How to learn English: advanced roadmap for Italian learners

How to learn English from B1 to B2: turning school English into real communication

When you reach B1, you can talk about daily topics, travel, and simple work situations, but complex conversations feel difficult. At this stage, many people ask how long does it take to learn English well enough to use it at work or in university. The answer depends on how consistently you study and how clearly you define your word-count and skill goals.

Researchers often use vocabulary size as one of the indicators of level. The exact numbers can vary, but the ranges below give Italian learners concrete targets. The table is useful because it turns a vague goal into specific word families and realistic timeframes.

From B1 to B2, your priority is not only more words but also better control of grammar in real sentences. If you are an intermediate student in Italy, your main tasks are: reduce basic mistakes, expand vocabulary in common topics (work, studies, culture), and practice speaking regularly so you feel less nervous.

How to learn English at advanced level: B2 to C1 for Italian professionals

At B2, you understand most TV shows, podcasts, and articles if the topic is familiar. But you may still feel lost in fast meetings or in academic texts. Here, the classic question how hard is English to learn becomes very important, because progress is slower and mistakes are more subtle.

For Italian advanced learners, a good B2→C1 strategy usually includes:

This list is helpful because it shows the specific skills that make the difference between “good English” and “confident English”:

• High-frequency academic and professional vocabulary for your field (business, tech, medicine, design, etc.).

• Complex grammar in context, such as conditionals, relative clauses, and passive voice in real emails, reports, and presentations.

• Pronunciation and rhythm, especially word stress and sentence stress, so your speech sounds clear even with an Italian accent.

• Listening to fast natural speech, including different accents, not only “school English”.

At this stage, the BBC Learning English app can support you with short daily lessons, news-based videos, and pronunciation practice that fits into a busy Italian workday. The question how hard is English to learn becomes easier to handle when you see small but regular improvements each week.

Daily and weekly routine for intermediate and advanced learners in Italy

To move from one level to the next, you need a routine that you can keep for many months. If you live in Italy, you probably do not hear English all day, so your plan must bring the language into your everyday life. Here is a simple structure that helps advanced learners stay on track.

First, short daily habits. This list is powerful because each activity is small, but together they build strong progress over time:

• 10–15 minutes of focused vocabulary using word cards or apps, with words from your job, studies, and interests.

• 10–15 minutes of intensive reading, for example a short article, blog post, or book page, underlining new expressions.

• 5–10 minutes of pronunciation practice, reading aloud and recording yourself, then comparing with native audio.

Second, two or three longer sessions per week. This list is interesting because it mixes grammar, listening, and speaking in one weekly cycle:

• One 45-minute grammar session using real texts (emails, reports, articles) instead of isolated exercises.

• One 45-minute listening and speaking session, using podcasts, series, or the BBC Learning English app followed by speaking out loud about the topic.

• One 45-minute writing session, where you write emails, short essays, or summaries and then correct them.

Third, real contact with English in Italian life. This list shows how you can create “mini immersion” even if you stay in Italy:

• Join an English conversation group in your city or online and speak for at least 30 minutes each week.

• Change your phone and social media settings to English, so everyday actions become practice.

• Watch one film or episode in English every week, first with English subtitles, later with no subtitles.

When you follow this kind of routine, you get a more precise answer to how long does it take to learn English from B1 to B2 or from B2 to C1. It depends less on talent and more on how many hours you actually spend in contact with the language.

Using BBC Learning English app as part of a smart study system

Many students in Italy download English apps but then forget to use them regularly. To make real progress, you should connect the BBC Learning English app to your weekly plan, not treat it as a toy. For advanced learners, it works best when you use it for targeted skills: vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation.

Here is one simple pattern that fits a busy Italian schedule and supports people who are thinking about how to learn English fast but still have work, family, or university:

• Morning (5–10 minutes): one short lesson or video in the BBC Learning English app, focusing on new phrases or pronunciation.

• Afternoon (5 minutes): quick review of notes or screenshots from the morning lesson during a coffee break.

• Evening (10–15 minutes): use the same phrases in your own sentences about your day in Italy, speak them aloud, and write them down.

By connecting the app with your real life, you answer for yourself how hard is English to learn at higher levels: it is not easy, but it becomes much simpler when you turn small activities into daily habits.

Word-count goals and focus areas for each step

To move from one level to the next, you need both vocabulary and skill targets. This section is useful because it gives you concrete numbers and focus points that you can measure every few months.

From B1 to B2, you can aim for:

• Around 800–1,000 new useful words and phrases, especially about everyday life, work, and travel.

• Stronger control of basic grammar such as tenses, prepositions, and sentence structure.

• Regular practice with short conversations so speaking feels natural, not stressful.

From B2 to C1, you can aim for:

• Around 1,500–2,000 new words and phrases, including more formal and academic vocabulary.

• Wider knowledge of idioms and phrasal verbs, especially the ones you see in news and business texts.

• Better control of paragraph structure in writing, so your emails and reports are clear and logical.

At each stage, advanced learners in Italy should remember that how long does it take to learn English is not only about months on a calendar. It is about how many high-quality hours you invest in reading, listening, speaking, and writing.