How Insight into PET with Answers Can Help You Ace the PET Exam
Insight into PET with Answers Cambridge: A Guide for Students and Teachers
If you are planning to take the Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) exam, or if you are a teacher preparing students for this exam, you might be interested in a book that can help you achieve your goals. The book is called Insight into PET with Answers, and it is published by Cambridge University Press. In this article, we will give you an overview of what this book offers, how it can help you improve your skills and confidence, and what tips and strategies you can learn from it.
insight into pet with answers cambridge
What is PET and why take it?
PET stands for Preliminary English Test, and it is one of the exams that Cambridge English Language Assessment provides for learners of English. PET is designed to test your ability to communicate in everyday situations using spoken and written English at an intermediate level (B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference). PET is recognised by many employers, educational institutions, and government agencies around the world as a proof of your English language skills.
Taking PET can help you improve your general English, as well as prepare you for higher-level exams such as FCE (First Certificate in English) or CAE (Certificate in Advanced English). PET can also give you a sense of achievement, motivation, and confidence in using English in real life.
What is Insight into PET and how can it help?
Insight into PET is a short course that prepares candidates for PET. It consists of a Student's Book with or without answers, an audio CD or cassette set, and a Teacher's Book. The Student's Book contains 10 units that cover all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) as well as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Each unit focuses on one part of the PET exam paper, providing clear explanations, examples, tips, strategies, practice activities, and exam practice. The book also includes a grammar reference section, a word list, a phonetic chart, and transcripts of the listening material.
Insight into PET can help you by:
Giving you a thorough understanding of what PET involves and what you need to do in each part of the exam.
Providing you with useful language and techniques to improve your performance in each skill area.
Offering you plenty of opportunities to practise your skills in realistic contexts and tasks.
Giving you feedback on your strengths and weaknesses through self-assessment checklists and answer keys.
Building your confidence and familiarity with the exam format through authentic past papers from Cambridge ESOL.
Reading
The reading paper of PET consists of five parts with a total of 35 questions. You have 45 minutes to complete this paper. The table below shows an overview of the reading paper:
PartType of taskNumber of questionsFocus
1Multiple choice5Understanding short texts such as notices, messages, or signs.
2Matching5Matching descriptions of people to short texts such as advertisements, emails, or letters.
3True/false10Deciding if statements are true or false according to a longer text such as an article, a brochure, or a guide.
4Multiple choice5Choosing the correct answer from four options for each question based on a longer text such as a story, a review, or an interview.
5Multiple choice gap fill10Filling in gaps in a short text with the correct word or phrase from four options.
In Insight into PET, you will find tips and strategies for each part of the reading paper, such as:
How to scan for specific information and skim for general understanding.
How to identify synonyms, paraphrases, and references in the texts.
How to deal with unknown words and guess their meaning from the context.
How to avoid distractors and common mistakes in the multiple choice questions.
How to use your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary to fill in the gaps correctly.
You will also find practice activities and exam practice for each part of the reading paper, which will help you check your progress and prepare for the real exam.
Writing
The writing paper of PET consists of three parts with a total of seven questions. You have 45 minutes to complete this paper. The table below shows an overview of the writing paper:
PartType of taskNumber of questionsFocus
1Sentence transformations5Rewriting sentences using different words or structures but keeping the same meaning.
2A short communicative message (3545 words)1Writing a note, a postcard, an email, or a message based on some given information.
3A longer piece of continuous writing (100120 words)1 (choice of 3)Writing an email, a letter, a story, or an article based on some given information or prompts.
In Insight into PET, you will find tips and strategies for each part of the writing paper, such as:
How to use different ways of expressing the same idea in the sentence transformations.
How to organise your message clearly and include all the necessary information in Part 2.
How to plan your writing, use appropriate language and style, and check your work in Part 3.
How to write different types of texts (emails, letters, stories, articles) and use suitable formats and conventions for each one.
How to use linking words, connectors, and punctuation to make your writing coherent and accurate.
You will also find practice activities and exam practice for each part of the writing paper, which will help you develop your writing skills and prepare for the real exam.
Listening
The listening paper of PET consists of four parts with a total of 25 questions. You have about 30 minutes to listen to the recordings and answer the questions. The table below shows an overview of the listening paper:
PartType of taskNumber of questionsFocus
Speaking
The speaking paper of PET consists of four parts with a total of 25 questions. You have about 10-12 minutes to complete this paper with your partner and the examiner. The table below shows an overview of the speaking paper:
PartType of taskNumber of questionsFocus
1Introductory questions4-5Giving personal information and opinions on familiar topics.
2Individual long turn1Describing a photo and answering a question about it.
3Collaborative task1Discussing a topic with your partner based on some pictures.
4Discussion3-4Talking about your preferences, experiences, and opinions related to the topic in Part 3.
In Insight into PET, you will find tips and strategies for each part of the speaking paper, such as:
How to introduce yourself and answer the examiner's questions in Part 1.
How to describe a photo using a variety of vocabulary and structures in Part 2.
How to interact with your partner and exchange ideas in Part 3.
How to express your preferences, experiences, and opinions using appropriate language and examples in Part 4.
How to use correct pronunciation, intonation, and stress to make your speech clear and natural.
You will also find practice activities and exam practice for each part of the speaking paper, which will help you improve your speaking skills and prepare for the real exam.
Conclusion
In this article, we have given you an overview of what Insight into PET with Answers offers, how it can help you improve your skills and confidence, and what tips and strategies you can learn from it. We hope you have found this article useful and informative. If you are interested in getting this book, you can order it online from Cambridge University Press or from any bookshop that sells Cambridge English exam materials.
To prepare well for the PET exam, we recommend that you use Insight into PET with Answers alongside other resources such as past papers, online practice tests, mock exams, and supplementary materials. You should also practise your English as much as possible by reading, writing, listening, and speaking in different situations and contexts. By doing so, you will not only improve your exam performance, but also your general English ability and fluency.
FAQs
Here are some common questions and answers about Insight into PET with Answers:
How long does it take to complete Insight into PET with Answers?
The book has 10 units that cover all four skills and all parts of the exam. Each unit takes about two hours to complete. Therefore, you can finish the whole book in about 20 hours. However, this may vary depending on your level, pace, and needs.
Can I use Insight into PET with Answers for self-study or do I need a teacher?
The book is suitable for both self-study and classroom use. If you are studying on your own, you can use the answer key at the back of the book to check your answers and assess your progress. You can also use the audio CD or cassette set to listen to the recordings for the listening and speaking sections. If you are studying with a teacher, they can use the Teacher's Book to guide you through the units and give you feedback on your performance.
What is the difference between PET and PET for Schools?
PET and PET for Schools are two versions of the same exam. They have the same format, level, and content, but PET for Schools is designed for younger learners (12-16 years old) and uses topics and situations that are more relevant to them. You can use Insight into PET with Answers to prepare for both versions of the exam, as the book covers all the skills and topics that you need.
How can I get a good mark in the PET exam?
To get a good mark in the PET exam, you need to demonstrate that you can communicate effectively in English at an intermediate level. This means that you need to show that you can understand and produce a range of texts, use a variety of vocabulary and grammar, and interact with others in different situations. You also need to be familiar with the exam format and know what to expect in each part of the exam. Insight into PET with Answers can help you achieve these goals by providing you with clear explanations, examples, tips, strategies, practice activities, and exam practice.
Where can I find more information about the PET exam?
If you want to find out more about the PET exam, you can visit the official website of Cambridge English Language Assessment at https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/preliminary/. There you can find more details about the exam format, level, and content, as well as sample papers, online practice tests, exam dates, and centres.
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