LanguageCert SELT Speaking & Listening
In short
The LanguageCert ESOL SELT Speaking & Listening test is a short live interview, 8 to 13 minutes depending on level, taken at A1, A2 or B1 for UK family, settlement and citizenship applications. It has four parts, with the listening built into Part 4, and you pass with 18 out of 30 (60/100).
This is the test for UK routes that need speaking and listening only: A1 for a first partner or parent visa, A2 for extending it, B1 for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) and British citizenship. You sit one level and get Pass or Fail at that level.
It isn't a shortened version of LanguageCert Academic or General. There's no separate listening paper: the examiner reads a short talk aloud during the interview and asks you about it. That listening task alone is worth a third of the marks.
Format, part by part
8–9 minutes at A1, 9–11 minutes at A2 and 11–13 minutes at B1, with a live examiner on screen.
Part 1: Personal information
Spell your family name and say where you're from, then answer three questions (A1 and A2) or four questions with opinions (B1).
How to approach it: At B1, give a reason with every answer. At A1, short complete sentences are enough.
Part 2: Two role plays
Two everyday situations, such as ordering in a café or meeting a friend who's late. The examiner starts the first; you start the second.
How to approach it: When the examiner says 'You start', begin straight away. You never have to pretend to be someone else: the examiner takes on the roles.
Part 3: Picture task
At A1 and A2: find the differences between two pictures by asking and answering questions. At B1: discuss some picture options with the examiner to make a plan or decision together.
How to approach it: Ask questions as well as answering them. At B1, try to reach agreement: the examiner values moving towards a decision more than finishing it.
Part 4a: Listen and respond
The examiner reads a short talk twice. You have 10 seconds to read three questions, can take notes, and answer the questions aloud.
How to approach it: The answers are short facts: a place, a food, a time. Write down nouns and numbers while you listen.
Part 4b: Short talk
After 30 seconds to prepare, talk on a topic linked to what you just heard: for half a minute at A1, one minute at A2 and one and a half minutes at B1. Then answer follow-up questions.
How to approach it: Use the 30 seconds to note three things to say. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
How it differs from LanguageCert General Speaking
- You sit one level (A1, A2 or B1) and get Pass or Fail. General is one test for every level and reports a score from 0 to 100.
- Only speaking and listening are tested, and the listening happens inside the interview.
- Parts 3 and 4 are different: a picture task and listen-and-respond instead of reading aloud and a long talk.
- It's marked on a different scale: 30 marks with Listening and Responding worth 10, against 48 in General.
Taking the other one? Read the LanguageCert General Speaking guide
How it’s scored
You're marked out of 30 on five criteria. You need 18 to pass, which LanguageCert and GOV.UK give as 60/100.
Listening and Responding (0–10)
Whether you understand what the examiner says and respond appropriately, including the Part 4a questions. A third of the marks.
Interactive Communication and Task Fulfilment (0–5)
Keeping the conversation going and doing what each task asks.
Accuracy and Range of Grammar (0–5)
Range and control of grammar for the level you're taking.
Accuracy and Range of Vocabulary (0–5)
Range and control of vocabulary for the level.
Pronunciation, Intonation and Fluency (0–5)
Linking what you say, keeping the flow and being understood.
The marks are the same at every level: 0–17 is a Fail and 18–30 a Pass. Your result must be from the last two years when you apply.
Worked example: Part 4a
Our own short talk at about A2 level, as the examiner would read it, with the three questions and answers.
The task
You hear (twice): 'Last Saturday my brother Karim had his birthday, so we went to a new Turkish restaurant near the station. It was very busy because it was the first weekend. Karim had lamb with rice, but I'm vegetarian, so I ordered the lentil soup. It was delicious. After dinner we walked to the park.' 1. Where was the restaurant? 2. Why was it busy? 3. What did the speaker eat?
Answers
1. Near the station. 2. It was the first weekend (it had just opened). 3. Lentil soup.
Why
- Each answer is a short fact from the talk. Noting 'station', 'first weekend' and 'lentil soup' on the first hearing is enough.
- Question 3 is the trap: 'lamb with rice' is in the talk, but that's what Karim ate.
- Short answers are fine in Part 4a. Save longer answers for the talk in Part 4b.
Common mistakes that cost marks
Not taking notes in Part 4a
Listening and Responding is 10 of the 30 marks. You hear the talk twice and can write on your paper, so note every noun and number.
Only answering in Part 3
At A1 and A2 you have to give and ask for information. If you never ask a question, you lose Interactive Communication marks.
Not trying to agree at B1
LanguageCert expects an attempt at agreement in the B1 discussion. Suggest an option, react to the examiner's view, and move towards a choice.
Waiting in the second role play
When the examiner says 'You start', it's your turn to open the conversation.
Stopping too early in Part 4b
Aim for the full time at your level: half a minute at A1, one minute at A2, one and a half at B1.
On the day
- Taken only at an approved SELT test centre, on computer, with the examiner live on screen.
- The invigilator checks your ID and gives you paper and a pen for notes.
- Official results arrive in 3 working days.
- LanguageCert lists the test at £160 for each level.
Try a practice task
A real practice task in the exam’s format. Sign up to answer it live with the AI examiner and get feedback on every criterion.
Questions about you
The examiner will say hello, ask you to spell your family name and where you are from, then ask three short questions about you. Short answers are fine.
FAQ
What is the pass mark for the LanguageCert SELT Speaking & Listening test?
18 out of 30, which LanguageCert and GOV.UK express as 60/100. It's the same at A1, A2 and B1.
How long is the LanguageCert A1 Speaking & Listening test?
8 to 9 minutes. A2 takes 9 to 11 minutes and B1 takes 11 to 13 minutes.
Is there a separate listening test?
No. The listening is part of the interview: in Part 4a the examiner reads a short talk twice and asks you three questions about it.
Which level do I need?
A1 for a first partner or parent visa, A2 to extend it, and B1 for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) or British citizenship.
How quickly do I get my SELT result?
LanguageCert says official results arrive in 3 working days.
Related guides
Practise it: SELT B1 Speaking & Listening sample questions
Practise LanguageCert ESOL SELT Speaking & Listening
Have a short interview with the live examiner and see it marked. No account needed.
Sources
Checked against LanguageCert’s own handbooks and exam pages in October 2026.