Cambridge English › Starters
Cambridge Pre-A1 Starters Practice Tests
The very first Cambridge exam – a friendly introduction to English tests, all about colours, animals, toys and school.
39 free practice tests · instant scoring · no sign-up
CEFR Pre-A1
3 papers
Shields, not pass/fail
The exam at a glance
Three short papers, one friendly certificate. Every child earns one to five shields per skill – there is no pass or fail.
Listening
4 parts · 20 questions · about 20 minutes
Colouring, matching and ticking while listening to short, clear recordings.
Reading & Writing
5 parts · 25 questions · 20 minutes
One-word answers, yes/no questions about pictures, and simple gapped texts.
Speaking
4 parts · 3–5 minutes
A friendly chat with the examiner: pointing at pictures and answering simple questions.
Free practice tests
Every test opens in your browser with instant scoring and answers – nothing to download, no account needed.
A simple 12-week plan
Warm up
Do one Reading & Writing part together each week. Talk about the pictures first – in the real exam, pictures carry half the meaning. Grammar for Kids →
Add listening
From week 3, add one Listening test a week. Play each recording twice, just like the real exam. Dictation practice →
Full tests
In the last month, do one full test (Listening + Reading & Writing) in one sitting. Aim for 80% before moving up to Movers. Movers practice tests →
Parents ask us
Can my child fail Starters?
No. There is no pass or fail – every child gets a certificate with one to five shields for each skill. Five shields means “full marks”, and even one shield is a start worth celebrating.
How old should my child be?
Most children take Starters between 6 and 8, after about one year of English lessons. If your child can understand simple classroom English, they are ready to start practising.
Are these real past papers?
They are practice tests that follow the official Starters format part by part – the same task types, question counts and timing – with instant scoring and answers.
What comes after Starters?
A1 Movers. When your child scores around 80% on Starters tests comfortably, they are usually ready to begin Movers practice.
The Cambridge ladder
New here? Follow the kids learning path (Pre-A1 → A2) – a simple week-by-week plan from Starters to A2 Key.
All practice material on this page is free. Questions about your child’s level? Ask our teachers – we answer every message.