Business Preliminary Format and Content

Section	Time	Description	# of items
Reading & Writing	1 hour 30 minutes	Part 1 Five very short texts (signs, messages, postcards, emails, labels, etc.) each followed by a 3-option multiple-choice question. Candidates have to read them and choose which of the three sentences (A, B or C) is correct.	5 questions
		Part 2 Five short descriptions, often of people’s requirements, and one text to read. Candidates have to match each person to part of the text.	5 questions
		Part 3 Eight graphs or charts (or one or more graphics with eight parts) and five questions. Candidates need to match each question to a graph or part of a graph.	5 questions
		Part 4 A text and seven questions. For each question, candidates have to decide if a statement is A 'Right' or B 'Wrong', according to the text, or if the information is not given in the text, they should choose C 'Doesn't say'.	7 questions
		Part 5 A text, often from a leaflet or from a newspaper or magazine article, with six multiple-choice questions. Each question has three options and candidates have to choose which of the three (A, B or C) is correct.	6 questions
		Part 6 A text (newspaper or magazine article, advert, leaflet, etc.) with twelve numbered spaces. Each space represents a missing word and candidates have to choose the right answer (A, B, or C).	12 questions
		Part 7 Two short texts (memos, emails, notices, adverts, etc.) and a form to complete. Candidates have to read the texts and fill in the correct information (a word, a number or a phrase) in the empty spaces on the form.	5 questions
		Part 8 An internal company communication. The instructions tell candidates who to write to and what they should write (e.g. a note, a message, a memo or an email).	30-40 words
		Part 9 A piece of business correspondence (letter or email) or a notice, an advert, etc., to read. The instructions tell candidates what to write and who to write to.	60-80 words

Listening	about 40 minutes	Part 1 Eight short conversations/monologues (one person speaking). For each recording, there is a multiple-choice question, which may be in the form of words or pictures. Candidates have to listen to the recordings and choose the right answer (A, B or C).	8 questions
		Part 2 A short conversation or monologue which contains factual information and a form, table, chart or set of notes with gaps. Candidates have to listen to the recording and write the correct information (dates, prices, percentages, figures, etc.) in the gaps.	7 questions
		Part 3 A longer monologue and a page of notes or a form with gaps. Candidates have to listen to the recording and fill in the missing information (one or two words) in the gaps.	7 questions
		Part 4 A longer recording (about 3 minutes) which may be an interview or a discussion between two or more speakers on a business-related topic. Candidates have to listen to the recording and choose the right answer (A, B or C) for each of the eight multiple-choice questions.	8 questions

Speaking	12 minutes per pair of candidates	Part 1 Conversation between the examiner and each candidate. The examiner encourages the candidates to give information about themselves and to express personal opinions.
		Part 2 A ‘mini-presentation’ by each candidate on a business theme. The candidates are given prompts which generate a short talk on a business-related topic.
		Part 3 A collaborative task which candidates do together. The candidates are presented with a scenario supported by visual or written prompts which generate a discussion. The interlocutor extends the discussion with further spoken prompts.