Official English certificate Cambridge PET - B1 Preliminary for Schools exam characteristics, level B1
Students who have a good level of English, which could be considered an intermediate level equivalent to a B1 level, will be able to certify, despite their age, said knowledge of the foreign language. The prestigious University of Cambridge offers all those students who wish to take the Cambridge PET –B1 Preliminary for Schools English exam, level B1. If you are a bit lost to help your children or students, don't worry; Today we are going to explain everything related to these tests: characteristics, material, tips to prepare them on your own and what you need to know in terms of inscription, prices and registration.
What is the Cambridge PET - B1 Preliminary for Schools English exam, level B1?
It is one of the Cambridge English qualifications. With this exam, the student shows that they have mastered the basic and fundamental aspects of English.
The B1 Preliminary for Schools qualification demonstrates that the student possesses the language skills necessary for everyday use.
Within the student's learning path, this exam is the intermediate step between A2 Key for Schools and B2 First for Schools.
B1 Preliminary for Schools is targeted at the same CEFR level as B1 Preliminary, but the content is targeted at school-age students.
The B1 Preliminary qualification demonstrates that students can:
- Read textbooks and simple articles in English.
- Write letters and emails about everyday matters.
- Understand factual information.
- Become aware of opinions and moods in spoken and written English.
Reasons to choose B1 Preliminary for Schools:
- It is easily integrated into the school curriculum.
- It is part of a set of exams that offers a gradual progression to students.
- It offers comprehensive support in exam preparation and administration.
Exam format
The B1 Preliminary for Schools English test consists of four tests developed to assess students' English skills. The following table shows the characteristics of each one of them in a very visual way:
|
Test |
Content |
Rating |
Purpose |
|
Reading Comprehension (Reading): 45 minutes |
6 parts / |
25% |
It shows that the candidate can read and understand the main points of signs, newspapers and magazines. |
|
Written expression (Writing): 45 minutes |
2 parts / |
25% |
It shows the candidate that he can use vocabulary and structure correctly. |
|
Listening comprehension: 30 minutes, including 6 minutes to translate the answers. |
4 parts / |
25% |
The candidate has to be able to follow and understand a wide range of oral content, including announcements and discussions about everyday life. |
|
Oral expression (Speaking): 12–17 minutes for each pair of candidates. |
4 parts |
25% |
The candidate has to demonstrate his level of spoken English by participating in a conversation, asking and answering questions, as well as speaking, for example, about his preferences. The speaking test will take place in person together with one or two other candidates and two examiners. This makes the test more realistic and reliable. |
The B1 Preliminary for Schools reading comprehension test consists of six parts. There are different types of texts and questions. Take a good look at their characteristics of them:
Part 1. Multiple choice:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Read five notices, messages, or other short texts from real situations to find out the main message. |
|
How many questions are there? |
5 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Part 2. Pair:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Match five descriptions of people with eight short texts on a specific topic, thus demonstrating thorough understanding. |
|
How many questions are there? |
5 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Part 3. Multiple choice:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Read a longer text and gain a thorough understanding of the essence, conclusions and overall meaning, as well as the attitude and opinion of the writer. |
|
How many questions are there? |
5 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Part 4. Text with blanks:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Read a longer text from which five sentences have been deleted. Demonstrate an understanding of how a coherent and well-structured text is composed. |
|
How many questions are there? |
5 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Part 5. Multiple Choice Blanks:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Read a shorter text and choose the appropriate vocabulary elements to fill in the blanks. |
|
How many questions are there? |
6 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Part 6. Blanks with an open response:
|
What do the candidates have to do? |
Read a shorter text and fill in the six blanks with one word each. |
|
How many questions are there? |
6 |
|
How do they score? |
One point for each correct answer. |
Material to prepare the test on your own
As the candidates are young, it is very likely that they will need help preparing for the test, as they alone will not know how to organize themselves. Whether you are a parent or a teacher, that is, if you are the person who accompanies them, we recommend that you organize them well, with continuous work over time and focused on the objective: to pass the exam. For this, we are going to put at hand all the material that the University of Cambridge itself makes available to candidates to prepare for the Cambridge PET - B1 Preliminary for Schools English exam, level B1. It provides activities, practice tests and recommended workbooks.
In addition, you have many resources from the University of Cambridge, on their YouTube channel; videos that can help you and accompany you on this journey.
Exam dates and results
In the following link you have all the information related to the exam centers that may interest you the most: https://examenexam.com
In any case, from the search engine you will be able to see all the options that best suit your needs. Get in touch with them, as they can assure you precisely when the tests will be done, under what conditions, registration dates and prices. Directly from this same link you can register, to ensure booking a place so you can take the exam.
We will send your certificate to the test center approximately 2-3 weeks after the scores are available . Then your test center will send it to you. If you took a paper exam , we will send your certificate to your center between seven and nine weeks after your exam date. If you took an exam by computer , we will send your certificate to your center between five and six weeks after the date of your exam.
Depending on the university, college or organization you wish to apply to, you will be asked to achieve a specific grade or score, either globally or in a specific skill. In B1 Preliminary the following scores will be used when presenting the results:
|
Score on the Cambridge English Scale |
Note |
CEFR level |
|
160-170 |
TO |
B2 |
|
153-159 |
B |
B1 |
|
140–152 |
C |
B1 |
|
120–139 |
Level A2 |
A2 |
The exam is focused on Level B1 of the CEFR. The exam also provides a reliable assessment of the level immediately above B1 (Level B2) and below (Level A2).
Scores between 120 and 139 are also included in your Grade Report, but in that case, you will not receive the B1 Preliminary for Schools English Test certificate.
Your Rating Report (Statement of Results) will contain the following information:
- Scores according to the Cambridge English Scale in each of the four skills: Reading Comprehension (Reading), Written Expression (Writing), Listening Comprehension (Listening), and Oral Expression (Speaking) ;
- score according to the Cambridge English Scale on the comprehensive exam.
- grade (A, B, C, Level A2) in the global exam;
- CEFR level in the global exam.