CAE

CAE Components

C1 Advanced Exam

Reading and use of english

writing

listening

speaking

2 parts 1 hour 30 minutes

8 parts56 questions 1 hour 30 minutes

4 parts30 questions 40 minutes

4 parts 15 minutes per pair

READING AND USE OF ENGLISH

Part 1 (multiple-choice cloze)

Part 4 (key word transformation)

8 questionsFill in the gaps with the correct alternative. Practice: Vocabulary – idioms, collocations, shades of meaning, phrasal verbs, fixed phrases etc.

6 questions (up to 2 marks)Each question consists of a sentence followed by a ‘key’ word and a second sentence with a gap in the middle. You have to use this key word to complete the second sentence, in three to six words, so that it means the same as the first sentence. Practice: Grammar, vocabulary and collocations.

Part 2 (Open cloze)

8 questionsFill in the gaps with the correct word.Practice: Grammar and vocabulary.

Part 5 (multiple choice)

Part 3 (Word formation)

6 questions (2 marks)A text with multiple choice questions (A - D) Practice: Reading for detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, attitude.

8 questionsA text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which you have to change in some way to complete the sentence correctly.Practice: Vocabulary.

READING AND USE OF ENGLISH

Part 6 (cross-text multiple matching)

Part 7 (gapped text)

6 questions (2 marks)A single page of text with some numbered gaps which represent missing paragraphs. After the text there are some paragraphs which are not in the right order. You have to read the text and the paragraphs and decide which paragraph best fits each gap. Practice: How to understand the structure and development of a text.

4 questions (2 marks)Four short texts with multiple-matching questions. You must read across all of the texts to match a prompt to elements in the texts.. Practice: Understanding and comparing opinions and attitudes across texts.

Part 8 (multiple matching)

10 questions (1 mark)A series of multiple-matching questions followed by a text or several short texts. You have to match a prompt to elements in the text. Practice: Reading for specific information, detail, opinion and attitude.

WRITING

1 hour 30 minutesA range from: essay, letter/email, proposal, report, review.

Part 2 (situationally based writing task)

Part 1 (compulsory question)

220-260 words You read a text, then write an essay based on points included in the text. You’ll be asked to explain which of the two points is more important, and to give reasons for your opinion. Practice: Developing points as fully as possible in order to demonstrate a range of structures, vocabulary and language functions, such as evaluating, expressing opinions, hypothesising, justifying, persuading.

220-260 words You write a text from a choice of text types – letter/email, proposal, report or review. To guide your writing, you’ll be given information about context, topic purpose and target reader. You choose one question from a choice of three. Practice: Writing the different types of text that could be included in the exam.

LISTENING

Part 1 (multiple choice)

Part 3 (multiple choice)

6 questions Three short extracts from conversations between interacting speakers. Practice: Listening for feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, function, agreement, course of action, gist, detail, etc.

6 questions A conversation between two or more speakers of approximately 4 minutes. Practice: Listening for attitude, opinion, agreement, gist, feeling, speaker purpose, function and detail.

Part 2 (sentence completition)

Part 4 (multiple matching)

10 questions A series of five themed monologues of approximately 30 seconds each. On the question paper, there are two tasks and for each task you have to match each of the five speakers to one of eight possible answers. Practice: Listening for gist, attitude, opinion, main points, speaker purpose and feeling; interpreting context.

8 questionsA monologue lasting approximately 3 minutes. You have to complete the sentences on the question paper with the missing information which you hear on the recording. Practice: Listening for specific information, stated opinion.

SPEAKING

Part 1 (interview)

Part 3 (collaborative task)

2 minutesThe examiner asks questions about your interests, studies career, etc. Practice: Giving information about yourself and expressing your opinion about various topics.

3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task).The examiner gives you spoken instructions with written prompts which are used in a discussion. Then you have to make a decision. Practice: Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.

Part 2 (long run)

1 minute per candiate, plus a 30-second response from the second candidate. The examiner gives you three pictures and asks you to talk about two of them. You have to speak for 1 minute without interruption. You'll be able to look at the questions. Practice: Talking on your own about something: comparing, describing, expressing opinions, speculating.

Part 4 (discussion)

5 minutesFurther discussion with the other candidate based on the topics or issues raised in the task in Part 3. Practice: Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.