Cambridge English: Young Learners
Cambridge English: Young Learners, also known as Young Learners English Tests (YLE), is a
suite of English language examinations specially designed for children in primary and lowersecondary school. The tests are provided by Cambridge English Language Assessment.
Cambridge English: Starters
Paper 1. Listening (20 minutes)
The Listening paper has four parts and 20 questions in total. Each part begins with one or two
examples. The children will hear each recording twice.
Part 1 has a big picture and pictures of seven small objects. Children listen to five short
conversations between a man and a woman. Children listen to information in the conversations and
draw a line from each of the objects to the place where it should be on the big picture. Part 1 tests
listening for words and prepositions.
Part 2 has a set of questions and a short conversation between a child and an adult. Children listen
to information in the conversation to answer each of the questions. The answer will be a name or a
number. Part 2 tests listening for numbers and spelling.
Paper 2. Reading and Writing (20 minutes)
The Reading and Writing paper has five parts and 25 questions in total. Each part begins with one or
two examples. Children must spell their answers correctly in all parts of the test.
Part 1 has five pictures of objects. There is a sentence underneath each picture, e.g. ‘This is a ball.’
If the sentence is true, children should put a tick next to the picture. If the sentence is false, children
should put a cross next to the picture. Part 1 tests reading short sentences and recognizing words.
Part 2 has a big picture and some sentences about the picture. If the sentence is true, children
should write ‘yes’. If the sentence is false, children should write ‘no’. Part 2 tests reading short
sentences and writing one-word answers.
Paper 3. Speaking (3 to 5 minutes)
The Speaking test has five parts. In the computer-based test, the learner responds to audio and
visual prompts, and will answer a few warm up questions to get them used to interacting with an
animated character. In the paper-based test the learner takes the test with an examiner. (Someone
they know will introduce them to the examiner and explain what is going to happen in their own
language.)
In Part 1 the examiner greets the child, asks them their name and asks them to point to things in a
big picture. Part 1 tests understanding and following spoken instructions.
In Part 2 the examiner shows the child small pictures of some objects. The examiner names three
objects and asks the child to point to them. The examiner then asks the child to put each object card
somewhere on the big picture used in Part 1 (e.g. ‘Put the ball under the tree’).