![](https://exams-owl.com/storage/2021/03/EMWS@3x-8.png")
Business English Certificates (BEC) discontinued
Due to a review of the Cambridge English Qualifications portfolio, the Business English Certificates (BEC) will be discontinued at the end of 2023. We are preparing for this change and have already been in contact with many of you. The recommended replacements for BEC are: Linguaskill, B1 Preliminary, B2 First or C1 Advanced. These exams provide a more comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of English language proficiency, and they are more accessible and user-friendly than their predecessors. If you have any further questions about the BEC exams, please contact us. If you are a preparation centre, we will be happy to organise individual meetings where we can discuss which alternative would be the most suitable for your centre and students.
Exam preparation
B1 Business
Preliminary
Information for candidates
A guide to the exam, with advice on preparing for the exam, tips for exam day and useful links.
B1 Business Preliminary is made up of three papers developed to test your English skills:
1 hour 30 minutes
The B1 Business Preliminary Reading and Writing paper has seven parts for Reading and two parts for Writing. There are different types of texts and questions. This paper accounts for 25% for Reading and 25% for Writing.
- Five very short texts (they may be signs, messages, postcards, notes, emails, labels, etc.). You have to read them and choose which of the three sentences (A, B or C) is correct.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Five short descriptions, often of people’s requirements, and one text to read. You have to match each person to part of the text.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Eight graphs or charts (or one or more graphics with eight parts) and five questions. You need to match each question to a graph or part of a graph.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text and seven questions. For each question, you have to decide if a statement is A ‘Right’ or B ‘Wrong’, according to the text, or if the information is not given in the text, you should choose C ‘Doesn’t say’.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text, often from a leaflet or from a newspaper or magazine article, with six multiple-choice questions. Each question has three options.
- 6 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text (newspaper or magazine article, advert, leaflet, etc.) with twelve numbered spaces. Each space represents a missing word and you have to choose the right answer (A, B, or C).
- 12 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Two short texts (memos, emails, notices, adverts, etc.) and a form to complete. You have to read the texts and fill in the correct information (a word, a number or a phrase) in the empty spaces on the form.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- An internal company communication. The instructions tell you who to write to and what you should write (e.g. a note, a message, a memo or an email).
- 1 question
- 30–40 words
- This question has a total of 10 marks
- A piece of business correspondence (letter or email) or a notice, an advert, etc., to read. The instructions tell you what to write and who to write to.
- 1 question
- 60–80 words
- This question has a total of 20 marks
Listening – About 40 minutes (including 10 minutes to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet)
The B1 Business Preliminary Listening paper has four parts. For each part, you have to listen to a recorded text or texts on business-related topics and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
- Eight short conversations/monologues (one person speaking). For each recording, there is a multiple-choice question, which may be in the form of words or pictures. You have to listen to the recordings and choose the right answer (A, B or C).
- 8 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer.
- A short conversation or monologue which contains factual information and a form, table, chart or set of notes with gaps. You have to listen to the recording and write the correct information (dates, prices, percentages, figures, etc.) in the gaps.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A longer monologue and a page of notes or a form with gaps. You have to listen to the recording and fill in the missing information (one or two words) in the gaps.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer.
- A longer recording (about 3 minutes) which may be an interview or a discussion between two or more speakers on a business-related topic. You have to listen to the recording and choose the right answer (A, B or C) for each of the eight multiple-choice questions.
- 8 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
12 minutes per pair of candidates
The B1 Business Preliminary Speaking test has three parts and is taken with another candidate. Exceptionally the test may be taken with 3 candidates. There are two examiners. One examiner talks to you and the other examiner listens. Both examiners give marks for your performance. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
- A conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and you give information about yourself and your opinions on business-related topics.
- About 2 minutes
- A ‘mini-presentation’ on a business theme. The examiner gives you a choice of two topics and you have 1 minute to prepare and then give a short talk lasting about 1 minute. Listen carefully when your partner speaks as the examiner will ask you which point you think is most important.
- About 5 minutes, including a 1-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate.
- Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives the students a question and some written prompts. The students discuss these together for two minutes. The examiner will then ask them to make a decision together about the topic they have been discussing.
- 3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task)
- A discussion with the other candidate on a business-related topic. The examiner describes a situation to you and will give you some black and white pictures or written text to help you. You have to talk to the other candidate for around 2 minutes about the situation and decide what to do.
- About 5 minutes
Choosing your Speaking Test partner
If you would like to be paired together with a friend/classmate, you can request this when you register for the exam. Please note however that research has shown that there are both advantages and disadvantages in taking the test with someone you know and that in the end it doesn’t matter. What is important is that the test judges you on your own performance.
Information for candidates:
The Information for Candidates booklet is packed with study tips, exam advice and frequently asked questions. A great way to help your learners feel fully prepared for their exam.
Sample tests
You will need to use the Firefox browser to access these sample tests. You can download Firefox for free here.
Watch this tutorial before you start to help you understand what you need to do.
There is no answer key for the Writing paper, but there are sample answers and examiner comments in the relevant pages of the relevant pages of the Business handbook.
This list gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing students for B1 Business Preliminary.
Download a sample Speaking test worksheet for students from the B1 Business Preliminary Speaking test preparation pack.
You can also watch a 360⁰ of a full B1 Business Preliminary speaking test.
Information for candidates
A guide to the exam, with advice on preparing for the exam, tips for exam day and useful links.
B1 Business Preliminary is made up of three papers developed to test your English skills:
1 hour 30 minutes
The B1 Business Preliminary Reading and Writing paper has seven parts for Reading and two parts for Writing. There are different types of texts and questions. This paper accounts for 25% for Reading and 25% for Writing.
- Five very short texts (they may be signs, messages, postcards, notes, emails, labels, etc.). You have to read them and choose which of the three sentences (A, B or C) is correct.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Five short descriptions, often of people’s requirements, and one text to read. You have to match each person to part of the text.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Eight graphs or charts (or one or more graphics with eight parts) and five questions. You need to match each question to a graph or part of a graph.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text and seven questions. For each question, you have to decide if a statement is A ‘Right’ or B ‘Wrong’, according to the text, or if the information is not given in the text, you should choose C ‘Doesn’t say’.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text, often from a leaflet or from a newspaper or magazine article, with six multiple-choice questions. Each question has three options.
- 6 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A text (newspaper or magazine article, advert, leaflet, etc.) with twelve numbered spaces. Each space represents a missing word and you have to choose the right answer (A, B, or C).
- 12 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- Two short texts (memos, emails, notices, adverts, etc.) and a form to complete. You have to read the texts and fill in the correct information (a word, a number or a phrase) in the empty spaces on the form.
- 5 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- An internal company communication. The instructions tell you who to write to and what you should write (e.g. a note, a message, a memo or an email).
- 1 question
- 30–40 words
- This question has a total of 10 marks
- A piece of business correspondence (letter or email) or a notice, an advert, etc., to read. The instructions tell you what to write and who to write to.
- 1 question
- 60–80 words
- This question has a total of 20 marks
Listening – About 40 minutes (including 10 minutes to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet)
The B1 Business Preliminary Listening paper has four parts. For each part, you have to listen to a recorded text or texts on business-related topics and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
- Eight short conversations/monologues (one person speaking). For each recording, there is a multiple-choice question, which may be in the form of words or pictures. You have to listen to the recordings and choose the right answer (A, B or C).
- 8 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer.
- A short conversation or monologue which contains factual information and a form, table, chart or set of notes with gaps. You have to listen to the recording and write the correct information (dates, prices, percentages, figures, etc.) in the gaps.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
- A longer monologue and a page of notes or a form with gaps. You have to listen to the recording and fill in the missing information (one or two words) in the gaps.
- 7 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer.
- A longer recording (about 3 minutes) which may be an interview or a discussion between two or more speakers on a business-related topic. You have to listen to the recording and choose the right answer (A, B or C) for each of the eight multiple-choice questions.
- 8 questions
- 1 mark for each correct answer
12 minutes per pair of candidates
The B1 Business Preliminary Speaking test has three parts and is taken with another candidate. Exceptionally the test may be taken with 3 candidates. There are two examiners. One examiner talks to you and the other examiner listens. Both examiners give marks for your performance. This paper accounts for 25% of the total mark.
- A conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and you give information about yourself and your opinions on business-related topics.
- About 2 minutes
- A ‘mini-presentation’ on a business theme. The examiner gives you a choice of two topics and you have 1 minute to prepare and then give a short talk lasting about 1 minute. Listen carefully when your partner speaks as the examiner will ask you which point you think is most important.
- About 5 minutes, including a 1-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate.
- Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives the students a question and some written prompts. The students discuss these together for two minutes. The examiner will then ask them to make a decision together about the topic they have been discussing.
- 3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task)
- A discussion with the other candidate on a business-related topic. The examiner describes a situation to you and will give you some black and white pictures or written text to help you. You have to talk to the other candidate for around 2 minutes about the situation and decide what to do.
- About 5 minutes
Choosing your Speaking Test partner
If you would like to be paired together with a friend/classmate, you can request this when you register for the exam. Please note however that research has shown that there are both advantages and disadvantages in taking the test with someone you know and that in the end it doesn’t matter. What is important is that the test judges you on your own performance.
Information for candidates:
The Information for Candidates booklet is packed with study tips, exam advice and frequently asked questions. A great way to help your learners feel fully prepared for their exam.
Sample tests
You will need to use the Firefox browser to access these sample tests. You can download Firefox for free here.
Watch this tutorial before you start to help you understand what you need to do.
There is no answer key for Writing Parts 2 and 3 of the Reading and Writing paper, but there are sample answers and examiner comments in the relevant pages of the Business handbook.
This list gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing students for B1 Business Preliminary.
Download a sample Speaking test worksheet for students from the B1 Business Preliminary Speaking test preparation pack.
You can also watch a 360⁰ of a full B1 Business Preliminary speaking test.