The Pre A1 Starters exam is the first level of the Cambridge Young Learners English (YLE) exams. It is designed for children aged 6–8 who are just beginning to learn English. The exam focuses on everyday vocabulary, simple sentences, and basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Exam Structure
The Pre A1 Starters exam consists of three parts:
Section Duration Skills Tested
Listening ~20 minutes Understanding simple words, phrases, and short conversations
Reading & Writing 20 minutes Recognizing and writing simple words, matching words to pictures, and basic sentence completion
Speaking 3–5 minutes Answering simple questions, describing pictures, and responding to prompts
1. Listening Section (20 minutes, 4 parts)
This section tests a child’s ability to understand spoken English in simple contexts.
Example Tasks:
🔹 Part 1: Match names to people in a picture
Example: Listen to the recording and draw a line from « Tom » to the correct person in the picture.
🔹 Part 2: Listen and color or draw
Example: « Color the ball next to the chair blue. »
🔹 Part 3: Match spoken words to pictures
Example: Listen to the word and choose the correct picture from three options.
🔹 Part 4: Answer simple questions about a short conversation
Example: « Where is the cat? » → « It’s under the table. »
2. Reading & Writing Section (20 minutes, 5 parts)
This section checks basic vocabulary, sentence structure, and reading comprehension.
Example Tasks:
🔹 Part 1: Match words to pictures
Example: Draw a line between « dog » and a picture of a dog.
🔹 Part 2: Fill in missing letters
Example: « c_ _ » → « cat »
🔹 Part 3: Choose the correct word for a sentence
Example: « This is a ______ (car/dog/book). » → « car »
🔹 Part 4: Read a short story and answer True/False
Example: « Tom is in the park. He sees a big tree. » → (T/F?)
🔹 Part 5: Write one-word answers based on a picture
Example: « What is this? » (Picture of an apple) → « apple »
3. Speaking Section (3–5 minutes, with an examiner)
This section is interactive and encourages children to use simple spoken English.
Example Tasks:
🔹 Part 1: Name objects in a picture
Example: « What is this? » (Examiner points to a ball) → « Ball. »
🔹 Part 2: Answer basic personal questions
Example: « What’s your name? » → « My name is Anna. »
« How old are you? » → « I’m seven. »
🔹 Part 3: Match pictures with spoken descriptions
Example: « Find the boy with the red hat. »
🔹 Part 4: Answer simple questions about a picture
Example: « Where is the cat? » → « It’s on the chair. »
Scoring and Results
No pass or fail – Children receive a certificate with a score from 1 to 5 shields in each section.
Shields show strengths and areas for improvement.
The goal is to build confidence in English, not to stress children with grades.
How to Prepare for Pre A1 Starters
📚 Study Materials:
Fun for Starters (Cambridge)
Storyfun for Starters (Cambridge)
Official Cambridge Starters Practice Tests
🎮 Games & Apps:
Cambridge’s « Monkey Puzzles » online game
Lingokids app
Cambridge Exam Lift app
🎤 Speaking Practice Ideas:
Use flashcards for common words (dog, cat, book, apple, happy, sad).
Play « Find and Say » – Point to objects and name them.
Role-play simple dialogues (e.g., « What’s your name? » « Where is the ball? »).
📝 Reading & Writing Practice:
Label objects in English at home.
Use coloring worksheets with English words.
Encourage kids to write simple sentences (e.g., « I like my dog. »).
🎧 Listening Practice:
Watch English cartoons (Peppa Pig, Bluey).
Listen to kids’ English songs (Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes).
Use Cambridge YLE Listening practice audio.
The Cambridge Pre A1 Starters exam is a great way to introduce children to English in a fun and stress-free way. The exam focuses on basic vocabulary, listening skills, and simple speaking tasks. With the right preparation, children can gain confidence and enjoy learning English!