A2 Ready: A2 English Test
Get ready for the A2 English test (Trinity GESE Grade 3) for a UK family or partner visa extension. Practise the 7-minute conversation with 24 speaking tasks, 40 audio conversations, and 712 everyday vocabulary cards.
What the A2 English test involves, and why it matters for your extension
A2 is the elementary level of the Common European Framework (CEFR). For a UK family or partner visa extension, the English requirement is normally proved in speaking and listening at A2, where you met the earlier requirement by passing an A1 test and you are applying for further permission after 30 months. One approved option is Trinity College London GESE Grade 3: a single one-to-one conversation of up to 7 minutes with an examiner. There is no reading and no writing. IELTS Life Skills A2 is another accepted test. Exemptions and other accepted proofs exist, so always check the current requirement for your own route on gov.uk before booking.
What happens in the GESE Grade 3 exam?
The examiner talks with you about everyday subjects and you answer in sentences rather than single words. One part catches people out: you are expected to ask the examiner simple questions too, not only to answer, and that is part of what is assessed. You are graded A, B, C or D, and grade C or above is a pass. For the visa you only need to pass at A2, so a higher grade brings no extra benefit for the application.
What is different at A2 compared with A1?
A2 is a step up, not a longer version of A1. The answers that sound strongest do three things, and the app practises all three. These are study habits, not extra exam rules:
- Reasons: "I like my job because I meet a lot of people" says more than "I like my job".
- Time: you can talk about what you did ("Last weekend I visited my sister"), not only about what you do now.
- One more sentence: you answer, then add a detail, instead of stopping after three words.
How does A2 Ready help you prepare?
A2 Ready is built around the way this exam actually works: a short spoken conversation. You practise with:
- Speaking: 24 tasks based on exam-style questions. Record your answer privately on your device, compare it with a model answer, and self-check against a simple rubric built on the A2 habits above.
- Listen and repeat: 40 conversations with clear British-English audio, including examiner-and-candidate exchanges and everyday situations such as ordering in a cafe, buying a ticket and seeing the doctor.
- Vocabulary: 712 everyday A2 words and phrases by topic, each with a simple meaning and an example sentence, learned with flashcards.
- Exam guide: the format, the grading and the topics, explained simply, with the official source.
Everything works offline after the first download, and your recordings never leave your device.
When do you need A1, A2, B1 or B2 English?
Where English is proved by a test, the requirement rises as you move through the UK immigration routes: A1 for a first family or partner application, A2 when you apply for further permission after 30 months having met the earlier requirement by passing an A1 test, and, unless an exemption applies, for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) B1 for applications before 26 March 2027 or B2 from 26 March 2027. A2 Ready covers the extension step; check the current requirement for your route on gov.uk.
Built for a 7-minute spoken exam
Practise speaking out loud
Record your answer to 24 exam-style questions, privately on your device, then compare with a model answer and a self-check rubric. Nothing is uploaded.
40 conversations with audio
Hear examiner and candidate voices in clear British English, plus everyday situations such as a cafe, a ticket office and a GP surgery, then say it aloud line by line.
712 everyday A2 words
Learn the words the exam expects, from daily routine and work to food, shopping, travel, health and the weather, each with a meaning and an example sentence.
The question you must ask
Asking the examiner simple questions is part of what is assessed at Grade 3. Every model answer ends with one, and it sits on your speaking checklist, so you never forget.
Know exactly how it works
A plain-English guide to the format, the A to D grading and the topics, so the 7-minute conversation holds no surprises.
One purchase, yours forever
A single one-time unlock opens every lesson, conversation and speaking task. No subscription, no ads, works offline.
What to look for in an A2 practice app
| Speaking tasks | 24, record + model answer + rubric |
|---|---|
| Recordings | Local only, never uploaded |
| Listen-and-repeat | 40 conversations, British-English audio |
| Vocabulary builder | 712 A2 words, flashcards by topic |
| Exam guide | Format, grading and topics |
| Progress tracking | Yes, across the app |
| Works offline | Yes, after first download |
| Ads | None |
| Payment | Free download + one-time unlock |
Where the content comes from
All A2 Ready practice content is original RiverMap material written to CEFR level A2. The exam facts (format, timing and grading) are based on the publicly documented format of the UK A2 SELT and the official guidance on proving your knowledge of English. A2 Ready does not reproduce any Trinity College London or IELTS exam questions, sample papers, recordings or materials, and it does not claim topic-for-topic alignment with any exam board's syllabus: the eight topics are the app's own everyday practice areas.
Last reviewed: 4 August 2026. The exam facts on this page were independently cross-checked against GOV.UK guidance and the Immigration Rules on that date, and corrected where they were found to overstate the rule.
Common questions
Do I need A2 English for a UK family visa extension?
If you met the English requirement by passing an A1 test, were granted permission as a partner or parent on that basis, and are applying for further permission after 30 months, you normally need at least A2 in speaking and listening. Unless an exemption or another accepted proof applies, settlement (ILR) then needs B1 for applications before 26 March 2027, or B2 from then. Check the current requirement for your route on gov.uk.
What is Trinity GESE Grade 3?
GESE Grade 3 is the A2-level Graded Examination in Spoken English from Trinity College London, one of the approved A2 tests for UK family visas. It is a single one-to-one conversation of up to 7 minutes, testing speaking and listening only. You sit it at an approved test location, and the examiner may join by video link rather than sit in the room. It is graded A to D, and grade C or above is a pass.
What is the difference between the A1 and A2 tests?
The format is the same kind of conversation, but the level is higher and the conversation is a minute longer. At A2 you are expected to hold your side of the conversation, which includes asking the examiner simple questions, and the answers that score well add a reason or a detail rather than stopping at three words.
Do I have to record my voice, and is it private?
The speaking tasks let you record yourself so you can compare with a model answer, but the recording stays on your device and is never uploaded. There is no speech recognition and no account. You can also just read the model answers if you prefer not to record.
What is free and what do I pay for?
You can download the app and try it for free. A single one-time purchase unlocks all 40 conversations, all 24 speaking tasks and the full 712-word vocabulary library. There is no subscription.
Is this an official Trinity or government app?
No. A2 Ready is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Trinity College London, IELTS, UK Visas and Immigration or any government body. All content is original, and practising in the app does not replace an approved English test.
Does the app work offline?
Yes. After the first download the lessons, conversations and audio work offline, so you can practise on the commute or anywhere without a connection.
Walk in ready for your A2 conversation.
Free to download. One purchase for everything else. No subscription.