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Pre A1 Starters study materials
Pre A1 Starters study resources

Pre A1 Starters practice questions

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Question 1Listening

In a Pre A1 Starters Listening Part 1 task, you hear a name and must place it under one of several pictures. What should you do first?

  1. Write the name on every picture you can see
  2. Look carefully at all the pictures before the recording starts Correct answer.
  3. Wait for the second listening before looking at the pictures
  4. Copy the names your classmates write

Explanation

In Part 1 the pictures show people, places or objects, and the recording says where each name belongs. Looking at the pictures before the audio begins helps you match each name quickly. You should not write anything until you hear the speaker give that name.

Question 2Listening

You hear: 'The girl with the red hat is my sister.' Which picture does this describe?

  1. A boy wearing a red hat
  2. A girl wearing a blue hat
  3. A girl with no hat
  4. A girl wearing a red hat Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence names two key details: the person is a girl and the hat is red. Both details must match the picture you choose. Any picture that changes the person or the colour of the hat is a distractor.

Question 3Listening

In Starters Listening Part 2, you hear a question and an answer, then you write a name or a number. Which kind of answer is usually a number?

  1. A day of the week
  2. A colour
  3. A person's first name
  4. An age or a house number Correct answer.

Explanation

In Part 2 the missing word is often a name, a number, a colour or a place. Ages and house numbers are written as digits, so they are the number answers. Names are written as words, not numbers.

Question 4Listening

The recording says: 'My birthday is on the third of June.' How do you write the date in the gap?

  1. Third June colour
  2. 3 June only as a word
  3. June 3rd Correct answer.
  4. The number 63

Explanation

Dates in Starters listening answers are written with the day and the month, for example 'June 3rd' or '3rd June'. You may use digits for the day. The month must be the one you heard, June.

Question 5Listening

You hear: 'Put the book on the table, next to the lamp.' Which words tell you the position?

  1. lamp and book
  2. put and the
  3. on and next to Correct answer.
  4. book and table

Explanation

Position words (prepositions) such as 'on', 'in', 'under' and 'next to' tell you where an object goes. The nouns name the objects but do not show their place. Listening for these little words is the key skill in picture-placement tasks.

Question 6Listening

In Starters Listening Part 3, you choose A, B or C for each question. What is the best thing to do while you listen?

  1. Leave every answer blank
  2. Read all three options and listen for the detail that matches Correct answer.
  3. Choose an answer before the recording starts
  4. Tick all three options to be safe

Explanation

Part 3 gives three pictures or words for each item, and the recording contains the correct detail. Reading the options first helps you hear the difference between them. You then tick only the one that matches what the speaker says.

Question 7Listening

You hear: 'I don't like apples, but I love bananas.' Which fruit does the speaker like?

  1. Neither fruit
  2. Apples
  3. Bananas Correct answer.
  4. Apples and bananas

Explanation

The word 'but' signals a change of feeling: the speaker rejects apples and accepts bananas. The verb 'love' shows a strong liking. So the fruit the speaker likes is bananas.

Question 8Listening

A question in the recording asks: 'How many cats are in the garden?' Which answer fits the question?

  1. They are black
  2. Yes, please
  3. Four Correct answer.
  4. In the garden

Explanation

'How many' asks for a number or quantity, so the answer must be a number such as 'four'. The other options answer different question types. Matching the question word to the answer type is the main skill here.

Question 9Listening

You hear: 'Sam is taller than his brother.' Which sentence is true?

  1. Sam is shorter than his brother
  2. Sam's brother is taller than Sam
  3. Sam and his brother are the same height
  4. Sam is taller than his brother Correct answer.

Explanation

The comparative 'taller than' shows that Sam has more height than his brother. The sentence directly states this fact. The other options either reverse the comparison or make them equal.

Question 10Listening

In Part 4, you hear five short conversations and choose a picture for each. How many times is the recording played?

  1. Three times
  2. Once only
  3. Four times
  4. Twice Correct answer.

Explanation

Each Starters Listening part is heard twice, and Part 4 follows the same rule. The first listening lets you choose and the second lets you check. Knowing this helps you plan your time and not panic if you miss a word.

Question 11Listening

You hear: 'The cinema is between the bank and the supermarket.' Where is the cinema?

  1. Opposite the supermarket only
  2. Behind the supermarket
  3. In the middle of two other buildings Correct answer.
  4. Inside the bank

Explanation

'Between' means an object has something on each side, so the cinema sits in the middle of the bank and the supermarket. The other options describe different positions. Position words change the answer completely.

Question 12Listening

In the recording a girl says: 'Can I have a glass of water, please?' What does she want?

  1. A cup of tea
  2. A glass of water Correct answer.
  3. Some bread
  4. A glass of milk

Explanation

The request names the drink clearly: 'a glass of water'. Listening for the exact noun after 'a glass of' gives the answer. The word 'please' shows a polite request but does not change what is wanted.

Question 13Listening

You hear: 'It's half past seven.' What time is it?

  1. 7:30 Correct answer.
  2. 7:15
  3. 8:00
  4. 7:45

Explanation

'Half past' means thirty minutes after the hour, so half past seven is 7:30. The hour stays the same and the minutes are thirty. Other time phrases such as 'quarter past' and 'quarter to' give different minutes.

Question 14Listening

In Starters Listening, you see a picture of a boy with a big smile. The recording says: 'He's very happy today.' Which word matches the picture?

  1. angry
  2. tired
  3. hungry
  4. happy Correct answer.

Explanation

A big smile shows the feeling of being happy. The recording uses the word 'happy', which matches the face in the picture. Feelings words must match both the audio and the picture.

Question 15Listening

You hear: 'My mum works in a hospital. She helps the doctor.' What is the mum's job?

  1. A nurse Correct answer.
  2. A teacher
  3. A farmer
  4. A driver

Explanation

A person who works in a hospital and helps the doctor is a nurse. The place and the helping detail both point to this job. The other jobs belong to different places of work.

Question 16Listening

The speaker says: 'There are some ducks on the river.' Which picture would you choose?

  1. A cat under a tree
  2. Birds flying in the sky
  3. Fish in a bowl
  4. Ducks swimming on water Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence contains two details: ducks and a river. The matching picture must show ducks on water. A picture with different animals or a different place does not fit.

Question 17Listening

You hear: 'The train leaves at nine o'clock, so we must go now.' What does the speaker want to do?

  1. Wait at home
  2. Leave immediately Correct answer.
  3. Take a bus later
  4. Miss the train

Explanation

'We must go now' shows that leaving immediately is needed because the train is at nine. The word 'must' expresses a strong need. The other options describe actions that would make them late.

Question 18Listening

In Part 2, a name is said clearly and then spelled: 'M-A-R-Y.' What do you write?

  1. Mary Correct answer.
  2. Mery
  3. Marry
  4. Mairy

Explanation

When a name is spelled letter by letter, copy the letters in the order you hear them. M-A-R-Y spells 'Mary'. Spelling aloud is used to make sure names are written correctly.

Question 19Listening

You hear: 'There isn't any milk in the fridge.' What is true?

  1. There is no milk Correct answer.
  2. The fridge is broken
  3. There is some milk
  4. There is a lot of milk

Explanation

'There isn't any' means the quantity is zero, so there is no milk. The negative form with 'any' is used in this kind of sentence. The other options say there is milk, which contradicts the sentence.

Question 20Listening

The recording says: 'Tom is wearing a blue T-shirt and grey shorts.' What colour are the shorts?

  1. Grey Correct answer.
  2. Blue
  3. Green
  4. Black

Explanation

Each clothing item has its own colour in the sentence. The T-shirt is blue and the shorts are grey. Listening for which colour goes with which item prevents a mix-up.

Question 21Listening

You hear: 'We usually have lunch at school, but today we're eating in the park.' Where are they eating today?

  1. In a shop
  2. In the park Correct answer.
  3. At home
  4. At school

Explanation

The word 'today' marks the change from the usual place. The usual place is school, but today's place is the park. Listening for time words such as 'today' and 'usually' helps you pick the right answer.

Question 22Listening

In Part 1, the speaker says: 'Put the ball under the chair.' What must you do?

  1. Draw a ball on top of the chair
  2. Colour the chair red
  3. Write the word 'ball' on the chair
  4. Draw a ball below the chair Correct answer.

Explanation

'Under' means below something, so the ball goes beneath the chair. The instruction names the object and its position. Getting the position word right is the whole point of the task.

Question 23Listening

You hear: 'The shop opens at nine and closes at five.' How long is the shop open?

  1. Four hours
  2. Nine hours
  3. Eight hours Correct answer.
  4. Six hours

Explanation

The shop opens at 9 and closes at 5, so you count the hours from 9 to 5. That is eight hours. Simple time arithmetic like this appears in listening tasks about timetables.

Question 24Listening

The speaker asks: 'Would you like an apple or a banana?' The child answers: 'An apple, please.' What will the child get?

  1. A banana
  2. Nothing
  3. An apple Correct answer.
  4. Both fruits

Explanation

The question offers a choice between two fruits. The answer names the apple, so that is what the child will get. The word 'please' is polite but does not change the choice.

Question 25Listening

You hear: 'My grandpa is old. He is seventy-eight.' Which number do you write?

  1. 78 Correct answer.
  2. 87
  3. 18
  4. 68

Explanation

The age said is seventy-eight, which is written as 78. The tens word 'seventy' comes first, then 'eight'. Reversing the digits gives a different number and is a common listening trap.

Question 26Listening

You hear: 'Put your pencils in the box, please.' What do you do with the pencils?

  1. Give them to the teacher
  2. Open the window
  3. Put them in the box Correct answer.
  4. Put them on the chair

Explanation

The instruction names both the object (pencils) and the place (in the box). A Part 1 candidate listens for the object and the position word together, because the position tells you where to put the object.

Question 27Listening

In Starters Listening Part 1, you must do something to a picture while you listen. What do you do?

  1. Colour or draw in the picture Correct answer.
  2. Circle the correct word
  3. Write a name in a box
  4. Write a short sentence

Explanation

Part 1 is a picture task: a person gives instructions and you show the answer by colouring or drawing on the picture. Writing sentences, circling words and writing names belong to other parts of the paper.

Question 28Listening

You hear: 'There's a cat on the bed and a dog under the bed.' Where is the dog?

  1. Next to the cat
  2. Under the bed Correct answer.
  3. On the bed
  4. In the garden

Explanation

The recording gives two positions, so you must match each animal to its own place word. The dog is linked to 'under the bed', while 'on the bed' belongs to the cat.

Question 29Listening

You hear: 'Anna has got a new bike. It's red.' Which colour is the bike?

  1. Blue
  2. Yellow
  3. Green
  4. Red Correct answer.

Explanation

Only one colour is spoken in the recording, and it comes straight after the object 'bike'. In colour questions you listen for the colour word that follows the thing you are looking for.

Question 30Listening

You hear: 'I've got two brothers and one sister.' How many children are in the family?

  1. Three
  2. Four Correct answer.
  3. One
  4. Two

Explanation

The speaker counts two brothers plus one sister, and the speaker is also a child in the family. Adding 2 + 1 + 1 gives four children, so you must add the speaker as well as the people named.

Question 31Listening

In Part 2, you hear a name and then you hear it spelled letter by letter. Why does the speaker spell the name?

  1. To tell you the person's age
  2. To say where the person lives
  3. To show the name is long
  4. To help you write it correctly Correct answer.

Explanation

Spelling is given because some names sound alike or are hard to write from sound alone. Writing the letters one by one lets you copy the name exactly into the gap.

Question 32Listening

You hear: 'My birthday is on the third of June.' Which date do you write?

  1. 3 June Correct answer.
  2. 13 June
  3. 30 June
  4. 1 June

Explanation

The word 'third' is an ordinal number meaning position three in a list, so the day is the 3rd. 'Thirteenth' and 'thirtieth' sound similar but start with different sounds, so listen for the beginning of the word.

Question 33Listening

You hear: 'It's raining, so take your umbrella.' Why does the speaker say this?

  1. To say the sun is shining
  2. To tell you the weather is wet Correct answer.
  3. To say it is very hot
  4. To say it is snowing

Explanation

Rain and an umbrella both point to wet weather, so the two pieces of information support each other. When a recording gives a reason word like 'so', the second part explains the first.

Question 34Listening

You hear: 'The book is on the shelf, next to the clock.' Where is the book?

  1. In the bag
  2. On the shelf Correct answer.
  3. Under the clock
  4. On the table

Explanation

The first place word after the object tells you where it is: the book is on the shelf. 'Next to the clock' adds more detail about the same shelf, so it does not change the main place.

Question 35Listening

In Part 3, each question has three pictures, A, B and C. You hear one conversation. How many pictures do you choose for each question?

  1. Three
  2. One Correct answer.
  3. None
  4. Two

Explanation

Part 3 gives three pictures per question but only one of them matches what the people say. The other two pictures are there to check whether you understand the difference between similar words.

Question 36Listening

You hear: 'The girl is playing football, not basketball.' Which sport is she playing?

  1. Tennis
  2. Swimming
  3. Basketball
  4. Football Correct answer.

Explanation

The word 'not' tells you which option to remove, not which one to keep. The sport said before 'not' is the real answer, so the girl is playing football.

Question 37Listening

You hear: 'I'd like a cheese sandwich and some orange juice.' What does the person want to drink?

  1. Milk
  2. Orange juice Correct answer.
  3. Water
  4. Cheese

Explanation

The question asks about a drink, so you must separate the food from the drink in the sentence. The sandwich is food, and the orange juice is the only drink named.

Question 38Listening

You hear: 'My sister is a nurse. She works at night.' When does the sister work?

  1. Every afternoon
  2. At the weekend
  3. At night Correct answer.
  4. In the morning

Explanation

The second sentence gives the time, and it follows directly after the job information. Listening for a time phrase after a job word helps you answer 'when' questions.

Question 39Listening

You hear: 'There are three birds in the tree and two on the grass.' How many birds are there in total?

  1. Two
  2. Five Correct answer.
  3. Three
  4. Six

Explanation

The birds are in two places, so you add the groups: three in the tree plus two on the grass makes five. Total questions need addition, not just copying one number.

Question 40Listening

You hear: 'I can't find my shoes. Are they in the kitchen?' What is the person looking for?

  1. A bag
  2. A kitchen
  3. Shoes Correct answer.
  4. A coat

Explanation

The object that is 'lost' is the thing the person wants, and the question about the kitchen is only a guess about where it is. So you answer with the lost object, not the room.

Question 41Listening

In Part 4, you hear a conversation and see three pictures. The speaker says: 'It's got four legs and a long tail, and it says miaow.' Which picture do you choose?

  1. A bird
  2. A fish
  3. A cat Correct answer.
  4. A dog

Explanation

Several clues point to one animal: four legs, a long tail and the sound 'miaow'. When clues stack up like this, the animal that fits all of them is the answer.

Question 42Listening

You hear: 'The party starts at four o'clock, but please come at half past three.' When should you arrive?

  1. 3.30 Correct answer.
  2. 4.00
  3. 3.00
  4. 4.30

Explanation

Two times are given, and the arrival time is the one after 'please come'. 'Half past three' means thirty minutes after three, so you should arrive at 3.30, before the party starts.

Question 43Listening

You hear: 'Lucy's dad is a doctor. Her mum is a teacher.' What is Lucy's mum's job?

  1. Teacher Correct answer.
  2. Driver
  3. Nurse
  4. Doctor

Explanation

Two jobs are given, one for each parent, so you must match the person to the job. The mum is linked to 'teacher', while 'doctor' belongs to the dad.

Question 44Listening

You hear: 'Open your books at page twelve and look at the picture at the top.' Where is the picture?

  1. At the top of the page Correct answer.
  2. On page twenty
  3. On the cover
  4. At the bottom of the page

Explanation

The recording gives both a page number and a position on the page. The position phrase 'at the top' tells you where to look on page twelve.

Question 45Listening

You hear: 'I usually walk to school, but today my dad is driving me.' How does the child get to school today?

  1. By bike
  2. On foot
  3. By bus
  4. By car Correct answer.

Explanation

The word 'but' signals a change, so the second part of the sentence is the answer for today. 'Driving me' means the child travels by car today, even though walking is usual.

Question 46Listening

In Part 2, you hear: 'My name is Ben.' Then you hear: 'B-E-N.' What do you write in the gap?

  1. Ban
  2. Bn
  3. Bem
  4. Ben Correct answer.

Explanation

The letters are said one by one so you can copy them in order. B, then E, then N spells 'Ben', which matches the name you hear first.

Question 47Listening

You hear: 'The bear is bigger than the rabbit, but the elephant is the biggest.' Which animal is the biggest?

  1. The rabbit
  2. The bear
  3. The elephant Correct answer.
  4. The horse

Explanation

Comparisons rank things in order: bigger than the rabbit, then biggest of all. The word 'biggest' marks the top of the group, and it is used for the elephant.

Question 48Listening

You hear: 'There isn't a park near my house, but there's a big playground.' What is near the house?

  1. A river
  2. A zoo
  3. A playground Correct answer.
  4. A park

Explanation

The recording says there is no park, then gives what does exist instead. The place after 'but there's' is the real answer, so the playground is near the house.

Question 49Listening

In Part 1, the recording says: 'Colour the small dog brown.' Which dog do you colour?

  1. The big one
  2. The one by the door
  3. The one on the bed
  4. The small one Correct answer.

Explanation

When a picture has more than one of the same animal, the describing word tells you which one to choose. Here 'small' separates the correct dog from the big one.

Question 50Listening

You hear: 'Where's my red hat? Is it in the cupboard?' The other person answers: 'No, it's on the chair.' Where is the hat?

  1. On the chair Correct answer.
  2. Under the table
  3. On the bed
  4. In the cupboard

Explanation

The answer word 'No' removes the first place, and the place after it is correct. So the cupboard is wrong and the chair is where the hat is.