Pre A1 Starters cheat sheet

The paper lasts about 20 minutes and has four parts; each recording is played twice, and the whole paper is heard once more at the end.

Part 1: a big picture with seven named objects or people; the candidate draws a line from the name to the correct place in the picture, and one item is given as an example.

Part 2: a short conversation with a question and three pictured options per item; the candidate writes or ticks the letter of the correct answer.

Part 3: a picture with seven labelled items; the candidate writes a name or a number in the box beside each item, and spelling of names is not penalised if the letters are recognisable.

Part 4: five short dialogues, each followed by one question with three pictured options; the candidate ticks the box for the correct picture.

Numbers, colours, days, and common classroom words are the highest-frequency answer types; numbers up to 20 and colours are the core set.

Names in Part 3 are always spelled aloud on the recording, so the letters heard are the answer, not the candidate's guess at a spelling.

No negative marking: a blank answer scores the same as a wrong answer, so every item should carry a response.

The paper lasts about 20 minutes and has five parts; total marks are shared across the parts, and Part 1 carries the most items.

Part 1: five short sentences each paired with a picture and a yes/no choice; the candidate ticks yes if the sentence matches the picture and no if it does not.

Part 2: a short text with five gaps and a box of words; the candidate writes the correct word in each gap, and one word is not needed.

Part 3: a short story text with five gaps and three pictured word options per gap; the candidate writes the letter of the correct option.

Part 4: a short text with five gaps and no word bank; the candidate writes one word per gap, chosen from the meaning of the sentence.

Part 5: three short texts (for example a note, a message, and a sign) each followed by one or two questions; the candidate writes a one- or two-word answer.

Handwriting must be legible but spelling errors are tolerated where the intended word is clear; answers are marked correct on meaning, not perfect spelling.

Core grammar tested: present simple of be and have got, can for ability, there is/there are, and prepositions of place such as in, on, under, and next to.

The Speaking test is a one-to-one interview of about 3 to 5 minutes with an examiner, and it is recorded for moderation.

Four parts: greetings and name, object cards, a scene picture with questions, and personal questions about the candidate.

Part 1 checks simple personal information: name, age, and one or two familiar topics such as school, family, or favourite colour.

Part 2 uses object cards; the examiner says a word and the candidate points to the matching card, then the candidate names cards the examiner points to.

Part 3 uses a large scene picture; the examiner asks where things are, and the candidate answers with a preposition plus a noun, for example 'on the table'.

Part 4 asks personal questions such as 'What's your favourite fruit?' or 'How many brothers have you got?'; one-word answers are acceptable if they answer the question.

Marks come from three criteria: vocabulary, grammar and structures, and pronunciation; fluency and accent are not separate scored criteria at this level.

Candidates are not penalised for short answers, but an answer that does not address the question earns no credit for that item.