100+ Free Pre A1 Starters Practice Questions

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Unscramble the letters to make a fruit: a-n-a-n-b-a (Picture: a banana)

banan

banana

bananna

babana

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Key Facts: Pre A1 Starters Exam

Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters) is Cambridge English's first young-learner exam for children aged about 7-8, with Listening, Reading and Writing and a face-to-face Speaking test; there is no pass or fail and children earn up to five shields per skill.

Sample Pre A1 Starters Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Pre A1 Starters exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Listen and choose: 'The cat is on the table.' Which picture is correct?

A.A cat sitting on a table

B.A cat under a table

C.A dog on a table

D.A cat next to a table

Explanation: The word 'on' means the cat is on top of the table. In Starters Listening Part 3 you tick the picture that matches what you hear. The correct picture shows a cat sitting on the table.

2Listen and colour: 'Colour the ball red.' Which colour do you use?

A.Blue

B.Red

C.Green

D.Yellow

Explanation: In Starters Listening Part 4 you colour objects with the colour you hear. The instruction says 'red', so you colour the ball red.

3Listen: 'My name is Tom. T-O-M.' How do you write the name?

A.Tim

B.Tam

C.Tom

D.Tommy

Explanation: In Listening Part 2 you write a name or number that is spelled out for you. The letters T-O-M spell 'Tom', so that is the correct answer.

4Listen and choose: 'The dog is brown.' Which picture is correct?

A.A black dog

B.A brown cat

C.A white dog

D.A brown dog

Explanation: You listen for the animal and its colour. The dog is brown, so you tick the picture of a brown dog in Listening Part 3.

5Listen: 'I am eight years old.' What number do you write?

A.6

B.8

C.18

D.3

Explanation: In Listening Part 2 you write the number you hear. 'Eight' is the number 8, so you write 8.

6Listen and choose: 'The apple is under the chair.' Where is the apple?

A.On the chair

B.Next to the chair

C.Under the chair

D.In the box

Explanation: The preposition 'under' tells you the apple is below the chair. Listening Part 3 tests prepositions like in, on, under and next to.

7Listen and colour: 'The bird is yellow.' Which colour is the bird?

A.Orange

B.Pink

C.Grey

D.Yellow

Explanation: In Listening Part 4 you colour the object with the colour you hear. The bird is yellow, so you use yellow.

8Listen: 'Her name is Anna. A-double N-A.' How do you spell the name?

A.Anna

B.Ana

C.Anne

D.Hanna

Explanation: 'A-double N-A' means A, then two N letters, then A: A-N-N-A. That spells 'Anna'.

9Listen and choose: 'There are three balloons.' How many balloons?

A.Two

B.Five

C.Three

D.One

Explanation: You listen for the number word. 'Three' means 3 balloons, so you tick the picture with three balloons.

10Listen and colour: 'The car is between the two trees.' Where is the car?

A.Behind a tree

B.In front of a tree

C.On a tree

D.Between the trees

Explanation: 'Between' means in the middle of two things. The car is between the two trees. Starters tests prepositions of place.

About the Pre A1 Starters Exam

Cambridge English Pre A1 Starters, also known as YLE Starters, is the first of three Cambridge English Qualifications for young learners and sits at Pre A1 on the CEFR. It is designed for children aged about 7-8 who have done roughly 100 hours of English, introducing them to everyday written and spoken English in a fun, motivating way. The test has three papers: Listening (4 parts, 20 questions, about 20 minutes), Reading and Writing (5 parts, 25 questions, 20 minutes) and a short face-to-face Speaking test (4 parts, 3-5 minutes). Tasks use very simple high-frequency vocabulary such as colours, numbers, animals, family, food, school and toys, with lots of picture support. There is no pass or fail: every child receives a certificate showing how many of the maximum five shields they earned in each skill. This builds confidence and encourages a positive attitude to learning English and to future exams.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

About 45 minutes in total: Listening about 20 minutes, Reading and Writing 20 minutes, and Speaking 3-5 minutes.

Passing Score

No pass or fail; children earn up to five shields in each of Listening, Reading and Writing, and Speaking, with five shields showing the child did very well.

Exam Fee

Approximately USD 66-69 or EUR 69.50; the exact fee is set by the local authorised exam centre and differs by country. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment (Cambridge Assessment English))

Pre A1 Starters Exam Content Outline

44%

Listening (4 parts / 20 questions)

Matching names to people, writing names and numbers, 3-option picture multiple choice, and listen-and-colour tasks testing colours, prepositions and everyday vocabulary.

11%

Reading & Writing Part 1 (word-picture)

True/false vocabulary recognition: decide with a tick or cross whether a word matches a picture of an everyday object.

11%

Reading & Writing Part 2 (yes/no)

Read sentences about a big picture and write yes or no to show if each sentence is correct.

11%

Reading & Writing Part 3 (spelling)

Spell everyday words by putting scrambled letters in the correct order, with a picture clue for each word.

11%

Reading & Writing Part 4 (cloze)

Multiple-choice gap-fill: choose and copy the correct missing word to complete simple sentences in a short factual text.

12%

Reading & Writing Part 5 (one-word answers)

Answer simple questions about a three-picture story by writing one-word answers such as colours, numbers, names or objects.

How to Pass the Pre A1 Starters Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No pass or fail; children earn up to five shields in each of Listening, Reading and Writing, and Speaking, with five shields showing the child did very well.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: About 45 minutes in total: Listening about 20 minutes, Reading and Writing 20 minutes, and Speaking 3-5 minutes.
Exam fee: Approximately USD 66-69 or EUR 69.50; the exact fee is set by the local authorised exam centre and differs by country.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Pre A1 Starters Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise the Pre A1 Starters wordlist topics with pictures and flashcards so children link words to images.

2Play listen-and-colour and listen-and-draw games to build the skills used in Listening Parts 1 and 4.

3Drill colours, numbers, and prepositions like in, on, under and next to, which appear across many tasks.

4Spell short everyday words aloud and from scrambled letters to prepare for Reading and Writing Part 3.

5Use simple yes/no and tick/cross picture activities to practise Reading and Writing Parts 1 and 2.

6Keep practice short, fun and stress-free, since there is no pass or fail and confidence matters most.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cambridge Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters)?

Pre A1 Starters is the first of three Cambridge English Qualifications for young learners, sitting at Pre A1 on the CEFR. It introduces children aged about 7-8 to everyday English through fun listening, reading, writing and speaking tasks.

How is Pre A1 Starters scored?

There is no pass or fail. Every child receives a certificate showing shields for Listening, Reading and Writing, and Speaking. Each skill can earn a maximum of five shields, where five shields means the child did very well.

What is the format of the Pre A1 Starters exam?

The exam has three papers: Listening (4 parts, 20 questions, about 20 minutes), Reading and Writing (5 parts, 25 questions, 20 minutes) and a face-to-face Speaking test (4 parts, 3-5 minutes), about 45 minutes in total.

What vocabulary do children need for Pre A1 Starters?

Children use very simple, high-frequency words from the Pre A1 Starters wordlist, covering topics such as colours, numbers, animals, family, food, the body, school, toys and everyday objects.

What age is Pre A1 Starters for?

Pre A1 Starters is designed for children aged about 7-8 who have studied roughly 100 hours of English, although the exam can suit any young learner at the Pre A1 level.

How much does Pre A1 Starters cost?

The entry fee is roughly USD 66-69 or EUR 69.50 and is set by the local authorised exam centre, so the exact price varies by country and centre.