Cambridge Exam Changes 2020 - PET and KET

Cambridge Preliminary (PET) and Key (KET) are getting reasonably major overhauls in 2020. The changes to Cambridge exams in 2020 will be significant for both candidates and teachers as Cambridge starts to pull away from a traditional language systems based exam and focus more on skills. So what are the Cambridge Exam changes in 2020? How do KET and PET 2020 changes affect our teaching? And how should we feel about the Cambridge 2020 updates?

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Why are PET and KET changing in 2020?

The Cambridge PET and KET exams last changed in 2004. That’s 16 years of letter writing, transformations and spelling your surname. Officially, Cambridge says the changes are necessary in order to keep the exams in line with the latest research in language learning and teaching. They also want there to be continuity between different levels so that as learners progress through the CEFR levels, they feel familiar and comfortable with Cambridge English qualifications.

You can find out a lot about the details of the Cambridge Exam changes in 2020 on Cambridge’s dedicated 2020 exam changes website. Or keep reading…

Changes to Preliminary (PET) in 2020

There are a whole host of changes to the PET exam in 2020 and, in my opinion, most of them are welcome. They seem to lead the exam towards a more skills based approach and away from language systems. I personally think this reflects the changing position of English as a global language and fits better with the modern communicative style of teaching, which is favoured by a lot of language teachers.

One of the most significant changes is that pre-2020, the Reading and Writing papers of the PET exam were done together with a time limit of 1 hour and 30 minutes. These papers have now been separated and will be completed independently with their own time limits.

Let’s take a closer look at all the papers of the new 2020 PET exam side by side:

Reading

Pre-2020 – Approximately 45 minutes	2020 – 45 minutes
Part 1: Multiple choice short texts Candidates were asked to answer 3-option multiple choice questions based on texts such as messages, postcards and emails.	Part 1: Multiple choice short texts No change.
Part 2: Matching Candidates were asked to connect 5 people to 8 short texts based on specific information.	Part 2: Matching No change.
Part 3: True/False Candidates were asked to answer 10 true or false questions based on a long text.	Part 3: Multiple choice long text Same as old Part 4.
Part 4: Multiple choice long text Candidates were asked to answer 4-option multiple choice questions based on comprehension of a long text.	Part 4: Gapped text Candidates are asked to fit 5 of a possible 8 sentences into a long text based on the text’s narrative and grammatical accuracy. Similar to FCE and CAE Reading and Use of English Part 6/7.
Part 5: Multiple choice cloze Candidates were asked to answer 10 4-option multiple choice questions based on grammar and vocabulary within a short text.	Part 5: Multiple choice cloze Same as old Part 5, but now there are only 6 questions instead of 10.
	Part 6: Open cloze Candidates are asked to fill 6 gaps with one word based on grammatical structures. There are no options. Similar to FCE and CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2.

There are a lot of changes to the Preliminary (PET) Reading in 2020. Most relevant to these changes is the time limit.

In the previous exam, Reading and Writing were combined, which allowed candidates to be flexible with where they spent their time. For example, I found teenage candidates generally spent much less time on writing than their adult counterparts. This left them extra time to tackle challenging readings. This flexibility is now gone. Like it or not, candidates will have to be ready and trained to complete no less than 6 reading tasks in only 45 minutes. While Cambridge claims that this has been considered and the number of questions and amount of text reduced, I think that a lot of candidates are going to have trouble completing everything asked of them in only 45 minutes. This will also challenge teachers to think of new and innovative ways of training and preparing students for the exam.

The only task that has disappeared completely is the old Reading Part 3. This was quite a long text, which was counterbalanced by the 50/50 chance of getting the right answer. The most important factor to consider here is that with the 50/50 chance gone whether Cambridge will adjust their scales downwards a little to account for the potential for lower overall scores. The 50/50 task in the Listening paper is also gone, so this is a very interesting question for whose answer I’m sure we will have to wait.

The gapped text has haunted exam candidates at FCE+ levels for years and now PET candidates get to enjoy it as much as everyone else with the new Part 4. Obviously the challenge at B1 level is much less than at higher levels, but the same concepts apply. Candidates will have to be aware of the overall construction of a text and the referencing and linking that happens between different parts of it. This task will require teachers to train their students well. However, I think it will also build skills that are applicable to writing, which is a very positive thing.

If having a gapped text wasn’t enough, the dreaded open cloze has also arrived to PET level. As we see at other levels, function words and the grammatical connections that they provide are the focus of this task. No longer can B1 level teachers rely on classic grammar points like past simple vs present perfect. Nor can they only focus vocabulary building on categorised topics like travel or technology. This is another area that will definitely affect our teaching of this level and it is yet to be seen how quickly that change will happen.

Writing

Pre-2020 – Approximately 45 minutes	2020 – 45 minutes
Part 1: Transformations Candidates were asked to transform 5 sentences so that they had a similar meaning to the original sentence with a different grammatical structure.	Part 1: 100-120 word letter Candidates are asked to write a letter in response to a prompt which includes a short letter and key points for the candidate to include in their answer.
Part 2: 35-45 word short message Candidates were asked to write a short message in response to a prompt that contained 3 key points that had to be included in their answer.	Part 2: 100 word story or article Candidates are asked to choose between a story or an article from prompts which include little input, making the writing more flexible.
Part 3: 100 word letter or story Candidates were asked to choose between a letter or a story from prompts which included little input, making the writing more flexible.

The big surprise here is the disappearance of transformations. Transformations have been a staple in Cambridge exams for as long as I’ve been teaching them, so in a way, it’s the end of an era. However, I think students will be happy to see them go and, from a progressive point of view, transformations were always too easy, too teachable, too predictable and too unnatural. Despite this, it does call into question the validity of Cambridge’s justification for changes to the exams. They claim that all the different exam levels will now feel familiar for ongoing candidates. As it stands, Candidates will now be blindsided by transformations in FCE instead of having seen them previously in PET. Or could this spell the end of transformations in all Cambridge exams as changes progress over the years? Only time can tell…

The loss of the 35-45 word message is no big one as far as I’m concerned. The marking was too lenient and the text was too short to make much of an impact. In fact, I often found students wanted to write more and had to be reigned in. The new Part 1 letter is a much better way of testing candidates’ ability while maintaining the efficient, concise style that Cambridge seeks to emulate.

Personally, I welcome the addition of the article as an additional type of writing in Part 2. It maintains an informal, flexible style that is appropriate for B1 level, while providing more variety of writing styles. I don’t know about you, but my students would almost always choose the letter for the pre-2020 Part 2 writing, so this change will force them to step outside their comfort zones a little bit more and prove themselves as B1 writers.

Listening

Pre-2020 – Approximately 35 minutes	2020 – Approximately 35 minutes
Part 1: Multiple choice short audios with pictures Candidates were asked to answer 7 3-option multiple choice questions with picture answers based on short independent audios.	Part 1: Multiple choice short audios with pictures No change.
Part 2: Multiple choice long audio Candidates were asked to answer 6 3-option multiple choice questions based on 1 long audio (an interview).	Part 2: Multiple choice short audios with text Candidates are asked to answer 6 3-option multiple choice questions with text answers based on short independent audios. Similar to FCE Listening Part 1.
Part 3: Sentence completion Candidates were asked to complete 6 gaps with details of missing information from 1 long audio.	Part 3: Sentence completion No change.
Part 4: Multiple matching Candidates were asked to answer 6 YES or NO (True/False) questions based on 1 long audio with 2 speakers.	Part 4: Multiple choice long audio Same as old Part 2.

The changes to the listening are minor. Essentially, Part 4 has been replaced by a multiple choice task which is very similar to Part 1 of FCE. Again, this is in an attempt to create continuity between exams. However, I wonder if Part 1 and Part 2 of PET are now going to be too similar to each other and therefore a bit easier. The old Part 4 had potential for challenging distractors, but it also had an A/B choice, making it a 50/50 chance of getting the right answer.

Regardless of how you may feel about the changes to the PET Listening in 2020, I wouldn’t expect them to significantly affect results or challenge for candidates.

Speaking

Pre-2020 – 10-12 minutes	2020 – 10-12 minutes
Part 1: Interview – 2-3 minutes Candidates were asked to answer a couple of personal questions about their day-to-day lives.	Part 1: Interview – 2-3 minutes No change.
Part 2: Collaborative task – 2-3 minutes Candidates were asked to discuss a situation in pairs using a visual prompt that includes images of the situation and possible options to discuss.	Part 2: Long turn – 2-3 minutes Same as old Part 3.
Part 3: Long turn – 3 minutes Candidates were asked to describe a picture for approximately 1 minute.	Part 3: Collaborative task – 3 minutes Same as old Part 2.
Part 4: Extended discussion – 3 minutes Candidates were asked to discuss a topic based on the same topic seen in Part 3.	Part 4: Extended discussion – 3 minutes Candidates are asked a series of discussion questions based on the same topic seen in Part 3. Similar to FCE and CAE Speaking Part 4.

The changes to PET Speaking in 2020 are more significant than they first appear. While the overall structure has changed only slightly, through the switching of parts 2 and 3, the devil (or angel in this case) is in the details.

In Part 1, candidates no longer have to spell their surnames. This will come as a delight to some and a disappointment to others, but in my opinion it was a superfluous part of the exam anyway.

The switching of Parts 2 and 3 is incredibly relevant. Long turn pictures will no longer be on the same topic and they will no longer dictate what the extended discussion topic is. Instead, this will be linked to the collaborative task. It also provides a more natural progression from less to more interactive over the course of the speaking exam. Of all the changes that Cambridge have made to bring PET in line with higher level exams, this is the one which I think is most obvious and will be best received.

Part 4 has also changed quite dramatically. Candidates will now be asked a series of questions on the given topic and encouraged to develop a conversation based on those questions. This is a stark difference to the single prompt in the old Part 4 which put a lot of pressure on candidates to maintain a conversation for 3 minutes with relatively little support. The new format should be more accessible for B1 level candidates and more supportive of less interactive pairs.

Take a look at a Cambridge Preliminary (PET) 2020 Speaking exam video and see what you think of the changes. Here you can see the Preliminary adults version, but a Preliminary for Schools version is also available on the Cambridge Assessment English YouTube page.

Changes to Key (KET) in 2020

The Cambridge Key (KET) exam is slightly less popular than its higher level counterparts. Therefore the changes in 2020 are not quite as far-reaching. However, Cambridge have done a lot to bring the exam in line with the higher levels and provide continuity between exams. This way, A2 candidates, who often do KET in school at a very young age, will be prepared for other Cambridge exams as they grow up with each corresponding level’s examination.

Reading and Writing

Pre-2020 – 1 hour 10 minutes	2020 – 60 minutes
Part 1: Matching Candidates were asked to match 5 sentences with the correct text with 8 options.	Part 1: Multiple choice short texts Candidates were asked to answer 3-option multiple choice questions based on texts such as messages, postcards and emails. Similar to PET Reading Part 1.
Part 2: Multiple choice sentences Candidates were asked to complete 3-option grammar and vocabulary multiple choice questions based on separate sentences on the same topic.	Part 2: Matching Candidates read 3 short texts on the same topic and match questions to the texts.
Part 3: Multiple choice and matching conversations Candidates were asked to complete conversation exchanges over two different tasks.	Part 3: Multiple choice long text Same as multiple choice from old Part 4.
Part 4: Multiple choice or right/wrong/doesn’t say Candidates were asked to read a longer text and had to answer either 3-option multiple choice questions or right/wrong/doesn’t say questions.	Part 4: Multiple choice cloze Same as old Part 5, but now there are only 6 questions instead of 8.
Part 5: Multiple choice cloze Candidates were asked to answer 8 4-option multiple choice questions based on grammar and vocabulary within a short text.	Part 5: Open cloze Same as old Part 7, but now there are only 6 questions instead of 10.
Part 6: Spelling Candidates were asked to produce 5 items of vocabulary and spell them correctly based on definitions.	Part 6: 25+ word message Same as old Part 9, but with a more flexible word count.
Part 7: Open Cloze Candidates were asked to fill 10 gaps with one word based on grammatical structures. There were no options.	Part 7: 35+ word story Candidates are asked to write a short story based on 3 picture prompts.
Part 8: Information transfer Candidates were asked to complete an information sheet based on content from 2 short texts.
Part 9: 25-35 word message Candidates were asked to write a short message in response to a prompt that contained 3 key points that had to be included in their answer.

The most significant change is the overall simplification of the Key (KET) Reading and Writing and the addition of a few new task types. The KET exam was always a bit convoluted with the amount of questions and different task types. The new 2020 KET exam has done a lot to get rid of all the extra fluff, while still maintaining enough content to efficiently evaluate a candidate at A2 level.

I think these changes will be welcomed by students and teachers alike. The exam is now much more concise and therefore trainable. Its new format should also help to simplify preparation materials and coursebooks. It also feels like it’s more in line with the following Preliminary (PET) exam.

There is also an increased focus on writing produced by the candidate themselves. This means they are less reliant on filling gaps and more responsible for constructing complete, albeit short, texts. I consider this a huge improvement to both the challenge and reliability of the exam.

Listening

Pre-2020 – Approximately 30 minutes	2020 – Approximately 30 minutes
Part 1: Multiple choice short audios with pictures Candidates were asked to answer 5 3-option multiple choice questions with picture answers based on short independent audios.	Part 1: Multiple choice short audios with pictures No change.
Part 2: Multiple matching Candidates were asked to match two lists of items based on specific information in a conversation.	Part 2: Sentence completion Same as old Part 5.
Part 3: Multiple choice long audio Candidates were asked to answer 5 3-option multiple choice questions based on 1 long audio (a conversation).	Part 3: Multiple choice long audio No change.
Part 4: Sentence completion (Dialogue) Candidates were asked to complete 5 gaps with details of missing information from 1 long audio with 2 speakers interacting.	Part 4: Multiple choice short audios with text Candidates are asked to answer 5 3-option multiple choice questions with text answers based on short independent audios. Similar to new PET Listening Part 2 and FCE Listening Part 1.
Part 5: Sentence completion (Monologue) Candidates were asked to complete 5 gaps with details of missing details from 1 long audio with 1 speaker giving information.	Part 5: Multiple matching Same as old Part 2.

Although the changes to the KET Listening exam in 2020 are relatively minor, they are positive. The redundancy of two sentence completion activities is now gone and the new multiple choice task is similar to higher level exams.

Speaking

Pre-2020 – 8-10 minutes	2020 – 8-10 minutes
Part 1: Interview – 5-6 minutes Candidates were asked to answer personal questions about their day-to-day lives.	Part 1: Interview – 3-4 minutes No change, but it is now shorter, so less questions are asked.
Part 2: Collaborative task – 3-4 minutes Candidates were asked to ask and answer questions in pairs using prompt cards and information sheets.	Part 2: Collaborative task – 5-6 minutes Candidates are asked to discuss a situation in pairs using visual prompts and a question to discuss. The examiner then asks 2 follow-up questions on the same topic to each candidate.

The changes to KET speaking in 2020 are reasonably radical. Anyone who is familiar with the old Speaking Part 2 will attest to the fact that it was awkward to set up and potentially confusing for struggling candidates who were not familiar with the exam format.

The new format is much more in line with other Cambridge exam levels and doesn’t require quite as much management from either the examiner or the candidates. In my opinion, it’s also a more natural and more challenging task, which will provide a clearer view of a candidate’s ability at A2 level.

Take a look at a Cambridge Key (KET) 2020 Speaking exam video and see what you think of the changes. Here you can see the Key for Schools version, but an adults version is also available on the Cambridge Assessment English YouTube page.

What are the most important changes?

Obviously all of the Cambridge Exam changes in 2020 are important to one degree or another, but a few of them may radically change the way we think of the exams, preparing for them and the results candidates receive. Here are my thoughts on what’s going to be most significant going forward.

The most important changes to Preliminary (PET) in 2020

The loss of the 2 A/B tasks which guaranteed a 50% result. A lot of teachers have spent years telling students that they need approximately 70% in the PET exam to pass. I can’t see this staying the same now that these tasks have changed. Cambridge uses the Cambridge scale to calculate its results, so the way that this will affect them is still up in the air. Will it come down to the 60% pass which we often consider standard at higher levels?
The addition of gapped text and open cloze activities to the Reading paper. These have been a staple of higher level exams for a long time and are often challenging for candidates. Although the tasks at B1 level are much more simple than their B2, C1 and C2 counterparts, I think we might find students struggling with these tasks when they start taking the new PET exam in 2020.
The loss of transformations! I’ve gone back and forth as to whether this is a good thing or not. Transformations at B1 level were so easy to prepare for and practise. However, perhaps it is for this very reason that they should go. Will we see this trend continue in higher level exams in the future?
The addition of the article as a writing type. Articles are not only a part of everyday life, we see them plastered all over coursebooks. The choice between an article and a story will also be a more balanced one than the previous letter/story option.
The new speaking exam format. The switching of Parts 2 and 3 and changes to Part 4 to make it more examiner driven will be better for students, teachers and examiners. It’s more natural and more supportive while providing more opportunity for strong B1 speakers to show off their level.

The most important changes to Key (KET) in 2020

The overhaul of the Reading and Writing paper. The old KET exam was overwhelming and over-the-top as far as number of tasks and number of questions was concerned. I think everyone will be happy with the new format and agree that it will test candidates either as well or better than the old format.
The increased emphasis on Writing. With 2 tasks instead of 1, writing has increased in importance for the 2020 KET exam. There’s no reason why A2 level candidates shouldn’t be able to produce simple texts, so I say this is a big positive.
The changes to Speaking Part 2. The new speaking exam is much less fiddly and more natural. The challenge for candidates has transitioned from one of organisation to one of production, which will go a long way towards testing their speaking skills.

How will the Cambridge exam changes in 2020 affect our teaching?

The first thing that teachers of exam preparation classes will have to do is familiarise themselves with the new format. Cambridge has already released handbooks for the 2020 version of the exams (see materials below) and there are also numerous coursebooks that are already available which include examples of 2020 exam activities.

The changes to task types leads the new 2020 Cambridge exams further towards language skills and loses some focus on language systems. For example, we see in both the new PET and new KET exams that writing has become a bigger factor and more challenging. We’ve also lost tasks like transformations in PET and spelling in KET which were purely based on grammar and vocabulary.

For teachers, this switch in focus means that we will need to concentrate on skills more in the classroom by taking advantage of texts and audios so that students are aware of their structure on both a macro and micro level. While I’m sure the grammar based syllabus won’t go anywhere for awhile, we will have to make sure that controlled, traditional grammar and vocabulary tasks are not the only thing we do in class.

Despite all this, I don’t think the Cambridge Exam changes in 2020 will alter our classes too much. Once exam preparation materials are updated and the new exams become standard, all those golden ideas that you had for pre-2020 will come back around and find their place with the new format.