Reaching B2 English for a UK settlement route is a comprehension and vocabulary problem before it is a test-technique problem. Here is a practical order to work through the material, grounded in how the content itself is actually organised.
Where should you start?
Start by finding your weakest categories, not by working through the content in order. Try a handful of free practice items in each of the 12 topic categories, Housing, Work, Transport & Travel, Health, Education, Culture & History, Daily Life, People & Society, Leisure & Media, Money & Shopping, Law & Citizenship and Environment & Tech, before settling into a routine. Comprehension gaps are rarely spread evenly across topics, so a quick diagnostic pass tells you where the real work is before you spend time on categories you already handle well.
How should you use the flashcards?
Drill vocabulary in your weakest categories first, using spaced repetition rather than reading the list once. The flashcard library runs to 1,000 cards, with People & Society carrying the largest single category and most other categories holding 50 to 100 cards each. A missing word is usually what turns an otherwise readable passage into a confusing one, so closing vocabulary gaps before tackling longer reading and listening material pays off early.
How should you work through reading practice?
Work through the reading passages across every category, not only the ones you find comfortable. There are 100 reading passages in total, each paired with comprehension questions, and they are not spread evenly: Culture & History and Transport & Travel carry the largest share of the material, while Environment & Tech and Law & Citizenship carry the smallest. Budgeting more time for the heavily represented categories reflects where the practice volume actually sits.
How should you approach listening practice?
Listen once without the transcript, answer the question, then check the transcript against what you actually heard. The 90 listening exercises are built around everyday UK scenarios such as train announcements, appointment bookings and workplace conversations, each with a full transcript attached. Comparing your first-listen answer against the transcript shows you precisely which words or phrases you missed, which is more useful than replaying the audio until the answer becomes obvious from repetition alone.
How often should you revisit material you have already covered?
On a repeating cycle, not once and done. Because this kind of practice has no fixed exam date forcing a single push, it is easy to treat a category as finished after the first pass through it. Comprehension and vocabulary both fade without spaced review, so cycling back through your weakest categories every so often does more for retention than moving straight on to new material and never returning.
Does finishing this practice mean you have met the settlement requirement?
No. Building B2 comprehension through practice is preparation, not certification. UK settlement routes that require proven English ability need an approved Secure English Language Test sat through the official process, and the exact requirement varies by route. Confirm the current requirement for your own case on gov.uk before relying on any third-party study material, this one included.
B2 English study plan at a glance
| Step | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Diagnose | Free practice across all 12 categories to find weak spots |
| 2. Vocabulary | Flashcards in weakest categories, spaced repetition |
| 3. Reading | 100 passages, heaviest in Culture & History and Transport & Travel |
| 4. Listening | 90 exercises, transcript-checked after each attempt |
| 5. Review | Cycle back through weak categories, not a single pass |
| 6. Confirm | Check the official SELT requirement for your route on gov.uk |
B2Ready is built around exactly this structure, listening, reading and flashcards organised into the same 12 everyday UK categories, so you can work the plan above inside the app itself rather than hunting for material topic by topic.