Free MET Exam Flashcards

Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Listening and Reading are mandatory (the 2-skill MET); Writing and Speaking are optional modules that upgrade it to the 4-skill MET.

100 total: 50 Listening items and 50 Reading items, each with four options and one correct answer, scored by computer.

The two multiple-choice sections run 100 minutes (Listening 35 min + Reading 65 min). Adding the optional Writing (45 min) and Speaking (10 min) modules brings the full 4-skill test to 155 minutes.

A2 through C1 (high-beginner to low-advanced English). Items get progressively harder, and the test is built with extra emphasis on distinguishing the middle B1-B2 range.

A2: 27-39, B1: 40-52, B2: 53-63, C1: 64-80. A scaled score below 27 falls below A2. Each section is scored on this scale, and the overall score is the average of the sections taken.

No - the MET has no pass/fail cutoff; each institution sets its own minimum requirement. There's no penalty for wrong answers, so always answer every question rather than leaving it blank.

19 short conversations between two speakers, each followed by one multiple-choice question testing basic comprehension of what was said.

Longer, multi-turn conversations (about 14 questions total), often with several questions tied to one conversation - unlike Part 1's single-question, single-exchange format.

Gist questions ask for the overall topic or purpose of the conversation. Answer from the big picture - the general subject the speakers keep returning to - not a single detail.

Detail questions ask for one specific fact actually stated aloud. The trap: the first similar-sounding fact you hear may not be the one the question asks about, so listen for the exact detail requested.

Inference questions ask what is implied but never directly stated. Unlike detail questions, the answer isn't spoken word-for-word - you must combine tone, context, and word choice to reach a logical conclusion.

It asks why a speaker said something, not what was said. Tone, hesitation, and phrasing (for example, apologizing versus suggesting) reveal intention more than the literal words used.

They flag a shift in logic - contrast, consequence, or conclusion. Missing a signal word often means missing the correct answer to an inference or gist question that hinges on that shift.

A distractor is a wrong answer built from a word or sound that resembles something actually said. MET correct answers are usually paraphrased rather than verbatim repeats, so a familiar-sounding word choice can still be wrong.

Register signals the relationship and setting - casual contractions and slang suggest friends or family, while formal phrasing suggests a workplace, school, or service context, which narrows what the conversation is likely about.

Each conversation plays only once. Jotting names, numbers, and key nouns as you hear them prevents you from losing early details while focusing on the rest of the exchange.

Test writers rephrase the spoken idea using synonyms and different sentence structure. Expecting an exact word match from the audio is a common way test takers miss the right answer.

17 questions based on short talks by a single speaker - no back-and-forth dialogue - covering announcements, presentations, and similar monologues.

Listen closely to the opening one or two sentences - speakers in announcements and presentations usually state their topic or purpose right at the start before adding supporting details.

Main idea asks what the talk is about (the topic); purpose asks why the speaker is giving the talk (to inform, instruct, persuade, or announce). The same talk can have one topic but a very specific purpose.

Track ordinal and sequence words - 'first,' 'next,' 'after that,' 'finally' - since instructional talks are often tested on the order or content of a specific step.

Public announcements, workplace briefings or meeting updates, academic lectures, and step-by-step instructions - all delivered by one speaker to an audience.

A single continuous voice with no reply from a second speaker. Signposting phrases like 'let's move on to' or 'in conclusion' also mark structure that conversations don't use.

Simple past marks a finished action at a specific past time ('I visited Rome in 2019'). Present perfect marks an action connected to now - unspecified time or ongoing relevance ('I have visited Rome' / 'I have lived here since 2019').

'Since' introduces a specific starting point in time ('since 2020,' 'since Monday'). 'For' introduces a duration or length of time ('for two years,' 'for a while'). Mixing them up is a frequent sentence-completion trap.

First conditional (If + present, will + base verb) describes a real, likely future possibility. Second conditional (If + past simple, would + base verb) describes a hypothetical or unlikely present/future situation.

The sound that follows, not the letter. Use 'an' before a vowel sound ('an hour,' 'an MBA') and 'a' before a consonant sound ('a university,' 'a one-time offer').

'In' for larger periods ('in July,' 'in 2026'), 'on' for specific days and dates ('on Monday,' 'on July 4th'), and 'at' for precise clock times ('at 3 p.m.,' 'at noon').

'Who' refers to people, 'which' to things, 'whose' shows possession, and 'that' can replace who/which in defining (essential) clauses but not in non-defining clauses set off by commas.

Opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose (for example, 'a beautiful small old round red Italian silk scarf'). Grammar items test whether you can spot an adjective placed out of this order.

Two extended passages on general or academic topics, each followed by five multiple-choice questions - 10 questions total testing main idea, detail, vocabulary in context, and inference.

Base the meaning on how the word functions in that sentence, not its most common dictionary definition - many tested words carry a secondary or less-common meaning in context.

The main idea is often stated in the opening or closing sentence (the topic sentence) and covers the whole passage; a supporting detail is a smaller fact that backs up that main idea but doesn't stand alone as the point.

Pick the answer that is logically required by what the text actually says - avoid options that sound reasonable from general knowledge but aren't actually supported by the passage itself.

Two sets of three thematically linked texts, each set followed by 10 questions - 20 questions total, including items that require combining information across texts.

Skim all three texts once for the shared theme and each author's basic stance before reading the questions in detail - this framework makes cross-text questions much faster to answer.

Identify which of the three texts holds a specific opinion or reports a specific fact that the others don't - these questions test whether you tracked each text's distinct position, not just the shared topic.

Two of the three texts disagreeing on a fact, number, date, or recommendation. Contradiction questions require noticing the disagreement, not just recalling one text in isolation.

A synthesis question requires combining information stated in two different texts to reach the answer - no single text contains the complete answer on its own.

Multi-text sets are reading-heavy; knowing what you're looking for before skimming three passages cold saves time and focuses your first read on relevant details.

No - correct answers typically paraphrase one text's idea in different wording, so match meaning, not exact phrasing, when comparing an answer choice to what a text actually said.

Respond to three related short-answer questions, typically about a personal experience or opinion, in a more conversational register than Task 2.

Write one formal, multi-paragraph essay in response to a single prompt, requiring a clear introduction, developed body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

45 minutes total for both tasks - enough time to plan briefly, write, and review, since Task 2's essay format needs more structure than Task 1's short responses.

Certified human raters score Writing (and Speaking), evaluating content, organization, and language use - unlike Listening and Reading, which are scored instantly by computer.

Task 1's short personal-experience answers can be more conversational, but Task 2's essay needs a consistently formal register - no contractions or slang - with organized multi-paragraph structure.

Task 1 asks you to neutrally describe a picture; Task 2 asks you to share a personal experience related to that same picture.

Task 3 asks for your opinion related to the picture; Task 4 gives a new situation and asks you to list its advantages and disadvantages.

Task 5 asks you to persuade the examiner on a new topic. All five Speaking tasks together take about 10 minutes.

State your opinion or main point first, then support it with one clear reason and a specific example - certified human raters reward organized, complete responses over long but unfocused ones.