About BEC Preliminary

BEC Preliminary is the 'Business English Certificate' at the B-1 level, the first level Cambridge business English exam.

What is the BEC Preliminary test like? The test has five sections:

1. Reading & Writing- 90 minutes, 45 reading questions, 2 writing questions
   1. part 1 - 5 short texts each followed by a multiple-choice question
   2. part 2 - match questions to parts of a text
   3. part 3 - match questions to parts of a graphic
   4. part 4 - text and questions: Right/Wrong/Doesn’t say.
   5. part 5 - text and multiple choice questions
   6. part 6 - text with multiple choice gaps
   7. part 7 - note completion
   8. writing part 1: internal communciation such as email or memo
   9. writing part 2: business correspondence
2. Listening - 40 minutes, 30 questions
   1. part 1 - multiple choice
   1. part 2 - note completion, numbers and letters
   2. part 3 - note completion
   3. part 4 - multiple choice
3. Speaking - interview, normally with another candidate, 12 minutes

Sentence Patterns

Some of you remember tht I spend a lot of time pumping into your heads:

     S            V          O       + complement
subject    verb    object          extra info

The complement can usually be placed at the beginning or the end of the main SVO

Because we speak a different language, sometimes we 'forget' that we need the English verb pattern.

If we translate the German sentence:
Gestern ging ich spazieren.
                 V    S       O
I went  for a walk yesterday.  OR  Yesterday I went for a walk.
S   V          O                                                           S    V       O

Try this exercise from Oxford Living Grammar

elementary
intermediate

Unreal Uses of the Past

1.The kids really need to go to bed now.  It’s nearly midnight.
 

It’s time the k..............................................................................

 
2.I’d prefer for you not to smoke in here.
 

I’d rather...............................................................................

 
3.I would like to be able to have enough money to retire at 50.
 

I wish I......................................................................................

 
4.We shouldn’t have bought the black car-it’s so hard to keep clean!
 

If only we..................................................................................

 
5.Don’t you think you should start to look for a new job?
 

...............................it’s time you.........................................

6.He shouldn’t be so stingy! Then he’d enjoy life more.
 

If only he...................................................................................

 
7.Would you prefer us to come on another day?
 

.................rather we.................................................................

 
8.I should have bought the Mac not the HP.
 

I wish.........................................................................................

 
9.I would prefer you pay cash.
 

I’d rather.................................................................................

 
10.I’m allergic to dogs. Can your dog stay outside?
 

I’d rather .................................................................................

 

WHAT? No Key?  Print this out and bring it to Torrie!