English Language Test for FLR

[bigyin]

My wife and step daughter's initial visa expires in March next year so I have been planning the FLR application.  Rather than go for A2 at this stage and then B1 at ILR stage we decided to go straight to the B1 test now so that we 'only' have the Life in the UK to worry about later.  My wife took the test in Birmingham on Saturday and passed with flying colours so I would certainly recommend that any Thai  who has lived with a British person for 2 or 3 years or more should do the same.  Just a couple of words of warning.  I did the application for her and just gave her first and last names in the application.  Despite being married she is a Miss on her passport so she has to be a Miss on everything else.  The test centre told her that she should have put her name down as Miss...... They let her take the test anyway but better to enter the full thing.  Secondly we had read lots of sample questions and watched the Trinity videos on Youtube but the actual questions were harder.  She was asked 'Do you think public transport will become more popular in the future and if so why?'  My wife wasn't actually sure what public transport meant but she did answer it well.  She was also asked about her favourite movie and then 'How long was the movie? Who goes to a movie and watches the time?  Questions like this can make a candidate flustered or confused.  Anyway as with all these things being prepared is the answer and most people should sail through. 

[rasg]

Good info. Especially about the questions. My wife wouldn’t have a clue about the public transport question because we've only used it twice since she has been here. It's strange about the words that our partners learn along the way. At school last week there was an image of a an electric kettle and she had to spell it as part of her home work. We don't have one as we only have a coffee machine and she had no clue what it was...

 

My intention is that my wife does B1 before her next FLR in April 2019 and in the next year with some tuition, she will be fine. She could probably do it now but more time learning is better.

 

What worries me is that the Government changed the goalposts and upped the 2nd FLR to A2 early this year. Will they do the same to B1 before September 2021?

[brewsterbudgen]

12 hours ago, rasg said:

Good info. Especially about the questions. My wife wouldn’t have a clue about the public transport question because we've only used it twice since she has been here. It's strange about the words that our partners learn along the way. At school last week there was an image of a an electric kettle and she had to spell it as part of her home work. We don't have one as we only have a coffee machine and she had no clue what it was...

 

My intention is that my wife does B1 before her next FLR in April 2019 and in the next year with some tuition, she will be fine. She could probably do it now but more time learning is better.

 

What worries me is that the Government changed the goalposts and upped the 2nd FLR to A2 early this year. Will they do the same to B1 before September 2021?

I'm sure your wife will not have a problem. 

 

The main difference between A1 and B1 is in the range of language required, i.e. candidates need to use tenses and some subordination, which is not required at A1 level. Their pronunciation (chunking, word stress etc.) also needs to be higher level.  However, it's still fairly easy to pass as long as they speak.  

 

Like with A1, the Trinity test is just the candidate and the examiner, while the IELTS Life Skills tests two candidates together.  In the Trinity test, the candidate has to prepare a topic at home, to present in the test, and then is questioned on it by the examiner.  In the Life Skills version, candidates are given topics to talk about in the test and are questioned by the other candidate.  there is also a planning exercise, where the two candidates have to plan to do something together.  Their interaction skills are assessed.  In the UK you can choose between Life Skills and Trinity, but in Thailand you have to do Life Skills.

[darren1971]

If the tests are failed and the visa runs out are the applicants deported?

[brewsterbudgen]

If the tests are failed and the visa runs out are the applicants deported?

They cannot get LTR without the appropriate test result and if they don't get LTR they cannot remain in the UK.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[rasg]

4 hours ago, darren1971 said:

If the tests are failed and the visa runs out are the applicants deported?

But I do understand that you can go for another FLR if B1 isn't passed. No doubt that somebody else will add to this. Your question was if FLR runs out though.  If you don't apply for another visa, whether it is FLR or ILR, your wife would have to go home.