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A1 English test: free practice

For a first UK family visa as a partner or parent. Checked against GOV.UK on 11 October 2026

The A1 English test is a short speaking and listening test for people applying for their first UK family visa, for example as a husband, wife or partner. A1 is the lowest level on the CEFR scale: simple questions about you, your family and your daily life. There is no reading or writing.

Level
CEFR A1
Skills
Speaking and listening
Valid for
2 years
Taken
At an approved centre

Which A1 test can I take?

There is no single “A1 English test”. For a first UK family visa as a partner or parent, a pass at A1 from any approved provider counts the same. Here are the four we have free practice for.

  • Trinity A1 test · GESE Grade 2

    One conversation of up to 6 minutes with an examiner, about you, your family and your home. Taken at Trinity centres in the UK.

    2 free practice testsTips

  • IELTS Life Skills A1 · IELTS SELT Consortium

    Up to 18 minutes with an examiner and one other candidate. The result is a pass or a fail.

    6 free practice testsIELTS Life Skills A1 sample questions with answersTips

  • PTE Home A1 · Pearson

    Up to 30 minutes alone at a computer, marked by computer as a pass or a fail. Tasks: repeat sentence, describe image, conversation: listen and answer.

    1 free practice testTips

  • LanguageCert A1 · ESOL SELT Preliminary

    8 to 9 minutes with one examiner, in four parts, ending with your own talk of up to 30 seconds. The pass mark is 60 out of 100.

    2 free practice testsTips

Not sure which to book? Compare the four tests.

Who needs A1

  • People applying for a first family visa as a partner or spouse
  • People applying for a first family visa as a parent
  • Some other routes that ask for A1. Check the GOV.UK page for your visa

What you must be able to do

  • Say your name, age and where you live
  • Answer simple questions about your family, home and job
  • Understand slow, clear speech about everyday things
  • Ask very simple questions

A1 English test questions with example answers

These come from our Trinity A1 practice (Grade 2), and the other A1 tests ask about similar subjects. For a full sample test, see the Trinity A1 sample questions or the IELTS Life Skills A1 sample test.

What's your name?
Example answer: My name is Farah.
Who do you live with?
Example answer: I live with my husband and my son.
How many rooms are there in your home?
Example answer: There are five rooms.
Where is your phone?
Example answer: It's in my bag.
Is the television on?
Example answer: No, it isn't.
What day is it today?
Example answer: It's Monday.

How to prepare

  1. Check that A1 is your level. It is for a first family visa. Read the GOV.UK page for your route, which also lists who is exempt.
  2. Learn to talk about yourself. Name, family, home, job and daily routine come up in every A1 test. Say your answers aloud until they come without thinking.
  3. Practise numbers, times and prices. A1 listening tasks ask for simple facts. Say them out loud: half past seven, thirteen pounds, the fifth of May.
  4. Try each format for ten minutes. A computer and an examiner feel very different. Pick the one where you feel calmest.
  5. Book it as a secure English language test. An ordinary booking with the same provider does not count for a visa, so choose the SELT option.

Worked example: building an A1 answer

One question that any A1 test with an examiner can ask in some form, and how the answer grows from too short to just right.

  1. The question

    "Who do you live with?"

  2. Too short

    "Wife." It answers the question, but one word gives the examiner almost nothing to mark, and they will have to ask again.

  3. Better

    "I live with my wife." A full sentence that reuses the verb from the question. This is the minimum to aim for.

  4. Best at A1

    "I live with my wife and our son. He is four years old." One extra fact, still in simple English. That is all A1 asks for.

  5. The pattern

    Use the question's verb in your answer, then add one more fact. It works for most A1 questions about you.

Common mistakes in A1 English tests

Examiners at A1 do not expect perfect English, but these slips make answers harder to understand.

  • Not: "My husband he works in a factory."

    Better: "My husband works in a factory."

    English needs only one subject. Adding he after my husband is natural in many languages but sounds wrong in English.

  • Not: "She is nurse."

    Better: "She is a nurse."

    Jobs need a or an in front: a nurse, an engineer, a driver.

  • Not: "I like very much cooking."

    Better: "I like cooking very much."

    Very much goes after the thing you like, at the end of the sentence.

  • Not: "I live Leeds."

    Better: "I live in Leeds."

    Live needs in before a town or a country.

  • Not: "Yes." (to "Do you have any children?")

    Better: "Yes, I have two daughters."

    Even a yes or no question deserves a short sentence. Add the fact the examiner would probably ask about next.

  • Not: Silence when you do not understand.

    Better: "Sorry, can you repeat the question, please?"

    With an examiner, asking for a repeat is normal and much better than saying nothing. In PTE Home each recording plays once, so practise listening to the end instead.

Sample A1 answer, explained

A typical A1 instruction: "Tell me about your home."

I live in a flat in Leeds. It has two bedrooms and a small kitchen. I live there with my husband. The flat is near a park, and I walk there every evening. I like my home because it is quiet.

Why it works

  • Five sentences, each with one clear fact. That is a strong answer at A1.
  • It uses has to say what the flat contains, and near to say where it is.
  • I walk there every evening adds a habit in the present simple.
  • A reason is not required at A1, but because it is quiet is a natural way to finish.
  • Every word is simple. At A1, short and correct is better than long and confused.

Questions

What questions are asked in the A1 English test?
Questions on everyday subjects at A1 level, for example "What's your name?" or "Who do you live with?" This page shows more examples with example answers, and each approved test above has free practice with full sets of questions.
What is the A1 English test for a spouse visa?
It is a speaking and listening test at CEFR level A1, taken at an approved centre. The Home Office accepts A1 tests from several providers, including IELTS Life Skills A1, PTE Home A1, Trinity GESE Grade 2 and LanguageCert A1.
How hard is the A1 English test?
A1 is beginner level. You answer short, simple questions about yourself and everyday life. Most people who fail do so because they did not understand the questions or stayed silent, not because of grammar.
Which A1 English test is easiest?
None is officially easier: all four are set at A1. At this level, how comfortable you feel in the room makes a big difference. If talking to a person helps you, Trinity GESE Grade 2, LanguageCert A1 and IELTS Life Skills A1 all have an examiner; if you would rather work alone, PTE Home A1 is taken at a computer.
What comes after A1?
To extend a family visa you usually need level A2, and for settlement and citizenship you need B1 or, for most settlement applications from 26 March 2027, B2.
Can I take the test online at home?
No. A secure English language test must be booked as a SELT and taken in person at a centre approved by the Home Office.
Does everyone need to take a test?
No. GOV.UK lists exemptions, for example people aged 65 or over, people with a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents them, and nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries. A degree taught in English can also be used instead. Check the GOV.UK page for your own route.

Other levels and tests

Official sources

TestWise Prep is independent and is not connected to the Home Office or to any test provider. This page is general information, not immigration advice. Rules change, so read the GOV.UK page for your own route before you book.