B1 Preliminary case studies
B1 Preliminary · Put your knowledge to work in context.
B1 Preliminary and B1 Preliminary for Schools are Cambridge English Qualifications that show a learner has mastered the basics of English and has practical language skills for everyday use. Both sit at CEFR level B1 and report on the Cambridge English Scale in the range 140–159. The B1 Preliminary case studies are 5 cases and about 3,201 words.
1Reading Part 4: the gap that was filled by a shared word
A tutor is reviewing Daniel's first full mock of the B1 Preliminary Reading paper: 32 questions, 45 minutes, worth 25% of the total mark. His raw scores by part are: Part 1 (five short notices) 4/5; Part 2 (matching five people to eight short texts) 5/5; Part 3 (long text, multiple choice) 3/5; Part 4 (five sentences removed from a text) 1/5; Part 5 (multiple-choice cloze) 5/6; Part 6 (open cloze) 4/6.
690 words, about 3 min2Writing Part 1: 174 words that earn nothing extra
Maria, 16, is preparing for B1 Preliminary. Her last timed Writing paper: Part 1 is a compulsory email of about 100 words replying to an English-speaking friend, with four notes to include; Part 2 is a choice between an article and a story, also about 100 words.
623 words, about 3 min3Listening Part 3: hearing the word is not hearing the answer
A class of 14 students sits a full B1 Preliminary Listening mock: about 30 minutes, 25 questions, four parts. Part 3 is a six-question multiple choice on an interview with a young sports coach.
630 words, about 3 min4Speaking Part 3: the partner who fills every silence
Two candidates are entered together for B1 Preliminary Speaking: 10-12 minutes, two candidates, two examiners. In Part 3 they get a spoken situation with a few prompts, discuss it for about two minutes, then decide together.
634 words, about 3 min5Writing Part 2: the story he prefers, against the article he scores in
In Part 2 of B1 Preliminary Writing, candidates choose one task - an article or a story - of about 100 words, from a prompt. The whole paper is 45 minutes, and Tomasz normally finishes Part 1 in about 20.
624 words, about 3 min