Pre-A1 English: What Learners Can Do and What Comes Next
Pre-A1 is the stage before A1, used for young children and other complete beginners. This guide shows what a learner can usually do in listening, speaking, reading and writing, which grammar and vocabulary topics fit the level, how to tell when a child is ready for A1, and short practice examples to try at home.
Pre-A1 English is the stage before A1, the first of the 6 main CEFR levels, and the label is also used alongside that scale for complete beginners. A Pre-A1 learner understands familiar words, answers with single words or learned phrases, and does not yet build new sentences. Young children often start here, and so does any beginner.
Below are a skills table, grammar and vocabulary topics, an A1 readiness checklist and short practice examples.
Key takeaways
- Pre-A1 describes what a learner can do in English, not their age, so a 6-year-old and an adult who are both new to English can share this level.
- At Pre-A1, listening and speaking usually lead, while reading and writing begin with letters, sounds and copied words.
- Grammar at this level comes as fixed patterns such as "I like apples", not as rules.
- A strong sign of readiness for A1 is a learner who starts combining known words in new ways instead of only repeating phrases.
What is Pre-A1 English?
Pre-A1 English is a band of ability below A1 that is also used alongside the CEFR scale.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has 6 main levels, from A1 to C2, and our guide to the CEFR levels explains each one. The Council of Europe's 2020 Companion Volume presents Pre-A1 as a step on the way to A1, where a learner leans on a small store of words and ready-made phrases and cannot yet create new sentences freely.
Cambridge English uses the label for its first young learners exam, and the Fleydo curriculum for children and teenagers begins there too.
What can a Pre-A1 learner do?
A Pre-A1 learner usually understands more than they can say, and manages a few words at a time when someone patient shows them what the words mean.
| Skill | What a Pre-A1 learner can usually do | What it can look like |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Picks out words they already know when someone speaks patiently and shows what they mean | Hears "Where's the dog?" and points to the dog in a picture book |
| Speaking | Answers with a single word or a learned phrase, and joins in with songs and daily routines | Says "Seven" when asked their age, and "Hello" or "Thank you" at the right moment |
| Reading | Knows some letters and their sounds, and recognises a handful of words they have met often | Finds the card that says "cat" and matches it to a drawing of a cat |
| Writing | Forms letters, writes their own name and copies short words from a model | Copies "red" under a red crayon in a home-made word book |
These are typical patterns, not a test. A child can be stronger in listening than in reading, which is normal, since many 6- and 7-year-olds are still learning to read in their first language.
For older beginners: teenagers and adults at Pre-A1 show the same pattern with different content. They already know how reading and writing work, although a new alphabet still takes practice.
What grammar and vocabulary belong at Pre-A1?
Grammar at Pre-A1 comes as ready-made patterns, and vocabulary comes from things a learner can see, touch and name. Courses differ, so treat these lists as typical rather than fixed.
Grammar patterns
- Instructions: Sit down. Look. Open your book.
- "Be" in short phrases: I'm seven. It's a cat. She's my sister.
- A and an: a dog, an apple.
- Plurals after numbers: two cats, five pencils.
- "This is" with my and your: This is my bag.
- Likes and things you have: I like apples. I have a brother.
- Set questions and short answers: What's your name? What colour is it? Yes, it is.
- Place words with objects: in the box, on the table, under the bed.
Vocabulary topics
- Greetings and polite words (see greetings in English)
- Numbers 1–10, then 1–20
- Colours
- Family and friends
- Parts of the body
- Animals and pets
- Food and drink
- Toys and clothes
- The classroom and the home
Older beginners can swap toys for daily objects such as a phone or a bus ticket. Past and future forms, grammar terms and long explanations can wait for later levels.
Who starts at Pre-A1, and at what age?
Anyone with little or no English starts at Pre-A1, and with regular lessons many children aged 6–7 sit in a typical range of Pre-A1 to A1.
That range is not a target. A child who starts later sits lower for a while, and that is normal. The English level by age chart and our level by age guide for parents cover older children.
Where beginners usually begin at Fleydo
- Ages 6–7: beginners usually join the Grade 1–2 group, which works at Pre-A1 with at most 6 students and two 45-minute live lessons a week. The trial lesson teacher can recommend a one-to-one start if a child needs a slower pace.
- Younger than 6: children are usually advised to start with one-to-one lessons, so the teacher can set the pace. See online English lessons for ages 4–7.
- Older children, teenagers and adults: complete beginners are usually advised to start with one-to-one lessons as well. Children and teenagers can join a group at the matching level later.
What is the Pre A1 Starters exam?
Pre A1 Starters is a Cambridge English exam for young learners, the first of 3 in a series that continues with A1 Movers and A2 Flyers.
Cambridge English lists 3 papers and about 45 minutes in total for the paper-based version: about 20 minutes each for Listening and for Reading and Writing, and 3–5 minutes for Speaking. Nobody passes or fails. Each child who completes the exam receives a certificate showing up to 5 shields per paper. Cambridge also publishes a word list for the exam.
The exam and the level are separate things, so a child can work at Pre-A1 without ever sitting Starters. Our guide to Starters, Movers and Flyers compares the exams and covers preparation.
What comes after Pre-A1?
A1 comes after Pre-A1, and the main change is that a learner starts to make short sentences of their own instead of relying on learned phrases.
| Task | At Pre-A1 | At A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Saying their age | "Seven." | "I'm seven. My brother is ten." |
| Talking about a picture | "Dog. Big dog." | "The dog is big. It is in the park." |
| Reading | Matches single words to pictures | Follows a few short lines made of familiar words |
| Writing | Copies words and writes their own name | Writes a few short sentences about themselves |
At Fleydo, the Grade 3 group (age 8) works at A1, and Grade 4 (ages 9–10) works at A1–A2. For word practice at the next step, the English vocabulary by level page starts with A1 lists.
How can I tell if my child is ready for A1?
A child is usually ready for A1 work when their first words are secure and they have started to combine them in new ways.
For parents: watch for these signs across a few ordinary days, not on one evening.
- Follows everyday instructions in English without you pointing or miming.
- Answers "What's your name?", "How old are you?" and "What's this?" without help.
- Asks a simple question without being prompted, such as "What's this?".
- Puts 2 or 3 known words together in a new way, such as "big red bus", even with mistakes.
- Uses a word outside the song or game where they learned it, such as naming the colour of a toy.
- Knows the sounds of most letters.
- Reads a few familiar words with no picture beside them.
- Copies a short sentence and leaves spaces between the words.
As a rough guide, 6 or more ticks make it worth asking a teacher about A1 work. With 3–5 ticks, carry on at Pre-A1 and add small A1 tasks. With fewer than 3, your child is still building a base, and more time at this level is normal.
Pre-A1 practice examples
Pre-A1 practice suits short activities with pictures or real objects, and each example below takes a few minutes.
Listen and do
Say each line slowly and let the learner act it out, with no translation: "Stand up. Touch your nose. Find a blue pen. Give me two pencils. Put a pencil under the book."
A first conversation
Adult: Hello! What's your name?
Child: Sam.
Adult: Hi, Sam! How old are you?
Child: Seven.
Adult: What's this? (Holds up a banana.)
Child: Banana!
Adult: Yes, it's a banana. What colour is it?
Child: Yellow.
Short answers are exactly right at this level. Saying the full sentence back, as the adult does with the banana, lets the learner hear the next step without being corrected.
Read and draw
Read this short story together, then draw it: "This is Bo. Bo is a small cat. Bo is black. Bo has a red ball. The ball is under the bed."
Then ask, and accept very short answers: "Is Bo big?" (No.) "What colour is the ball?" (Red.) "Where is the ball?" (Under the bed.)
Copy and finish
Write these starters on a sheet: "My name is ___." "I am ___." "I like ___." "I have a ___." The learner copies each line and adds a word of their own.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for full sentences: accept a single word, then say the full sentence back.
- Teaching grammar rules first: use the patterns in songs, games and routines instead.
- Translating every new word: show a picture, an object or a gesture first.
- Judging the level from one test: ask a teacher to check listening and speaking as well.
- Comparing with another child: compare your child with their own earlier weeks instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pre-A1 an official CEFR level?
Pre-A1 is not one of the 6 main CEFR levels, which run from A1 to C2, but the label is also used alongside that scale. The Council of Europe's 2020 Companion Volume includes a band called Pre-A1 below A1, and Cambridge English uses the label for its Pre A1 Starters exam.
What age is Pre-A1 English for?
Pre-A1 English has no fixed age, because the level describes ability and not how old a learner is. With regular lessons, many children aged 6–7 sit in a typical range of Pre-A1 to A1. A teenager or adult who is new to English is also at Pre-A1, and that is a normal place to begin.
How long does a child stay at Pre-A1?
A child's time at Pre-A1 has no fixed length and varies from child to child. The age a child starts, the number of lessons each week, breaks in learning and English at home all play a part. A teacher who sees the child regularly is well placed to say when A1 work is a sensible next step.
Does a child need to read before starting Pre-A1 lessons?
A child does not need to read English before starting Pre-A1 lessons. Pre-A1 work usually begins with listening and speaking, then adds letters, sounds and first written words little by little. Children who are still learning to read in their first language can begin English at this level.
Sources
- Council of Europe: CEFR Companion Volume, 2020
- Cambridge English: Pre A1 Starters
- Cambridge English: Pre A1 Starters exam format
- Cambridge English: Pre A1 Starters FAQs
How to find a beginner's starting point
For a first indication, try the free English level test: 32 questions, about 12 minutes, no sign-up. For a fuller picture, book a free trial lesson: a short live lesson with a native English-speaking teacher, followed by a written recommendation, with no payment and no obligation. Our guide to what happens in a free trial lesson walks through it, and the English for beginners page sets out the options by age.
