Cat English. What is KET? Key English Test

A2 Key (formerly KET Key English test) is the first exam in the Cambridge English Language Assessment series, which corresponds to level A2 of the CEFR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

To successfully pass the exam, the candidate must be able to:

• Understand phrases and expressions that directly relate to everyday life(friends, work, shopping, immediate environment, etc.);
• Explain in everyday situations that are limited to direct exchange of information on familiar topics;
• Use simple words to describe your background, education, environment and other issues;

HOW IS THE A2 Key (KET) EXAM WORKED?

The A2 Key Exam (KET) consists of three parts:

• Reading and Writing– The examinee must demonstrate understanding of simple written information on signs, brochures, magazines and newspapers. 70 minutes;
• Listening– a series of tasks to test the understanding of simple oral messages and dialogues. 30 minutes;
• Speaking– basic conversational skills are tested: the ability to take part in simple conversations, ask and answer basic questions. This stage A2 Key (KET) exam is carried out in pairs with another candidate so that the conditions are as close to real life as possible. 10 minutes;

RESULT

Exam result A2 Key (KET) represents the average arithmetic sum points for all three parts. The grade for reading and writing is 50% of the total score, listening and speaking - 25% each.

The estimates and their corresponding points are presented in the table:

“Pass with Distinction”, “Pass with Merit” and “Pass” grades mean that the exam has been passed and the desired level has been confirmed. It is important to note that the “Pass with Distinction” grade is a confirmation of the next B1 level (B1 Preliminary (PET) exam), and the “Level A1” grade is a confirmation of the previous level. If the candidate does not score enough points to level A1, the exam is considered failed and a certificate is not issued.

BENEFITS OF A2 Key (KET) CERTIFICATE

Certificate A2 Key (KET) recognized by many companies in the tourism, hospitality, administrative fields, as well as most educational institutions as confirmation basic level English proficiency.

When passing the exam A2 Key (KET) you will be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses and understand what you should pay more attention to when improving your English. Certificate A2 Key (KET) will give you confidence in your abilities and make you more prepared for passing exams high level much easier.

Cambridge certificates do not expire and do not require retaking over time.

PREPARATION FOR THE EXAM A2 Key (KET) AT EF ENGLISH FIRST SCHOOL

The program of courses for schoolchildren at EF includes mandatory preparation for the Cambridge exams. It includes system development all language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. At your first consultation at EF, experienced teachers will help you determine your exact level of knowledge and create an individual schedule for achieving your goals, thanks to which successful passing of exams will become a reality!

WHERE CAN YOU TAKE THE A2 Key (KET) EXAM?

EF English First is one of the largest platinum centers for Cambridge exams in Russia, accredited by Cambridge English Language Assessment. At EF, adults and children pass YLE successfully, A2 Key (KET), B1 Preliminary (PET), B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficient (CPE) and TKT

I don’t know about you, but my students and I just light up when we talk about the opportunity to take the International Cambridge English Language Exam. Apart from the privileges and opportunities that the certificate provides, even preparing for it is fun, especially if you have chosen good materials to work with. It’s the same as going to the gym and working out on cool machines or pumping up yourself with brand new chrome dumbbells - pure “buzz”! So we will devote today’s article to materials that will help you pass everything “excellently.” And right away I would like to say that although there are a huge number of resources, most of them can be paid, because the “flagships” of education in England are constantly working to improve their materials.

KET

The youngest of the Cambridge family. Even a well-prepared schoolchild can handle it. Books recommended for preparation:

Activate! A2 is a fun textbook with lots of grammar and vocabulary topics. The authors also emphasize the effectiveness of using the audio and video materials that come with the basic book. You can view the assortment

We also recommend using specially designed Practice Books for KET, and you can see more details

PET

• You can find many tests to practice or just test yourself
• To improve your vocabulary: cambridgeenglish.org
• Free sample assignments: amazonaws.com
• Lots of tests and exercises for PET: flo-joe.co.uk
• Official page with a bunch of cool presentations on exam topics: cambridge.org
• For grammar preparation: roadtogrammar.com

FCE

Average, or the first among exams, is not for amateurs. In addition to books officially developed by Cambridge University (which, by the way, we also use at online classes via Skype), there are many more places to look for good materials and resources:

• Lots of test options for practice, especially in sections such as Reading, Use of English and Writing:
• Grammar and more grammar: elt.oup.com
• Lots of useful stuff, a treasure trove of wisdom online: wordpress.com

CAE

• Lots of tests and exercises from all parts of the exam:
• Lots of useful links, from general technical tips to idioms: wordpress.com
• Catalog of official certified textbooks for every taste, including CAE textbooks: cambridge-la.org
• Tips, exercises and tests:

IELTS

Of course, this is one of the favorites among international English exams. Get ready you need to study it intensively, using the maximum number of different resources, because what you will get in the exam is known only to some druids in the admissions office at Cambridge University.

• Russian-language site with a whole list of books that will be useful to you. Everything is clear and understandable: artefact.lib.ru
• Your "friend" and "assistant" for the exam: ieltsbuddy.com
• The official source with a lot of information on rules, tasks, tips and tips! britishcouncil.org
• The selection on this site will make your eyes run in different directions! It’s good that everything is clear and in alphabetical order: dxschool.org

Of course, if you have the funds, you can use the latest paid official sources of information (certified materials), as well as textbooks for the CELTA and DELTA programs. But even without any specific textbooks, large number free available resources will help you pass everything “excellently”!

When you are just starting to learn English via Skype, it may seem that this is almost Moses’ road through the desert, because in terms of duration and abundance of materials, they are somewhat similar! But don’t worry, we will help you “filter” the information, and the “Promised Land” with a Cambridge certificate will soon appear on your horizon!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

In the modern world knowledge foreign languages is mandatory for educated people. But this is a way out not only to a cultural and enlightened society, but also to expanding people’s horizons, the disappearance of state borders for interethnic business and informal communication, and the exchange of experience and heritage of ancestors. This makes people, first of all, not indifferent to the life, traditions and problems of other nationalities.

Foreign languages ​​are recognized as necessary in school education new generations of people. IN modern schools From the first day of school, children are taught the words, colloquial phrases and folklore of other languages. English has a leading position in this.

And, of course, after a certain period of time, children in schools undergo testing of their acquired knowledge in various ways. It depends on the child’s age and level of English language learning.

What is KET? This is the same test of knowledge. A test that allows the teacher to see how well the material has been learned.

What kind of exam is this?

What is KET? in the form of a test. The abbreviation stands for Key English, a test of knowledge of the English language that is needed in everyday life, that is spoken language everyday needs and practical purposes:

• At work;
• visiting friends;
• on a walk;
• when going out;
• at study.

Essentially speaking, this is an English language exam, which is conducted on the basis of four types:

• oral speech;
• fluent reading and writing;
• listening.

This test is called the Cambridge test because it was created and developed at this institute for students and people who speak other languages ​​(that is, not English).

This happened in the nineties of the last century. But recently they remembered this exam and improved it a little, significantly changing the structure of the test itself and its content. Now KET is a type of knowledge test aimed mainly at schoolchildren.

But this testing is not limited to schools. Every year thousands of people confirm their level of English proficiency in this way. For what?

• This is necessary to understand what level exactly you have.
• Find out specific gaps in language knowledge and deepen your study in these areas.
• A KET certificate can be a great addition to your portfolio when looking for a rewarding job.

KET in schools

KET for schools is a version of the famous Cambridge test, designed to test the initial levels of knowledge of the English language in adolescents from 11 to 14 years old. Schoolchildren take an adapted version of the test, which allows them to understand in the future how to prepare for final exams, as well as reduce the psychological burden on the child’s psyche. It seems that such an exam has already been passed, for example, without any problems, so why be afraid of the next English language exam? The question of what KET is no longer exists. The schoolchild ceases to be afraid of him because he is familiar with him.

Test structure and content

The exam lasts on average 1 hour 50 minutes. During this time, the student goes through three stages of the test:

• reading and writing - reading and writing is the longest and most important part, in which you need to read a passage of text in English (unadapted text, most often from English literature) and answer questions about it in writing;
• listening is listening to dialogues and writing answers (in the form of a test) on them;
• conversational part - conducting a dialogue between four people on a given topic or specially selected material; two examiners and two examinees participate in it.

After summing up the test results, all answers receive passing scores according to the specified sample. Those who pass the Key English Test receive a certificate indicating this.

Important!

The exam is carried out only in institutes, schools and universities accredited by the University of Cambridge for this type of test. There are a little more than two thousand of them in our country.

The test is taken six times a year, mostly during the summer months.

After testing, a corresponding certificate with unlimited validity is issued.

Repeated confirmation of English language knowledge will not be required.

How to prepare for it?

Requires KET (Key English Test) preparation at a very serious and intensive pace.

It is necessary to have a good knowledge of the rules of the English language, syntax and spelling.

Needed vocabulary, covering diverse topics. Including colloquial words and phrases and slang.

A good help for preparation would be to familiarize yourself with the Objective KET and KET Practice Tests Plus editions.

You can also find all the answers to your questions regarding this test on the official Cambridge English website.

Example exam

1) The first part of the test is exercises on - answer." Consists of approximately 60 such exercises, including texts. Approximate types of questions:

• you need to insert the missing word in an English sentence;
• put the words in an affirmative or interrogative sentence in their places;
• answer the question (in short or long form).

Examples of tasks:

• Put the words in the questions in the correct order:

1. who's going to? can the disco.
2. how the race is long.
3. does it how much cost.
4. is what prize the first.
5. are the runners old how.

• Fill in the missing word:

1. My mother... book at the moment. (reads, read, reading)
2. Do you want...a film tonight? (to see, seeing, to seeing)
3. There are three... on the wall. (photos, photoes, photo)
4. This is... film I have even seen. (best, the best, the most best)
5. They ... to Russia last summer. (go, went, going)

2) The second part is listening to some prescribed text, and then answering questions about this text.

3) The third part is dialogue. Absolutely may be affected here different topics. For example:

• personal, including biography and family, favorite activities, hobbies and more;
• business topics, but not deep into a specific profession;
• everyday situations (at home, away, with friends);
• food, products, names of various dishes;
• natural landscapes, animals, birds and marine life;
• travel, excursions and trips;
• healthy lifestyle and sports.

Hint for the first part

Translation of sentences in which the words are already in the right order:

• Who can go to the disco?
• How long is this flight?
• How much does it cost?
• What's the first price?
• How old are the runners?

Translation of sentences with inserted words:

• My mother is reading a book at this moment.
• Do you want to watch a movie today?
• There are three photographs on the wall.
• This is the best film I've ever seen.
• They went to Russia last summer.

Necessary rules

To successfully pass the test, you need to understand the following topics in the English language:

• rules for constructing sentences (affirmative, interrogative and negative);
• noun and the use of the definite, indefinite and zero articles with it;
• adjective (use and degrees of comparison);
• pronouns (personal, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, negative and indefinite, as well as reflexive and relative);
• cardinal and ordinal numbers;
• the use of verbs, including in tense agreement and passive voice);
• verbs in different times- present, past and future (simple forms, continuous, perfect (perfect), perfect-continuous);
• gerund and participle;
• modal verbs.

Vocabulary

Words can be learned immediately from the topics of the third part of the test. However, the list of familiar words and vocabulary constructions must be at least 2,500 thousand, including prepositions, participles and numerals.

This figure may seem very large and unattainable. But as soon as you, with a below-average level of knowledge of the English language, read some adapted book of 100 pages, you will understand that you already know perfectly well one and a half thousand words.

How to increase your vocabulary more effectively and quickly?

• Daily training (reading, working with a dictionary, listening to audio materials (including radio stations), watching films and television programs in English).
• Study a few words or phrase structures every day. It is better to have several meanings for one word or construction.
• Learning poems, idioms, proverbs, song lyrics in English.
• Constant contact with the dictionary.

On one day, you may not try to try all the workouts at once, but you definitely need to devote half an hour of your free time to them.

Other types of similar tests

We’ve already figured out what KET is. This is the very first and simplest exam for language proficiency at an upper-intermediate level. However, there are more complex tests:

1. Preliminary English Test (PET) - corresponds to the average level of language knowledge. It is often mandatory for office workers and secretaries serving in leading positions in companies and organizations. But basically the test is not much different from the Key English Test.
2. First Certificate in English (FCE) - tests knowledge of the English language at an upper-intermediate level. This understanding is quick English speech native speakers, television and radio programs, the ability to freely express your thoughts and opinions.
3. Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) - advanced level. The topics in it become noticeably more complex; the ability to read and understand specialized business texts and spoken language is necessarily tested.
4. Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) - professional level. The difficulty of the test is high. Native level knowledge of English is required.

KET is an acronym for Key English Test, so the phrase “ket exam” is essentially a tautology. This name was coined at the University of Cambridge by specialists from the ESOL unit aimed at foreigners. More precisely, for learning English by native speakers of other languages. So, for you and me.

To test foreigners' knowledge and proficiency in a language, a special approach is needed. Special international tests were developed from 1991 to 1994. In 2004, they were significantly improved, and today every student in 130 countries can take the Cambridge English language test.

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Cambridge English: Key shows the basics of English. This is the level thanks to which you can communicate in simple everyday circumstances (shopping in a store, traveling on transport, dating, tourism, etc.) and continue to study the following levels. In other classifications, similar training is called Pre-Intermediate, or A1-A2 on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) scale.

As for the requirements for students, age is not strictly regulated. You can take the KET when you feel ready and/or when you have taken an appropriate course at an English language school. And if this happened before your 15th birthday, then you will probably be asked to take the KET for schools exam. It is intended to test the same knowledge, but the topics of the tasks focus on school life and related situations.

Where and how do you take the Key English Test?

KET consists of three compulsory parts: Reading and Writing, Listening, Speaking.

KET exams are taken all over the world, including in Moscow. In the capital of Russia there are several centers where you can not only learn English language, but also to hand over Cambridge exams. To do this, you need to find out the dates of the tests - as a rule, they are held throughout the year. Moreover, please note that knowledge of grammar, listening comprehension (listening), vocabulary and reading technique are tested on one day, and oral speech – on another (a little earlier or later).

How is KET assessed?

Test results are expressed in points. The maximum success is 100 points, or all correct answers. But to crack KET, it is acceptable to fail a few times.

• 90-100 points – excellent result, or Pass with Distinction.
• 85-89 points – satisfactory, that is, Pass with Merit.
• 70-84 points – the exam is accepted and accepted, just Pass.
• 45-69 points indicate that your knowledge level reaches A1 Level
• 0-44 points is too few, the exam is not passed, it is a Fail.

Only the first two options, that is, a test result of 89 points inclusive, allow you to obtain a KET certificate. In addition, an excellent result (from 90 to 100 points) automatically entitles you to the CEFR “B1” certificate. Those who score at least 45 points will be issued a CEFR “A1” certificate. Everyone else will have to repeat the basic training, improve their knowledge and retake the exam.

How to prepare for the KET?

Since the number of tasks in the three parts is not the same, points for completing them are awarded differently. As much as 50% of the exam depends on Reading and Writing. Listening and Speaking, respectively, add 25% of points. This means that only a comprehensive study of English will prepare you for successful completion Key English Test. The ideal option is if the foreign language school is accredited to accept Cambridge exams. But this is not a prerequisite. You can enroll in prep courses or study for the test yourself.

To prepare for the exam, you need to complete as many practice exercises as possible. And although the test itself is taken exclusively in the personal presence of the examiner, sample KET tasks are available online, and their completion depends only on your self-discipline. Knowledge of the rules, a good vocabulary and experience with typical questions and tasks - and you can get a high assessment of your knowledge.

You will see by passing the ket exam that this is only the first step on the path to learning English. It is no less important than the following, because it will give you confidence in your abilities and the desire to continue your studies. And then, you see, the time will come to take the PET (Preliminary English Test) - but this is a topic for another article.