PET · 10% of test plan
Speaking at B1 Level for the PET Exam
B1 Preliminary Speaking has two parts: a photograph description and a collaborative discussion task. Candidates are assessed on interactive communication, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. The ability to speculate ("It might be..."), agree/disagree politely, and extend responses is critical for B1+.
Locale-specific study guides
Pass-rate data, regulatory context, and study tips for Speaking at B1 Level all change by candidate locale. Pick your context:
- Speaking at B1 Level · United StatesCalibrated for American candidates
- Speaking at B1 Level · United KingdomCalibrated for British candidates
- Speaking at B1 Level · IndiaCalibrated for Indian candidates
- Speaking at B1 Level · PhilippinesCalibrated for Filipino candidates
- Speaking at B1 Level · NigeriaCalibrated for Nigerian candidates
Common failure modes
These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.
- !Only listing what is in the photo instead of speculating and making inferences
- !Dominating the conversation or not engaging with the partner's suggestions
- !Very short answers that demonstrate A2 range only
Study tips
- 1Practice photo description with speculation: "I can see... I think they might be... It looks like..."
- 2Drill collaborative discussion phrases: "What do you think about...?", "I agree/disagree because...", "Maybe we could..."
- 3Record a 2-minute spoken response to a B1 topic and analyse it for vocabulary range and grammar.
Sample PET Speaking at B1 Level questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real PET questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
You are shown a photo of people at an outdoor market. A B1-level description begins with:
- A"There is market."
- B"I see people."
- C"In this photograph, I can see people shopping at what looks like an outdoor market. They seem to be enjoying themselves."Correct
- D"Market. People. Sunny."
Why this answer?
Option C uses the correct B1 photo description structure: location reference ("in this photograph"), a full description with speculation ("looks like"), and an inference about feelings ("seem to be enjoying"). Options A, B, and D are A2 level or below.
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