LanguageCert A1 Preliminary: Complete Guide for Candidates with Exams in PDF [2026]

Learn everything about the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary exam: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Updated 2026 guide with examples and downloadable resources.

Updated on 17/02/26

Do you want to certify your A1 level with an international qualification? Now you can do it online, from home, with the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary.

The A1 English level is the basic level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and it is ideal for those who are starting their journey in learning English. Although it is not as in-demand as B1 or B2, A1 remains an important certification for many people who need to accredit a basic level of English for studies, work, or simply to demonstrate their first steps in the language. Therefore, in this article, I am going to tell you about the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary, one of the most accessible and reliable exams to certify this level.

What the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary Exam Is

The LanguageCert A1 Preliminary exam is the A1 level exam from the LanguageCert International ESOL series. By taking this exam, candidates are evaluated on all four language skills. Generally, this exam is designed for those who want to certify a basic level of English. It is a level of English appropriate for very simple interactions and basic everyday situations, being the first step on the path to higher levels such as A2 or B1.

What Level A1 Preliminary Certifies

The aim of the LanguageCert International ESOL A1 Preliminary is to certify language competence at a basic level, as described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In this sense, LanguageCert summarises this level with the following competencies:

• Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of practical needs related to education, training, and social roles.
• Can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as possessions, address, and people they know.
• Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
• Can read and understand short texts on familiar topics and obtain information from common signs and symbols.
• Can write short, simple phrases and sentences in documents such as forms, lists, and messages.

In short, if you manage to pass the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary, it means you have an internationally recognised certification of a basic level of English. Notice how keywords referring to the basic level are always present: familiar expressions, very basic phrases, personal details, short texts, familiar topics, simple sentences, etc. That is to say, this level is not for working in English-speaking environments or studying abroad, but rather it is the first step in your English learning journey.

A1 Preliminary: Exams and Modalities

Exams

Like the rest of the levels certified by LanguageCert International ESOL, the A1 Preliminary consists of two exams. And each exam is a certification in itself:

• Written Exam: Evaluates Listening, Reading, and Writing.
• Spoken Exam: Evaluates Speaking.

Modalities

One of the particularities of LanguageCert is the fact that it offers three modalities (or options) for taking the International ESOL exams. Therefore, the A1 Preliminary can be taken in the following ways:

• In-person: at a test centre (usually an academy)
  • Computer-based
  • Paper-based
• Online: from home

And the important thing about this is that in all cases, the candidate is being supervised by an invigilator to ensure the security and validity of the results. 🙂

Parts of the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary

Below I present all the parts of the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary. Bear in mind that I am going to describe all the parts together, but you must remember that the Speaking is done separately.

In summary, the LanguageCert A1 exam is organised as follows:

• Listening: 4 activities (26 questions)
• Reading: 4 activities (26 questions)
• Writing: 2 activities (2 tasks)
• Speaking: 4 activities

Let’s now move on to see each of the parts of the exam itself.

A1 Preliminary: Listening

• Tasks: 4 activities
• No. of items: 26 questions
• Duration: 20 minutes

Candidates must demonstrate that they understand simple messages in audio format such as basic conversations, personal information, simple instructions, brief descriptions, etc.

The A1 Preliminary Listening is divided into the following parts:

Part 1

• No. of questions: 7
• Description: You hear 7 short sentences twice. You must relate each sentence to letters, words, graphics, and symbols. For each sentence, you must choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).

Part 2

• No. of questions: 7
• Description: You hear 7 short sentences twice. You must choose the best response (A, B, or C) to each sentence you have just heard.

Part 3

• No. of questions: 6
• Description: You hear 6 short conversations with two speakers each, twice. You must identify the topic, context, purpose, speakers, general idea, relationship between the speakers, functions, attitudes, feelings, and opinions. For each conversation, you must choose the best option (A, B, or C).

Part 4

• No. of questions: 6
• Description: You hear a conversation with two speakers twice to identify specific information. There is a form with 6 headings and multiple-choice options. You must mark the correct information for each heading.

A1 Preliminary: Reading

• Tasks: 4 activities
• No. of items: 26 questions
• Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes (taken together with Writing, without a break)

In this part of the A1 Preliminary, candidates have to demonstrate that they can understand very short and simple texts from notices, posters, signs, messages, cards, forms, etc.

The A1 Preliminary Reading is divided into the following parts:

Part 1

• No. of questions: 6
• Description: You read 6 short texts with one gap each that tests vocabulary, elements of cohesion and coherence, grammatical structures, etc. For each gap, you must choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).

Part 2

• No. of questions: 5
• Description: You have to read a text with 5 gaps and complete them with the correct options (A – F). There is always one extra option that you do not need to use.

Part 3

• No. of questions: 7
• Description: There are 4 short texts (for example, a notice, letter, appointment card, etc.) with a common theme but different purposes. There are 7 questions and you must choose the correct text (A, B, C, or D) where the answer to each question is found.

Part 4

• No. of questions: 8
• Description: You read 9 notices and must match 8 sentences with the notice that has the same meaning. There is one extra sentence that is not used.

A1 Preliminary: Writing

• Tasks: 2 Writing activities
• Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes (taken together with Reading, without a break)

In the A1 Preliminary Writing, candidates must perform 2 Writing tasks of different lengths, always responding and adhering to a series of prior instructions.

Part 1

• Length: 30 words (approximately 4 sentences)
• Description: Instructions are given to write about a certain topic, for example, about oneself, daily life, people, where you live, what you do, etc. Simple sentences must be written to communicate ideas or basic information.

Part 2

• Length: 20 – 30 words
• Description: Instructions are given to write a short letter, card, postcard, or message mentioning two specific content points. A short, simple text must be written for a specific audience.

A1 Preliminary: Speaking

• Tasks: 4 parts
• Duration: 6 minutes

The LanguageCert A1 Speaking exam is individual, unlike the Cambridge exams, and is done face-to-face with an interlocutor (even in the online version). One of the particularities of this exam is that the interlocutor is only in charge of conducting the exam, not evaluating it. It is recorded and sent to be evaluated by qualified examiners.

The A1 Preliminary Speaking exam is divided into the following parts:

Part 1

In this part, at the beginning of the exam, the candidate has to:

• Say their name and spell it.
• Say their country of origin.
• Answer 5 questions.

Part 2

The interlocutor presents 2 or 3 situations to which the candidate must respond and initiate interactions. Short, simple exchanges using basic functional language are expected.

Part 3

This consists of exchanging information to identify similarities and differences in images showing familiar situations. The candidate must give and ask for information in a simple way.

Part 4

The candidate has to speak about a topic provided by the interlocutor. They must speak for 30 seconds, having 30 seconds to think about their answer. Additionally, they must answer a series of follow-up questions that the interlocutor will ask after the monologue.

LanguageCert A1 Exams in PDF

Now that we know all the parts and tasks of this certification, I leave you with some LanguageCert A1 exams in PDF to download. I hope you find them very useful!

• SAMPLE ANSWER SHEET – LANGUAGECERT A1 PRELIMINARY
• SAMPLE TEST 1 – LANGUAGECERT A1 PRELIMINARY
• SAMPLE TEST 2 – LANGUAGECERT A1 PRELIMINARY
• SAMPLE TEST 3 – LANGUAGECERT A1 PRELIMINARY
• SAMPLE TEST 4 – LANGUAGECERT A1 PRELIMINARY

Duration of the A1 Preliminary Exam

The total duration of the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary exam depends on whether you take only the Written Exam, only the Spoken Exam, or both. Below I detail the duration of each part:

• Listening: approximately 20 minutes
• Reading & Writing: 1 hour and 20 minutes (no break between the two parts)
• Speaking: 6 minutes

Therefore, if you take the full Written Exam, you will be at the test centre for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. If you also take the Speaking, you will need to add 6 more minutes, although you should bear in mind that the Speaking can be done on a different day from the Written Exam.

Price of LanguageCert A1 Preliminary

Below you have the official prices for the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary according to the information published on their official website in February 2026. Remember that these prices may vary, so I recommend checking them directly on the LanguageCert website or contacting me to confirm the updated rates.

Important note: There are two exams available at this level: Written and Spoken. Both exams can be taken together or independently.

How the LanguageCert A1 Preliminary Is Assessed

In general, it is quite simple to calculate the LanguageCert A1 score, and it is the same as in the rest of the LanguageCert International ESOL exams. But first, let’s present the score for each part:

Assessment of the Written Exam (Listening, Reading, and Writing)

• Listening: 26 marks (1 question = 1 mark)
• Reading: 26 marks (1 question = 1 mark)
• Writing: 24 marks (1 activity = 12 marks)

Writing is assessed according to four criteria aligned with the CEFR descriptors:

• Task Fulfilment: Measures to what extent the candidate has completed/addressed the task and whether the candidate has done what was asked.
• Accuracy and Range of Grammar: Measures the range, appropriateness, and accuracy of the grammar.
• Accuracy and Range of Vocabulary: Measures the range, accuracy, and appropriateness of the vocabulary, as well as spelling accuracy.
• Organisation: Measures how ideas are coherently linked in the text and how accurate the punctuation is.

Assessment of the Spoken Exam (Speaking)

• Speaking: 12 marks (overall)

ESOL oral exams are assessed according to the following four criteria:

• Task Fulfilment and Coherence: The ability to manage tasks appropriately for the level and link expressions into a coherent discourse.
• Accuracy and Range of Grammar: The ability to vary and demonstrate control of grammatical structures according to the task.
• Accuracy and Range of Vocabulary: The ability to vary and demonstrate control of lexis and register according to the task.
• Pronunciation, Intonation and Fluency: The ability to produce the sounds of English to be understood with appropriate stress and intonation and maintain the flow of speech.

Each of the four parts of the exam is given the same importance. Candidates receive a score of 0 to 3 for each of the four criteria, so the maximum raw marks they can obtain in the four parts of the exam is 12.

Grading Scale

Next, each score obtained must be equated to 50 marks. For example:

• Listening: 20 marks → We calculate 20/26×50 = 38 marks (approximately).
• Reading: 18 marks → We calculate 18/26×50 = 35 marks (approximately).
• Writing: 16 marks → We calculate 16/24×50 = 33 marks (approximately).
• Speaking: 9 marks → We calculate 9/12×50 = 37 marks (approximately).

And now we add everything up for each exam. Remember that we have Written (Listening, Reading, and Writing) and Spoken (Speaking).

• Written: 38 (L) + 35 (R) + 33 (W) = 106 marks
• Spoken: 37 marks

And finally, we compare it to the LanguageCert scale, valid for all levels:

Written Exam:

• Fail: 0 – 74 marks
• Pass: 75 – 100 marks
• High Pass: 101 – 150 marks

Spoken Exam:

• Fail: 0 – 24 marks
• Pass: 25 – 37 marks
• High Pass: 38 – 50 marks

According to this, we would have obtained the following grade in the A1 Preliminary:

• Written Exam: High Pass
• Spoken: Pass

Results and Certificates for the A1 Preliminary

Once you have taken your LanguageCert A1 Preliminary exam, you will receive your results and certificates in the following way:

• Statement of Result (SoR) and e-certificate sent by email or through the test centre.
• 3 working days for online exams with live remote invigilation.
• 5 working days for computer-based exams.
• 10 working days for paper-based exams.
• Digital badges available within 10 working days and sent by email.
• Printed certificates sent to the candidate or the test centre shortly after the results are published.

It is important to note that LanguageCert certificates do not have an expiry date, although some institutions may require the certificate to have a certain maximum age.

More Information

If you need more information, I recommend that you leave me a comment. I will answer as soon as possible, I promise. Additionally, I recommend that you read the candidate information available on the official LanguageCert website.

And until the next article, don’t forget to keep smiling!