Your driving experience is solid, and your paperwork is moving. Then you reach the words “speaking and listening assessment”, and your confidence drops. If English is not your first language, that is a common reaction.
The assessment is a conversation with an examiner, and this guide from PCO Licence East London walks you through it from start to finish, so it feels familiar before you sit down. It suits applicants working towards a PCO driving licence in East London and across the capital, because TfL sets the assessment and it works the same way wherever you apply.
What TfL is Actually Checking
TfL does not expect native level English. It sets the standard at B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which is an intermediate level. The purpose is to confirm that you can speak with passengers and follow safety information.
At B1, you can handle most everyday situations, describe your experiences, and give simple reasons for your opinions. You will make small grammar slips, and that is expected. The aim is to be understood clearly, and nobody expects you to lose your accent.
The assessment day, step by step:
- Book your assessment through TfL. Follow the booking instructions in your TfL online account.
- Follow the booking and attendance instructions provided through the official TfL application process. The assessment provider, location, format and identification requirements should be checked when your appointment is confirmed.
- Speak with a live examiner over a secure video or telephone link. TfL’s approved assessment provider, currently PeopleCert, runs the conversation. You are talking to a person, not a recording.
- Complete a 15 to 20 minute conversation. The content varies from person to person. Training providers describe the same broad task types: talking about yourself, taking part in a short everyday situation, exchanging information, listening and responding, and speaking on a topic for a few minutes.
Arrive early, bring your identification, and check that you can hear the headset clearly. If you miss a word, ask politely for it to be repeated.
What B1 Sounds Like in Practice
Take a practice topic that is not from the test: describing your working day.
Too short: “Work. Drive. Home.”
B1 level: “I usually start at 7. I drive to my first customer, and then I take a break for tea. The afternoons get busy, so I plan my route before I leave.”
Even if a few small slips crept in, the second answer would still work, because it is clear. It uses full sentences and linking words such as “and”, “so” and “then”, and it includes 1 reason. Aim for that pattern in every answer: a complete sentence, a link and a reason.
Mistakes that undermine applicants
- Single word answers. Short answers leave the examiner with little to assess, so add a sentence of detail each time.
- Long silences. A pause to think is normal, but a long gap makes the conversation harder to keep going. Use a bridge phrase: “Let me think for a moment.”
- Memorised speeches. A rehearsed paragraph breaks down when the question changes. Practise ideas instead.
- Staying quiet when confused. “Could you repeat that, please?” and “Do you mean…?” show real communication skills.
- Speaking too fast. Nerves speed people up. A steady pace is easier to follow.
A 4 Week Practice Plan Using Everyday Driver Scenarios
Give it 20 to 30 minutes a day. Record yourself on your phone so you can hear your own progress.
- Week 1: Build your sentences.
Practise your routine, driving history, family and reasons for wanting to be a private hire driver. Record 60 second answers. Try to get 3 linked sentences for each topic.
- Week 2: Improve your listening.
Listen to clear, slower paced English, for example learner level news or podcasts, for 10 minutes a day. Then summarise what you heard aloud. Learn 5 clarification phrases and use them.
- Week 3: Role play the road.
Practise with a friend or tutor. Try a passenger who changes their destination, a road closure that forces a diversion, a passenger who is running late, and a passenger who leaves an item in the car. Practise asking questions as well as answering them. Add a 2 minute talk on a familiar topic, such as your home town or a typical day.
- Week 4: Simulate the assessment.
Do at least 2 timed 15 to 20 minute conversations by phone or video. Ask for feedback and repeat your weakest scenario. Rest the day before.
How the Speaking Assessment Differs from SERU
The Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) assessment is a separate test. It checks your reading and writing in English, alongside your knowledge of safety, equality and licensing rules. You must pass both assessments.
This matters for preparation. You may speak comfortably but find written regulatory language harder, or the reverse. Prepare for each on its own terms.
Getting the Right Kind of Help: Contact Our PCO Licence Centre in East London
Legitimate support means understanding the process, preparing your documents, and practising. No one may take an assessment for you or supply your answers. As a PCO licence centre in Ilford, PCO Licence East London helps applicants organise their applications and understand what TfL expects, so each stage is clear before it starts. Call 020 3409 5264 or visit us at 758 High Road, Ilford IG3 8SY.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the TfL speaking and listening assessment?
It is a 15 to 20 minute conversation with an examiner over a secure video or telephone link. The time needed to prepare will depend on your existing English language skills and confidence.
- What English level do I need for a PCO driver licence?
TfL sets the standard at B1 on the CEFR.
- Is SERU the same as the speaking assessment?
No. SERU tests reading and writing, and the speaking and listening assessment is a separate test. You need to pass both.
- What are the eligibility criteria for a private hire driver permit?
You must be at least 21, hold a full DVLA, Northern Ireland or EEA driving licence that is at least 3 years old, and have the right to live and work in the UK. TfL also requires an enhanced DBS check with DBS Update Service registration, a medical to DVLA Group 2 standard, and other assessments to be passed. Some applicants also need a Certificate of Good Conduct. See our PCO application guide.
- How do I apply for a PCO driver licence in East London?
You will have to create an account on TfL’s website first to start your PCO driver’s licence application in London, then follow TfL’s instructions for each assessment. PCO Licence East London can talk you through each stage.
