Duration
Paper: about 43–45 min; digital: up to about 70 min
English
Prepare for Pre A1 Starters
Practice the skills in Pre A1 Starters with realistic tasks, focused feedback, and a clear next step after each session.
Exam at a glance
Pre A1 StartersScoring
Shield-based scoring for three papers
Pass mark
Results reported as shields (no pass/fail)
Best for
Beginners starting their English certification journey
Typical fee
Usually EUR 60-100
Recognized by
Foundation English learners and primary schools
Exam structure
- Listening
- Reading and writing
- Speaking
Exampia is independent and is not affiliated with the exam boards mentioned on this site.
Exam structure
Use this overview to understand timing, task types, and scoring before you start timed practice.
| Subtest | Parts / items | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-based test | |||
| Listening | 4 parts · 20 questions | About 20 min | - |
| Reading and writing | 5 parts · 25 questions | 20 min | - |
| Speaking | 4 parts | 3–5 min | - |
| Digital testDigital format has different task timings. | |||
| Listening | 5 parts · 20 questions | Up to 40 min | - |
| Reading and writing | 5 parts · 25 questions | 25 min | - |
| Speaking | 4 parts | 3–5 min | - |
How Exampia helps
Each practice task focuses on the skills that can change your Pre A1 Starters result.
Listening practice aligned with the real format
Score-focused feedback for reading and writing
Timed Pre A1 Starters readiness before exam day
Sample question
Try the format before you commit
You are preparing for Pre A1 Starters. Write a short response that explains your goal, asks one practical question, and states the next concrete step in your preparation.
See what a strong answer does
A strong answer completes the task, stays clearly structured, and shows enough language control for Pre A1 Starters under time pressure.
Sample feedback
Score-focused feedback
Feedback explains what changed the score and which next exercise will improve this scoring area.
Task achievement
Ready
Coherence and cohesion
Developing
Lexical resource
Practice
Grammar accuracy
Practice
Preparation timeline
Pick a timeline based on your current level and deadline. The plan is practical, focused, and built for real exam dates.
4 weeks: complete one diagnostic Pre A1 Starters mock, then focus on the two weakest sections.
8 weeks: alternate full timed sections with targeted practice, especially writing and speaking production.
12 weeks: build a weekly exam routine, review feedback trends, and reserve the final two weeks for full mocks.
Try a 2-minute mini mock
Try a 60-second mini mock
Answer 3 quick exam questions to preview instant scoring.
Exam-style tasks
Instant score
Clear next step
Select an answer for all 3 questions to see your score.
Pricing for this exam
For Pre A1 Starters preparation, choose free Explorer access, a 30- or 90-day Pro pass, or add-on credits for extra AI writing and speaking feedback.
PricingExplorer
Free · 3 practice sessions per day total, up to 30 per month
The allowance covers reading, listening, and language-structure practice. It also includes 3 AI-graded writing tasks and 2 speaking assessments in total.
Pro passes
30 days €15 · 90 days €40
One-time access with no automatic renewal. AI feedback has daily and monthly limits.
Feedback credits
28, 60, or 130 credits · from €5
Add credits for AI feedback: 1 per writing task and 2 per speaking assessment.
FAQ
Is Exampia affiliated with Cambridge Assessment English?
No. Exampia is independent. We prepare learners for Pre A1 Starters by following published exam formats and scoring criteria, but we are not approved, certified, or endorsed by Cambridge Assessment English.
Can I try Pre A1 Starters practice for free?
Yes. The free tier is designed to let you start with one mock-test experience before you decide whether the full practice library is worth it.
Does Exampia grade writing and speaking for Pre A1 Starters?
Exampia gives feedback organized by scoring area for production tasks. Speaking practice is included for supported exam formats, and expanding sections are labeled clearly.
How should I use the feedback before exam day?
Treat each scoring area as a practice target. If your content score is strong but accuracy is weak, your next practice set should be grammar and sentence-control work, not another untimed essay.
English