An Overview of Starters

Starters is aimed at students aged 7+

Listening

20 minutes/ 20 items

There are four parts. Each part begins with a clear example. All the texts are heard twice.

Number of items	Expected response/ item type	input	Main skill focus
5	Carry out instructions and positioning things correctly on a picture	Picture and dialogue	Listening for lexical items and prepositions	Part 1
5	Write down numbers and names	Illustrated dialogue	Listening for numbers and spelling	Part 2
5	3- option multiple- choice (pictures; tick the correct picture)	Picture and dialogue	Listening for information (present tenses)	Part 3
5	Carry out instructions, locating, and colouring correctly	Picture and dialogue	Listening for lexis and relative position	Part 4

Reading & Writing

20 minutes/ 25 items

There are five parts, each starting with a clear example.

Number of items	Expected response/ item type	input	Main skill focus
5	Indicate true with tick or false with a cross	5 lexical items with pictures	Reading for recognition of lexis	Part 1
5	Write yes/ no next to the sentences	1 picture 5 sentences	Reading for recognition of lexis, number, location and grammar	Part 2
5	Write words	5 pictures 5 sets of jumbled letters	Spelling writing (vocabulary)	Part 3
5	Gap- filling (prompted); one- word answers	Riddle- cloze with picture prompts	Reading Writing	Part 4
5	Write one- word answers to questions	Story presented through 3 pictures with 5 questions	Reading Writing	Part 5

Speaking

3- 5 minutes/ 5 parts

This takes the form of a one- to- one exchange. The language used by the examiner is based on and controlled by a script.

Expected response/ item type	Input
Carry out instructions; point to the correct part of the picture	Greeting and name check ( unassessed); scene card and identify objects in this picture	Part 1
Carry out instructions; place the object cards in various places on the scene card	Scene card and 8 small object cards; instructions to place object cards on the scene card	Part 2
Answer questions with one- word answers and/ or short phrases	Questions about the scene card	Part 3
Answer questions with one- word answers and/ or short phrases	Questions about the object cards	Part 4
Answer questions with one- word answers and/ or short phrases	Questions from interlocutor on topics such as name, age, family, school, likes, and dislikes	Part 5