds. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Culture and customsA Short Story: The Letter
Read a B2 short-story extract and explore character and feeling. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Money and businessRemote Work and the Future of Cities
Read a B2 article on how remote work may reshape our cities. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Science and technologyWhy We Find It Hard to Change Our Minds
Read a B2 psychology article on confirmation bias and changing our views. With key words and questions.
B2 Environment and natureThe Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion
Read a B2 article on the environmental and human cost of cheap clothing. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Money and businessReading a Workplace Report
Read a B2 staff survey report with findings and recommendations. A real-world reading text with key words and questions.
B2 Health and fitnessThe Science of Habits
Read a B2 article on how habits work and how to change them. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Science and technologyIs Space Exploration Worth the Cost?
Read a B2 debate article weighing the costs and benefits of space exploration. With key words and questions.
B2 Culture and customsReading a Letter to the Editor
Read a B2 persuasive letter to a newspaper and follow the argument. A real-world reading text with key words and questions.
B2 Science and technologyThe Bystander Effect
Read a B2 psychology article on why crowds sometimes fail to help. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Culture and customsThe Languages That Disappear
Read a B2 article on why languages die and why it matters. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Science and technologyThe Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Read a B2 article on the ethical challenges of AI. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Travel and transportThe Slow Travel Movement
Read a B2 magazine article on the slow travel trend and its appeal. A real-world reading text with key words and questions.
B2 Animals and petsShould Zoos Exist?
Read a B2 debate article weighing the arguments for and against zoos. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Health and fitnessThe Problem With Perfect
Read a B2 article on social media, perfectionism and mental health. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Family and friendsReading an Email from a Friend
Read a B2 informal email from an old friend and understand the news and tone. A real-world reading text with key words and questions.
B2 Money and businessThe Four-Day Week
Read a B2 debate article on the four-day working week. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Environment and natureThe Return of the Wolf
Read a B2 article on how returning wolves transformed Yellowstone. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Science and technologyWhy Do We Procrastinate?
Read a B2 article on the real psychology behind procrastination. With key words and comprehension questions.
B2 Free time and hobbiesA Life Changed by a Book
Read a B2 reflective narrative about how one book changed a life. With key words and comprehension questions.
Writing
7Combining Sentences for Better Style
At B2 level, good style means combining short sentences into longer, more sophisticated ones. A page of short, choppy sentences is tiring to read. By joining ideas with the right words, you show the relationships between them and make your writing flow. This lesson gives you the main tools.
B2Formal vs. Informal Writing
Register means the level of formality in your writing. A message to a friend and a letter to a company use very different English. A key B2 skill is choosing the right register for your reader and staying consistent. This lesson shows you the differences and how to control them.
B2The Essay: Introduction, Body & Conclusion
An essay is a group of paragraphs about one subject. It is the natural next step after the single paragraph. A standard essay has three parts: an introduction, a body (two or more paragraphs), and a conclusion. This lesson shows you the structure that works for almost any B2 essay.
B2Writing an Opinion Essay
An opinion essay (also called a “for and against” or argumentative essay) is one of the most common B2 exam tasks. It presents your position on a question and defends it with reasons, while often acknowledging the other side. This lesson gives you a reliable four-paragraph plan.
B2Writing Instructions & Processes
Writing clear instructions and describing a process is a practical skill for work and study: how to use something, how to complete a task, or how something happens. Good instructions are clear, ordered, and easy to follow. This lesson covers both the command style and the process style.
B2Writing a Formal Email or Letter
A formal email or letter is essential for the real world: job applications, complaints, enquiries, and official requests. It follows a fixed structure and a formal register. This lesson gives you a template you can adapt to almost any formal situation.
B2Writing a Review
A review gives your opinion of something - a film, book, restaurant, product, or course - and recommends whether others should try it. It is a popular B2 task because it mixes description, opinion, and recommendation in a semi-formal style. This lesson shows you how to structure one.
Want a tutor to go through this with you?
Every lesson here is free. If you would like feedback on your own English, book a free trial and we will tell you honestly where you are.