Functional Skills English Level 1: Exams and Preparation

Functional Skills English Level 1 is a qualification built on Department for Education subject content, taken by adults, apprentices and young people in England, and assessed in three components: Reading, Writing, and Speaking, Listening and Communicating. Pearson, City & Guilds and NCFE each set the Reading and Writing papers externally, whilst the speaking component is assessed by the learner's own centre, and the result is graded pass or fail. Learners moving on from ESOL meet the same three components as everyone else.

Reading papers last 60 minutes with all three awarding bodies, and Writing papers last between 60 and 80 minutes, with a fixed share of the Writing marks given to spelling, punctuation and grammar. Dictionaries are permitted in Reading and not permitted in Writing, which shapes how to practise. Preparation that follows the published marking, starting with spelling, punctuation and grammar, then the Reading skills, then timed Writing tasks, usually shows progress against what each paper rewards.

What is Functional Skills English Level 1 and who needs it?

Functional Skills English Level 1 is a qualification showing that a student can read, write, speak, listen and communicate at an appropriate level, and apply those skills effectively in a range of contexts in the workplace and other real-life situations. The Department for Education subject content sets that purpose, and the qualifications provide evidence against content relevant to the workplace. Level 1 sits below Level 2, and Pearson notes that Level 1 can progress to a similar qualification at Level 2.

City & Guilds describes its qualifications as suitable for adults and young people across a wide range of settings, including apprenticeships, and available only to centres and learners in England. Pearson requires no prior knowledge, understanding, skills or qualifications before registration, and NCFE sets no minimum age. Whether a particular apprenticeship, course or employer requires Level 1 depends on their own rules, so confirm the requirement and the awarding body with them before booking.

What are the three components in the subject content?

The subject content divides Level 1 into Speaking, listening and communicating, Reading, and Writing, and each awarding body assesses all three. Speaking, listening and communicating uses texts such as narratives, explanations, discussions, instructions, information, descriptions and presentations of varying lengths. Students identify relevant information and lines of argument, ask relevant questions to obtain specific information, respond effectively to detailed questions, express opinions and arguments supported with evidence, and respect the turn-taking rights of others.

Reading uses straightforward texts on a range of topics that instruct, describe, explain or persuade. Students identify the main points, ideas and details, compare information, ideas and opinions in different texts, distinguish fact from opinion, recognise how language varies with audience and purpose, locate information through features such as indexes, menus and subheadings, infer meaning from images, and understand specialist words in context.

Writing covers straightforward texts such as narratives, instructions, explanations and reports of varying lengths. Students communicate information, ideas and opinions clearly, coherently and accurately, choose an appropriate level of detail and length, use format, structure and language suited to audience and purpose, and write consistently and accurately in complex sentences, using paragraphs where appropriate. The content also lists punctuation, grammar and spelling as separate skills.

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How do awarding bodies assess each component?

Awarding bodies assess Reading and Writing through externally set papers and Speaking, listening and communicating through activities run at the centre. Pearson describes the speaking component as internally set and marked, with a talk and linked question session in a small group and a formal discussion in a group of three to five learners, and tutors mark it using the provided mark scheme. NCFE uses two tasks, a short talk with questions and a group discussion, each lasting 10 to 15 minutes, and awards no numerical marks.

City & Guilds sets three activities lasting up to 30 minutes in total, judged on whether a learner shows each subject content statement consistently, effectively and to an appropriate degree for the level. Pearson allows notes in the speaking assessment as long as they do not form a prepared response. Learners must pass each component to be awarded the qualification, and City & Guilds adds that all three components must be passed at the same level.

What do the Level 1 reading and writing papers ask?

Level 1 Reading papers ask candidates to read source documents and answer questions that mix multiple choice with short answers. City & Guilds sets two source documents with comparison across them, worth 30 marks in one hour, and NCFE sets two contextualised source documents worth 30 marks in 60 minutes. Pearson's Reading test also carries 30 marks in 60 minutes, with controlled response and open response questions. In the City & Guilds specification the marks are spread across the skills, with main points and comparison across texts carrying six marks each.

Writing papers ask for two texts, each written for a given scenario. City & Guilds gives 54 marks over one hour 20 minutes, with 24 for spelling, punctuation and grammar and 30 for composition, split evenly between the two tasks. Pearson gives 36 marks in 60 minutes, with 42 per cent of the marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar, and NCFE gives 40 marks in 70 minutes, with 22 for composition and 18 for spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pearson candidates are given a suggested word range in each Writing assessment.

City & Guilds composition marks cover communicating clearly, coherently and accurately, appropriate detail and length, suitable format, structure and language, and complex sentences with paragraphs. NCFE tells learners to become familiar with the writing features of format, language, purpose, audience and structure, and describes structure as a beginning, a middle and an end. The audiences named include the workplace and familiar real-life situations.

What spelling, punctuation and grammar does Level 1 expect?

Level 1 expects a range of punctuation used correctly, correct grammar, and spelling of the words used most often in work, study and daily life, including specialist words. The subject content gives full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas and possessive apostrophes as punctuation examples, and subject-verb agreement, consistent use of different tenses and definite and indefinite articles as grammar examples.

These skills are marked inside the Writing paper, and no dictionary or spelling and grammar checking software is permitted there with any of the three awarding bodies. The City & Guilds specification gives 12 marks per task for them. Reading differs, because Pearson and City & Guilds both permit dictionaries and bilingual dictionaries in the Reading paper, and the Reading skills include using punctuation to aid understanding of straightforward texts.

Model answer: Email to a manager about reception waiting times

Task: Your manager, Ms Carter, has asked all staff for ideas to reduce the time visitors wait at the reception desk. Write an email to your manager with your suggestions. Write about 150 to 200 words. Use a format, structure and tone suitable for a workplace email.

"

Subject: Suggestions for shorter waiting times at reception

"

Dear Ms Carter,

"

Thank you for asking for ideas about the waiting times at our reception desk. I have noticed that visitors often queue for several minutes, especially at nine o'clock and after lunch, and I would like to suggest three changes.

"

First, we could email visitors the day before and ask them to confirm their name and the person they are meeting. The receptionist would then have a printed list ready when they arrive, which should make signing in much quicker.

"

Second, another member of staff could help at the desk during the busiest periods. This would stop one person having to answer the telephone and greet visitors at the same time.

"

Finally, a sign near the door could tell visitors where to wait and who to ask for. This would reduce the questions that the receptionist has to answer repeatedly.

"

I would be happy to discuss these ideas or to help trial them for a few weeks.

"

Yours sincerely, Sam Patel

What this model answer does:

• Format, structure and language for audience and purpose: the subject line, greeting, sign-off and polite but direct tone suit an email to a manager.
• Communicating clearly, coherently and accurately: the opening paragraph states the purpose, and each later paragraph gives one suggestion with its reason.
• Appropriate level of detail and length: every suggestion carries a short explanation, and the whole text sits within the stated range.
• Complex sentences and paragraphs: clauses introduced by which, when and who join ideas inside sentences, and the text is divided into short paragraphs.
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar: commas follow the sequencing words, verbs agree with their subjects, and the conditional forms could, would and should stay consistent.

How does Level 1 differ from Level 2 and from ESOL Level 1?

Level 2 asks for more demanding reading and speaking, and Pearson allows 75 minutes for a Level 2 Reading paper worth 35 marks, against 60 minutes and 30 marks at Level 1. The Level 2 Writing paper is 36 marks in 60 minutes, the same as Level 1, and the speaking assessment runs up to 25 minutes in total. Level 2 Reading draws on both straightforward and complex sources.

At Level 2 the speaking content adds extended explanations, detailed questions, and interjecting and redirecting discussion using appropriate language and register. Pearson's Level 2 talk becomes a presentation of 4 to 5 minutes on a topic of the learner's choice, against a talk of 3 to 4 minutes at Level 1. Pearson notes that Level 2 can progress to a GCSE in English or similar qualifications.

ESOL Level 1 is a separate Pearson Edexcel qualification for learners whose first language is not English, offered as a Certificate in ESOL of 270 guided learning hours and as Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing Awards of 120, 60 and 90 hours. Functional Skills English Level 1 is a single qualification with three components that must all be passed, and its Writing paper marks spelling, punctuation and grammar without dictionaries. A learner moving across therefore keeps the same skill areas and meets different assessment rules.

How should you prepare?

Preparation works best when it follows the order of the marks: spelling, punctuation and grammar first, Reading skills second, timed Writing tasks third, with speaking practice alongside. Start with the Level 1 lists of punctuation and grammar in the subject content, write short texts without a dictionary or checker, and mark them yourself against each item, since a fixed share of the Writing marks depends on them, 24 of 54 in the City & Guilds paper.

For Reading, practise with source documents that instruct, describe, explain or persuade, and check each answer against the skill it tests: main points, comparison across texts, fact and opinion, audience and purpose, locating information and specialist words. Work to 60 minutes, which all three awarding bodies set, and keep a record of which skills lose marks. Dictionaries are permitted, so practise looking words up quickly.

For Writing, complete both tasks in one sitting within the time, give each a format, structure and language suited to its audience, use paragraphs and complex sentences, and keep to the suggested word range where one is given. Then check your text against the published criteria in turn: communication, detail and length, format and structure, sentences, and finally punctuation, grammar and spelling. Sample assessment materials are published on the awarding bodies' websites.

For the speaking component, rehearse a talk of three to four minutes, answering questions on it for two minutes, and a group discussion of about ten minutes, using notes of key points instead of a script. Practise asking relevant questions, giving opinions with supporting evidence and letting others finish before interjecting. Ask your centre which awarding body and format it uses.

Related guides

• What is ESOL?
• ESOL Level 1 and Level 2
• ESOL courses and free places in England
• Functional Skills English Level 2
• CEFR levels explained for employers
• How long B1 to B2 takes
• Business English or general English?

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