B1 · PETCambridge English
B1 Preliminary (PET) — Complete Exam Guide
Clear, step-by-step breakdown of the B1 Preliminary exam — format, scoring, and practical tips for every paper, written for intermediate learners.
A2
B1
B2
C1
C2
Total time
~2h 20min
across 4 papers
Papers
4
Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking
Cambridge Scale
140–170
to pass (Grade C or above)
CEFR level
B1
Intermediate
Exam structure at a glance
Reading
45m
25% of final mark
6 parts, 32 questions. Tests vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension across short and longer texts.
Writing
45m
25% of final mark
2 tasks, 100 words each. Part 1 is a compulsory email; Part 2 is a choice of article or story.
Listening
~35m
25% of final mark
4 parts, 25 questions. Each recording is played twice.
Speaking
12–17m
25% of final mark
4 parts with an interlocutor and assessor. Usually taken in pairs.
Papers — tap to explore each one
Scoring & results
160–170
A
B2
Exceptional — certificate shows B2 ability
153–159
B
B1
Strong pass — solid intermediate level
140–152
C
B1
Pass — meets most school & entry-level requirements
120–139
Level A2
A2
Near-pass — results slip shows A2, no B1 certificate
Below 120
—
—
Unsuccessful — retake recommended after focused prep
School & foundation
Widely accepted as proof of intermediate English for secondary school and university foundation programmes.
Work
Recognised by employers worldwide as evidence of practical everyday English — useful for customer-facing and entry-level roles.
Next step
A strong foundation for moving on to B2 First (FCE). Most learners take 6–12 months of focused study to bridge the gap.
Tips & tricks by section
Time management
Part 1 (signs/notices): 5–6 min
Parts 2–4 (matching, long text, gapped text): 20–22 min
Parts 5–6 (cloze): 12–15 min
Save 3–4 min at the end to transfer and check answers
Most common mistakes
Choosing an option just because it uses a word from the text
Reading only the gap sentence in Part 4 — always read before and after
Writing contractions in Part 6 (don't counts as two words — it's wrong)
Guessing vocabulary in Part 5 without reading the full sentence
Examiner tips
Answers are always paraphrased — don't look for exact word matches
No penalty for wrong answers — attempt every question
Part 6: check spelling carefully; an incorrectly spelled word scores zero
Underline key words in the question before scanning the text
Common questions
Ready to practise?
Take a full B1 Preliminary pre-test
Same format, same timing, same question types as the real Cambridge exam. Writing and Speaking marked by certified examiners.