After you have been learning English for a while it is nice to have something to show for it. If you don’t have the chance to use your English regularly, where is the reward for all those hours of study? The Preliminary English Test is designed to prove that your English is now good enough to deal with most situations that are likely to arise when travelling and, in work situations, that you can use English to exchange familiar and predictable information and instructions.

If you are learning English for academic or professional reasons, you will be aiming to reach at least the level of the FCE exam. By passing PET you can be reassured that you are well on the way towards that goal. On top of this, your employer, or future employer, can see that you are serious about your study and are giving it the time and effort it needs.

PET is the second of five levels in the Cambridge Main Suite of English language exams. It corresponds to Council of Europe level B1 and the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) Level 2.

WHAT THE EXAM INVOLVES?

There are three parts to the exam.

Paper 1	Reading and Writing	I hour 30 minutes	50 marks
Paper 2	Listening	30 minutes	25 marks
Paper 3	Speaking	10-12 minutes	25 marks

Information about the format of the exam and examples of question papers can be downloaded from www.CambridgeEsol.org/PET

GETTING YOUR RESULTS

All written papers are sent to Cambridge to be marked and results are released approximately eight weeks after the exam date. They will first be sent to the British Council and we will then forward them to your home address.

There are two pass grades: ‘Pass’ and ‘Pass With Merit’, and two fail grades: ‘Narrow Fail’ and ‘Fail’. Certificates are awarded to candidates who achieve the passing grades.

TEST SCHEDULE IN 2008

	Date of Exam Closing Date for Registrations Session 1 15 March 8 February Session 2 24 May (A) 18 April Session 3 30 May (A) 25 April Session 4 7 June (B) 2 May Session 5 22 November 17 October Session 6 5 December 31 October

• All PET sessions are held in the morning

TEST FEEs click here

HOW TO REGISTER

Registration hours:

• Ha Noi: Monday to Friday, 8:30-12:00 and 13:30-18:00
• Ho Chi Minh: Monday to Friday, 9:00 -12:00 and 14:00-17:30

For registration:

• One latest passport – size photograph
• Your ID card/ Passport.  

You can get the detailed information about the test as well as the Application Form at British Council offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City