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Pre-A1 Starters, explained

The very first step — designed so that nobody fails it

  • Pre-A1 Starters
  • Pre-A1
  • usually 6–8

Pre-A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers are Cambridge English Qualifications. Cambridge is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment; AylaraTalks is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.

Pre-A1 Starters is the first of the three Cambridge tests for young learners, and the most important thing to understand about it is its purpose: it exists to give a child a happy first experience of being tested. There is no pass or fail. Every child who takes it receives a certificate with shields on it, and the number of shields says how they did.

In practice it asks a child to listen and point, read a very short word and match it to a picture, and answer a few simple spoken questions about a picture. Reading and writing are present but tiny — a word, sometimes a letter. The listening is the biggest part, which is exactly right for a six- or seven-year-old.

Below is our own topic-by-topic coverage of the themes this level is organised around, so you can see what we can help with and what we cannot. The official word list stays where it belongs: on Cambridge's own site, free, and linked here.

The official word list

We do not reproduce the official word list on this page. Cambridge publishes it free as a PDF, it is the only version that is current, and it is the one to work from — the link is right below. What you will find here is our own topic packs, honestly matched to the themes the level is built around.

Open the official word list (PDF)Cambridge's own preparation page

Our coverage of this level's themes

The themes this level's vocabulary is organised around, and which of our free packs cover each one. Where we have nothing, the row says so.

Grammar at this level

The structures from Cambridge's list of what is new at this level that we have a page for so far, not the whole list. Each has the pattern, sentences to say aloud, the slips teachers hear and a sheet to print.

Practice and printables for this level

Each pack has a tap-to-hear word wall and four printable sheets; the practice link turns it into a five-minute listening quiz a child can do at home.

AnimalsPetsOn the farmWild animalsBirdsMy bodyClothesColoursFamilyFoodFruitsVegetablesSweet treatsAt homeIn the kitchenBath timeNumbersSchoolSportsMusicToys & funTransportNatureWeather & skyAt the beach

On the day itself

  • Tell your child there is no failing. It is true, and a child who knows it performs better than a child who is guarding against a bad result.
  • Practise the shape of the tasks, not just the words. Most lost marks at this level come from not knowing what was being asked for.
  • The speaking part is with one friendly examiner and a picture. Rehearse it as a conversation about a picture, because that is exactly what it is.
  • Colouring is part of the test — a child is asked to colour something a particular colour. Make sure they can do it without agonising over neatness.
  • Do the last week light. Nothing new, familiar games only, and an early night. Cramming at seven produces tiredness, not vocabulary.

Common questions

Can a child fail Pre-A1 Starters?

No. Every child receives a certificate showing shields for each part of the test, and the shields record what they did well rather than what they got wrong. That design is deliberate — it is a first experience, not a filter.

How long does preparation take?

It depends entirely on where the child is starting, so nobody can honestly give you a number. What we can say is what it is made of: the vocabulary of the themes above, comfort with the task formats, and enough listening practice that instructions are not a surprise.

Where is the official word list?

On Cambridge's own site, free, as a PDF — linked from this page. We deliberately do not copy it here: their version is the current one, and a stale copy on somebody else's site is worse than no copy at all.

Is this site enough to prepare for the test?

No, and we would not claim it. We are playful practice for the vocabulary and the listening, meant to sit alongside official preparation materials and past papers from Cambridge. Use both.

Pre-A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers are Cambridge English Qualifications. Cambridge is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment; AylaraTalks is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. cambridgeenglish.org

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