Study plans & methods
Zero to NCLC 7 in 12 months: a roadmap for English speakers
Twelve months is realistic for an English speaker studying about 10–12 hours a week. The plan has two halves: seven months building the language, then five months turning it into a test score.
Updated November 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
- Five stages: A1 foundations (months 1–2), A2 sentences (3–4), B1 the hard threshold (5–7), B2 core (8–10), TCF sprint (11–12).
- Target scores for NCLC 7: listening 458+, reading 453+, writing 10+, speaking 10+. Aim higher in practice.
- Listening needs daily exposure from month one; it's the skill English speakers underestimate most.
- Start exam-format practice around B1 (month 6–7), and full mock exams in the final two months.
1Stage 1, months 1–2: A1 foundations
Goal: pronounce French correctly, know the 500 most frequent words, use the present tense of common verbs, ask and answer simple questions.
- Pronunciation rules in week one (your first four weeks).
- être, avoir, -er verbs, aller + infinitive, negation, questions.
- 15 minutes of flashcards daily; 15 minutes of slow listening daily.
2Stage 2, months 3–4: A2 sentence ability
Goal: talk about the past (passé composé, imparfait) and future, use object pronouns, write a 60–80 word message, follow slow conversations.
- Grammar: passé composé with avoir/être, imparfait for background, futur simple, le/la/lui/leur.
- Vocabulary: work, housing, health, transport, shopping: the TCF's everyday themes. Aim for 1,500 words.
- Write five sentences a day; record a one-minute monologue twice a week.
3Stage 3, months 5–7: B1, the hardest threshold
Goal: give opinions with reasons, understand radio-speed speech on familiar topics, write 120–150 words with connectors.
- Grammar: relative pronouns (qui, que, où, dont), en and y, the conditional, an introduction to the subjunctive after il faut que.
- Connectors: d'abord, ensuite, cependant, par contre, donc, en effet.
- Start exam-format listening and reading at A2–B1 level; review every wrong answer.
- Speaking: practise TCF Task 1 (about yourself) and Task 2 (asking questions).
4Stage 4, months 8–10: B2 core
Goal: argue a position, compare viewpoints, follow interviews and opinion pieces.
- Weekly: one Task 3 essay (120–180 words) and one Task 3 spoken opinion, with feedback.
- Daily: exam-format listening and reading at B1–B2 level.
- Grammar for scoring: subjunctive after opinion and emotion, gérondif, concession (bien que, même si). See the B2 grammar system.
- Monthly: one full mock to convert each section to an NCLC level.
5Stage 5, months 11–12: TCF sprint
- Two or three full timed mocks, in one sitting.
- Put most hours on the weakest skill.
- Rehearse each speaking task until the structure is automatic.
- Book the test when all four skills show NCLC 7 with a margin. See the last-month plan.
6How long this takes at your pace
| Weekly hours | Realistic timeline to NCLC 7 |
|---|---|
| 20+ | 7–9 months |
| 10–12 | 11–14 months |
| 6–8 | 16–20 months |
Already at A2? Use the 12-week A2 to B2 plan. Short on time each day? See the plan for busy parents.
7Frequently asked questions
Can I reach B2 French in a year?+
Yes. With about 10–12 hours a week of structured study, many English speakers reach NCLC 7 (around B2) in 11–14 months.
When should I start TCF practice tests?+
Start exam-format listening and reading around B1, typically months 5–7, and take full timed mocks from month 8 onwards.
Keep reading
Follow the roadmap with levelled practice
Practice questions from A1 to C2, so every stage of the plan has exam-format material at your level.