Cambridge A2 Key (KET) cheat sheet

Seven parts, 32 questions, 60 minutes; Reading and Writing carries 50% of the total A2 Key mark.

Reading Parts 1-5 contain 30 one-mark questions; Writing Parts 6-7 contain two marked tasks.

Part 1: six three-option multiple-choice questions on short notices, signs, notes and messages.

Part 2: seven questions matching statements to three short texts that share one topic.

Part 3: one longer text followed by five three-option multiple-choice questions.

Part 4: a short text with six three-option multiple-choice cloze gaps testing vocabulary and grammar.

Part 5: a short text with six open cloze gaps; write one word per gap, no options are given.

Part 6: write an email or note of 25 words or more covering three content points from the prompt.

Part 7: write a story of 35 words or more based on three pictures; writing is marked on Content, Organisation and Language, each scored 0-5.

Five parts, 25 questions, about 30 minutes; Listening carries 25% of the total A2 Key mark.

Every recording is heard twice, and each question is worth one mark with no penalty for wrong answers.

Part 1: five short dialogues, each followed by one three-option multiple-choice question with pictures.

Part 2: one conversation with five gaps in notes or a message; each answer is a word or a number.

Part 3: one longer conversation with five three-option multiple-choice questions using text options.

Part 4: five short recordings, each followed by one three-option multiple-choice question with pictures.

Part 5: one longer conversation; match five items to options selected from a list of eight.

In Part 2 answers must be spelled correctly to score, but numbers may be written as digits.

Two parts lasting 8-10 minutes for a pair of candidates; Speaking carries 25% of the total A2 Key mark.

Two examiners are present: an interlocutor who speaks and manages the test, and an assessor who listens and scores.

Part 1 lasts 3-4 minutes and covers personal information such as name, home, school and free time.

Part 2 lasts 5-6 minutes and is a collaborative task in which the two candidates discuss pictures or prompts together.

In the second phase of Part 2 the examiner asks each candidate follow-up questions on the same topic.

Marks come from three criteria: Grammar and Vocabulary, Pronunciation, and Interactive Communication.

Each criterion is scored from 0 to 5, giving a maximum of 15 marks for the Speaking test.

If a candidate has no partner, the examiner takes the role of the second candidate.