PET for schools (B1)
B1 Preliminary for Schools, formerly known as Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools (PET for Schools), is the English language exam that shows that students have mastered the basics of English and now has practical language skills for everyday use.
B1 Preliminary for Schools is targeted at the same CEFR level as B1 Preliminary but with content aimed at school-age learners rather than adults.
A B1 Preliminary for Schools qualification shows that a student can:
- read simple textbooks and articles in English
- write letters and emails on everyday subjects
- understand factual information
- show awareness of opinions and mood in spoken and written English
Exam format
B1 Preliminary for Schools is made up of four parts developed to test students’ English skills. You can find the detailed information here (and also sample tests), for the 2020 update find information here.
- Reading (45 minutes) --> 25% of total
- Writing (45 minutes) --> 25% of total
- Listening (30 minutes including 6 minutes' transfer time) --> 25% of total
- Speaking (12 minutes per pair of candidates) --> 25% of total
Cambridge has developed a huge variety of learning materials to help you prepare for the 2020 changes, most of them are for free. Updated resources (scroll down to find them, then select your level).
You can download here the vocabulary list provided for PET by Cambridge.
Go to the British Council webpage to practise the different skills: reading, writing, listening and also speaking. There are activities with online exercises and worksheets to help you improve your English skills. You need to select the right level (A2 or B1).
Prepare! can also help you to learn or review vocabulary in a fun way (games, audios...) Levels 4 and 5 are related to PET
Write & Improve is a free tool for learners of English that marks writing in seconds. It is provided in association with Cambridge English (part of the University of Cambridge). If you submit your work, Write & Improve will score it on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) scale, giving it a level from A1 (lowest) to C2 (highest).
Check the Cambridge English URL for tips, dates and extra information about the assessment.
