Introduction to the Cambridge English: Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List

VOCABULARY LIST

Cambridge English: Preliminary

Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools

Cambridge English: Preliminary Wordlist

©UCLES 2012

Introduction to the Cambridge English: Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List

The Cambridge English: Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing students for the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools examinations.

Background to the list

The Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List was originally developed by Cambridge English in consultation with external consultants to guide item writers who produce materials for the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools examination. It includes vocabulary from the Council of Europe's Threshold (1990) specification and other vocabulary which corpus evidence shows is high frequency.

The list covers vocabulary appropriate to the B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and includes receptive vocabulary (words that the candidate is expected to understand but which is not the focus of a question) and productive vocabulary (words that the candidate needs to know to answer a question).

The list does not provide an exhaustive list of all words which appear on the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools question papers and candidates should not confine their study of vocabulary to the list alone.

How the list is updated

The vocabulary of English changes over time, with words being added and other words falling into disuse. In order to maintain its currency, the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List is updated on an annual basis, with the decision to add or remove words being informed by reference to the Cambridge Learner Corpus and English Profile Wordlists.

The Cambridge Learner Corpus is a collection of over 44 million words of English, based upon evidence of language use by learners from all over the world and from which the English Vocabulary Profile has developed. The English Vocabulary Profile shows the most common words and phrases that learners of English need to know in British or American English. The meaning of each word or phrase in the wordlists has been assigned a level between A1 and B2 on the CEFR.

A preview version of the English Vocabulary Profile can be accessed by visiting the website: https://www.englishprofile.org

Organisation of the list

• Word sets

Some categories of words that a learner at this level might be expected to know, e.g. days of the week, are not included in the alphabetical list but are listed in Appendix 1. Although 'grammar words' (pronouns, modal verbs, etc.) are included, the 'Language Specification' section of the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Handbook (available from https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/) should be consulted for a more complete listing.

• Exemplification

Example phrases and sentences showing how words might be used are given only where words with different meanings need to be constrained. For example, heel is followed by 'I can't walk in high heels' -this shows that heel is limited to the idea of shoes: candidates are not expected to know other meanings, such as the part of the body.

• Multi-word Verbs

Multi-word verbs are not included in the list if they have a literal meaning and are composed of verbs and particles already in the list. Examples of 'literal' multi-word verbs are come into, sit down, as in 'Why not come into the kitchen and sit down? ' If the meaning of the verb is not transparent, e.g. find out, get along, give in, then the verb is listed and an example of usage given.

• Topic lists

In Appendix 2, words have been grouped together under common Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools themes, such as 'Food and Drink', 'House and Home' and

'Sport'.

Unsuitable topics

Cambridge English examinations must not contain anything that might offend or upset candidates, potentially affect their performance or distract them during the examination. A number of 'sensitive' topics are considered unsuitable for use in Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools, for example war and politics, and vocabulary relating to these is not included in the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List.

Personal vocabulary

The content of the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List is general in nature and is unlikely to cover completely the productive vocabulary that may be required by all candidates. Candidates should know the specific lexis they will need to describe themselves and their lives, for example hobbies, likes and dislikes.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations used in the Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List are:

abbrev abbreviation or acronym mv n modal verb adj adjective phrv noun adv adverb pi phrasal verb

av auxiliary verb prep plural preposition

Am Eng American English prep phr prepositional phrase Br Eng British English pron pronoun conj det conjunction sing singular exclam determiner v verb

exclamation

Summary of points to be noted

• The list does not include every word that may appear on a Cambridge English:

Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools paper.

• The list covers receptive and productive vocabulary.

• The list is updated every year.