Eligibility
The Cambridge Preliminary English Test (PET) examination is for candidates who can use everyday written and spoken English at an intermediate level.
PET is the right exam for you if the following describes your linguistic skills now or the level of skills you are working towards:
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Your first language is not English.
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You can use English to deal with everyday events.
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You can use English to read simple textbooks or magazine articles.
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You can use English to write letters on familiar subjects.
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You can use English to take notes in a meeting.
Exam Components
PET has three papers – Reading and Writing, Listening, and Speaking. The Reading and Writing paper contributes 50% of the total marks, and the other two papers each contribute 25%.
Reading and Writing (Paper 1): 1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates are expected to read factual texts taken from signs, journals, newspapers and magazines, and understand the main points. They will be assessed on their skimming and scanning skills as well as their ability to recognise the conveyed opinion or attitude and simple text markers.
In addition, candidates are required to write a short message and an informal letter of about 100 words and also to demonstrate their knowledge of grammatical structures by transforming sentences.
Listening (Paper 2): approximately 35 minutes
Candidates must be able to listen for key information in short texts, identify detailed meaning and interpret information in factual monologues, and also understand the attitudes and opinions of the speakers in an informal conversation.
Speaking (Paper 3): up to 10 minutes
Candidates are tested in pairs by two locally-based examiners on their linguistic ability to give personal information, make and respond to suggestions, discuss alternatives, negotiate agreement, express opinions and preferences, and manage a discourse using appropriate vocabulary.
Test Schedule and Fees
Session: Mid-year 2011
Exam Date: 04 June 2011
Speaking Test Window: 27 May to 06 June 2011
Session: Year-end 2011
Exam Date: 19 Nov 2011
Speaking Test Window: 11 Nov to 21 Nov 2011
Exam Date: 02 Dec 2011
Speaking Test Window: 25 Nov to 05 Dec 2011
The Speaking paper is held within the specified periods, and the special arrangements are made at the discretion of CEFL Headquarters, taking into account the needs and conditions of CEFL Member Institutions.
Click here to contact the Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager for the actual exam dates, especially for Paper 3, and the latest fees if you are a walk-in/external candidate or feeder school representative.
Registration
Candidates can register with CEFL Headquarters via CEFL Member Institutions because the PET exam can only be taken at an Authorised Centre for the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, and entries, which must be accompanied by fees, cannot be sent directly to Cambridge ESOL.
There must be a minimum of 10 candidates for the PET exam at each sitting. Candidates are not allowed to enter for the same exam more than once in the same session or window period.
The closing date for registration is at least 10 weeks before the actual exam date to ensure that exam entry arrangements and Special Arrangements for candidates with a disability or specific learning difficulty can be made in strict accordance with the requirements of the Cambridge ESOL examination board. It should be noted that your nearest authorised Cambridge ESOL exam centre may set registration deadlines that are earlier than those published.
Click here to contact the Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager for the actual closing dates for entries, exam registration and other arrangements if you are a walk-in/external candidate or feeder school representative.
Results
With the exception of Paper 3, all exam scripts are returned to Cambridge ESOL for marking and grading.
Five or six weeks after the exam, all candidates receive a Statement of Results, showing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the candidates’ performance in each of the papers by means of a graphical profile.
There are two Pass grades: Pass and Pass with Merit. Successful candidates are awarded the Cambridge ESOL PET certificate, which is valid for life, approximately 10 weeks after the exam. Candidates judged not to have reached the required standard for PET receive the Narrow Fail or Fail grades. The overall grade is based on the candidate's total score in all the papers.
If you have any questions about your results, you should contact the CEFL Member Institution where you registered for the exam.
Click here for general information on Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
Click here for further information on the CEFL PET course.
Click here to find your nearest CEFL Centre if you want to take a preparatory course for the PET exam.
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