Cambridge A2 Key Listening Practice 🎧
About A2 Key Listening
The Listening paper of A2 Key and A2 Key for Schools has 5 parts and 25 questions, and takes 30 minutes, including 6 minutes’ transfer time. Each recording is played twice. Listening is worth 25% of the total marks.
| Part | Task type | What you do | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple choice | Identify key information in five short dialogues and choose the matching picture | Part 1 |
| 2 | Gap fill | Listen to a monologue and complete gaps in a page of notes | Part 2 |
| 3 | Multiple choice | Listen to a dialogue for key information and answer three-option questions | Part 3 |
| 4 | Multiple choice | Identify the main idea, message, gist or topic in short monologues or dialogues | Part 4 |
| 5 | Matching | Listen to a dialogue for key information and match five items | Part 5 |
Source: Cambridge English – A2 Key exam format.
You can also practise reading in A2 Key Reading or return to the A2 Key (KET) overview.
Tips for the A2 Key Listening paper
- Before each recording, read the questions and options so you know what to listen for.
- You hear each recording twice: use the first listening to choose an answer and the second to check it.
- Speakers often mention more than one option. Listen for the one they actually choose or want, not just the words you recognise.
- In the gap-fill part, write only what the recording asks for and check your spelling.
- Never leave an answer blank; there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
How to use this practice: do each part of Test 1 in one sitting, without pausing the audio, as in the real exam. Then check your answers and listen again to the parts you missed.
Listening Test 1
Begin your preparation with:
- All 5 Listening parts
- 25 questions
- Interactive exercises