LanguageCert A2 Access flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Written exam sections

Listening, Reading and Writing, taken as one paper. Listening and Reading are answer-key marked; Writing is marked by trained examiners against task achievement, organisation, grammar and vocabulary.

A2 writing word count

A short message or email task usually asks for about 50 to 80 words. Staying inside the limit protects task-achievement marks and reduces avoidable errors.

Listening recordings played twice

At A2 each recording is heard two times. Use the first listening for gist and answers, the second to confirm details and check numbers, times and spelling.

Reading text types at A2

Short everyday texts: notices, signs, adverts, menus, timetables, emails, postcards and brief articles. Questions test gist, specific detail and simple inference.

Past simple time markers

Use past simple with finished-time expressions such as yesterday, last week, two days ago, in 2020. These markers signal that present perfect is not required.

Going to versus will

Use 'going to' for plans already decided before speaking, and 'will' for instant decisions, offers, promises and predictions based on opinion.

Much versus many

Use 'much' and 'a little' with uncountable nouns like money, time and water. Use 'many' and 'a few' with countable plurals like books, people and emails.

Formal email opening and closing

When the name is unknown, open with 'Dear Sir/Madam' and close with 'Yours faithfully'. With a known name, use 'Dear Mr Smith' and 'Yours sincerely'.

Prepositions of time rule

Use 'in' for months, years and parts of the day, 'on' for days and dates, and 'at' for clock times and 'at night'.

Telling the time in listening

'Half past seven' means 7:30, 'a quarter to nine' means 8:45, and 'ten fifteen' means 10:15. Times are a common distractor in note-completion tasks.

Spelling counted in Writing

Misspellings that obscure meaning are treated as errors and reduce accuracy marks. High-frequency words such as because, receive, Wednesday and accommodation must be secure.

True/false reading strategy

Read the statement, find the matching part of the text, then compare meaning word by word. A statement is false if the text says the opposite or gives a different detail.

Gap-fill grammar check

Before choosing a word for a gap, identify what the sentence needs: noun, verb, adjective or preposition. Then check singular/plural and tense agreement.

Linking words for A2 writing

Use because, so, but, and, then, after that and also to join ideas. At least one linker per paragraph improves coherence and shows range.

Contractions in informal writing

Emails to friends use contractions (I'm, don't, we'll) and informal greetings like 'Hi' and 'Take care'. Formal emails avoid contractions entirely.

Answer transfer in Listening

Write answers on the question paper while listening, then transfer or check them in the time given. Answers must match the required form: a number, a time, a name.

Spoken exam four parts

Part 1 personal questions, Part 2 a short monologue on a picture or topic, Part 3 an interactive or role-play task, and Part 4 a closing discussion with the examiner.

Spoken assessment criteria

Examiners rate task achievement, fluency and coherence, pronunciation, grammar range and accuracy, and vocabulary range. Each criterion is scored separately, so no single strength compensates for a weakness.

Monologue preparation time

The picture or topic task gives about one minute to prepare and one to two minutes to speak. Cover what you see, where it is, what is happening and your reaction.

Asking questions in role-play

The interactive task requires you to ask as well as answer. Prepare questions about price, time, location and payment to meet the task requirement.

Describing a picture

Use present continuous for actions ('A woman is buying a ticket'), 'there is/there are' for objects, and prepositions of place such as on the left, in the middle, in the background.

Giving opinions with reasons

Start with 'I think', 'In my opinion' or 'For me', then add a reason using 'because'. The reason extends the turn and shows grammatical range.

Polite requests and offers

Use 'Could you ...?' for requests, 'Would you like ...?' for offers and 'Shall I ...?' for suggestions. These forms show a wider range than 'Can you'.

Asking for clarification

Say 'Sorry, could you say that again?' or 'What does that mean?' if a question is unclear. Asking once is acceptable and better than guessing or silence.

Intelligible pronunciation focus

Pronunciation is judged on being understood, not on accent. Word stress, sentence stress and clear final consonants matter most for the score.

Talking about past events

Use past simple with time markers such as last summer, two years ago or when I was a child, and keep the tense consistent through the whole answer.

Short answers limit scores

One-word replies give the examiner little evidence of range. Answer with one or two full sentences and add a detail or reason.

Fillers and hesitation

Brief fillers like 'Well' or 'Let me think' are acceptable. Long silences reduce fluency and coherence scores more than a short, simple sentence.

Agreeing and disagreeing

Use 'I agree', 'That's true, but ...' or 'I'm not sure about that' to respond to the examiner. A bare 'No' is too short for the interactive task.

A2 modal verbs

Expect can, could, must, should, have to and would like. Use 'would like' for polite wants and 'should' for advice in both spoken and written tasks.

Comparatives and superlatives

Add -er/-est to short adjectives (cheaper, the cheapest) and use more/most with longer ones (more interesting, the most expensive). Irregulars include better and the best.

Closing the interview

The examiner may ask if you have questions. Prepare one or two about the course, the exam or results to show interactive ability and end positively.