Cambridge A2 Key (KET) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

A2 Key Reading and Writing

Seven parts containing 32 questions in 60 minutes, worth 50% of the whole A2 Key exam.

Reading and Writing Part 1

Six short notices, signs or messages, each followed by a three-option multiple-choice question.

Reading and Writing Part 2

Seven questions that match statements to three short texts, all dealing with the same topic.

Reading and Writing Part 3

One longer text followed by five multiple-choice questions, each offering options A, B or C.

Reading and Writing Part 4

A short text with six gaps; for each gap the candidate chooses the correct word from three options.

Reading and Writing Part 5

A short text with six gaps; the candidate writes one word in each gap with no options to choose from.

Reading and Writing Part 6

The candidate writes an email or note of at least 25 words, covering three content points given in the prompt.

Reading and Writing Part 7

The candidate writes a short story of at least 35 words based on three pictures.

A2 Key writing criteria

Writing tasks are marked on Content, Organisation and Language, and each of these three aspects is scored from 0 to 5.

Open cloze task

A task where words are removed from a text and the candidate writes them in without any answer options given.

Distractor

An incorrect answer option in a multiple-choice question that is written to look plausible to the reader.

A2 Key mark weighting

Reading and Writing is worth 50% of the exam, Listening 25% and Speaking 25%.

Three-option multiple choice

A question type used in Reading Parts 1, 3 and 4 where only one of three answers is correct.

A2 Key vocabulary size

The exam is based on a published A2 word list of around 1500 everyday words and phrases that candidates are expected to know.

A2 Key Listening

Five parts with 25 questions lasting about 30 minutes, worth 25% of the total A2 Key mark.

Listening Part 1

Five short dialogues, each followed by one multiple-choice question with three pictures to choose from.

Listening Part 2

One conversation with five gaps in notes or a message; the candidate writes a word or a number in each gap.

Listening Part 3

One longer conversation followed by five three-option multiple-choice questions whose answers are written as text.

Listening Part 4

Five short recordings, each followed by one three-option multiple-choice question where the options are pictures.

Listening Part 5

After one longer conversation, the candidate matches five items to options chosen from a list of eight.

Recordings played twice

In every part of the A2 Key Listening test, each recording is heard two times before the candidate answers.

Spelling in Listening Part 2

Answers in the gap-fill part must be spelled correctly to earn the mark, although numbers may be written as digits.

Listening mark scheme

The Listening test has 25 questions, each worth one mark, and no marks are lost for incorrect answers.

A2 Key Speaking

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

Speaking examiners

An interlocutor asks the questions and manages the test, while an assessor listens and awards the marks.

Speaking Part 1

Three to four minutes of questions about the candidate personally, such as name, home, school, free time and likes.

Speaking Part 2

Candidates look at pictures or prompts and talk to each other about them during a task lasting five to six minutes.

Speaking Part 2 follow-up

After the pair discussion, the examiner asks each candidate questions about the same topic for a short time.

Speaking assessment criteria

Grammar and Vocabulary, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication are each scored from 0 to 5 by the assessor.

Interactive Communication

A speaking criterion measuring how well a candidate responds to their partner and keeps the conversation moving.

Speaking maximum score

Three criteria scored from 0 to 5 give a maximum of 15 marks for the A2 Key Speaking test.

Candidate without a partner

When there is an odd number of candidates, the examiner takes the role of the second candidate in Part 2.