ABOUT ESOL STEP 1 AND STEP 2
ESOL Step 1 and Step 2
We can enter you for your ESOL Step 1 and Step 2 exam. For more information please complete our enquiry form.
Speaking and listening awards
Trinity’s ESOL Step 1 and Step 2 awards are designed for adults aged 16 and over living in the UK who have started to learn English but are not yet ready to take an ESOL Skills for Life Entry level qualification.
These speaking and listening exams provide students with the opportunity to mark learning progression while they build up the skills and confidence needed to take ESOL Skills for Life qualifications.
Assessments are held at Trinity registered exam centres. They can be taken on demand and are available at the same time as Trinity’s ESOL Skills for Life exams.
What learners achieve at this level
Learners who have achieved a Step 1 or Step 2 award can:
Exam format and timings
The format for Step 1 and Step 2 exams is a one-to-one conversation with a Trinity examiner. The examiner uses pictures, everyday objects and reference to the immediate surroundings to engage and prompt the candidate to demonstrate their English language communication skills by listening and responding to the examiner's questions verbally and through gestures and simple actions.
Exam timings
Step 1 - Five minutes
Step 2 - Six minutes
Performance descriptors
Download the performance descriptors used by examiners to assign marks to a candidate’s performance.
Download the descriptors
Regulatory information
Trinity's ESOL Step 1 and Step 2 awards are Trinity-certified pre-Entry level preliminary qualifications and are not regulated by Ofqual.
Learning progression
Trinity's Step awards offer an ideal platform for further development before moving on to ESOL Skills for Life qualifications.
These ESOL qualifications are designed to aid progression and access into mainstream education and employment paths where English language skills are a requirement.
Trinity’s ESOL Step 1 and Step 2 awards are designed for adults aged 16 and over living in the UK who have started to learn English but are not yet ready to take an ESOL Skills for Life Entry level qualification.
These speaking and listening exams provide students with the opportunity to mark learning progression while they build up the skills and confidence needed to take ESOL Skills for Life qualifications.
Assessments are held at Trinity registered exam centres. They can be taken on demand and are available at the same time as Trinity’s ESOL Skills for Life exams.
What learners achieve at this level
Learners who have achieved a Step 1 or Step 2 award can:
- Understand what is said clearly, slowly and directly in simple everyday conversation with support
- Communicate simple information on familiar matters
- Use basic sentence patterns and simple phrases about themselves, places and other people
Exam format and timings
The format for Step 1 and Step 2 exams is a one-to-one conversation with a Trinity examiner. The examiner uses pictures, everyday objects and reference to the immediate surroundings to engage and prompt the candidate to demonstrate their English language communication skills by listening and responding to the examiner's questions verbally and through gestures and simple actions.
Exam timings
Step 1 - Five minutes
Step 2 - Six minutes
Performance descriptors
Download the performance descriptors used by examiners to assign marks to a candidate’s performance.
Download the descriptors
Regulatory information
Trinity's ESOL Step 1 and Step 2 awards are Trinity-certified pre-Entry level preliminary qualifications and are not regulated by Ofqual.
Learning progression
Trinity's Step awards offer an ideal platform for further development before moving on to ESOL Skills for Life qualifications.
These ESOL qualifications are designed to aid progression and access into mainstream education and employment paths where English language skills are a requirement.