B1 Preliminary study guide
B1 Preliminary · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
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 two versions are at the same level and follow the same format; the difference is the audience. B1 Preliminary for Schools is tailored to the interests and experience of school-age learners, while B1 Preliminary is designed for adults. Topics on this exam: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. The B1 Preliminary study guide has 4 sections and about 1,833 words.
01Reading
B1 Preliminary Reading is a 45-minute paper of six parts and 32 questions, worth 25% of the total score. It tests whether you can understand short real-world texts, locate specific information in longer ones, follow how a text is built, and control the grammar and vocabulary that hold sentences together. Every question is worth one mark and there is no negative marking, so a blank answer can only lose you a point. Part 1 (5 questions): five short texts - signs, notes, messages - each with three options.
490 words, about 2 min02Writing
B1 Preliminary Writing lasts 45 minutes and contains two tasks of equal value. Part 1 is an email reply: you read a short message from a friend containing four notes and answer it in about 100 words. Part 2 offers a choice - an article or a story - also about 100 words. Each task is marked on four criteria, each scored 0-5: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language.
482 words, about 2 min03Listening
B1 Preliminary Listening has four parts and 25 questions, lasts about 30 minutes, and every recording is heard twice. You then get six minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. The paper tests practical understanding: following directions and messages, catching specific facts, and recognising a speaker's opinion when it is expressed indirectly. Part 1 (7 questions): seven short recordings, each with a question and three pictures.
426 words, about 2 min04Speaking
B1 Preliminary Speaking takes about 10-12 minutes for a pair of candidates, with two examiners: one who talks to you and one who only listens and scores. Four criteria are marked: Grammar and Vocabulary, Discourse Management (organising and extending what you say), Pronunciation, and Interactive Communication. The test has four parts, and each one gives you a different chance to show spoken language. Part 1 (2-3 minutes): an interview.
435 words, about 2 min