Preliminary
English
Test
Information for Candidates
Why take the Preliminary English Test (PET)?
If you can deal with everyday written and spoken communications (e.g. read simple Books and articles, write simple personal letters, make notes during a meeting), then the Preliminary English Test (PET) from Cambridge ESOL is the exam for you.
PET is the second level Cambridge ESOL exam. It is an intermediate level exam, at Level B1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
PET is a valuable qualification if you want to work or study abroad or to develop a career in international business. Studying for PET is a popular way to improve your language skills and use them in a wide range of contexts. PET covers the four main language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking, using material from real life situations. It develops practical skills, which will be of use in clerical, secretarial and managerial jobs, and in many industries, such as tourism, where contact with English speakers is required.
PET is available in two formats. You can take the paper and pencil test, or you can take a computer-based version called CB-PET instead. Please contact your nearest local centre for details.
Why take a Cambridge
Develop effective communication skills
• The Cambridge ESOL examinations cover all four language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. They include a range of tasks which assess your ability to use English, so that you develop the full range of skills you need to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts.
Quality you can trust
• Cambridge ESOL examinations are backed by extensive research and comprehensively trialed to make sure that you get the fairest, most accurate assessment of your ability and that they are most relevant to the range of uses for which you need English.
Worldwide recognition
• Universities and employers all over the world recognize Cambridge ESOL exams as a measure of your achievement in English. Whether you are hoping to study architecture in Australia or work in IT in Italy
What does PET involve?
This booklet is a brief introduction to PET.We show examples from each part of the test, but in some cases we do not show the full text or all the questions. If you would like to see a full sample paper for PET, you can download one from our website at:
www.CambridgeESOL.org
The table below shows the different parts of PET and how long each paper takes. In PET, Reading
Next steps
We wish you every success in taking PET and we hope that you will take other Cambridge ESOL exams in future. The First Certificate in English (FCE) is the next level of the Cambridge
www.CambridgeESOL.org/exams/fce.htm
Information for candidates – PET
* 2 examiners, 2 candidates (2:3 formats is used for the last group in a session where necessary)
Name of paper Content Time allowed Marks (% of total)
Paper 1
Writing: 3 parts/7 questions
1 hour 30 minutes Reading
Paper 2
Listening
4 parts/25 questions about 35 minutes (including
6 minutes’ transfer time) 25%
Paper 3
Speaking
4 parts 10–12 minutes per pair of
candidates (2:2 format*) 25%
Preparing for PET
If you would like more practice material to help you prepare for the PET exam, there are past paper packs available to buy which include an audio CD of the Listening test. You can find more information, prices and details of how to order on our website at:
www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/pastpapers.htm
Companies who recognize Cambridge
For a full list of companies and educational institutions who recognize PET, please visit
Our website at:
www.CambridgeESOL.org/recognition/index.ph
3M
Adidas
Agfa-Gevaert
AstraZeneca
AT&T
Barclays Bank
BASF
Bayer
BP
British Airways
Cable & Wireless
Carrefour
Citibank
Coca-Cola
Colgate-Palmolive
Credit Suisse
DaimlerChrysler
Dell
Deutsche Bank
DHL
Disney
DuPont
Ericsson
Estée Lauder
General Motors
Gillette
GlaxoSmithKline
Goodyear
Hertz
Hewlett-Packard
HSBC
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
KPMG
Microsoft
Mobil Oil
Nestlé
Nokia
PepsiCo
Philips
PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
Rank Xerox
Roche
Rolls-Royce
Shell
Siemens
Sony
Sun Microsystems
Texaco
Unilever
Vodafone
World Bank
World Health Organisation (WHO)
World Wide Fund for Nature (WW
American
2nd floor Agarwal complex station road
Phone 07443236165
9314436279
8963017379
