A Cambridge English: Key (KET) qualification is proof of your ability to use English to communicate in simple situations.

The exam tests all four English language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking.

It should give you the confidence to go on and study for higher-level exams such as Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) and Cambridge English: First (FCE).

Key facts
CEFR level: A2 What's this?
Test format: Computer or paper-based
No. of papers: 3
Exam length: About 2 hours

A Cambridge English: Key certificate shows that you can:
- understand and use basic phrases and expressions
- understand simple written English
- introduce yourself and answer basic questions about yourself
- interact with English speakers at a basic level.

Exam format

Cambridge English: Key is made up of three papers developed to test your English skills. You can see exactly what is in each paper below.

Paper Content Marks (% of total) Purpose
Reading and Writing  (1 hour 10 minutes)
See sample paper 9 parts/ 56 questions 50% Shows you can understand simple written information such as signs, brochures, newspapers and magazines.
Listening (30 minutes, including 8 minutes' transfer time)
See sample paper 5 parts/ 25 questions 25% Requires you to be able to understand announcements and other spoken material when people speak reasonably slowly.
Speaking (8–10 minutes per pair of candidates)
See sample paper 2 parts 25% Shows you can take part in a conversation by answering and asking simple questions. Your Speaking test will be conducted face to face with one or two other candidates and two examiners. This makes your test more realistic and more reliable.

What’s in the Reading and Writing paper?

The Cambridge English: Key Reading and Writing paper has nine parts and different types of texts and questions. Parts 1–5 are about reading and Parts 6–9 are mainly about writing.

Summary

Time allowed: 1 hour 10 minutes
Number of parts: 9
Number of questions: 56
Marks: 50% of total
Part 1 (Matching)

What's in Part 1? Eight signs, notices or other very short texts (A–H) and five sentences. You have to match each sentence to the right sign or notice.
What do I have to practise? Reading for the main message.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 2 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 2? Five sentences on the same topic or which are related to a story. Each sentence has a missing word and you have to choose the best word (A, B or C) to complete the sentence.
What do I have to practise? Reading and using vocabulary correctly.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 3 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 3? The first five questions are things you say in a conversation. For each sentence, you have to choose what the other person says next (A, B or C). The second part of Part 3 is a longer conversation, but some sentences are missing. You have a list of sentences (A–H) and you have to find the right sentence for each space.
What do I have to practise? Reading and finding the right answer for everyday conversations.
How many questions are there? 10
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 4 (Right/Wrong/Doesn’t say OR multiple choice)

What's in Part 4? A long text or three short texts. You have to read the text(s) and seven sentences. You have to decide if each sentence is Right, Wrong, or Doesn't say, or choose the right answer (A, B or C) to the questions.
What do I have to practise? Reading to understand the detail and main ideas of a text.
How many questions are there? 7
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 5 (Multiple-choice cloze)

What's in Part 5? A short text with eight numbered spaces. Each space means there is a missing word and you have to choose the right answer (A, B or C).
What do I have to practise? Reading to find the right sort of word, e.g. a preposition like 'for' or 'since', or verb form like 'keeping', 'keep' or 'kept', etc.
How many questions are there? 8
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 6 (Word completion)

What's in Part 6? Five sentences like the definitions you find in a dictionary. We give you the first letter of the word and the number of letters, and you have to complete the word.
What do I have to practise? Vocabulary and spelling.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 7 (Open cloze)

What's in Part 7? A short text, for example a letter or postcard. There are 10 missing words in the text and you have to think of the right word to complete each space.
What do I have to practise? Grammar, vocabulary and spelling.
How many questions are there? 10
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 8 (Information transfer)

What's in Part 8? One or two short texts to read. You have to use the information in the texts to fill in a note, form, diary, or other document correctly.
What do I have to practise? Reading and writing down words or numbers correctly.
How many questions are there? 5
One mark for each correct answer.
Part 9 (Guided writing)

What's in Part 9? You have to write a short message, note, email or postcard. The instructions tell you who to write to and what to say.
What do I have to practise? Writing short messages.
How many questions are there? 1
How much do I have to write? 25–35 words
How many marks are there? This question has a total of 5 marks.

What’s in the Listening paper?

The Cambridge English: Key Listening paper has five parts. For each part you have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.

Summary

Time allowed:
About 30 minutes, including 8 minutes to copy your answers onto the answer sheet.

Number of parts: 5
Number of questions: 25
Marks: 25% of total
Part 1 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 1? Five short conversations. For each conversation there is a question and three pictures (A, B or C). You have to listen to the conversations and choose the right answer.
What do I have to practise? Listening to find key information.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 2 (Matching)

What's in Part 2? A longer conversation and two lists of words. You have to listen to the conversation and match two lists of items, for example, people with the food they like to eat, or days of the week with activities.
What do I have to practise? Listening for key information.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 3 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 3? A conversation and some questions. You have to listen to the conversation and choose the right answer (A, B or C) for each question.
What do I have to practise? Listening for information.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 4 (Gap-fill)

What's in Part 4? A recording of a conversation between two people. You have to listen to the recording and write down the information you hear to complete a message or notes.
What do I have to practise? Listening and writing down information correctly.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 5 (Gap-fill)

What's in Part 5? A recording of one person speaking. You have to listen to the recording and write down the information you hear to complete a message or notes.

What do I have to practise? Listening and writing down information correctly.
How many questions are there? 5
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.

What’s in the Speaking paper?

The Cambridge English: Key Speaking test has two parts and you take it with another candidate. There are two examiners. One examiner talks to you and the other examiner listens. Both examiners give marks for your performance.

Summary

Time allowed: 8–10 minutes per pair of candidates
Number of parts: 2
Marks: 25% of total
You have to talk: with the examiner
with the other candidate
Part 1 (Interview)

What's in Part 1? Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks you some questions about yourself and you answer.
What do I have to practise? Giving information about yourself.
How long do we have to speak? 5–6 minutes
Part 2 (Collaborative task)

What's in Part 2? The examiner gives you some information or a card with some ideas for questions. You have to talk with the other candidate and ask or answer questions.
What do I have to practise? Asking and answering simple questions about daily life.
How long do we have to speak? 3–4 minutes