Preliminary English Test
WHAT IS PET?
The Preliminary English Test is an Intermediate level exam and the second level of Cambridge exams in general English. This exam is set at Level B1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for modern languages
WHO IS THE PET EXAM FOR AND WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT?
The PET exam is suitable for learners with an Intermediate level of English and wider grasp of vocabulary. Candidates should be able to cope in situations such as reading simple textbooks, articles, write simple letters and detect opinions, attitudes and moods in spoken and written English.
PET is helpful for anyone who wishes to take FCE at a later stage.
a PET certificate is valid for life. You will not need to take the exam again
PET is a truly international certificate, recognised around the world for business and study purposes
thousands of employers, universities and government departments officially recognise PET as an Intermediate qualification in English
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE EXAM?
PET has 3 papers:
Reading and Writing: 1 hour 30 minutes
You need to be able to read texts from signs, journals, newspapers and magazines and understand the main points. You will need to show you can use vocabulary and structure by completing tasks such as writing a short message, and a story or letter of around 100 words. You will also need to complete an exercise involving changing the meaning of sentences.
Listening: 30 minutes (approx)
You will need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of recorded spoken material, including announcements and discussions about everyday life. You need to be able to follow the attitudes and intentions of the speakers.
Speaking: up to 10 minutes
Candidates take the Speaking test in pairs. You have to show your spoken English by taking part in conversation, asking and answering questions, and talking freely about your likes and dislikes.
YOUR RESULT
Reading and Writing carries 50% of the total marks for PET, while Listening and Speaking both carry 25% of the marks each.
Candidates can access their results through the Cambridge ESOL Results Online website 8 weeks after the exam.
There are two Pass grades, Pass and Pass with Merit and two Fail grades Narrow Fail and Fail.
There is no minimum pass mark for individual papers. The grade is based on the total score of all 3 papers.
Certificates are awarded to candidates who achieve Pass grades and are despatch approximately 4 weeks after the results are issued
