Speakout Pre-intermediate Mid-course Test Units 1-6 [upd]

Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-Course Test: Units 1–6 — What to Expect and How to Ace It

If you’re using Speakout Pre-Intermediate and you’ve reached the mid-course test covering Units 1–6, this post will help you understand the test format, the skills assessed, and practical strategies to maximize your score. I’ll also include a study checklist and sample practice tasks aligned to the book’s typical contents.

Units 3-4: Places & Travel

Grammar Focus:

• Past Simple (Regular & Irregular): The backbone of storytelling. Focus on 50+ common irregular verbs (go/went, buy/bought, take/took).
• Past Continuous vs. Past Simple: I was walking home (background action) when it started to rain (interruption).
• Prepositions of Time & Place: In/On/At for dates, locations, and addresses.

Vocabulary Themes:

• Directions and transport (platform, aisle, rush hour, map).
• Adjectives of opinion (fascinating, boring, crowded, peaceful).
• Travel essentials (suitcase, boarding pass, departure lounge).

Typical Test Task: Complete a short story: Last summer, I ____ (fly) to Rome. While I ____ (sit) on the plane, I ____ (realise) I forgot my passport.

Typical Test Format (Estimated)

• Listening: 15–25 minutes, 3–4 parts
• Reading: 25–30 minutes, 3–4 parts
• Use of English: 20–30 minutes, mixed item types
• Writing: 20–30 minutes (one short email or story)
• Speaking: 8–12 minutes per pair (or 4–6 minutes individual in class)

(Exact timing depends on your teacher or institution.)

What Does the Test Format Look Like?

While specific schools may adjust the order, a typical Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-Course Test (Units 1-6) includes:

| Section | Approx. Time | Question Types | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Listening | 15 min | Multiple choice, gap-fill (based on short BBC-style dialogues) | | Reading | 20 min | Skimming for gist, scanning for detail (a blog post, a brochure, a social media profile) | | Grammar & Vocab | 25 min | Fill in the blanks, reorder words, choose the correct option, match definitions | | Writing | 15 min | A short paragraph (e.g., describe your weekend plans, write a hotel complaint email) | | Speaking | 5-7 min (pair work) | Answer personal questions (Unit 1-2), describe a photo (Unit 3-4), role-play a situation (Unit 5-6) |

For Teachers (How to Prep Your Class)

1. Run a "Grammar Auction" Prepare 10-15 sentences from Units 1-6, half correct, half with common errors. Divide the class into teams, give them "fake money," and have them bid on sentences they believe are 100% correct. This gamifies error correction.

2. Focus on the "Function" Bank Students often neglect the functional language boxes (e.g., "Making suggestions," "Checking into a hotel"). Create role-play cards:

• Student A: You are at a train station. You want a return ticket to Manchester.
• Student B: You are the ticket seller. This directly mirrors the speaking part of the test.

3. Time-Pressure Drills The biggest shock on test day is time. Give students a 15-minute grammar drill (e.g., 30 mixed exercises from Units 1-6). This trains automaticity. speakout pre-intermediate mid-course test units 1-6

Sample Test Questions (Units 1-6)

Here are three authentic-style questions you might encounter:

Grammar (Present Perfect vs. Past Simple – Note: Present Perfect is often introduced by Unit 6 in some editions, but check your syllabus) Complete the sentence: I ____ (never / be) to Japan, but I ____ (go) to China in 2019.

Answer: have never been / went

Vocabulary (Travel) Fill in the blank: Before you get on the plane, you must show your _____ at the gate.

Answer: boarding pass

Functional Language (Unit 2 – Asking for clarification) What do you say when you don’t understand someone on the phone? a) “Repeat.” b) “Sorry, could you say that again, please?” c) “What?”

Answer: b

After the test

Lena didn’t get 100%. She made a few mistakes — mixed up mustn’t (prohibition) with don’t have to (no obligation). But she passed well, and more importantly, she understood her weak spots.

That evening, she wrote in her notebook: Past Simple (Regular & Irregular): The backbone of

“The Speakout test wasn’t about catching me out. It was about showing me what I know — and what to practise next.”

She gave Oscar an extra treat.

Key takeaway for you:
Units 1–6 of Speakout Pre-Intermediate cover real-life communication:

• Grammar: Past tenses, comparatives/superlatives, future forms, modals of obligation/permission, quantifiers.
• Vocabulary: Travel, shopping, appearance, personality, phrasal verbs, word pairs (e.g., by the way, on the whole).
• Skills: Reading for detail, listening for gist, writing a short description or story, speaking about experiences and plans.

If you have a specific question from the test (e.g., a confusing exercise on used to vs. past simple), just ask. I’ll help you work through it like Lena with her tea — calmly, step by step.

Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-Course Test Guide: Units 1-6

Introduction

The Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-Course Test is designed to assess students' language skills and progress at the midpoint of their course. This guide provides an overview of the test format, content, and tips for preparation.

Test Format

The test consists of four parts:

1. Reading (30 minutes)
2. Writing (30 minutes)
3. Listening (30 minutes)
4. Speaking (10-15 minutes)

Reading (Units 1-6)

• The reading section tests students' ability to understand and interpret texts from Units 1-6.
• The section includes:
  • A multiple-choice task (10 questions)
  • A true/false task (5 questions)
  • A gap-fill task (5 questions)

Writing (Units 1-6)

• The writing section tests students' ability to produce written language.
• The section includes:
  • A writing task (100-120 words) based on a topic from Units 1-6
  • A writing task (50-60 words) based on a language focus from Units 1-6

Listening (Units 1-6)

• The listening section tests students' ability to understand and interpret spoken language from Units 1-6.
• The section includes:
  • A multiple-choice task (10 questions)
  • A gap-fill task (5 questions)
  • A sentence completion task (5 questions)

Speaking (Units 1-6)

• The speaking section tests students' ability to communicate effectively in English.
• The section includes:
  • A conversation task (5-7 minutes) based on a topic from Units 1-6
  • A role-play task (5-7 minutes) based on a language focus from Units 1-6

Tips for Preparation

1. Review Units 1-6: Make sure you have a good understanding of the grammar, vocabulary, and language focus from each unit.
2. Practice Reading and Listening: Practice reading and listening to texts similar to those in the test.
3. Improve Your Writing: Practice writing short texts on topics from Units 1-6.
4. Develop Your Speaking Skills: Practice speaking with a partner or in a group on topics from Units 1-6.
5. Time Management: Make sure you manage your time effectively during the test.

Additional Tips

• Familiarize yourself with the test format and timing.
• Read the instructions carefully before starting each task.
• Use the preparation time to review the tasks and plan your answers.

By following these tips and reviewing the material from Units 1-6, you will be well-prepared for the Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-Course Test. Good luck!

The Speakout Pre-Intermediate Mid-course Test is a comprehensive assessment designed by Pearson Education to evaluate student progress across Units 1 to 6. It functions as a diagnostic tool for teachers to identify areas where students may be struggling before proceeding to the second half of the course.  Test Structure and Components 

The mid-course test typically spans several pages and mirrors the structure of the Speakout curriculum by focusing on four primary linguistic areas:  Vocabulary Themes:

Pre-Intermediate Tests Audio Script: Track 1 | PDF | Leisure - Scribd