Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters)

The first of three exams for children. The tasks are pictures, colouring, short stories and a conversation with the examiner, and every child takes home a certificate with shields.

Apply for Pre A1 Starters See the dates

There is no pass or fail: a child earns up to five shields for each of the three skills.

Level: Pre A1
Length: about 45 minutes
Format: paper-based or digital
Speaking test: the child talks one to one with the examiner
Fee: €79
Results: digital exam: 5 to 10 working days; paper-based: 4 to 6 weeks
Recommended for: children aged 8 to 9 (grade 3 of primary school)

What the certificate shows

Starters shows that a child understands simple English that they hear and read, and can use it in play and conversation. The experience matters more than the result: for the first time the child takes an exam that is not set or marked by their own teacher, and sees that they can do it.

A candidate who passes the exam can

understand simple instructions, questions and short stories
name familiar objects, colours, animals and numbers
write short words and answers to simple questions
answer questions about themselves

What the exam consists of

Paper	Time	Content
Listening	about 20 minutes	4 parts, 20 questions
Reading and Writing	20 minutes	5 parts, 25 questions
Speaking	3–5 minutes	4 parts

Who we recommend it for

We recommend it for children who have been learning English for a year or two. It is a good first goal: clear, within reach and with a real certificate at the end.

After Starters come A1 Movers and A2 Flyers, usually one in each school year.

How to prepare

Children prepare best through regular lessons at a language school or at their own primary school, with a teacher who knows the format. The exam does not call for learning by heart: the tasks are pictures, stories and conversation.

Ask your child's teacher whether they prepare the group for the exam, or find a preparation centre in your town.
At home, do one sample test from the Cambridge website together, so that your child sees what the exam looks like.
Cambridge publishes the word lists for Starters, Movers and Flyers free of charge.

Official Cambridge pages: Exam page, Sample tests and preparation materials

Dates and applying

Applications are accepted until the closing date shown with each session. After the closing date you can still apply up to ten days before the exam, for a late entry fee of €33, if there are places left.

No session is open for this exam at the moment. Write to us and we will tell you when we expect the next one. Write to us

All dates and fees

Questions about the exam

Can a child fail the exam?

No. There is no pass or fail in Pre A1 Starters. For each of the three skills the child receives between one and five shields, and every child who sits the exam receives a certificate.

What is the Speaking test like?

The child talks one to one with the examiner for a few minutes, with pictures and simple questions. There is no writing and no reading aloud.

When do the results and the certificate arrive?

Results of the paper-based exam usually arrive in 4 to 6 weeks, and the certificate three to four weeks after the results. For the digital exam, results arrive in 5 to 10 working days. Children entered through a preparation centre receive their certificate at their school.