PEIC Level 3 (B2) cheat sheet

PEIC listening tasks at B2 test gist, specific detail, speaker attitude, and inference; each task type rewards a different listening strategy, so identify the question type before the audio starts.

Signposting language marks structure: 'firstly', 'on the other hand', 'in fact', 'to sum up' announce a new point, a contrast, or a conclusion, and answers usually follow these markers.

Distractors are built from words heard in the audio but attached to the wrong speaker, time, or number; matching a word is not evidence that the option is correct.

Numbers, dates, and prices are frequently self-corrected ('at nine - sorry, half past nine'), so the last version stated is normally the intended answer.

Attitude questions are answered by intonation and modifiers ('fairly', 'not exactly', 'I suppose so') rather than by explicit adjectives; hedged delivery signals doubt or disagreement.

Inference items require combining two stated facts; an option that repeats a single sentence verbatim is usually a distractor.

Note-completion answers must fit the grammar of the gap: a gap after 'a' takes a singular countable noun, and a gap after 'to' takes a base verb.

Spelling of names and places is tested in note-completion; write the answer as heard, then check it against the word class required by the gap.

B2 reading tasks include gist, detailed comprehension, reference, and text-type recognition; skim headings and first sentences before reading closely to build a mental map of the text.

Skimming means reading topic sentences and bold or italicised text for the main idea; scanning means moving the eyes for a specific name, number, or keyword without reading surrounding sentences.

True/False/Not Given: 'False' requires the text to contradict the statement; 'Not Given' means the text is silent on it, so absence of evidence is not contradiction.

Matching headings: the correct heading paraphrases the paragraph's main idea, while a heading that repeats one detail from the paragraph is a trap.

Reference questions ('it', 'this', 'they') are resolved by checking number and gender agreement and by testing which noun the pronoun can logically replace.

Cohesion is carried by linkers: 'however' and 'nevertheless' signal contrast, 'therefore' and 'consequently' signal result, 'whereas' signals direct comparison between two clauses.

Vocabulary in context: the surrounding clause, not the dictionary's first sense, fixes the meaning; a word with two senses is tested by which sense fits the sentence's logic.

Word-limit instructions are strict: 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS' means hyphenated compounds count as one word and articles may be omitted only if the gap allows.

B2 speaking is assessed on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation; each criterion is scored independently, so a strong vocabulary does not compensate for broken fluency.

Fluency at B2 means sustaining speech with only occasional repetition or self-correction; long silent pauses while searching for a word lower the score more than a paraphrase does.

Paraphrasing is a core B2 strategy: when a word is missing, describe it ('the thing you use to open a bottle') rather than stopping or switching to the first language.

Answer structure for opinion questions: state a position, give one reason, add one example, then close with a short consequence - this fills the time coherently without rambling.

Grammatical range at B2 requires at least conditionals, present perfect, passive voice, relative clauses, and comparatives; accuracy means these forms are controlled, not attempted.

Discourse markers ('to be honest', 'on the whole', 'having said that', 'what I mean is') signal coherence and are expected at B2, but overuse of one marker sounds memorised.

Pronunciation is judged on intelligibility and stress placement, not accent; misplaced word stress (e.g. 'comfortable' stressed on the wrong syllable) can obscure meaning.

In interactive tasks, responding to the examiner's follow-up with a full turn - acknowledgement plus development - demonstrates the interactional competence B2 requires.

B2 writing is assessed on task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy; task achievement includes covering every bullet point of the prompt.

Register is fixed by the task: formal letters and reports avoid contractions and idioms, while informal emails and messages may use them; mixing registers lowers the score.

Paragraphing rule: one central idea per paragraph, a topic sentence first, supporting detail after, and a linking word or phrase at the start of subsequent paragraphs.

Word-count instructions are enforced: writing under the minimum leaves ideas undeveloped and is penalised; writing far over wastes time and increases error density.

Formal letter openings and closings must match: 'Dear Sir or Madam' pairs with 'Yours faithfully', and 'Dear Mr Smith' pairs with 'Yours sincerely'.

Cohesion is achieved through referencing (this, such, the former) and substitution as well as linkers; a text that only uses 'and', 'but', 'so' at sentence starts shows limited range.

Common B2 accuracy targets: consistent tense within a narrative, correct article use with countable nouns, and subject-verb agreement in complex subjects.

Reports and articles need a title and, where the prompt asks, recommendations or a conclusion; an essay without a stated position fails the task achievement criterion.