ESOL Entry 3: Skills, Practice and Exam Resources

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What is ESOL Entry 3?

ESOL Entry 3 is a stage in the Skills for Life pathway for people learning English as an additional language. It comes after Entry 2 and before Level 1. Courses develop English for everyday communication, work and further learning.

Trinity and Gateway provide Entry 3 qualifications covering reading, writing, and speaking and listening. Your teacher can explain which award or certificate your course leads towards.

What should you practise?

Reading: identify a text's purpose, find important details and use the surrounding sentences to understand unfamiliar language.

Writing: organise a message for its reader, include the information requested and connect ideas clearly.

Speaking and listening: explain a situation, ask follow-up questions and respond to another person's ideas.

The activities below are original learning examples, not official exam questions or a test of your level.

Reading practice: a change to a workshop

Read this message from a community centre.

Our bicycle repair workshop will move to Room 4 this Saturday because the usual room is being painted. The starting time is still 10 am, but please arrive ten minutes early to sign in. Bring your bicycle if you can. We will provide tools, and you can borrow a bicycle for the practice activity. If you no longer need your place, tell reception by Friday afternoon so that someone on the waiting list can attend.

Question A: What is changing, and what is staying the same?

Question B: Why should a learner contact reception if they cannot attend?

Question C: Do learners have to bring their own tools? Find the evidence.

Continue with Entry 3 reading practice with explained answers to compare two options, follow conditions and identify an opinion using evidence from the text.

Reading answers

A: The room is changing to Room 4. The workshop still starts at 10 am.

B: Someone on the waiting list can use the place.

C: No. The message says the centre will provide tools. Notice that arriving early and starting early are different details.

Writing practice: explain a change

You booked the workshop but cannot attend. Write to reception, explain the problem and ask about another session. Plan those three points before writing.

Example response: Hello, I booked a place on Saturday's bicycle repair workshop, but my work shift has changed and I cannot come. Please offer my place to someone on the waiting list. Will you run another workshop next month? I would be grateful for information about the next available date. Thank you, Daniel.

Compare your message with the task. Have you cancelled clearly, given a reason and asked a question? A different answer can be equally suitable.

Finding the right exam resources

Ask your tutor which awarding organisation and skill you are studying. Use that organisation's sample papers and guidance. Formats, timings and assessment rules should be checked for your particular qualification; this practice page does not set them.

You can revisit English with ESOL English's reading, videos and quizzes using the download buttons above. App practice does not award an Entry 3 qualification.