SELT B1 sample questions (Speaking & Listening)
In short
The LanguageCert SELT B1 test is speaking and listening only: a live, one-to-one interview of about 11 to 13 minutes in four parts. Below are example questions for each part, written in the style of the test. The best way to use them is out loud, with someone asking them.
Settlement is moving to B2 on 26 March 2027
The Home Office is raising the English level for settlement from B1 to B2 for many routes from 26 March 2027. Check your route before you book. Our SELT B1 guide explains who's affected.
Sample questions, part by part
Part 1: About you
about 2 minutesYou spell your family name, say where you're from, and answer a few everyday questions.
- Can you spell your family name, please?
- Where do you live now? What do you like about the area?
- What do you usually do at the weekend?
- Tell me about a job you have done.
- What kind of food do you like to cook?
Part 2: Role plays
about 2 minutesTwo short everyday situations. The examiner plays a role and you deal with the situation.
- You bought a jacket yesterday, but it's the wrong size. I'm the shop assistant. Explain the problem.
- I'm your neighbour. You want to have a party on Saturday evening. Tell me about it.
- You want to join a gym. I work at reception. Ask me about prices and opening times.
Part 3: Plan or decide together
about 2.5 minutesYou look at some pictures and talk with the examiner to agree on something.
- Your friend wants a new hobby. Here are some ideas: swimming, a cooking class, a reading group, cycling. Which is best, and why?
- A colleague is leaving work. Here are some gift ideas. Let's decide what to buy.
Part 4: Listen, then talk
about 5 to 6 minutesYou listen to a short talk twice and answer questions on it. Then you prepare for 30 seconds and talk on your own about a related topic, and answer a few questions.
- After a talk about a new community garden: When does the garden open? What do volunteers need to bring?
- Talk about a place in your town you enjoy visiting. Say where it is, what you do there and why you like it.
- Follow-up: Do you prefer spending free time indoors or outdoors? Why?
How it's marked
Five criteria: Listening & Responding, Interactive Communication & Task Fulfilment, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation, Intonation & Fluency. The result is Pass or Fail at B1. One-word answers give the examiner very little to mark, so give a reason or an example each time.
Who needs SELT B1
- Indefinite leave to remain (settlement) on routes that require B1, until the change to B2 on 26 March 2027.
- British citizenship (naturalisation).
- It must be taken at a Home Office–approved test centre. Results are valid for 2 years.
A sample SELT B1 practice report
What you see after a practice interview (example candidate).
Sample report for an example candidate. Yours is written about what you actually said or wrote.
A pass: pronunciation, intonation and fluency is a strength; focus next on accuracy and range of grammar.
On this answer you would likely pass B1 Speaking & Listening. The main risk is past tenses: practise talking about past events so they hold up under pressure.
What’s working
You understood almost everything first time and answered the Part 4 questions accurately. You asked for one question to be repeated.
You completed both role plays and suggested ideas in the planning task. Ask the examiner's opinion more often instead of waiting to be asked.
Enough vocabulary for every task, including 'appointment', 'receipt' and 'refund' in the role play.
Easy to understand throughout. Some hesitation in your Part 4 talk, but you kept going.
What to work on
Simple present sentences were mostly correct, but past tenses broke down when you talked about last weekend ('I go to my friend's house', 'we eat outside').
Next steps
- Tell a two-minute story about last weekend, using only past tenses.
- In the planning task, ask 'What do you think?' at least twice.
Indicative estimate: criteria scored 0–5against LanguageCert’s assessment criteria, weighed against the official pass mark. Not an official LanguageCert result.
FAQ
What questions are asked in the SELT B1 test?
Everyday topics: yourself, your home and work, your free time. There are two role plays, a task where you decide something together using pictures, and a short talk you listen to before speaking on a related topic.
How long is the SELT B1 Speaking & Listening test?
About 11 to 13 minutes, one-to-one with an examiner.
Is there a reading or writing part?
No. The B1 test for settlement and citizenship is speaking and listening only.
Can I practise SELT B1 online?
Yes. Proloquent's examiner runs all four parts out loud at A1, A2 or B1 and tells you whether you'd likely pass, criterion by criterion.
Are these the real exam questions?
No. They're examples written in the style of the test. The real questions differ each time.
Practise these out loud
Try a short SELT-style interview on the demo, no account needed.
Related
Sources
Checked October 2026. Proloquent is independent and not affiliated with LanguageCert or PeopleCert. Practice scores are indicative estimates, not official results.