Cambridge Business English Certificate – Preliminary (BEC Preliminary)

The Cambridge Business Exams examine the communication ability of candidates in a business context. With the help of work-related situations and exercises, BEC examinations assess reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The exam is designed for students who need to use English in the context of international business . It is offered in three different levels each corresponding to a level from the Common European Framework. The levels are as follows: B1 for the BEC Preliminary exam, B2 for the BEC Vantage exam and C1 for the BEC Higher exam.

The level of difficulty of the exam is estimated on the basis of a 1- 4 scale where level is the lowest and level 5 is the highest.

Level

Level B1 of the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
BEC Preliminary is aimed at elementary and lower-intermediate levels of competence.

Structure

  • Listening (approx. 40 minutes)
  • Reading and writing (approx. 90 minutes)
  • Speaking (approx. 12 minutes)


Results

  • Passing grades: A, B, C
  • Failing grades: D, E


Current information about examination dates, place and fees can be found on the following website:

University of Cambridge - ESOL Examinations