Which Cambridge English Exam Should You Take? Choosing from A2 Key to C2 Proficiency
Hiroki Obara · DeveloperAlphaGeorgeHow-To
Cambridge English Qualifications has five main exams for adults, and each one targets a single CEFR level. A2 Key (KET) targets A2, B1 Preliminary (PET) B1, B2 First (FCE) B2, C1 Advanced (CAE) C1 and C2 Proficiency (CPE) C2 (Cambridge English qualifications).
Unlike a test with a single score range for everyone, such as IELTS, you have to decide which exam to sit before you start. This post looks at that choice from three sides: your purpose, your current level, and how long you have until the exam. How the exams work in general is in Cambridge English Exams vs IELTS and TOEFL, so here I stick to choosing. All figures were checked on Cambridge’s sites in October 2026.
Start from the purpose
The first thing to check is where the result is going. If a university or employer asks for “B2 or above” or for “B2 First,” the choice is mostly made for you. It is worth noticing whether the requirement names a CEFR level or a specific exam. If it names a level, a different exam that certifies the same level may also work.
If nobody is asking for a result and you just want to know where you stand, the next two questions decide it.
Check your current level
Cambridge English offers a free level check. There are four versions, General English, Schools, Business and Young learners, and a short test gives you an idea of your level. As the site itself says, this is not an official exam, and the score is only a guide, not proof of language ability.
The other way is to try sample papers for the exam you have in mind. Each exam’s official pages have preparation materials and sample tests. Getting a rough level from the level check, then feeling the format and difficulty through a sample paper, is the order I find clearest.
Writing and speaking are hard to measure with a short online test, and hard to judge on your own. Your overall Cambridge score is the average of your skill scores, so if you are unsure about writing or speaking, I think it is safer to estimate your level a little lower.
Count the time until the exam
Cambridge’s help pages give approximate guided learning hours needed to reach each level, counted from complete beginner (Guided learning hours).
| Exam | Approximate hours from beginner |
|---|---|
| A2 Key | 180 to 200 |
| B1 Preliminary | 350 to 400 |
| B2 First | 500 to 600 |
| C1 Advanced | 700 to 800 |
| C2 Proficiency | 1,000 to 1,200 |
These are hours of guided study, and the same page says they vary with your learning background, how intensively you study, your age and how much you study outside lessons. Even so, they show a gap of roughly 150 to 400 hours between neighbouring levels. If the exam is three months away, one level above where you are now is about the most you can aim for, and two is not realistic. I think that is the kind of decision this table is good for.
Reach up, or play safe?
The hard case is when you sit on the line between two levels. Here it helps to know how Cambridge reports results. Each exam certifies the level above and the level below as well as the one it targets (results explained).
| Exam | Level above (grade A) | Target level | Level below |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Key | B1 at 140 to 150 | A2 at 120 to 139 | A1 at 100 to 119 |
| B1 Preliminary | B2 at 160 to 170 | B1 at 140 to 159 | A2 at 120 to 139 |
| B2 First | C1 at 180 to 190 | B2 at 160 to 179 | B1 at 140 to 159 |
| C1 Advanced | C2 at 200 to 210 | C1 at 180 to 199 | B2 at 160 to 179 |
| C2 Proficiency | none | C2 at 200 to 230 | C1 at 180 to 199 |
The numbers are Cambridge English Scale scores. Someone between B1 and B2 who takes B2 First and falls short still gets a B1 certificate with 140 or more. The same person taking B1 Preliminary and scoring 160 or more gets a B2 certificate.
So a borderline candidate may come away with a nearby level either way. What differs is the exam name on the certificate and what you prepare for. If the requirement names an exam, take that exam. If not, my advice is to take the higher exam when you have enough time to prepare, because preparing for the harder format is itself practice for the next level. When the date is close and time is short, I would take the lower exam and get a solid result.
A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First also come in “for Schools” versions, which test the same levels with topics closer to school life. Younger children have separate exams: Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers.
What AlphaGeorge’s diagnostic test tells you
AlphaGeorge, an app I make for iPhone and iPad, is for preparing for these exams. It starts with a diagnostic test of about five minutes, and shows the result as a CEFR level.
To be precise about what it does: the test has blocks from A1 to C1, each made of grammar gap fills, grammar error spotting, vocabulary multiple choice, reading true/false and dialogue gap fills. The result leans low on purpose, so it is more likely to place you a little below your level than above it.
What it does not do: there are no listening, writing or speaking questions in it. The result is not a Cambridge English Scale score or an official certificate. It is a guide for where to start in the app. When choosing an exam, use it alongside the official level check and sample papers.
The course has six levels from A1 to C2, 66 units in all, and the levels from A2 to C2 match KET through CPE. The mid-course and end-course test reports show how far you have reached at each CEFR level. All questions were written for the app; it is not a Cambridge University Press & Assessment publication. The interface and explanations are in English and Japanese.
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. How the levels compare with IELTS and TOEFL is in How to Read a CEFR Comparison Table, and Getting Started with AlphaGeorge walks through the first session.
