General characteristics of the PTE General A2 Elementary exam (level A2)

If you already have an A2 level of English and have thought about certifying it, today we want to make a very important recommendation. We will explain everything related to the PTE General A2 Elementary English certificate, level A2, with which you can demonstrate all your knowledge in spoken and written language. We explain the characteristics of this exam, the structure of the test and we are going to leave you tips and material so that you can prepare it at your own pace and enroll when you are ready. Keep reading today's article, surely it may interest you because the PTE General certificate has great conditions both for candidates who have studied English in schools and in an English-speaking country.

What is the PTE General English test?

 It is the certification of English with an international character for adolescents and adults. PTE GENERAL is a general English certification for teens, young adults and adults, endorsed by PEARSON, the UK's largest and most important certification organization.

There is the possibility of doing any of the six levels of difficulty, from A1 to C2. PTE GENERAL certifies the ability to use the English language to travel, study or obtain better job prospects, evaluating the skills necessary to handle real life situations, such as taking notes, writing messages, understanding news, etc.

The different levels of PTE GENERAL are accepted by universities, companies and educational authorities, and are also recognized worldwide as evidence of the level of English acquired. In Spain they are recognized by all the autonomous communities, by ACLES (Association of Language Centers in Higher Education) and by CRUE (Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities).

All levels correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The certificates include a clear equivalence with the CEFR level achieved by the students.

By taking the test, students will be able to demonstrate their level of English and certify their ability in the language to continue their training or improve their job prospects. The exams combine a progressive approach with international content that enables students to reach their full potential in today's global world. In addition, the exams are designed to positively reward achievement in learning English.

The exam activities are a natural continuation of what happens inside and outside of class , that is, they combine the academic part with the more social part, giving the students the opportunity to achieve their best performance with everything they have learned after studying but also from the most natural environment of the day to day. For this reason, authentic materials taken from brochures, magazines, television, newspapers, etc. are used in the exams. All activities present situations from everyday life, such as writing messages, understanding talks, news or participating in a conversation.

PTE GENERAL assesses the four skills in an integrated way : Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. It focuses on assessing the ability to communicate in English, rather than the skills to solve one type of test. The exam consists of two parts: the written exam and the oral exam.

Structure of the PTE General A2 Elementary exam, level A2

The exam lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes.

It is indicated for candidates who have a knowledge of English at a beginner level, enough to live in social and everyday situations and to travel. The candidate has to understand simple information and has to know how to express himself in a brief and very simple way, both at a spoken and a written level.

The exam has two parts:

• Written part: consists of 9 activities related to a topic of the level. It consists of two Listening activities, one Listening and Writing activity, two Writing activities and four Reading activities.
• Spoken part : it lasts 5 minutes and the test consists of an interaction between the candidate and the examiner. It is divided into three different activities: a monologue, the description of a photograph and a role play

How to prepare the tests on your own: tips and materials

Remember to be as orderly as possible during the study. We advise you that from the first day you create a plan with an exclusive agenda for this, that you fulfill it with commitment and desire, if this is not the case you will not be able to advance or achieve the proposed objective.

To take these tests, you must already have a well-established knowledge of English at an initial level , that is, at level A2. You cannot introduce yourself if you have not studied and prepared the level before, so the interesting thing would be if you start with this, with some general English book that will help you control all the contents of the A2 and that you always have close by in case you have any questions . Once you have established the level and its contents:

• To prepare for the Listening test, what you have to do is listen to a lot of English, as much as you can. Use all the resources you have at your disposal and take advantage of them. You can use this list of songs for your level.
• This compilation of series and movies can also help you .
• The Reading test forces you to read as much English as you can and more. Try to get daily readings, whether from newspapers, blogs, social networks, etc. To help you, we suggest that you review this list of graded reading for level A2 of English, which can help you a lot to start making contact with literature and other uses of the English language. Do not forget to write down everything relevant and new for you, to later put it into practice in your conversations or writing.  
• Always work with a dictionary, it is what can help you solve all your doubts. Look at this list of possible dictionaries , choose the one that best suits your needs.
• To prepare for a Writing test, the fundamental thing is to write and write as much as you can. It is about spending time each day to write and put into practice everything learned at level A2, but it is also advisable to use vocabulary and structures obtained from listening and reading, that will add a plus and will give your texts a category. We advise you to maintain contact with natives, in writing, which will allow you to do it in the most real way. Ask them to correct you, so you will move forward safely.
• The spoken test you have to prepare it with a native person if possible, since it is what can serve as a basis and to be well prepared for the exam. You have to demonstrate the utmost naturalness and dexterity in your oral communication, so the more you practice, the better. Verbal fluency is necessary from the first levels. Listening is essential to prepare the ear, practice accents, etc. It is good that also for your conversations you use material obtained from readings and listening.

It would also be great if you contacted people who are like you , preparing for the test, since having a circle of people in the same situation helps a lot to solve doubts, find out about changes or news that you did not know, collect material, etc.

It is also good that you contact other people who have already gone through the same thing as you, that is, who have already taken the exam, so that they can explain their experiences to you. Search the networks, you will find everything you need. Surely through a blog, a group already created or established, or if you dare you could set up the meeting group, it would be a rewarding experience and you could help yourself a lot while helping others.

Dates, registration and results

In 2020 you have the opportunity to certify your A2 level of English. Remember how important it is that you get in touch with your nearest center, since it is the one that will indicate with exactness and precision the characteristics of the invitation in which you will be examined, possible changes and how the exam will be done.

In any case, we advise you to enter the link , from which you can control everything related to calls, prices, center, etc. That is, you have all the information gathered without the need to search. It is the most comfortable and easy way, because it also offers you the option of registering directly, with complete and absolute security.