LanguageCert International ESOL (Listening, Reading, Writing) Qualification Handbook Summary

Overview of LanguageCert and International ESOL Qualifications

• About LanguageCert: LanguageCert is an Awarding Organisation recognized and regulated by Ofqual. Its mission is to develop high-quality language qualifications that are fit-for-purpose for the markets and candidates they serve. LanguageCert International ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) qualifications at Entry level, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 (CEFR levels $A1$ to $C2$) are regulated by Ofqual.

• IESOL International Qualifications: These are designed for non-native speakers of English seeking a globally available and internationally recognized qualification. They are referenced to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and mapped to the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

• Candidate Age Groups:

  • Adults (16+): Targeted at demonstrated language proficiency for academic, vocational, or professional purposes.

  • 'For Schools' (11-16): Available for levels $A1$ to $B2$. These follow the same specifications and CEFR alignment as the adult exams but use content appropriate for school-age test takers.

• Handbook Purpose: This Document (Version $7.0$, August $2025$) provides information for existing and potential centers, as well as teachers preparing candidates for Listening, Reading, and Writing examinations. Separate handbooks exist for Speaking and Speaking & Listening qualifications.

Qualification Levels and CEFR Alignment

• The following table outlines the correspondence between LanguageCert levels, CEFR levels, and UK national levels:

  • Preliminary $A1$: Breakthrough / Entry $1$.

  • Access $A2$: Waystage / Entry $2$.

  • Achiever $B1$: Threshold / Entry $3$.

  • Communicator $B2$: Vantage / Level $1$.

  • Expert $C1$: Effective Operational Proficiency / Level $2$.

  • Mastery $C2$: Mastery / Level $3$.

Total Qualification Time (TQT) and Guided Learning Hours (GLH)

• Guided Learning Hours (GLH): Hours of learning under the immediate guidance or supervision of a tutor, lecturer, or training provider.

• Total Qualification Time (TQT): The estimated number of notional hours required for a learner to achieve the level of attainment for the award.

• Estimated Values per Level (Non-cumulative):

  • Preliminary $A1$: $95$ hours GLH; $200$ hours TQT.

  • Access $A2$: $95$ hours GLH; $200$ hours TQT.

  • Achiever $B1$: $180$ hours GLH; $300$ hours TQT.

  • Communicator $B2$: $180$ hours GLH; $300$ hours TQT.

  • Expert $C1$: $200$ hours GLH; $350$ hours TQT.

  • Mastery $C2$: $250$ hours GLH; $350$ hours TQT.

• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Not applicable to the International ESOL suite.

Registration and Recognition

• Ofqual Qualification Numbers:

  • Preliminary ($A1$): $603/1955/0$

  • Access ($A2$): $603/1957/4$

  • Achiever ($B1$): $603/1959/8$

  • Communicator ($B2$): $603/1961/6$

  • Expert ($C1$): $603/1963/X$

  • Mastery ($C2$): $603/1965/3$

• Flexible Examination Dates: Centers or regional offices schedule dates and times at their convenience.

• Integrity of Assessment: All exams are externally set and assessed by a closed group of markers at LanguageCert, standardized through regular training.

• UK Home Office Recognition: LanguageCert is authorized by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to deliver Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) globally for visa purposes.

• International Recognition: Recognized by employers, educational institutions, and professional bodies worldwide for academic progression and employment.

Examination Duration and Format

• A1 Preliminary: Listening: ~$20$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $1$ hour $20$ minutes.

• A2 Access: Listening: ~$20$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $1$ hour $20$ minutes.

• B1 Achiever: Listening: ~$30$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $2$ hours $10$ minutes.

• B2 Communicator: Listening: ~$30$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $2$ hours $10$ minutes.

• C1 Expert: Listening: ~$30$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $2$ hours $40$ minutes.

• C2 Mastery: Listening: ~$30$ minutes; Reading & Writing: $2$ hours $40$ minutes.

Descriptions of Competence at Each CEFR Level

• Preliminary (A1): Can understand/use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases; can introduce self and others; can ask/answer questions about personal details; can interact simply if the other person talks slowly; can read short texts and obtain info from signs; can write short simple phrases.

• Access (A2): Can understand sentences/expressions related to immediate relevance (shopping, geography, employment); can communicate in routine tasks; can engage in conversation on familiar topics; can read short documents and obtain info from signs; can write to communicate with some awareness of audience.

• Achiever (B1): Can understand main points of standard communication on matters encountered in work/leisure; can convey information, feelings, and opinions with appropriate formality; can produce simple connected text on topics of personal interest; can describe experiences, dreams, and ambitions.

• Communicator (B2): Can understand main ideas of complex communication on concrete/abstract topics, including technical discussions; can interact with fluency/spontaneity; can explain viewpoints and give advantages/disadvantages of options; can write clearly and in detail on many subjects.

• Expert (C1): Can understand demanding longer texts and recognize implicit meaning; can use language fluently without obvious searching; can use language flexibly for academic and professional purposes; can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects.

• Mastery (C2): Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different sources; can express self spontaneously, precisely, and differentiate finer shades of meaning in complex situations.

Detailed Task Specifications per Level

Preliminary Level – A1

• Listening Task 1: Match short statements to letters/graphics ($7$ items, $3$-option MCQ, $7$ marks).

• Listening Task 2: Choose best reply to short utterances ($7$ items, $3$-option MCQ, $7$ marks).

• Listening Task 3: Identify aspects of conversations (topic, context) ($6$ items, $3$-option MCQ, $6$ marks).

• Listening Task 4: Extract info from dialogue to complete a form ($6$ items, $6$ marks).

• Reading Task 1: Complete gapped short texts ($6$ items, $3$-option MCQ, $6$ marks).

• Reading Task 2: Complete gapped text with five deletions/one distractor ($5$ items, $5$ marks).

• Reading Task 3: Multiple matching from four short texts ($7$ questions, $7$ marks).

• Reading Task 4: Match statements to $8$ short texts ($8$ items, $8$ marks).

• Writing Task 1: Four sentences on a given topic (~$30$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Short text (letter, card, message) for audience ($20-30$ words, $12$ marks).

Access Level – A2

• Listening Tasks: Focus on simple key info, functions, and specific aspects ($7+7+6=20$ marks). Task 4 extracts info from a monologue ($6$ marks).

• Reading Tasks: Focus on coherence, structure, and identifying specific info ($6+6+7+7=26$ marks). Task 4 is a continuous text with $7$ MCQs.

• Writing Task 1: Respond informally to text ($30-50$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Write neutral/formal text ($30-50$ words, $12$ marks).

Achiever Level – B1

• Listening Task 3: Monologue to complete notes/message pad ($7$ marks).

• Listening Task 4: Follow discussion for gist and key ideas ($6$ marks).

• Reading Task 2: Gapped text where sentences are removed ($6$ gaps, $6$ marks).

• Reading Task 4: Continuous text with $8$ open-ended 'wh' questions ($8$ marks).

• Writing Task 1: Formal response to input ($70-100$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Informal letter to friend ($100-120$ words, $12$ marks).

Communicator Level – B2

• Listening Task 1: Finish unfinished conversations ($7$ marks).

• Reading Task 1: News story/article with $6$ MCQs ($6$ marks).

• Writing Task 1: Formal response ($100-150$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Personal letter or narrative/descriptive composition ($150-200$ words, $12$ marks).

Expert Level – C1

• Listening Task 1: Identify continuation of unfinished conversations including idiomatic expressions and register shifts ($6$ marks).

• Reading Task 1: Identify True/False statements from complex text ($5$ marks).

• Writing Task 1: Formal letter/report/argument ($150-200$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Informal writing eliciting persuasion/argument/hypothesis ($250-300$ words, $12$ marks).

Mastery Level – C2

• Listening Task 1: Multiple-choice response to single utterances with various functions ($6$ marks).

• Reading Task 1: Understand literary texts with metaphors and similes (True/False, $5$ marks).

• Writing Task 1: Formal response using written/graphic input ($200-250$ words, $12$ marks).

• Writing Task 2: Informal letter or narrative/descriptive composition ($250-300$ words, $12$ marks).

Syllabus and Standards (Preliminary to Mastery)

• Note: Standards are cumulative; an $A2$ candidate can perform tasks at both $A1$ and $A2$ levels.

Preliminary (A1) Standards

• Listening: Follow speech with long pauses; understand gist of conversations on self/family; identify functions and extract key words/numbers.

• Reading: Understand short narratives/instructions a phrase at a time; locate specific info; understand capital letters and full stops.

• Writing: Write simple info to a sympathetic reader; express likes/dislikes; use punctuation for sentence ends and proper nouns; spell personal keywords correctly.

Access (A2) Standards

• Listening: Understand clearly articulated speech; follow formal/informal conversations; recognize stress/intonation in simple/compound sentences.

• Reading: Understand straightforward instructions/descriptions on familiar/work topics; understand main ideas of personal/routine letters.

• Writing: Compose texts with some audience awareness; write informally about family/job; link sentences using basic linking words; use commas in lists.

Achiever (B1) Standards

• Listening: Follow standard speech delivered relatively slowly; recognize feelings and attitudes through stress and intonation.

• Reading: Understand main ideas in texts of more than one paragraph; understand argument/conclusions and purpose signaled overtly.

• Writing: Write connected texts on familiar topics; produce formal letters to convey info; express opinions with supporting reasons; use discourse markers for contrast/sequence.

Communicator (B2) Standards

• Listening: Understand spoken English at normal speed; predict likely outcomes of conversations; distinguish fact from opinion.

• Reading: Understand complex texts on abstract topics; adjust to writer's stance/attitude; understand lengthy complex instructions.

• Writing: Support and evaluate different views in an argument; vary register to suit purpose; paragraph appropriately.

Expert (C1) Standards

• Listening: Follow extended speech even when not clearly structured; recognize implicit meaning; extract info from dense factual monologue.

• Reading: Understand authentic sources; identify finer points of attitude; understand technical instruction manuals.

• Writing: Write well-structured, detailed argument expanding relevant ideas; use idiomatic expressions naturally; maintain consistent grammatical control.

Mastery (C2) Standards

• Listening: Understand virtually everything spoken even if fast; recognize subtly expressed attitudes; follow complex arguments even if unstructured.

• Reading: Understand with ease all forms of written language, including highly idiomatic or literary writing; understand subtleties of register in diplomacy.

• Writing: Develop cogent, smoothly flowing arguments; describe/narrate in an assured natural manner; distinguish finer shades of meaning.

Core Syllabus Topics (A1 to C2)

• Recurring Themes: Personal identification, house/local area, daily life, free time/entertainment, travel, relations with people, health/body, shopping, food/drink, services, places, weather, measures/shapes, education, the environment, arts, science/technology, society.

• Advanced Additions (C1-C2): Image, personal learning style, demographics, leisure/work ratio, social importance of leisure, migration, border controls, tolerance/respect, consumerism, cookery, world events, world economy, knowledge versus skills, future of the planet, genetic modification, human rights, global village.

Language Functions

• Personal Environment: Asking/giving personal info, describing routines, narrating past/present/future events, specifying.

• Expressing Thoughts/Feelings: Agreement/disagreement, denial, probability, necessity, doubt, hypothesizing, speculating, reminding, gratitude, regret/sympathy, approval/disapproval, blaming.

• Making Things Happen: Requests, invitations, instructions/orders, advice, persuasion, suggestions, compromise, complaining, pleading, negotiating results ($C2$).

• Social Contact: Greetings, introductions, opening/closing conversations, apologizing, interruption, summing up, telephone/letter conventions, constructive criticism ($C1-C2$).

Grammar Requirements by Level

Sentences

• A1: Simple sentences; S-V-O/Adverb/Adjective; There is/are.

• A2: Compound sentences with and/but/or.

• B1: Complex sentences with time (when/before), reason (because), result (so); Noun clauses with that; Defining relative clauses (who/which/that).

• B2: Non-defining relative clauses; Defining with where/whose/when.

• C1: Order selected for emphasis; Complex participial clauses.

• C2: Full range of conjunctions and structures.

Verb Forms

• A1: Present simple (be/have/do); Present continuous; Imperatives.

• A2: Past simple (regular/irregular); be going to.

• B1: Present perfect (since/for/ever/never); used to; Past continuous; Future simple (will).

• B2: Present perfect continuous; Past perfect; Simple passive; $2^{nd}$ and $3^{rd}$ conditionals; Causative have/get; Reported speech.

• C1: Mixed conditionals; would for past habit; Reported speech with full range of introductory verbs.

• C2: All active and passive verb forms.

Modals

• A1: can/can't (ability/permission); would like.

• A2: must (obligation); mustn't (prohibition); have to; single modal adverbs (perhaps).

• B1: should (advice); might/may (possibility); needn't; I'd rather.

• B2: ought to; must/can't (deduction); should have/might have.

Punctuation and Spelling

• A1: Capital letters and full stops; personal key words.

• A2: Question marks, exclamation marks, commas in lists.

• B1: Dash, bracket, bullet points, speech marks.

• B2: Multiple commas; apostrophes for possession/omission.

• C1: Accurate use of all punctuation; technical words.

• C2: Specialized words (business, academia).

Assessment and Grading

• Overall Grades: Fail, Pass, or High Pass.

• Scaled Score Thresholds:

  • Pass: $75/150$

  • High Pass: $101/150$

• Criteria for Writing Assessment:

  • Task Fulfilment: Achieving the intended purpose of the task.

  • Accuracy and Range of Grammar: Appropriacy and range of structures.

  • Accuracy and Range of Vocabulary: Range and spelling accuracy.

  • Organisation: Coherence, linking of ideas, and punctuation.

• Off-topic Responses: Candidates do not receive any credit for responses deemed off-topic.

Access Arrangements and Special Considerations

• Purpose: Reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or injuries.

• Specific Provisions (Allowed or Disallowed):

  • Extra Time: Yes (Listening, Reading, Writing).

  • Reader: Yes (Listening, Writing); No (Reading).

  • Scribe: Yes (Listening, Reading); No (Writing).

  • Word Processor: Yes (Listening, Reading, Writing).

  • Sign Language Interpreter: No (signing for recording not permitted); Yes (Reading questions).

  • Modified Papers (Braille/Large Print): Yes (Listening, Reading, Writing).

  • Practical Assistant: Yes.

  • Supervised Rest Breaks: Yes.

  • Transcript (for illegible handwriting): Yes.

  • Live Speaker (transcript of recording): Yes (Listening only).