An 8-week study plan for the B1 exam

"Practise more" isn't a plan. Here's one that splits eight weeks between the four skills and two full practice exams — the same structure used on similar guides in other countries, adapted to the Estonian exam's four parts.

Why eight weeks, not fewer

The exam is held quarterly, and registration closes before results are published. Eight weeks gives you enough time to work through all four skills twice — once to learn, once to consolidate — and still leaves a buffer before the registration deadline.

Weeks 1–2: writing

Start with writing, since it's the only part where you have to create something yourself rather than react to given material. Practise both task types separately — the questionnaire/notice (about 50 words) and the story/letter (about 100 words). Use the writing exercises and read the feedback carefully, not just the score.

Weeks 3–4: listening

Practise the play-twice rhythm: read the questions first, listen, then listen again and check. Focus especially on the short-answer task — grammar mistakes don't count, but the answer must be understandable. Also listen to ordinary Estonian radio or TV outside the exercises, to get used to a natural pace.

Weeks 5–6: reading

Practise scanning, not word-for-word reading. Time yourself — 50 minutes for 33 questions means you need to move quickly. Pay particular attention to the situations-vs-adverts task, where there are fewer adverts than situations.

Week 7: speaking

This is the only part that needs another person. If you can, practise with someone for real — family, a friend, even a language club. If you can't, practise with the speaking exercises out loud, not in your head, and think through how to express agreement and disagreement.

Week 8: two full practice exams

The last week is for testing, not learning. Do two full practice exams against the clock, without breaks, exactly as in the real exam. Add up the points across the four parts and see where you stand:

• under 45 — keep practising your weaker parts, don't register yet for certain;
• 45–59 — you're close to the threshold, register with confidence, the worst case is a lost quarter;
• 60 and above — you're ready; in the last few days focus on the practical exam-day details.

Before the end of week eight

Be sure to read the exam-day rules — the document, the time, and what's allowed and not allowed are things you don't want to discover on the morning of the exam.

This site offers two full practice exams that follow the official structure and scoring on all four parts — exactly what this plan's eighth week calls for.

Sources: Eesti keele B1-taseme eksam — eristuskiri (test specification, Harno); Information sheet for the Estonian language proficiency examinee (Harno, 2025). The study plan itself is this site's own recommendation, not official Harno guidance.

An explanatory article, not legal advice.