Read the first pages of Linguaskill Business Reading & Writing Trainer B1–C1

Before you start

Welcome

Welcome! This book helps you prepare for the Reading and Writing parts of the Linguaskill Business test, at levels B1 to C1.

Many companies, universities and training programmes now use Linguaskill Business to check workplace English. Maybe your employer wants a certificate before a promotion, or a job ad asks for B2. Maybe you need a result for a course. Whatever your reason, you want two things: to know exactly what the test asks you to do, and to practise until it feels easy.

That’s what this book gives you. For each reading task, you learn a simple strategy, see it used on a test-style example, and then practise at three levels: B1, B2 and C1. For writing, you get a simple checklist and read the same task answered at three levels, so you can see what makes a B1 answer a B2 answer, and a B2 answer a C1 answer. Then eight practice tests and five full mock tests bring everything together.

You don’t need to be perfect to do well. You need to understand the tasks, manage your time and avoid the classic traps. Let’s start.

About the test

Linguaskill Business is an online test of workplace English. It has separate modules. This book covers the Reading part of the Reading and Listening module, and the Writing module.

Module	Time	What you do
Reading and Listening	Reading: about 40 minutes (no more than 59); check the official website for Listening	Answer questions on workplace texts and recordings. Both parts are adaptive: the computer chooses the next task from your answers, so the number of questions varies.
Writing	55 minutes	Part 1: an email, at least 50 words (25% of the Writing mark; about 15 minutes). Part 2: a report, at least 250 words (75% of the Writing mark; about 40 minutes).
Speaking	check the official website	Answer questions and speak about topics on screen. (Not covered in this book.)

Reading task types

Task	What you do
Read and select (Chapter 2)	Read a short notice, label, message or email and choose the sentence closest in meaning (three options).
Gapped sentences (Chapter 3)	Choose the word or phrase that fills the gap in one sentence (three or four options).
Multiple-choice gap-fill (Chapter 4)	Choose the right word or phrase for each of five gaps in a short text.
Open gap-fill (Chapter 5)	Type the one missing word for each of five gaps in a short text.
Extended reading (Chapter 6)	Read a longer text and answer five multiple-choice questions, or a shorter text with two questions. The questions follow the order of the text.
Missing paragraphs (Chapter 7)	Put five missing paragraphs back into a text. There is one extra paragraph.
Missing sentences (Chapter 8)	Put five missing sentences back into a text. There are three extra sentences.
Multiple-text matching (Chapter 9)	Read four short texts and decide which text each question refers to.

How writing is marked. Writing is marked by trained examiners and auto-marking technology. The official criteria are Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language; each part is marked separately. This book gives you a simple checklist based on them in Chapter 10.

Results. You receive a result for each skill; check the official website for how and when results are reported.

A note on the format. Linguaskill updated its format in October 2025: Reading now has nine task types, and Writing takes 55 minutes, with a longer Part 2 report. This book follows the current format as described on the official website when it was written.

Important. This is an unofficial book. Linguaskill is a trademark of its owner, and this book is not affiliated with, approved or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Test formats can change, so always check the official Linguaskill website and the information from your test centre before your test.

How this book works

There are five Parts:

Part	Chapters	What you practise
1 · Reading	1–9	How the reading section works, then all nine task types
2 · Writing Part 1: the email	10–12	What a good email needs; emails that answer every point; B1 → B2 → C1
3 · Writing Part 2: the report	13–16	Planning; business reports; four common report types; levelling up and common mistakes
4 · Practice tests	17–24	Four reading tests and four writing tests, with keys and model answers at B1, B2 and C1
5 · Full mock tests	25–29	Five complete tests, Reading and Writing in one timed sitting, with keys and model answers

How each reading chapter works

Step	What you do
1 · How it works	See what the task looks like and learn a step-by-step strategy.
2 · Worked example	Watch the strategy in action on one question.
3 · Practice set A (B1)	Practise with shorter, clearer texts. Exercise 1.
4 · Practice set B (B2)	Practise with longer texts and closer options. Exercise 2.
5 · Practice set C (C1)	Practise with complex texts and subtle meanings. Exercise 3.
6 · Traps and quick check	Learn the classic traps, then do ten quick questions. Exercise 4.

About the levels. The real test is adaptive: it gives you easier or harder questions depending on your answers. A book can’t do that, so the practice sets are graded instead. Start with the set at your level (the quick level check before Chapter 1 helps you choose). If you get almost all of them right, move up. If you get fewer than about half right, go back one level.

Track your progress. After each practice test and mock test, add your marks to the score analysis grid at the back of the book. It shows you which task types cost you the most marks, and which chapter to go back to.

Use the key. All the answers are at the back of the book, with a short reason for each one. Reading the reasons is the fastest way to improve.

All the companies, people and email addresses in this book are fictional. Email addresses use example.com.

Quick level check

Not sure where to start? Do this short check before Chapter 1. It takes about 15 minutes. Choose the best answer for each item, then check your answers in the key at the back of the book and use the score guide to choose your starting level in each chapter.

Exercise 1 · Quick level check. Choose the best answer.

1. How ______ does the training course cost? (a) many · b) much · c) long · d) far)
2. The manager would like to ______ to you about the new schedule. (a) say · b) tell · c) speak · d) discuss)
3. I’m afraid Mr Ortiz is ______ a meeting at the moment. (a) on · b) at · c) by · d) in)
4. The parcel ______ yesterday afternoon. (a) has arrived · b) arrived · c) arrives · d) is arriving)
5. Notice at reception: Please leave your visitor badge here when you go. (a) Keep your badge when you leave. · b) Give your badge back before you go. · c) Collect your badge here when you go.)
6. We have very ______ time to finish the report, so let’s start now. (a) few · b) a few · c) little · d) many)
7. If the client ______ while I’m out, please take a message. (a) will call · b) calls · c) called · d) would call)
8. The supplier told us that the goods ______ the following day. (a) will arrive · b) arrive · c) are arriving · d) would arrive)
9. The new warehouse ______ by the end of next year. (a) will have been completed · b) will complete · c) is completing · d) has completed)
10. I’d rather you ______ the figures before the meeting, not after it. (a) check · b) checked · c) to check · d) checking)
11. After two difficult years, the company ______ a profit again last year. (a) did · b) earned up · c) made · d) won)
12. Advertisement: Applications received after 30 May will not be considered. (a) You must apply by 30 May. · b) Late applications will get a reply later. · c) The job starts on 30 May.)
13. Sales this quarter are ______ higher than we expected. (a) considerable · b) considerate · c) consideration · d) considerably)
14. It’s high time we ______ our prices: they haven’t changed for five years. (a) review · b) reviewed · c) will review · d) reviewing)
15. ______ as it may seem, the cheaper option could cost us more in the long run. (a) Strange · b) Strangely · c) Stranger · d) Strangeness)
16. The latest figures ______ to a slowdown in demand. (a) refer · b) aim · c) point · d) head)
17. The proposal didn’t ______ well with the board, so we’ll need a new plan. (a) come down · b) go down · c) get down · d) put down)
18. The results were, ______ the least, disappointing. (a) to say · b) saying · c) said · d) say)
19. From a press release: The board has not ruled out a merger. (a) A merger is still possible. · b) The board has rejected a merger. · c) A merger has been agreed.)
20. We are ______ no obligation to accept the lowest bid. (a) in · b) at · c) under · d) on)

Your score: ______ / 20

Study plans

Choose the plan that matches the time before your test.

Plan	Week by week
2 weeks	Week 1: Chapters 1–9 (one or two a day). Week 2: Chapters 10–16, Reading Tests 1–2 and Writing Tests 1–2, then Full Mock Tests 1 and 2. Note your mistakes, and sit Full Mock Test 3 two or three days before your test. Keep Mock Tests 4 and 5 for a second attempt if you need one.
4 weeks	Week 1: Chapters 1–9. Week 2: Chapters 10–16. Week 3: Reading Tests 1–4 and Writing Tests 1–2, then repeat the chapters for your weakest task types. Week 4: Writing Tests 3–4 and Full Mock Tests 1–3, one every two days, with the classic mistakes and your mistakes log in between. Sit Full Mock Test 4 a few days before your test, and keep Mock 5 as a final check.
8 weeks	Weeks 1–2: one reading chapter every two days, with all three practice sets. Weeks 3–4: Chapters 10–16, writing every task twice. Weeks 5–6: two reading tests and two writing tests a week, plus your weakest chapters. Week 7: Full Mock Tests 1–3, timed, with the vocabulary toolkit in between. Week 8: Full Mock Test 4, the classic mistakes and your mistakes log, then Full Mock Test 5 a few days before your test.

Quick guide: ten test-day tips

1. Read the question before the text in short tasks. You’ll know what to look for.
2. Read all the options before you choose. The first one that “looks right” is often a trap.
3. Match meaning, not words. The right answer usually uses different words from the text.
4. Check the grammar around a gap. Is it a noun, a verb, a preposition? What comes before and after?
5. Don’t spend too long on one question. The test is adaptive; make your best choice and move on.
6. In writing, answer every point in the task. Missing one point costs more than a small grammar mistake.
7. Count your words roughly. At least 50 for the email, at least 250 for the report; a little more is fine.
8. Plan before you write. Two minutes for the email, about five for the report.
9. Keep five minutes to check your writing: verbs, articles, prepositions and spelling.
10. Stay calm. One hard question doesn’t mean you’re doing badly. In an adaptive test, harder questions often mean you’re doing well.

Ready? Let’s start with Chapter 1.

Part 1 · Reading

Chapter 1 · How the Reading Section Works

Goes with Every reading task · Your goal: You can describe the nine reading task types, use paraphrase to find answers, and manage your time in an adaptive test.

The Reading section of Linguaskill Business feels different from a paper exam. Questions appear on screen, and in the adaptive Reading and Listening module you normally can’t go back to change an answer (check the official information before your test). Broadly, the test adjusts the difficulty to your answers. That sounds stressful, but it’s good news, because the test spends most of its time near your real level. In this chapter, you’ll see all nine task types, learn the one skill that helps in every one of them, paraphrase, and plan your time.

1.1 How it works

Part	What to do	Example
1 · Read the question first	In short tasks, read the question and options before the text, so you know what you’re looking for	Which is true about the meeting?
2 · Skim the text	Read quickly for the main idea: who, what, why	A memo about a new expenses system.
3 · Scan for details	Look for the exact part that answers the question: dates, names, numbers, conditions	“from 1 March”, “unless approved by your manager”
4 · Match meaning, not words	The right option usually says the same thing in different words: a paraphrase	“no later than Friday” = “by Friday at the latest”
5 · Check the distractors	Wrong options often repeat words from the text but change the meaning	The text says “may”, the option says “must”.
6 · Choose and move on	Make your best choice. In an adaptive test you may not be able to go back, so don’t spend too long on one question	About one minute per short question.