How to Prepare for B1 Preliminary (PET): How It Differs from KET and What to Study First
Hiroki Obara · DeveloperAlphaGeorgeHow-To
B1 Preliminary (PET) is the Cambridge English Qualification designed to test CEFR level B1. It has four papers, Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, and takes about 2 hours 20 minutes in total. There is a paper-based and a digital version, and the format is the same in both (B1 Preliminary on the Cambridge English site).
For school-age candidates there is B1 Preliminary for Schools. The official site says the two are at the same CEFR level and follow the same format. The difference is the topics: the for Schools version is tailored to the interests and experience of school-age learners.
I covered the format of A2 Key (KET), the level below, in How to Prepare for A2 Key (KET). This post focuses on what changes from KET, then goes through PET and a study order. All the figures were checked in October 2026 on the official site and in the handbook for teachers.
Four things that change from KET
| A2 Key (KET) | B1 Preliminary (PET) | |
|---|---|---|
| Papers | 3 (reading and writing together) | 4 (reading and writing separate) |
| Total time | About 2 hours | About 2 hours 20 minutes |
| Writing | Two tasks, 25+ and 35+ words | Two tasks, about 100 words each |
| Speaking | 2 parts | 4 parts |
| Weighting | Reading and Writing 50%, Listening 25%, Speaking 25% | 25% for each skill |
First, reading and writing become separate papers. In KET, Reading and Writing is one paper of an hour. In PET, Reading is 45 minutes and Writing is 45 minutes.
Second, the writing gets longer. KET asks for a message of 25 words or more and a picture story of 35 words or more. In PET both tasks are about 100 words. I think this is the biggest change.
Third, you speak on your own in the speaking test. KET has two parts, answering questions and a discussion. PET adds a part where you describe a photograph alone for about a minute.
Fourth, the listening ends with an interview. There are 25 questions, as in KET, but more of them ask about the speakers’ opinions and attitudes.
Cambridge English publishes guided learning hours as a rough guide (Guided learning hours). Counting from zero, A2 Key is about 180 to 200 hours and B1 Preliminary about 350 to 400 hours. In other words, getting from KET to PET takes about as long as getting to KET in the first place.
The exam format
Here is a summary of the official exam format page.
| Paper | Time | Structure | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 minutes | 6 parts, 32 questions | 25% |
| Writing | 45 minutes | 2 parts, 2 tasks | 25% |
| Listening | About 30 minutes (including 6 minutes to transfer answers on paper) | 4 parts, 25 questions | 25% |
| Speaking | 10 to 12 minutes for a pair, 15 to 17 minutes for a group of three | 4 parts | 25% |
Reading
- Part 1: choose the main message of five short texts such as notices and messages, three options (5 questions)
- Part 2: match five descriptions of people to eight short texts on one topic (5 questions)
- Part 3: four-option questions on a longer text and the writer’s views (5 questions)
- Part 4: put five sentences removed from a longer text back in place (5 questions)
- Part 5: choose the word that fits each gap in a short text, four options (6 questions)
- Part 6: write one word in each gap in a short text (6 questions)
Writing
- Part 1: reply to an email using the notes provided (about 100 words, 20 marks)
- Part 2: choose an article or a story (about 100 words, 20 marks)
Listening
Every recording is played twice.
- Part 1: seven short monologues or dialogues, choose the right picture out of three (7 questions)
- Part 2: six short dialogues, choose the gist from three options (6 questions)
- Part 3: complete six gaps from a monologue (6 questions)
- Part 4: three-option questions on an interview, including the speakers’ views (6 questions)
Speaking
You take the test with one or two other candidates and two examiners.
- Part 1: answer the examiner’s questions about yourself
- Part 2: describe a colour photograph on your own for about a minute
- Part 3: discuss a situation with your partner, make suggestions and agree on one
- Part 4: talk about likes, experiences and opinions related to the Part 3 topic
How results work
Each of the four skills gets a score, and the overall score is their average (B1 Preliminary results).
| Score | Result |
|---|---|
| 160 to 170 | Grade A, certified at B2 |
| 153 to 159 | Grade B, B1 |
| 140 to 152 | Grade C, B1 |
| 120 to 139 | Certified at A2 |
| 102 to 119 | Score on the Statement of Results only, no certificate |
A study order
From here on this is my own view.
1. Do one official sample test from start to finish
Start with the sample tests on the official preparation page, timed. If you have taken KET, the gaps will probably be clear: you can’t finish the writing, or you run out of words describing the photo. Plan your study after you have seen that.
2. Start the 100-word writing in week one
Writing is a quarter of the total and has only two tasks. The length jumps to about three times the KET tasks, and I think this is the part that takes longest to improve.
In Part 1, four notes on the email tell you what your reply must cover. The handbook says to include all four and not to use an answer learned in advance, because a prepared text often does not fit the task in the exam. I would suggest crossing the notes off one by one as you write.
Answers are assessed on four subscales, Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, with 0 to 5 marks for each. The handbook recommends timed practice within the recommended word length. If you know by feel how long 100 words is, you won’t need to count during the exam.
3. Six reading parts in 45 minutes
Reading has 32 questions in 45 minutes. Unlike KET, you don’t need to save time for writing, but the longer texts in Parts 3 and 4 take time. Part 6 asks you to write the words yourself, and the handbook reminds candidates to spell them correctly.
4. Spelling counts in listening
In Part 3 you write down words you hear. The handbook says answers should be short and that words spelled out in the recording must be spelled correctly. The same care you needed in KET Part 2 carries over to PET.
5. Practise speaking alone for a minute
Describing a photo in Part 2 is new in PET. A minute is longer than it sounds, even if you just go through the people, the place and what is happening, so it is worth timing yourself. Parts 3 and 4 are discussions, so practising with a family member or friend is the best preparation.
When to take it
I think the timing of PET depends less on age than on whether you can write about 100 words. Passing KET does not mean you can already write a 100-word text in the time allowed. Someone who got a Grade A in KET, which is certified at B1, is in a good position to aim for PET next. Children would take the for Schools version mentioned above.
Preparing for PET with AlphaGeorge
AlphaGeorge, an app I make for iPhone and iPad, is for preparing for the Cambridge exams. The course has six levels from A1 to C2, with 66 units in total, and the 12 units of the B1 Pre-intermediate level match B1 Preliminary (PET). A diagnostic test of about five minutes decides where you start. The app’s interface and explanations are in English and Japanese.
Each unit has lessons in grammar and reading, vocabulary, everyday conversation, writing and speaking, followed by a review and a progress check. The progress check passes at 80%, and if you fall short you get extra practice on your weak points. Each level has a mid-course and an end-of-course test, with a report showing how far you have reached at each CEFR level. As in the real exam, listening questions are played twice before you can continue.
The writing lessons do not mark 100-word answers. Write those with the official sample tests and, if you can, have a teacher look at them. The questions were all written for the app. It is not a Cambridge University Press & Assessment publication.
AlphaGeorge is free to start, with ads and a limit of hearts. AlphaGeorge Premium, a monthly or yearly subscription, removes ads, makes hearts unlimited and lets you replay finished lessons. The next step after PET is in How to Prepare for B2 First (FCE), and Getting Started with AlphaGeorge walks through the first session.
