These extracts are taken from the 2nd edition of this book published by The Stationery Office (TSO), Crown copyright 2007. The text is an exact copy of the words in this book but this is not an official publication. Pdf (downloadable) and paper copies of the original book are available from TSO (see Links).

This handbook is intended for those readers who are intending to become permanent residents or citizens of the United Kingdom, and are studying it in order to take the tests of knowledge of English and of life in the United Kingdom which all applicants now need to pass. Since 2005, everyone who applies to become a British citizen has had to show their knowledge of the English language and of life in the United Kingdom in one of two ways. They can take a special ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course, which uses teaching materials based on the practical meaning of citizenship. Or they can take the new Life in the UK test, which consists of 24 questions about important aspects of life in Britain today. Those 24 questions will be different for each person taking the test. The Life in the UK Test will normally be taken in English, although special arrangements can be made if anyone wishes to take it in Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. The questions are deliberately written in a way that requires an understanding of the English language at the level (called ESOL Entry 3 level) that the law requires of people becoming British citizens. So there is no need to take a separate test of knowledge of the English language.