B1 Preliminary for Schools common mistakes
B1 Preliminary for Schools · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
In Reading Part 1, the candidate picks the option whose words match words printed in the notice, rather than the option that means the same thing.
At B1 the notices and messages are paraphrased; weak candidates scan for surface word overlap and stop at the first match, so they choose a distractor that repeats the text but changes the function (e.g. a warning read as a permission).
What to do instead
Train a two-step routine: first decide what the text is doing (inviting, forbidding, reminding, offering), then choose the option that keeps that function. Cross out any option that merely reuses the same nouns, and underline the word that carries the meaning (must, no, only, free, before).
In Reading Part 3, the candidate reads the long text once and answers from general impression, leaving several items unanswered or answered from a single sentence taken out of context.
The text is longer than the school-level texts candidates are used to, and the questions follow the order of the text but paraphrase it; candidates run out of time or lose the thread of who did what.
What to do instead
Practise the order-of-questions rule: question 1 is answered near the start, question 5 near the end. Read each question first, locate the matching paragraph, and read the sentence before and after the key sentence before deciding. Never leave a blank; a reasoned guess costs nothing.
In Reading Part 5, the candidate fills each gap with the first word that 'sounds right' and does not check whether the whole sentence, including the word after the gap, is grammatical.
This part tests grammar and vocabulary in context (prepositions, collocations, verb patterns); candidates who read only the gap and not the full sentence choose a word that fits the meaning but not the structure, e.g. 'interested about' instead of 'interested in'.
What to do instead
Cover the options, read the whole sentence aloud in your head, predict a word, then match it to the options. After choosing, re-read the complete sentence to check the collocation and any following preposition or verb form. Keep a personal list of fixed phrases met in practice.
In Writing Part 1, the candidate writes a short note that answers only one of the four content points, or writes it as a full letter with an invented address and date.
Candidates transfer the format of a formal letter from classroom practice and spend words on greetings instead of content; they also misread the instruction, which lists what the reader needs to know.
What to do instead
Before writing, number the required points in the task and tick each one as it is covered. Use an informal note format: a short greeting, three or four sentences, a closing line and a first name. Aim for roughly 35–45 words and check that every point is present and clear.
In Writing Part 2, the candidate writes one long paragraph with no paragraphing, repeats the same linking word ('and', 'but'), and exceeds or falls well below the 100-word target.
The task asks for an article or story of about 100 words, and the assessment rewards organisation and range; candidates focus only on finishing and do not plan structure or vary connectives.
What to do instead
Plan three short paragraphs (beginning, development, ending) and use a different linker in each (First, However, After that, Finally). Count words at the end and adjust to 90–110. Learn and reuse a small set of B1 structures: past continuous for background, 'so … that', 'although', direct speech for stories.
In Listening Part 1, the candidate writes an answer after the first mention of a number, time or price, then does not change it when the speaker corrects themselves.
These dialogues deliberately include a self-correction ('at six - no, make it half past'), and candidates with limited processing speed write the first value and stop listening.
What to do instead
Train for the correction pattern: keep the pencil ready, note both values, and wait for the end of the exchange before committing. Practise with short audio and check answers against transcripts to see exactly where the correction came from.
In Listening Part 3 or 4, the candidate answers from general knowledge or from one heard word, without tracking the speaker's actual opinion or the reason given.
The options paraphrase the recording and often include a word that is mentioned but then rejected ('I thought about the museum, but it's closed on Mondays'); candidates match the word and miss the contrast.
What to do instead
Listen for signpost words (but, actually, the problem is, because, so) and mark the option each speaker accepts or rejects as you hear it. Read the questions in the pause before each section so you know what to listen for, and never leave an item blank.
In Speaking Part 2, the candidate describes the photograph as a list of objects ('there is a table, there is a boy') and stops after a few sentences, or talks about the wrong picture.
Candidates prepare vocabulary for objects rather than for speculation, and under time pressure they fall back on 'there is/are' instead of the language the task invites (I think, maybe, they look as if, she seems to be).
What to do instead
Use a fixed frame: where and who (one sentence), what is happening (two sentences), how they feel or what happens next (one or two sentences). Practise speculative phrases until they are automatic, and time yourself to speak for about a minute.
In Speaking Part 3, the candidate gives one-word answers or answers the examiner's question and stops, giving the partner nothing to respond to.
This is an interaction task, and candidates treat it as a test of personal opinion; they do not know they are expected to ask, agree, disagree and build on the partner's idea.
What to do instead
Rehearse a small set of interactive moves: 'What do you think?', 'I agree, and I also think…', 'I'm not sure - for me…'. Always add a reason to an opinion, and respond to the partner's last point before adding your own.
Across all papers, the candidate spends too long on one difficult item or text, then rushes the final parts and leaves blanks or transfers answers inaccurately.
B1 Preliminary for Schools has strict timing, and candidates without a timing plan give Reading Part 3 or a single Listening item far more time than it is worth, while answer transfer at the end of Listening is done in a hurry.
What to do instead
Set a per-part time budget in practice (for example, about 10–12 minutes for Reading Parts 1–2) and use a watch. Skip and mark any item that takes more than a minute, return at the end, and always allow the full transfer time, checking spelling of days, months and numbers as you copy.