Cambridge Starters, Movers and Flyers: a guide for parents
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30
Short answer: Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers are three Cambridge English tests for children aged 6 to 12, at the CEFR levels Pre A1, A1 and A2. There is no pass or fail: every child gets a certificate with shields for listening, reading and writing, and speaking.
This guide explains each level in plain words and links to our free word lists, grouped by topic. English for Fun is not a Cambridge course and does not teach test papers; our games and lessons help with the everyday words and sentences these tests use.
The three levels at a glance
| Level | CEFR | Numbers | Words to learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starters | Pre A1 | Numbers 1–20 | 170 words by topic |
| Movers | A1 | Numbers 21–100 and the ordinals 1st–20th | 135 words by topic |
| Flyers | A2 | Numbers 101–1,000 and the ordinals 21st–31st | 136 words by topic |
How results work: shields, not pass or fail
Each test has three parts: Listening, Reading and Writing, and Speaking. For each part a child gets from one to five shields, so the most is 15.
Every child who takes the test gets a certificate. The shields show what the child does well and what to practice next, so the result is encouraging rather than a pass or a fail.
What each level adds
- Starters (Pre A1): first words for animals, the body, clothes, colours, family, food, the home, school, toys and transport, and short sentences such as "This is a cat".
- Movers (A1): health (headache, dentist), weather, places in town, the world around us (river, mountain), days of the week, and comparing (better, best).
- Flyers (A2): months and seasons, jobs, materials (wood, metal, plastic), space, places such as the airport and the museum, and more verbs (borrow, explain, decide).
Which level to start with
Most children start with Starters and move up one level at a time. A child who finds the Starters words easy, and can say short sentences about them, is ready to look at the Movers words. Each word list on this site says which level it builds on.
How to use the word lists at home
- Take one topic a week and about ten words at a time.
- Use the words in real life: at meals, when getting dressed, in picture books.
- Say whole sentences: "The dog is under the chair", "I like apples".
- Practice listening and spelling with the free Bonus Games, and sentences with the Learning Path.
Is English for Fun a Cambridge course?
No. We do not write practice tests and are not linked to Cambridge. We use the Cambridge word list to tell parents which words belong to which level, because many parents ask. For the test format and dates, use the official pages under Sources or ask your local test centre.
English for Fun is not part of, or endorsed by, Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers are Cambridge English Qualifications; we use the names only to say which words we mean.
Questions
What age is each level for?
Cambridge says the three tests are designed for young learners aged 6 to 12. Children move up when they are ready, not at a set age.
Can a child fail Starters, Movers or Flyers?
No. There is no pass or fail. Every child gets a certificate showing one to five shields for each part of the test.
Are your word lists the official ones?
No. They are our selection by topic: 170 Starters, 135 Movers and 136 Flyers words. We checked each one against the Cambridge word list (2018 edition). The official list is longer; it is linked under Sources.
Does English for Fun prepare for the test?
It helps with the words and sentences, through games and short lessons. It does not have practice test papers.