Hello Exam Seekers,

Last month I posted some general information about the Cambridge English YLE (Young Learners Exams). If you haven’t read my texts yet, make sure you check them out:

• YLE Pre-A1 Starters – an overview
• YLE A1 Movers – an overview
• YLE A2 Flyers – an overview

As for the past few weeks, I’ve written more specifically about these exams, focusing on the Reading and Writing, Listening, and Speaking Exams. So far, I’ve written:

• YLE Pre A1: Starters – Reading and Writing Exam
• YLE A1: Movers – Reading and Writing Exam
• YLE A2: Flyers – Reading and Writing Exam

• YLE Pre A1: Starters – Listening Exam
• YLE A1: Movers – Listening Exam

Now, I’m going to talk about the Cambridge YLE A2 Flyers Listening Exam to explain how the exam works and help you guide your young learner to get the best score.

The A2 Flyers Listening exam has five parts. Each part begins with one or two examples. Since this is a listening exam, children will hear the recording for each part twice. For all parts, children must spell their answers correctly.

It is a very friendly exam, with colorful pictures, and they are all activity-based. There are 25 questions that must be answered in 25 minutes. The test has to be done in pencil. For the listening exam, learners are required to bring colored pencils for part 5 of the exam.

Here is an overview task table:

As you can see, learners get 1 mark for each correct answer. Now, let’s dig into the tasks:

Part 1 – Listen and draw lines

There is a big picture showing some people doing different things. Around the image, there are some names. Children must listen carefully to a conversation between an adult and a child and draw a line from each name to the correct person on the picture. Make sure learners pay close attention because there are extra names.

This task requires young learners to listen for names and descriptions and match them. Here is a sample:

Practice tips: Do plenty of practice describing people in pictures: their hair, their clothes, and what they are doing. They should be aware that they will have to focus on language that points to the differences between two similar people in the picture. The language that the learners need for this task is that which is used not only for describing people’s clothes and physical appearance but also for commenting on what they are doing. Practice in describing a range of pictures and photos containing people is, therefore, likely to help them do well in this part of the test.

Also, make sure that the learners know which first names on the vocabulary lists are male and which are female. Note that Alex, Kim, Pat, and Sam may refer either to a boy or a girl. Tell students that they must draw clean straight lines and that the starting and finishing points of the lines are visible. It doesn’t matter if their lines cross over each other and cross other people in the picture as long as it is clear which person each line leads to.

Part 2 – Note-Taking

There is a small picture showing something (e.g., animals). Below the picture, there is are five short prompts on a form or page of a notepad. Children have to listen to the recording and write a missing word or a number) in each gap.

This task requires young learners to listen for names and numbers and spell them correctly in the right places. Here is a sample:

Practice tips: Make sure that the learners know what is expected of them in this task. They only need to write a word or a number to answer each question. Where a number is required, ask them to write the digit instead of spelling the numbers to avoid mistakes, unless the recording spells the number. Some misspellings will be allowed for words that are not spelled out on the recording. Moreover, all the names and numbers come from the Starters and Movers vocabulary list (check the pdf files below). Ensure that children realize that they have to write responses that make sense, given the prompts on the question paper. They should look at these prompts carefully and think about what they mean before listening to the recording.

Part 3 – Listen and match

There are two sets of pictures. There are some pictures of people and their names or named places or objects with a box next to the names to be filled on the first page. On the other page, there is a set of pictures with letters but no words. Children have to listen to a conversation between two people and match each of the pictures on the right to one of the named pictures on the left. There are two extra pictures on the second page.

This task requires young learners to listen for words, names, and detailed information. Here is a sample:

Practice tips: Children have to match a picture from the right-hand page with one on the left-hand page. For example, they may have to match a picture to the person who took that picture, or an activity to the place where someone did that activity. Reading the introductory question above the pictures on the left-hand page before listening to the recording will help children to understand what the specific task is about. Also, make sure children realize that they will not hear information about the pictures in the order in which they appear on the page. Pictures on both the left and right-hand pages will be mentioned in random order.

Part 4 – Listen and tick the box

There are five sets of pictures with a question (plus 1 set for the example). Each set consists of a 3-option multiple choice with pictures. Children have to listen to five dialogues in which the speakers are clearly differentiated by age or gender, decide which picture shows the right answer to the question, and put a tick in the box under it.

This task requires young learners to listen for specific information of various kinds. Here is a sample:

Practice tips: Make sure that learners understand that they need to listen to the whole dialogue before deciding on their answer. Don’t rush to answer, because they always mention all the images somehow in the recording. Also, this part of the test covers a wide range of grammar and vocabulary appropriate to this level, so teachers should make sure that the structures and vocabulary listed in the syllabus have been well covered in class.

Part 5 – Listen and color

There is a big black and white picture with different objects and situations going on. This task consists of a dialogue in which an adult asks a child to color different things in a picture and write two simple words. Children listen to the dialogue and follow the instructions. There is one colored example. They will also have to write two words in the places they are told.

This task requires young learners to demonstrate that they can understand language which distinguishes between two similar but slightly different objects or people. This may be a matter of understanding language which explains precisely where someone or something is, or it may be a matter of understanding language explaining how two people or things differ from one another. Also, they have to show that they have understood the instructions correctly. Here is a sample:

Practice tips: Make sure that learners understand what is expected of them in this part of the test. Besides, ensure that they bring colored pencils (red, yellow, pink, green, orange, purple, blue, black, brown, and grey) to the test and that they are familiar with the names of the colors that they are expected to know at this level. Remember that they have to identify the object in the picture being described and color it correctly, so practice in handling various sorts of descriptive language because they will help the children to deal with this part of the test.

Also, they should not color anything else in the picture except the objects that they are told to color. Reassure them that this is an English test and not a coloring skill test. They should focus on what they hear rather than worrying about how well they are coloring.

As I told you before, I am leaving here the Pre A1 Starters and the A1 Movers Vocabulary list for you to help learners to practice for the exams:

This exam should be done in 25 minutes, as I mentioned. It is vital that you practice this exam with the young learners so that they get familiar with this format. Otherwise, they might not know how to complete the gaps. So make sure you practice it with them whenever possible. This will build students’ confidence, and if they get them all correct, they will earn 5 shields.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the recording for this test, but I do have the tapescript for you to download and practice with your students. Here it follows:

Please leave a comment with questions or general comments, and make sure you check the answers below!

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Have a great week,
Patricia Moura

PS: All samples are provided by Cambridge. And here are the answers:

Answer Key:

Part 1 (5 marks)
1 Richard: with striped sweater holding bottle
2 Sally: laughing on bike
3 David: boy in red belt with toy helicopter
4 Sarah: with puppy behind woman feeding swans
5 Harry: waving his arms and looking angry

Part 2 (5 marks)
1 starts
2 moon
3 torch
4 DVD(s)
5 B-A-I-L-E-Y

Part 3 (5 marks)
1 Drums B
2 Swan G
3 Fan H
4 Chocolates F
5 Gloves D

Part 4 (5 marks)
1 C
2 B
3 B
4 A
5 C

Part 5 (5 marks)
1 Colour the suitcase on ground by hotel entrance – blue
2 Write ‘SUNNY’ on board on front of boat
3 Colour the pocket on backpack – orange
4 Write ‘STAR’ on board above hotel
5 Colour the flag in park by path – yellow