Starters Exam Structure – Helping Your Child Begin Their English Journey

About Starters

Starters is the first exam in the Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) series, for students aged 6-12 or who are just starting to learn English. This is an important first step for them to get acquainted with international exams. Don't worry, Starters is designed to encourage and build your children's confidence!

Starters exam structure

The Starters test consists of 3 main parts, with a total time of about 20 minutes:

1. Listening (4 parts, 20 questions)

   • Children will listen to short conversations and answer questions. For example: Listen to “Where is the cat?” and choose the picture of a cat in the house.

2. Reading & Writing (5 parts, 25 questions)

   • Includes simple reading and fill-in-the-blanks. For example: “I ___ a dog” (fill in “have” to make it “I have a dog”).

3. Speaking (about 3-5 minutes)

   • You will chat with the examiner, answer questions like “What is your name?” or point to pictures.

The maximum total score is 15 shields, and you only need to get about 10 shields to pass!

How to help your child prepare?

• Encourage more listening: Parents can let their children listen to simple sentences through Cambridge sample audio.

• Reading and writing companion: Guide your child to practice fill-in-the-blank exercises or read English comics.

• Create a speaking environment: Practice answering basic questions with your child to build confidence.

Start small, and you will see your child make great progress!

Contact Chau Thanh English Center to register for the course!