Written: Listening, Reading and Writing at A2
What the Written exam tests
The LanguageCert A2 Access Written exam covers Listening, Reading and Writing at CEFR A2. You meet short, everyday texts: notices, adverts, emails, simple articles and dialogues. The exam checks whether you can understand the main point and find specific details, then write a short practical message.
Core rules and task types
- Listening: short conversations and announcements. Questions follow the recording order. Listen for numbers, times, prices and places; you often hear a distractor before the correct answer.
- Reading: match notices to situations, choose the best answer, complete gaps. You do not need to understand every word - find the key phrase.
- Writing: usually two short tasks, such as an email/message and a form or note. Answer every bullet point. A2 writing is about 30–50 words per message: keep it simple and clear.
- Use a greeting and closing in messages (Hi Ben / See you soon), and keep the register informal for friends, slightly formal for a school or shop.
Worked example
Task: Write an email to a friend. Invite them to a film. Say the film, the time and where to meet. Model: Hi Sam, Would you like to see the new comedy at the Odeon on Saturday? It starts at 7 p.m. Let's meet at the cinema entrance at 6.45. See you, Alex. Reasoning: all three points are covered; the message is 36 words; it uses a friendly greeting and closing, a simple invitation (Would you like to...?) and a suggestion (Let's meet...).
Traps that cost marks
- Missing one bullet point - examiners check each one.
- Writing too much and making more grammar errors; stay near the word limit.
- Using formal language to a friend, or informal language to a school.
- Guessing a listening answer before the full dialogue; distractors are common.
- Poor spelling of everyday words (Wednesday, restaurant, address).