What does B1 Preliminary for Schools involve?B1 Preliminary for Schools is an intermediate level assessment of English for people who want to use English for work and study situations. It consists of four papers:
Reading, Writing, Listening and
Speaking. The Speaking
exam uses a face-to-face test with two candidates and two assessors.
This creates a more realistic and reliable measure of your ability to
use English to communicate.
B1 Preliminary for Schools has four papers:

 | Reading: 45 minutes The B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading paper shows you can read and understand the main points from signs, newspapers and magazines. It has six parts and 32 questions. There are different types of texts and questions. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
Number of parts:
| 6
| Number of questions: | 32 | Type of questions – Reading tasks:
- Part 1: Multiple choice short texts
Read five real-world notices, messages and other short texts for the main message. - Part 2: Matching
Match five descriptions of people to eight short texts on a particular topic, showing detailed comprehension. - Part 3: Multiple choice
Read a longer text for detailed comprehension, gist, inference and global meaning, as well as writer’s attitude and opinion.
- Part 4: Multiple choice cloze
Read a longer text from which five sentences have been removed. Show understanding of how a coherent and well-structured text is formed.
- Part 5: Multiple choice cloze
Read a shorter text and choose the correct vocabulary items to complete gaps. - Part 6: Open cloze
Read a shorter text and complete six gaps using one word for each gap.
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 | Writing: 45 minutes The B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading paper shows you can use vocabulary and structure correctly. It has two parts and 3 questions. There are different types of texts and questions. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
Number of parts: | 2
| Number of questions: | 2
| Type of questions – Writing tasks:
- Part 1: Writing an email
Write about 100 words, answering the email and notes provided. - Part 2: Choice between an article or a story
Write about 100 words, answering the question of their choosing.
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 | Listening: 30 minutes The B1 Preliminary for Schools Listening paper has four parts. For each part
you have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some
questions. You have to be able to follow and understand a range of spoken materials including announcements and discussions about everyday life. Each recording is heard twice. You will need to show
that you can listen for gist (the main point), listen for specific
information and recognise the attitudes and opinions of the speakers.
You will hear individual people talking (monologues) and two people
talking to each other (dialogues). This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
Number of parts: | 4
| Type of tasks:
- Part 1: Multiple choice short texts
Identify key information in seven short monologues or dialogues and choose the correct visual.
- Part 2: Multiple choice short texts
Listen to six short dialogues and understand the gist of each.
- Part 3: Gap fill
Listen to a monologue and complete six gaps.
- Part 4: Multiple choice short text
Listen to an interview for a detailed understanding of meaning and to identify attitudes and opinions.
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 | Speaking: 12 minutes per pair of candidates The B1 Preliminary for Schools Speaking shows how good your spoken English is as you take part in conversation by asking/answering questions and talking, for example, about your likes and dislikes. The test has four parts and will be conducted
face-to-face with one or two other candidates. This makes your test more
realistic and more reliable. There are two examiners. One examiner
(the interlocutor) talks to you and the other examiner (the assessor)
just listens. Both examiners decide your grade but the assessor gives
more detailed marks than the interlocutor. The Speaking test accounts for 25% of the total mark.
Number of parts: | 4
| Type of tasks:- Part 1: Interview
Respond to questions, giving factual or personal information. - Part 2: Extended turn
Describe one colour photograph, talking for about 1 minute. - Part 3: Discussion
Make and respond to suggestions, discuss alternatives and negotiate agreement. - Part 4: General conversation
Discuss likes, dislikes, experiences, opinions, habits, etc.
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| Choosing your Speaking Test partner |
If you would like to be paired together with a friend/classmate you can
request this when you register for the exam. Please note however that
research has shown that there are both advantages and disadvantages in
taking the test with someone you know and that in the end it doesn’t
matter. What is important is that the test judges you on your own
performance. |
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Your resultsIf you are successful in the exam you will receive two documents: a
Statement of Results and a
certificate. Universities, employers and other organisations you apply to may ask you for either of these documents as proof of your English language skills.
'Statement of Results'Your Statement of Results contains the following information:
 | - Your score on the Cambridge English Scale for each of the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
- Your score on the Cambridge English Scale for the overall exam
- Your grade (A, B, C, Level A2) for the overall exam
- Your CEFR level for the overall exam. Depending on which university, college or organisation you are applying to, you may be asked to achieve a specific score or grade, either overall or for a particular skill.
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For B1 Preliminary for Schools, the following scores will be used to report results:
Cambridge English Scale Score
| Grade
| CEFR level
| 160-170
| A
| B2
| 153-159 | B
| B1
| 140-152 | C
| B1
| 120-139 | Level A2
| A2
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 | The exam is targeted at Level B1 of the CEFR. The examination also
provides reliable assessment at the level above (Level B2) and the
level below (Level A2).
Scores between 120 and 139 are also reported for B1 Preliminary. You will not receive a certificate, but your Cambridge English Scale score will be shown on your Statement of Results.
Please click on the image to the left of this text to find out the relationship between the CEFR levels, the Cambridge English Scale and the grades awarded in B1 Preliminary.
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Your certificateIf a candidate demonstrates that he/she has achieved level A2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), one of the following certificates will be awarded:

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Cambridge English: Preliminary - Level B2 Exceptional candidates sometimes show ability beyond B1 level. If you achieve a grade A in your exam, you will receive
the B1 Preliminary certificate stating that you demonstrated ability at Level B2. |
Cambridge English: Preliminary - Level B1 If you achieve a B or C grade in your exam, you will be awarded the B1 Preliminary certificate at Level B1. |
Level A2 Certificate If your performance is below Level B1, but falls within Level A2, we will recognise your achievement with a Cambridge English certificate stating that you demonstrated ability at A2 level.
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Results Verification Service |
If you want a university, employer or other organisation to verify your
result, you must provide them with the information on your Statement of
Results and two additional pieces of information:
1.- Your ID Number (a sequence of nine letters and numbers). 2.- Your Secret Number (a four-digit number).
Both of these pieces of information can be found on your Confirmation of
Entry, which you receive when you register for the exam. They can then
verify your result by logging in to www.cambridgeenglish.org/verifiers |