How to prepare for the Catalan C1 exam: a guide from an official examiner

Every year I meet people who arrive at the Catalan C1 nervous, with notes from three different sources and the feeling of not knowing where to start. I understand perfectly: I have been (and still am) an examiner for the three official C1 tests held in Catalonia, and I have marked exams for the DGPL, the CPNL and the CIFALC. From this side of the table it is very clear what works and what does not.

The first thing I always say: you do not pass the C1 by memorising rules. You pass it by writing and speaking naturally within the norm. Examiners are not looking for you to recite grammar: we look for well-built texts, precise vocabulary and none of the mistakes that reveal written Catalan is not comfortable ground for you.

Where are most points lost? In my experience, in three places.

First, spelling and accents. It is the most unfair part: you can have a well-argued text and lose points to mistakes that could have been eliminated with a few well-focused hours. That is why I created the syllable theory method: once you understand how a word splits into syllables and where the stress falls, accentuation stops being a lottery and becomes a mechanism. Most common mistakes come from the same handful of confusions, and they can be attacked systematically.

Second, written expression. The C1 asks for structured texts: an introduction that sets the scene, paragraphs that move forward and a conclusion that closes. The trick I recommend to my students is to write regularly and, above all, to receive personalised correction. Writing without anyone correcting you consolidates errors; writing with correction makes them disappear. In my classes every text comes back corrected and commented, because that is where you really learn.

Third, time management on exam day. Practising with official exam models is not optional: it is the difference between knowing the material and being able to demonstrate it in the format and time you will be given. I always work with models of the same type you will find in the test.

How long does it take? It depends on your starting point, which is why the first thing I do with a new student is an honest assessment of their level. Some people need a few months of regular work; others only need to polish their writing. What I never recommend is last-minute cramming: language does not work that way.

If you are preparing for the C1, my advice comes down to four points: eliminate spelling mistakes systematically (not with lists, but by understanding the mechanism), write every week with real correction, practise with official models, and arrive on exam day having simulated the exam situation more than once.

If you want me to guide you, all my classes are online and one-to-one: theory adapted to your starting point, my own materials, official exam models and correction of everything you write. Book a first class from the website and we will start wherever you need.