Which children’s text books did you use?
I got the Bescherelle books but they’re pretty hard going.
If you can compose an email in French without recourse to a translation tool and you can carry on a reasonable conversation in French at present, I’d be staggered if you needed to study for a B1! B2 is, of course, another matter but I think it was B1 you were aiming for at the moment? Once you get that, you’ll have a much clearer idea of the sorts of questions you will be required to answer.
There are also test papers available at each level e.g.
Hachette, but yes they are hard going and technical, it is the way the French curriculum works. The aim is fluent correct French.
It is also the way I learn, I have to understand the basics and build upward before I can assimilate the language.
From what I read at B1 you get excused of many grammatical errors, but at advanced levels you are not.
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Thanks, Angela. Yes, I’m a bit of an overthinker and do tend to set myself very high standards. I’ve bought the book and am pretty confident about passing. We have time, so hopefully my husband’s French will be sufficient when it comes to his exam in a couple of years.
Snap!!! Seriously, please don’t worry about the B1! I am working on making sure my level of French is acceptable for a B2 in case (as unfortunately we are expecting) our application for citizenship is rejected by the Interior Ministry. We’re a couple of months into our up-to-18-months wait for the results 
If I understand you post correctly.
I don’t believe you should have concerns regarding the level change being applied to yourselves. French legislation in very rarely applied retrospectively; ex pro fact (after the fact), as far as I can find, has been applied in criminal are medical cases.
Your applications were made before the date legislation is planned to be in acted and you will have receipts of your application. The legislation is scheduled to apply in the middle of 2025. There is no justification in this case for retrospective application.
Thanks so much for your support. It means a lot.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your citizenship - but only metaphorically - 16 months is a long old time!!!
The issue Angela is concerned about is having to make a completely new application following rejection. Whilst I don’t for a second think this will be the case, if they do get rejected and no grounds for appeal then that’s what they will have to do.
Ah - I think I didn’t express myself correctly. I understand about the fact that France doesn’t apply laws retrospectively and our applications were accepted before the new rule was implemented. In fact I think it still isn’t implemented! What I was referring to was the fact that we have had our interviews now (in my case it didn’t go well) so we are waiting for the final decision from the Interior Ministry. If this goes against us, any future application we may make would have to be under the new rules.
It was fine!
Sorry that I did not understand.
Bonne chance.
Thank you @beat - you are kind! I don’t often express myself very clearly so sorry about that.
I thought you were fine, even after a few wines 
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