What's in The Reading and Writing Paper?

Whats in the Reading and Writing paper?
The Cambridge English: Preliminary Reading and Writing paper has five parts about reading and three parts about
writing. There are different types of texts and questions.
Summary
Time allowed:
1 hour 30 minutes
Number of parts:
Reading: 5; Writing: 3
Number of questions:
Reading: 35; Writing: 7
Marks:
50% of total
Reading Part 1 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 1?
Five very short texts (they may be signs and messages, postcards,
notes, emails, labels, etc.). You have to read them and choose which
of the three sentences (A, B or C) is the best description of the text.
What do I have to practise?
Reading notices and other short texts to understand the main

message.
How many questions are there?
How many marks are there?
1 mark for each correct answer.
Reading Part 2 (Matching)

What's in Part 2?
Five short descriptions of people and eight short texts to read. You
have to match each person to a text.
Reading eight short texts to find specific information.
Reading Part 3 (True/False)

What's in Part 3?
A long text and 10 sentences about the text. You have to read the text
and say if each sentence is true or false.
Reading a text quickly to find out information.
10
Reading Part 4 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 4?
A long text and five questions. You have to read the text and choose
the right answer (A, B, C or D) for each of the five questions.
Reading to understand the detail of a text.
Reading Part 5 (Multiple-choice cloze)

What's in Part 5?
A short text with 10 numbered spaces. Each space represents a

missing word and you have to choose the right answer from a choice
of four (A, B, C or D).
Understanding vocabulary and grammar.
10
Writing Part 1 (Sentence transformations)

What's in Part 1?
Five questions which are all about the same theme. For each question
there is one complete sentence and a second sentence which has a
missing word or words. You have to complete the second sentence so
that it means the same as the first sentence.
How to say the same thing in different ways in English, e.g. 'not warm
enough' means the same as 'too cold'.
Writing Part 2 (Short communicative message)

What's in Part 2?
The instructions tell you who to write to and what you should write (a
postcard, note, email, etc.).
Writing short messages.
How much do I have to write?
3545 words
This question has a total of 5 marks.
Writing Part 3 (Continuous writing)

What's in Part 3?
You have a choice of two questions: an informal letter or a story.
Writing letters and stories.
How much do I have to write?
About 100 words
This question has a total of 15 marks.
Whats in the Listening paper?

The Cambridge English: Preliminary Listening paper has four parts. For each part, you have to listen to a recorded
text or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.
Summary
Time allowed:
About 30 minutes, including 6 minutes to copy your answers onto the

answer sheet.
Number of parts:
Number of questions:
25
Marks:
25% of total
Part 1 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 1?
Seven short recordings. For each recording there is a question and

three pictures (A, B or C). You have to listen to the recordings and
choose the right answers.
Listening to find key information.
One mark for each correct answer.
Part 2 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 2?
A longer recording (one person speaking or an interview) and six

questions. You have to listen to the recording and choose the right
answer (A, B or C) for each question.
Listening to find specific information and detailed meaning.
Part 3 (Gap-fill)
What's in Part 3?
A longer monologue (one person speaking) and a page of notes which

summarise the text. Six pieces of information are missing from the
notes. You have to listen to the recording and fill in the missing
information.
Listening for information.
Part 4 (True/False)
What's in Part 4?
A longer informal conversation and six sentences. You have to listen to

the conversation and decide if each sentence is true or false.
Listening for detailed meaning, attitude and opinion.
Whats in the Speaking paper?

The Cambridge English: Preliminary Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate.
There are two examiners. One of the examiners talks to you and the other examiner listens.
Summary
Time allowed:
1012 minutes per pair of candidates
Number of parts:
Marks:
25% of total
You have to talk:
with the examiner

with the other candidate
on your own
Part 1 (Interview)
What's in Part 1?
Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and you
give information about yourself, talk about past experiences, present
job, studies, where you live, etc., and future plans.
Giving information about yourself.
How long do we have to speak?
23 minutes
Part 2 (Discussion)
What's in Part 2?
The examiner gives you some pictures and describes a situation to

you. You have to talk to the other candidate and decide what would be
best in the situation.
Making and responding to suggestions, discussing alternatives,
making recommendations, negotiating agreement.
23 minutes
Part 3 (Extended turn)

What's in Part 3?
The examiner gives you a colour photograph and you have to talk
about it.
Describing photographs.
3 minutes in total; 1 minute to talk about the photograph.
Part 4 (General conversation)

What's in Part 4?
Further discussion with the other candidate about the same topic as
the task in Part 3.
Talking about your opinions, likes/dislikes, experiences, habits, etc.
3 minutes

What's in The Reading and Writing Paper?

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Whats in the Reading and Writing paper?

Reading: 35; Writing: 7

Reading Part 1 (Multiple choice)

What do I have to practise?

Reading notices and other short texts to understand the main

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Reading Part 2 (Matching)

What do I have to practise?

Reading eight short texts to find specific information.

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Reading Part 3 (True/False)

What do I have to practise?

Reading a text quickly to find out information.

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Reading Part 4 (Multiple choice)

What do I have to practise?

Reading to understand the detail of a text.

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Reading Part 5 (Multiple-choice cloze)

A short text with 10 numbered spaces. Each space represents a

What do I have to practise?

Understanding vocabulary and grammar.

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Writing Part 1 (Sentence transformations)

What do I have to practise?

How many questions are there?

How many marks are there?

1 mark for each correct answer.

Writing Part 2 (Short communicative message)

What do I have to practise?

Writing short messages.

How many questions are there?

How much do I have to write?

How many marks are there?

This question has a total of 5 marks.

Writing Part 3 (Continuous writing)

You have a choice of two questions: an informal letter or a story.

What do I have to practise?

Writing letters and stories.

How many questions are there?

How much do I have to write?

About 100 words

How many marks are there?

This question has a total of 15 marks.

Whats in the Listening paper?

About 30 minutes, including 6 minutes to copy your answers onto the

Part 1 (Multiple choice)

Seven short recordings. For each recording there is a question and

What do I have to practise?