Prepare your child for the Cambridge A1 Movers test. Learn how to confidently spot differences, find the odd one out, and tell a simple picture story.
Visit Official Cambridge SiteA1 Movers is the second of three Cambridge English Young Learners (YLE) tests, typically for children aged 8-10. It shows that a child can understand basic instructions and take part in simple conversations.
In Part 3, the child is shown four pictures. Three are similar in some way, and one is different. The child must say which one is different and why.
The A1 Movers speaking test takes 5-7 minutes. It is a 1-on-1 interview with a friendly examiner who uses colorful pictures to prompt the child to speak.
The examiner will say "Hello", ask the child's name and age, and then show two pictures that look similar but have four differences.
The examiner will point out one difference in their picture (e.g., "Here, it is sunny"). The child must point to their picture and say the difference ("But here, it is cloudy!").
The examiner will show 4 pictures that tell a simple story. They will tell the child the title of the story and describe the first picture.
The child must then look at the remaining 3 pictures and say one or two sentences about each picture to finish the story.
The examiner will show four sets of pictures. In each set, there are four pictures, and one is the "odd one out".
The child must point to the different picture and explain *why* it is different. (e.g., "A bird can fly, but a dog, a cat, and a cow cannot fly").
The examiner asks the child personal questions about their everyday life. Topics might include their school, their family, their friends, or their hobbies.
Watch an official Cambridge mock test to see how children tell the picture story and find the odd one out.
Examiners want to see that the child can produce simple sentences independently and understand basic descriptions.
Can the child use the present continuous tense correctly? (e.g., "The girl is swimming"). Can they use basic adjectives to describe differences? (e.g., "The car is red, but this car is blue").
Particularly in Part 2 (Picture Story), can the child put a few simple sentences together in a logical order to describe a sequence of events?
If the child doesn't understand, the examiner wants them to ask for help ("Can you repeat, please?") rather than sitting in silence. Asking for help is a good communication skill!
While short phrases are acceptable, candidates at the A1 Movers level are encouraged to try using simple, full sentences (e.g., 'The book is not a fruit' instead of just 'Book'). This helps them earn higher marks for vocabulary and grammar.
Mistakes are completely normal! If your child makes a mistake and realizes it, they can just correct themselves. The examiner is looking for communication, not perfection.
No! Just like all Cambridge Young Learners exams, there is no pass or fail. Every child gets a certificate with 1 to 5 'shields' to reward their effort and show their progress.