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Here you can find…

a lot of helpful websites

good youtube videos

tips, advice, useful phrases

& a lot more!

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Ilina, Matej, Sophie, Niclas, Dietlinde

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C1 ADVANCED ESSAY WRITING PART 1 / HOW TO WRITE THE CAE ESSAY / CAE EXAM TIPS, C1 ADVANCED EXAM TIPS

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WRITING OVERVIEW - C1 ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH EXAM. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW. CAE EXAM TIPS.

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CAE Practice Tests

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Practice tests for Cambridge English Advanced Reading and Use of English

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1. Introduction

You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

The examiners assess you on 4 elements:

Content - Did you do the task you were asked to do?

Communicative achievement - Did you use the right tone and level of formality?

Organisation - Did you link paragraphs together? Is there a logical flow?

Language - Did you show off your sparkling vocabulary or did you merely use First Certificate words? Did you make lots of grammar mistakes?

Before you continue with this guide, I strongly recommend you read about this free tool that will help you with your writing:

You have 90 minutes to write 2 texts. Both texts will be about the same length, and are worth the same number of points. Obviously, you should spend the same amount of time on each! Personally, I'd spend as much time planning as possible, since it makes everything else easier. The exact time split will depend on how fast you write, but try something like this:

3. You can't cook without a recipe

A lot of students hate planning and think it's a waste of valuable exam time. But do chefs walk into a kitchen and just start cooking? Of course not - they lay out their ingredients, make sure their utensils are clean, and have their recipe nearby.

Your plan is the recipe you'll use to cook up a great piece of writing. Think about how many paragraphs you want then get some ideas about the content of each. But even at this early stage you should start planning the language you want to use. Ask yourself questions like:

Where can I use a passive form?

Where can I use an inversion?

What CAE-level vocabulary do I know about this topic, and where can I use it?

How do I link from one paragraph to the next?

Thinking about solutions before you start writing is the easiest way to solve problems!

4. Grading: Content

Part 1

The first thing you're assessed on is your content. That basically means reading the task carefully and doing what you are told to do! In part 1 you are given three bullet points but are asked to talk about TWO of them. (You're also given some opinions on the topic that you can use if you want, but you don't have to.) Here's an example of the three bullet points and a task:

If I were planning my answer, I'd probably choose 'giving rules' and 'setting an example' as my two points because I feel like I have more to say about those topics. ( How much would I write about 'offering advice'? Nothing! Because I should only write about two things!)

Another important point is to say which is more effective. I'd probably write one paragraph about 'giving rules', and the next paragraph would be about 'setting an example' - I would be sure to give reasons why it was a more effective way to influence younger people.

Part 2

What about part 2? Again, it's important to read the question carefully and make sure you include everything it tells you to.

Here's the kind of task that will come up:

Here's an outline you could follow:

Not very imaginative, but you'd be guaranteed to get full marks in terms of content!

5. Grading: Communicative Achievement

Tone

Which is better English:

1. Wasssssssup?!

or

2. Dear Sir or Madam

Well, it depends who you're talking to! If your task is to write a report for your 'serious' organisation you should use a formal tone. If you're writing a magazine article for teenagers you can be more informal.

This is a HUGE topic and there's not enough space to go into it in detail here. I'll list a few external resources that might help, but a good coursebook will give you lots of guidance.

The main tip is to be consistent - students often write a report that is 95% formal, and then throw in some exclamation points, slang, contractions, and informal vocabulary. That's bad! It suggest you don't have control over your tone.

Learn more about formal vs informal English:

Task types

You should invest some time making sure you know the difference between a letter and an essay, and between a report and a proposal. Here are a few quick tips:
Essay
You need to give your opinion in an interesting way. CAE essays are often academic in tone, so practice of formal writing will be helpful.
Letter/email
Write an email with the same opening/closing as a letter. In these you write about your personal experiences. Your writing will have a purpose, like responding to a newspaper article you don't agree with.
Report/Proposal
Use headings for each paragraph. The task will tell you some of the content you need to include and you'll be able to use your imagination to add some more ideas. You may be asked to evaluate if some goal has been achieved and/or to suggest alternative courses of action. A proposal will have more scope for making suggestions and more need for polite persuasive language.

6. Grading: Organisation

Cambridge love linking words and cohesive devices. These are bits of text like 'firstly', 'whereas', 'in addition', 'however', and so on. Properly used, they will make your writing flow and make your text easier to read. You can't do well in CAE without using these phrases.

Here's a page with some ideas about cohesive devices - try to include them in your writing. Here's another one with tips for the IELTS exam.

7. Grading: Language

Organising a text, using linking words, and getting all the content points is a great start, but for a high grade you'll need to use advanced vocabulary and more difficult sentence structures.

In the planning stage of the exam think about which high-level words you know for that topic and think in which paragraph you can use them. For example, if the topic is about transport you might use phrases like 'mass transit system', 'to commute', 'congestion,' and 'pressed for time'.

Then you need to use a variety of structures - passives, inversions, cleft sentences, questions, sentences with semi-colons. The more variety the better!

Also a variety of sentence lengths. This picture explains what I mean:

So instead of writing like this:
A lot of politicians say they will improve bus and train services. Having trains is good for people who have to go to work. It means they don't have to take the car to work. It is probably faster. If everyone takes a train to work there won't be any traffic jams.
You can produce this:
Why do progressive politicians pledge to provide mass transit systems in their cities? The answer is clear: Not only do pressed-for-time commuters benefit, but there is also less pollution. Let congestion be a thing of the past; let flowers bloom next to every tram stop.
In those three sentences there is one question; one colon; one semi-colon; one 'not only but also'; one imperative. Not bad, right? You can write like this if you practice and if you're not afraid to make some mistakes along the way.

8. How to write a CAE essay/letter/report/proposal

Essays

9. Our Videos about CAE Writing

10. Common Mistakes in CAE Writing

Grammar Mistakes

Most CAE students don't make obvious, basic mistakes like your/you're or its/it's. But they do struggle with things like:
Relative clauses
You need to learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses. Your non-defining clauses need commas, while your defining clauses shouldn't have commas.

I had lunch with my grandfather, who is 90 years old. (The second half of the sentence tells you more about my grandfather. It's bonus information, so there has to be a comma.)

I had lunch with my friend who lives in Prague. (I am very cool and popular - I have lots of friends. If I say 'I had lunch with my friend' you don't know which friend I mean. So the 'who lives in Prague' clause gives you essential information. Therefore, no comma!)

Note that non-defining pronouns cannot be changed to 'that', so you should never write a comma followed by 'that'. (This is especially a problem for German speakers because in German you HAVE to use a comma before 'that'.)
Gerund vs infinitive
Gerund means the -ing form of a verb. This is a tricky part of grammar because there are no rules and you have to learn every verb one by one. English! Argh! Anyway, make sure you know these structures:

I used to live in China (= I lived in China).

I'm used to hear ing German (= hearing German is normal for me).

I look forward to meet ing you.

I stopped smok ing (= I quit).

I stopped to smoke (= I stopped what I was doing because I wanted to have a cigarette).

I recommend buy ing new computer equipment. (Suggest and advise are also followed by gerunds.)

I recommend you buy new computer equipment.

Prepositions
So hard! So many prepositions! So many mistakes! Just learn as many as you can and remember, every single student who has ever taken the CAE exam has struggled with prepositions. You are not alone!
Conditionals
If I get the job I will move to Zurich. (The speaker is confident.)

If I got the job I would move to Zurich. (The speaker is not confident.)

If I had got the job I would have moved to Zurich. (But the speaker didn't get the job and didn't move to Zurich.)

Other Mistakes
Not taking risks
A lot of students always write the same, safe, things they always write. To master advanced vocabulary and structures you have to use advanced vocabulary and structures!
Being boring
It's hard enough to produce a well-structured piece of writing with good vocabulary that fits the content. But remember that the examiners read hundreds and hundreds of essays and most of them are very boring! If you make yours interesting (though the style, unexpectedly good vocabulary, maybe even a joke or two) the examiners will be VERY happy and you will be REWARDED.

11. Writing Correction Online

Students often ask if I offer a writing correction service. Well... to be honest I'm not very motivated to do that right now. You should find a teacher on italki instead. Click here to read about italki. (Watch the video with David to hear more about writing correction.)

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Do I have to use British spelling?

A - No, it doesn't matter. But if you use American spelling, be consistent throughout your writing.

Q - How important is spelling and punctuation?

A - It's pretty important - If you make a trivial mistake it won't be a big deal. If the mistake stops the reader from understanding what you mean then you will lose points.

Q - How important is the word count? What happens if I write too many words?

A - The word count is a guide, not a rule. But if you do the task properly you will write about 220-260 words. If you write 300 words then you've probably written lots of stuff you don't need. If you write 200 words you've probably forgotten something.

DO NOT waste time in the exam counting how many words you have written! And never add or remove words just because of the word count - it'll turn out clumsy and weird.

All that said, when you are practicing for the writing section, I recommend you stick to the suggested word count.

Note that the computer-based exam will automatically count how many words you're using. Handy! See this article for more information about the computer-based CAE exam.

Q - I know I need to use complex sentences to get a good grade, but I'm worried about making mistakes. Is it better to have a simple text with no mistakes?

A - Cambridge says that students who make mistakes while trying to use complex structures will get credit for trying (as long as the mistake doesn't stop the reader from understanding).

Q - My handwriting is terrible! No-one can read it! Will I lose points?

A - No. Your handwriting is not very important. Just make sure it can be read. Also, you don't need to rewrite your text (and you don't have time to rewrite it) - if it's got lots of bits crossed out, don't worry. Every student's writing looks the same!

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CAE Writing Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

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Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing

Difficulty level: C1 / advanced
What is the Advanced (CAE) Writing test like?
The test has two sections and takes 90 minutes:

Part 1 - Write an essay with a discursive focus
Some material to read (up to 150 words) which may include material taken from advertisements, extracts from letters, emails, postcards, diaries, short articles, etc. Using this information, write an essay with a discursive focus.
220-260 words.

Part 2 - Situationally based writing task
Chooseone of four questions. You have to read some input material and write one of the following: a letter/email, a proposal, a report or a review.
220-260 words.

Scoring
The Advanced (CAE) Writing Test makes up 20% of the entire exam.

Your writing is assessed using four criteria:

Content - have you answered the question?

Communicative Achievement - have you completed the task in the right sort of language

Organisation - have you structured your writing with paragraphs?

Language - have you used a good range of grammar and vocabulary

How to prepare for the Advanced (CAE) Writing test

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cae  exam practice english language elt efl grammar writing structure cambridge business exercises

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Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) - about the Writing part

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Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing - about the exam

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Recommend to print these, so the practise is similar to actual CAE's

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The tests below are best for offline use — you can print them using ‘print’ button at the bottom of the page.
If you would prefer to do the tests online — click here.

CAE Listening Practice Test 1 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 2 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 3 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 4 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 5 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 6 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 7 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 8 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 9 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 10 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 11 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 12 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 13 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 14 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 15 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 16 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 17 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 18 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 19 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 20 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 21 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 22 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 23 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 24 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 25 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 26 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 27 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 28 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 29 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Test 30 Printable

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CAE Listening Practice Tests (print-friendly) - EngExam.info

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The tests below are best for offline use - you can print them using 'print' button at the bottom of the page. If you would prefer to do the tests online -

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CAE or the Certificate in Advanced English is a general English qualification provided by Cambridge Assessment English. Designed to test English usage in real-life situations, this qualification is often used to prove English proficiency for university admission and immigration purposes. The test consists of four sections: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening, Speaking.

Helpful Posts

CAE Exam Overview

Great CAE Writing Tips

Best CAE Reading Tips

Best CAE Speaking Tips

Pearson Test of English (PTE) Overview

CELPIP Overview

CAE Listening Overview

The CAE Listening test is approximately 40 minutes long and evaluates the candidate’s listening abilities in a variety of real-life scenarios.  The test may be taken either by computer or on paper and involves listening to a recording and answering questions based on what was heard. The listening test can be very challenging, so it is important to prepare for it by improving your listening skills and practicing answering the type of questions that you will face.  Fortunately, unlike other English tests, the recordings are played twice, but you still need to listen carefully in order to correctly respond to the questions. The CAE listening test is divided into four parts.

Part 1

In Part 1 of CAE Listening, you will hear three short recordings of conversations.  For each conversation, you will have to answer two multiple-choice questions, making for a total of six questions for this section. You can expect to be asked about the gist, or the main point, of the conversation. Here, it is important to listen carefully in order to understand what the main topic really is, as the available choices may confuse you. You may be asked about specific details in the conversation.  Reading the questions and answers is vital as you will discover what information you should look out for.

You may also be asked about a person’s attitude or whether the two people agree or disagree. This may not be explicitly stated but expressed indirectly in the conversation.  In the first part of the CAE Listening, you will have to demonstrate your ability to understand the meaning of common English expressions and phrases.  You may be asked about the emotions that a person has towards something. You may also have to show your understanding of the steps by which a process or function takes place based on what was said.

A great way to prepare for this test is to listen to as many English conversations as you can, for example on TV or radio.

Part 2

This section of the CAE Listening involves listening to a speech of around 3 minutes and finding the correct word or phrase to complete a sentence. You will have to fill in the gaps in 8 sentences.  As in the other sections, it is important to read ahead so that you know what kind of information to look out for.

You can also improve your chances of success by crossing out the answers which are unlikely to be applicable.  You can do this by identifying the overall theme of the monologue that you will hear, which you can do by going over the headline and sentences that you must complete.  Once you shorten the list of likely answers, it will be easier for you to find the correct one.

Part 3

In Part 3 of CAE Listening, you will have to listen to a longer interview or discussion, usually among 3 or more people. This can be up to 4 minutes in length.  This section can be difficult for candidates as it’s the longest part of the CAE, but usefully the questions are asked in the same order that the conversation takes place. You will then have to answer six multiple-choice questions that will test your ability to understand the gist and details of the conversation along with the feelings and opinions of the participants.

Many of the questions will focus on your ability to use words with similar meanings or to use different phrases to express the same meaning. In CAE Listening, You will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the different speakers’ opinions and feelings. It is important to develop your vocabulary so that you understand the meaning of words that describe attitudes, emotions, and degree of certainty. You must also be familiar with the expressions that English speakers typically use to voice their opinions.

Part 4

This section of the test is often the toughest.  You will hear five short monologues and will have to answer ten questions.  These questions are divided into two parts.  You will be given lists, which you will have to match with what the speakers are saying.  For example, you may be given a list of reasons that people left their jobs.  You will have to match the speaker with the reason given.

In this part of the CAE Listening Test, it is particularly important to read ahead so that you know what type of information to watch out for.  Furthermore, the answers given will not be identical to what is being said but will express the idea in different ways.  As you will only be able to listen to the recording twice, you must be prepared so that you know what to expect.

After part 4 is completed, you have 5 minutes to write down your answers on the answer sheet.  Make sure that you input the correct answers to the questions as it is easy to start writing down the answers in the wrong order.  Also if you don’t know the answer, make a guess as you will not be penalized for giving the wrong answer.

As the recording is played twice, some candidates prefer to devote their time to answering two parts during the first playing and the other two during the second playing.  This is up to your preference, although Cambridge University has done a study on this and noted that this method has the same efficiency as answering all the parts the first time and checking your answers during the second.

A common pitfall that you should watch out for in CAE Listening is misdirection.  You will be presented with very similar answers that may appear to be correct, but on careful reading, it will become apparent that in many answers, there is a small error.  In order to be successful in this exam, you must be familiar with the exact meaning of the words and expressions you encounter.

I hope that this article on the CAE Listening test was helpful. Make sure to also check out our Scholarships Page for different information on scholarships and universities across the globe!

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CAE Listening Test: Great Tips to Increase Your Score Dramatically - Global Scholarships

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CAE or the Certificate in Advanced English is a general English qualification provided by Cambridge Assessment English. Designed to test […]

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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The essential guide to the new CAE Reading and Use of English test. Tips you can use, ideas that will really help, strategies you won't find anywhere else

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Vocab, phrases, idioms etc. for many topics (C1 level)

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Vocab, phrases, idioms etc. for many topics (C1 level)

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CAE Practice Tests

Looking for more CAE Reading and Use of English practice tests?

CAE Exam Success Plus!
Find out more

Using these tests

If the test tells you your answer is wrong but you think you're correct let us know.

Print a copy of the test to read offline then use the interactive version to answer the questions.

If you score badly, don't worry! Try our grammar and vocabulary-building exercises in Spotlight Paper 1.

Go to our FREE Word Bank for daily vocabulary exercises to help you with the Use of English paper.

Your Feedback

"This is a perfect navigator for those who have decided to take the CAE practice tests with very good results."
Dessislava Manova, university student, Bulgaria.

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Practice tests for Cambridge English Advanced Reading and Use of English

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Below you will find 15 CAE Reading and Use of English Practice Tests. Each test is complete with answer keys, explanations and a short vocabulary. Take the test online to see your CAE Grade score. You can also print them or save in PDF for later use. These CAE practice tests are perfect for self-preparation!

The tests below are optimised for online and mobile usage. If you want PDF CAE Reading and Use of English tests, see this list of print-friendly tests.

Having trouble scoring high? Consider reading the basics of CAE Reading and Use of English first. The article has some strategies and tips to help you improve your score.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Practice Tests - EngExam.info

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Free CAE Reading and Use of English Practice Tests, complete with answers, explanations and a vocabulary for each section. Save them in PDF!

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The writing part lasts about 1 hour and 40 minutes and it consists of 2 parts.
For the first part everyone must write an essay from 220 to 260 words.

In the second part you have a bit more freedom, because you can choose 1 of 3 text types.

The four text types are letter (formal or informal), proposal, report and review.

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Writing will be the second part of your Certificate in Advanced English exam. CAE Writing is 90 minutes long and it consists of two parts.

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CAE Reading and Use of English - EngExam.info

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Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English - Reading and Use of English. Structure, tips, free practice assignments.

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CAE Speaking consists of four parts and lasts for 15 minutes. This part normally involves two candidates, so you will have a speaking partner, a test-taker just like you. There are also going to be two people marking your answer: one asking the questions and showing the cards (the interlocutor), and the other assessing responses (the assessor). This page will guide you through the exam structure, give sample tasks with answers and provide phrases, templates, and tips to make your speaking score higher! Use the menu below to help you navigate to the part you're interested in.

1. Part 1: Conversation between the assessor and each test-taker (2 minutes)
- 1.1 Part 1 sample questions with answers
2. Part 2: Describing pictures. Long and short turns (3 minutes)
- 2.1 Part 2 sample pictures with answers
- 2.2 Part 2 tips and useful phrases
3. Part 3: Discussion between candidates and reaching an agreement (discussing a mind-map) (3 minutes)
- 3.1 Part 3 sample mind-maps with answers
4. Part 4: Discussing questions related to Part 3 topic (up to 5 minutes)
- 4.1 Part 4 sample questions with answers.
5. CAE Speaking marking criteria

CAE Speaking Part 1: Examiner and test-taker conversation

The first part consists of general questions such as "Why did you decide to take this exam?", "How long have you been studying English?", "What do you think is the best about your country?" and so forth. The questions then take on a broader scope; the candidates are asked about their lives, hobbies, plans and so on. The examiner asks both test-takers in turns. Test-takers do not get to answer the same questions. This part takes about 2 minutes.

Your responses shouldn't be too long and will generally be as long as two or three sentences. Don't get too carried away with the answers as you will have the opportunity to give more detailed responses in the next parts of the exam. However, do explain and develop your responses. Give the examiners something to assess - they are interested in your command of English. They probably don't care much for your hobbies or food preferences.

Unlike other parts of the exam, Part 1 doesn't really have any templates or useful phrases to learn. It's just general English. A good thing is not to repeat yourself - you wouldn't believe how many test-takers overuse words like very or other words that could be synonymized.

Part 1 sample questions and answers
More CAE Speaking Part 1 sample questions with answers
Where are you from?
I'm from Germany; however, I was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland. My family moved to Stuttgart when I was five, and I've been living there ever since. It is a lovely place with spectacular architecture, rich cultural heritage, and it is a great place to live in overall.

Do you have any hobbies or interests?
I'm really into road cycling. I used to participate in amateur competitions when I was in school. I would consistently come in the top three! Unfortunately, I don't have nearly enough time nowadays for any hobby that requires commitment. With my tight schedule, nowadays I'm lucky to have thirty minutes a day to read a book.

How long have you been learning English?
I've had English classes since I was seven, but I really started to apply myself in this field when I turned sixteen. I really wanted to get a degree at a prestigious university in England. Naturally, one has to have impeccable command of English to have a shot at such an ambitious plan.

What do you find most challenging about learning English?
Grammatically, it has to be articles and prepositions. My native language doesn't really have the former, so it is a foreign concept to me, it took me a while to figure them out. As for prepositions in English, they take a lot of time to get right, as they don't really work the way they do in my language.

CAE Speaking Part 2: Individual Long Turn

There are going to be two people - Candidate A and Candidate B - these roles are assigned randomly. Candidate A gets a set of three pictures from the examiner. The examiner then asks Candidate A to look at the pictures and answer two questions he provides. The questions can be something like "What could these people be thinking about?" and "In which situation might the person be feeling more comfortable?" with three pictures of people in different situations. Candidate A has to choose two of the three pictures, and they will have 1 minute to answer the questions.

Then the examiner reads one additional question to Candidate B using the same pictures. This time they have to choose only one picture and spend 30 seconds on the answer.

After that, the candidates swap roles, Candidate B goes first with two questions and three new pictures, and Candidate A gets one question and half a minute to answer it.

CAE Speaking Part 2 tips and useful phrases

Part 2 is about four things:

comparing (talking about similarities and differences between the pictures)

speculating (making guesses about what is going on in the pictures)

describing

answering the questions

1. Comparing

This aspect of Part 2 is really straightforward - we highlight similarities and differences in both photos. The only difficult part might be finding a good phrase or a template to talk about this. Here are some useful phrases for that:

Talking about similar things

Talking about differences

Both pictures show...
In both pictures we can see...
Both pictures one and two have...
Pictures one and two are similar in the way that there is/are... in each one.
Just like the picture on the left, the right picture has/shows...
The two pictures have a number things in common, namely...
These two pictures convey the same message/idea of... // share the same message/idea

Unlike the first picture, picture two has/shows
In contrast with the right picture, picture on the left has/shows/displays
Picture one..., while picture two...
Conversely, picture two...
Picture on the right shows a different approach to...
While the second picture takes place..., picture one...
Contrastingly, these pictures show different takes on... *some topic*

The comparison part can be extremely challenging if you choose two pictures that you can't see any real differences in - keep that in mind when making your choice.

2. Guessing and speculating

You have to do this when answering the questions and when describing the pictures. Showing doubt or uncertainty is one of the integral aspects CAE Speaking Part 2 & 3.

3. Describing the pictures

When describing pictures in CAE Speaking, alternate between different phrases:
The first picture has/shows/displays
In the first picture, there is/there are/we can see

One thing to keep in mind - don't spend more than 15 seconds describing BOTH pictures. I want to stress it - spend no more than 15 seconds on description. Another important aspect is not to just describe; you want to include either comparing the pictures or speculating:
"While in the first picture there is a man all on his own looking at a picture, the second one shows a group of kids, probably schoolchildren, enjoying a show together."

The part in bold introduces comparison, and the underlined part speculates (makes a guess) about the picture.

4. Answering the question

When you address Part 2 questions, you usually do so for both pictures, either talking about differences or similarities based on the question context. You are advised to speculate as well to make your answer more hypothetical since we can't really know it for sure. See examples below for reference.

Part 2 sample questions and answers
More CAE Speaking Part 2 sample questions with answers
CAE Speaking Part 2 Set #1

Examiner: Candidate A, here are your pictures. They show people having a nap.

I'd like you to compare two of the pictures, and say why they might have chosen to sleep like that, and how difficult it might be for them to relax.

Why might these people have chosen to sleep like that?

How difficult might it be for them to relax?

Sample answer

Candidate A: I'll be comparing the top picture and the bottom right one. The group of people in the top photo seem to be sleeping on something that looks like a pier. It's hard to guess what exactly they are doing there - they might have come here to have a quick snooze after classes. The lady in the other picture seems to be exhausted from work - she must be so tired she doesn't even realise she is sleeping on her desk.
I'm pretty sure that neither of the situations is comfortable for sleeping - the pier's boards are not the best surface to lie on. The person in the bottom right picture is probably feeling marginally better, seated on her chair with her head resting on her wrist.
Examiner: Candidate B, in which situation do people need to rest the most?

Candidate B: I'd have to choose the picture with the young lady sleeping next to her laptop. Obviously, it wasn't her first choice of place to doze off - she must be absolutely knackered from all the work, otherwise she wouldn't be sleeping there. She's probably catnapping, only to continue on her project as soon as she wakes up.

CAE Speaking Part 2 Set #2

Examiner: Candidate B, here are your pictures. They show people learning new things.

I'd like you to compare two of the pictures, and say what they might find enjoyable about learning, and how effective their learning is.

What might they find enjoyable about learning?

How effective is their learning?

Sample answer

Candidate B: I'm going to talk about the picture with the young guy leaning on a pile of books and the child learning to swim. Both capture people in the middle of learning, however, one focuses on academic knowledge, while the other shows a more practical skill. The guy, who seems to be a college student, doesn't seem to be that happy - in fact, he is anything but happy; he looks pretty tired from all the rote learning. The little girl, on the other hand, is visibly elated to try something new to her - swimming.
I believe that the girl wearing the float suit is mastering the new skill in a much more effective way for two reasons - she's happy to do it, and she's very young. Young kids are like sponges, taking in new information and processing it more effectively than teenagers and adults.
Examiner: Candidate A, in which picture the person going to benefit from the new skill the most?

Candidate A: Without a doubt, it is going to be the guy with the books. One's academic performance is directly reflected in their quality of life, so the harder he studies, the better off he'll end up in the future, both financially and in a more general sense. He probably knows it, and that is why he works himself into exhaustion to the point of dozing off on the stacked pile of books.

Remember that you should use Present Continuous when describing pictures (i.e., "This picture shows people hurrying to their work in the early morning hours"). More on tenses in English.

Another tricky bit is the preposition. You should use "in" when talking about something shown by the picture (i.e., " In this picture, we see a man strolling down the alley"). See this short note on prepositions for more examples.

CAE Speaking Part 3: Mind map discussion between two candidates

In this part, the candidates are given a mind map - a question with five prompts, or aspects, which they discuss together. You are given about 15 seconds to look at the question and prompts, after which you and your partner have to decide who starts the discussion.

Both candidates have to discuss the aspects, suggesting new ideas and developing your partner's points. You try to maintain a discussion by asking for other participants' opinions and giving your own. Neither of you should dominate the talk. This part lasts for about two minutes. If there are three test-takers in the group, then the time is extended to three minutes.

In the second part of this task, you have to choose one of the aspects and either agree or disagree with the discussion topic. You have one minute for this part of the task.

Part 3 tips and useful phrases

I'd like to point out three important aspects of CAE Speaking Part 3:

Starting the dialogue

Connecting and transitioning the ideas

Reaching an agreement

1. Starting the dialogue

At the beginning of Part 3 you have to decide who will begin the conversation. It is important to be respectful and give your partner enough room to make a choice. You can either initiate this yourself or wait for your partner to go first. Here are some phrases for both:

Do you mind if I go first?
Would you mind going first/starting?
Would you care to go first?
Should I begin, or would you like to go first?
Would it be okay with you if I started this?
Is it okay for you if I start?

Yeah, sure, go ahead.
Okay, I will!
I'd rather you went first, if that's okay with you.
By all means, go ahead.
Sure, not a problem.

The responses do not necessarily have to be linked to the corresponding question, so feel free to mix and match them. A good idea is to let the initiator go first, but ultimately it is up to you.

2. Connecting the ideas

A common mistake in Part 3 is to simply wait for your turn to speak without paying attention to your partner's response. This is going to bring your mark down! Instead, you want to implement ideas from your partner's answer into your own. It's important to transition the ideas smoothly - your exchange should look like a dialogue, not a series of isolated sentences! Here are some ways to make your speech more cohesive:

Introducing an idea

Supporting or including an idea

What about...
I believe that (aspect) deserves mentioning/being mentioned
If we're talking about (topic), then (aspect) is definitely...
I'm not sure that (aspect) is really important, however...
A point worth discussing is...

Speaking of...
You've mentioned..., which is interesting because...
I'd like to add another point regarding...
There is one more thing about...
Another aspect of... is that...

3. Reaching an agreement

In the second half of Part 3 you have to agree upon one or two aspects of the mind-map. If you fail to agree on one, it is okay to respectfully disagree. Here are some useful phrases for suggesting, encouraging a conversation, agreeing, and disagreeing:

I totally agree with your point...
I'm with you on that one...
Your arguments are very compelling
I had a different idea, but your arguments sounded very convincing
Your points are very persuasive, and I side with you on that one

I see what you mean, however...
You make some valid points, but let's consider...
With all due respect, I can't agree/I have to disagree
Your logic here is flawless, but another point to consider is...

... is probably one of the things we should take/consider/mention, since...
I think/believe that... is worth nominating/considering/mentioning/pointing out
Let's not forget about...
Additionally,... should probably be included, as...

Where do you stand on...?
What's your take on...?
Please share your thoughts on this matter?
What about your idea on?
That's what I think, but what about you?

Part 3 sample task and answers
More CAE Speaking Part 3 sample questions with answers
Here are some different types of occupations people might choose to have. First, you have some time to look at the task. (15 seconds)

Now, talk to each other about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these occupations.

Sample answer

Candidate A (Boris): Do you mind if I go first?
Candidate B (Ira): Sure, go ahead.
Boris: I believe that a part-time job offers the serious advantage of giving you more free time and flexibility to do something else while allowing you to make enough money for a living.
Ira: It might be so, but are you sure working part-time will be enough to cover anything but one's living expenses like bills and groceries? I really doubt it, to be honest... I think working for a smaller company offers similar advantages to the ones you've mentioned, but the money must be better since you'll be putting in more working hours.
Boris: I guess you are right. And the smaller companies are usually willing to give you more leeway with your schedule and your decisions. However, smaller businesses tend to go under quite often, so there's very little in terms of job security. But what about self-employment? On paper, it should give you all the freedom you wish for - being your own boss and all!
Ira: Oh, I'm not so sure about that. You've brought up financial security, and working for yourself is such a dangerous venture! If stability is something you prioritise, that is probably not your best option. It does sound lucrative, though - you earn as much as you make; there is nobody to order you around. It sounds so invigorating!

Examiner: Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which occupation is most stressful.

Ira: Being self-employed is likely to be the most emotionally taxing, I mean, you have the weight of decision on your shoulders; everything depends on you, all this has to really take its toll emotionally, wouldn't you agree?
Boris: To be honest, at first I was thinking about working for a major company, but you do have a point, and you've managed to convince me. In the light of your arguments, mine seem irrelevant; I won't even bother with them.

CAE Speaking Part 4: Topic discussion

In this final part of CAE Speaking you have an individual conversation with the examiner. This task is similar to the first one, but the topic of discussion is the one from Part 3. You should express and justify your opinion on the subject as the examiner guides you, asking you related questions. You might get to answer the same question as your partner. The examiner might also encourage you to engage in a dialogue with the other test-taker. This part of the exam lasts for up to 5 minutes.

Part 4 sample questions with answers

High-paying jobs

Examiner: Boris, is it better to have a high-paying job or the one that is more enjoyable?
Boris: Well, if both can't be had, then I guess doing something you really like should be the priority. I doubt that the money you get for doing the job you loathe will do you any good. But to reiterate, ideally, the two should go hand in hand.
Examiner: Thank you. Ira, do you agree?
Ira: Of course, you'd be really blessed to do something you're passionate about and make good money out of it, but how often is that the case? You must be extremely lucky to find yourself in such a position. If we take more realistic cases into account, then I'd go with money over enjoying what you do - at the end of the day, that's what a job is all about - earning money! One can always have fun in their free time.

Unemployment

Examiner: Ira, how does unemployment affect the society in general?
Ira: It's a tough question... Lack of job openings must have serious economic and social consequences. When people are unable to afford even the most basic things, their purchasing power goes down, which in turn affects the economy negatively. People and society find themselves in a Catch-22 situation.
Examiner: What do you think, Boris?
Boris: I'm not sure if it's as bad as Ira makes it look. A well-qualified professional is always going to be able to find employment. It's the lack of necessary qualifications that might be preventing certain individuals from finding a position to their liking, and they are probably unwilling to resort to menial jobs. It's all about the attitude.

Government and unemployment

Examiner: Now I would like you to discuss the following question: should the government be responsible and provide for the unemployed?
Ira: I'd like to express my own opinion, if you don't mind?
Boris: Of course, go ahead.
Ira: Thank you. I totally support this notion - the state should provide financial security for those unlucky ones without any reliable source of income. It would allow people to get better qualifications or enrol in a course to make them more employable.
Boris: You do make some valid points - it would be fair to support individuals who are keen to get re-educated to have a more relevant skill set in the ever-changing job-market. However, I believe that this system could be easily exploited by less conscientious individuals - people could just live off of welfare, being officially unemployed, while at the same time having a part-time job on the side. It is something that can't be tracked easily.
Ira: It doesn't have to be so negative, though! But I totally see what you mean, and indeed, such a possibility definitely exists. I guess it's not easy to find the middle ground in this matter.
Examiner: Thank you. That is the end of your CAE Speaking part.

CAE Speaking marking criteria

It is crucial to understand how your CAE Speaking is marked. It helps give the examiners exactly what they want and improves your chances of getting a higher score.

During the exam, two independent assessment procedures take place. The assessor (the person sitting in the back taking the notes) has 5 separate marking criteria that Cambridge uses to decide how good your spoken English is:

The interlocutor (the person asking the questions) assesses you using a separate criterion, referred to as "Global achievement". All of the assessment aspects will be explained below.

Each one is scored individually, from 0 to 5 in 0.5 increments. They are then combined to get an average of six.

1. Grammar

What is assessed

Naturally, the variety and accuracy of your grammar. Some examples:

Noun, relative and adverb clauses (some examples of each)

Active and passive forms

Verb patterns (infinitives, to-infinitives, gerunds)

Contrast and command of tenses (e.g., showing a temporary situation with Present Cont.)

Modal verbs and modality

Conditional sentences

Ability to produce longer, multiple-clause sentences

Flexibility (ability to rephrase in order to clarify).

How to improve your score

Alternate between active and passive voices.

Try to introduce more advanced tenses into your narrative (e.g., Present Perfect to talk about your experience of learning English or Future Perfect to talk about plans that you are sure of).

Learn verb patterns! They are extremely important in both written and spoken English.

Use conditionals - Second Conditional for unlikely things in the present or in the future, Third Conditional for unreal results of things that didn't happen. You should know all of this as CAE is a C1 level exam.

Use a variety of modal structures - modal verbs (could, might, must) and phrases that express likelihood (probably, likely, seems to be, appears to be, looks like).

Be ready to rephrase your phrase or sentence if you feel that it might not have sounded clear enough (usually by introducing the rephrased sentence with something like "What I mean to say is...", "In other words...", "Allow me to clarify - I mean that...").

When you attempt to make your speech more complex by adding two or more clauses to your sentences, mistakes are likely to happen. If you notice that you've made a mistake in your speech, it is perfectly normal to try to rephrase the idea. As long as the communicative task is achieved, your score won't suffer!

2. Vocabulary

What is assessed

Just like with grammar, it is all about the range and appropriate usage of your lexical resource. Factors that influence this mark:

Appropriate collocations.

Register (formal/informal, depending on context).

Rephrasing (if your speaking partner does not seem to understand you (Part 3, 4).

Using synonyms and avoiding repetition of words.

How to improve your score

Don't be lazy and look up collocations you aren't sure of when you practice. A good place to start is the freecollocation.com dictionary. This applies to writing as well.

Keep your register consistent throughout your response. Don't make it too informal - be respectful to both the examiner and your fellow test-taker.

If you see that your speaking partner struggles to understand your phrase, make sure to rephrase it.

Be mindful of your English - listen to yourself and don't use the same words over and over again. Here are some examples of synonyms for overused words and synonyms for "very".

3. Discourse Management

What is assessed

In essence, this is about how well your ideas are linked - the connection between words, phrases, and even whole sentences. Another important thing is how easy it is to follow and understand your speech - how much sense it all makes, that is. It's not about your pronunciation. These two aspects are usually called coherence and cohesion. Things that are assessed here:

Cohesive devices (more on that below).

Topical vocabulary (vocabulary related to the general theme that is being discussed).

Various grammar that helps the listener understand what you're referring to (articles and personal adjectives/pronouns).

Discourse markers (words and expressions that can normally only be found in spoken language, like "You know...", "I mean... ".

Staying on topic (so-called "relevance" - you have to talk about the question, do not stray too far away from it).

Introducing new ideas (rather than going over the things you have already said).

How to improve your score

Know and use cohesive devices. They can be roughly grouped into 'adding or elaborating' (in addition, also, moreover, as well as), 'showing consequence or result' (as a result, consequently, so, thus, therefore) and 'sequencing or ordering' (firstly, first of all, to begin with, secondly, finally). These help structure your speech, making it both connected and easier to follow.

Expand your vocabulary. It is pretty sad to see CAE candidates struggling to come up with any relevant words on topics as simple as Food, Holidays or Career. There is no way around it, learn new words! Here is a good vocabulary link that groups words and phrases in a nice way.

Make sure to know the basics of articles in English. Use them to your advantage. Don't forget about possessive pronouns and adjectives to make your speech more cohesive (it, this, that, one).

4. Pronunciation

What is assessed

First of all, elephant in the room - it is not about your accent. As long as your accent is easy to understand, you will do fine. This part checks other things, namely:

Clearly pronouncing all the sounds that should be pronounced (more on that below).

Stressing the right syllables in words (this might sound obvious, but it is a rather common problem).

Using intonation to highlight and emphasise points in your speech (well-used intonation goes a long way).

How to improve your score

Know how to pronounce words - and pronounce them with confidence. This is especially important when saying the ending of each word, as test-takers who lack confidence tend to omit the ending syllable. I would also suggest avoiding contractions, i.e. say "I have" instead of "I've" just to avoid ambiguity.

Intonation is an extremely powerful tool that can drastically improve the general impression of your answer. Use it to your advantage. Here is an interesting article on this topic by the British Council.

5. Interactive communication

What is assessed

Your ability to sustain a conversation as well as develop your individual response. This is what the examiners look at:

Expanding on your answer (not giving short, uninformative responses).

Including and encouraging your speaking partner.

Ability to initiate the exchange and to support it by contributing to the conversation or the topic.

Helping the other candidate to either phrase their ideas or suggest one for discussion.

Understanding the rhythm of a natural conversation, not "hogging" it.

How to improve your score

Short answers do not give enough information to accurately assess your level of English. To give your examiners something to work with, you should come up with at least two long or three shorter sentences in Part 1 and about three to four longer sentences in Part 4.

Be sure to include your partner! There are some phrases that you might find useful for that.

More phrases to initiate the dialogue and to support it with your ideas.

Do not take up too much time in CAE Speaking Part 3 - remember that you only have two minutes in the first half and one minute in the second.

CAE Speaking Tips

There are a number of typical Speaking mistakes. Know them to avoid embarrassment and guarantee a higher score.

Do not attempt to answer other students' questions, even if you see them struggling - you might get penalised for that. However, you might help them by paraphrasing your ideas in the collaborative task.

Keep practising. The most effective way to improve your speaking is to use the language. You can do so by either having live conversations or by writing.

Click to download this CAE Speaking worksheet in PDF

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CAE Speaking structure, sample questions with answers, tips how to get better score, useful phrases. Print or save in PDF!

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The C1 Advanced exam (CAE) is a high-level qualification that shows you have the language skills that employers and universities want.

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Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) Reading & Use of English

Difficulty level: C1 / advanced
What is the Cambridge Advanced Reading & Use of English test like?
The test has 8 parts and takes 90 minutes:

Scoring
There are 56 questions in the Cambridge Advanced Reading & Use of English test. It makes up 40% of the entire exam.
How to prepare for the Cambridge Advanced Reading & Use of English test

This paper tests your knowledge of reading, vocabulary and grammar.

Read as much as possible, and use a dictionary to help you learn new words

Use a grammar book to help you understand sentence structure

Read the instructions carefully before you start each part

Correct spelling is necessary. Get into the habit of checking the spelling of words

Read the surrounding context before giving an answer

Don't give alternative answers for any questions

Read widely. The texts used in the reading can be: newspapers, magazines, journals, non-literary books, leaflets, brochures, etc

Read the instructions carefully before you start

Read all the text before you answer any questions

Remember that questions come in the same order as the answers in the text in the multiple-choice part of the paper.

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cae  exam practice english language elt efl grammar writing structure cambridge business exercises

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Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE) Reading & Use of English setcion

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Cambridge Advanced Reading & Use of English -description and links to free tests

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Explanation Video: What to expect, how to practice

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Explanation Video: What to expect, how to practice

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CAE (C1 Advanced) Speaking Exam - How to Do Parts 1+2 of the CAE Speaking Test

If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

In this lesson, you can learn how to improve your score in parts 1 and 2 of the CAE speaking

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CAE (C1 Advanced) Speaking Exam - How to Do Parts 1+2 of the CAE Speaking Test

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Really recommend going through all these tips and lifehacks before taking the CAE's

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"I love listening to music, listening to my friends, listening to the radio... I just hate listening!"

- One of Andrew's students

The listening test has 4 parts and takes about 40 minutes. You normally have to do it after the Reading and Writing test, so you'll be quite tired. Every recording is played twice, but it's still a test of your concentration.

Here are some general tips before we look at each section in a little more detail.

Accents

Sometimes students get used to hearing their English teacher and think their listening skills are really good. But then comes the exam, and accents from all round Britain, America, New Zealand, etc. Suddenly it's not so easy! Avoid this by listening to English in all kinds of accents. Where? Movies, TV shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks.

Predicting

Get used to predicting answers before you listen. Read the question, underline the key words, and then think what is the most likely answer. It doesn't matter if you're right or not - just predicting the answer helps you 'tune in' to the recording.

Time Management

You might think there isn't much time management you can do in the listening test, but I disagree. Not everyone prepares for the CAE exam, so Cambridge have to explain what to do in a long, slow introduction. But since YOU know what to do, you can ignore the introduction and get started!

As soon as you are allowed to open the test paper, turn to section 1 and start underlining key words in the questions. Meanwhile, the other students will be listening to this:

"Now open your question paper and look at Part 1.

PAUSE 5 SECONDS

You'll hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, or C) which fits best according to what you hear.

There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One:

You hear two friends discussing the topic of marketing. Now look at questions one and two.

PAUSE 15 SECONDS"

- Introduction to the Listening test

And you can skip the introductions to the other parts, too, when you get there.

Distractors

Cambridge uses distractors to lead weaker students in the wrong direction. If you underline a key word in the answer and you hear that exact word in the recording, it's probably not the answer! Watch out for answers like 'The man lives in China' when the speaker says 'I used to live in China' or 'I always wanted to live in China'.

Learning from Mistakes

One of the best ways to improve (and to learn about distractors) is to read the transcript of the recording after you've done the exercise. In my experience, students never do this, and it's a real shame. Not only will you learn some vocabulary and grammar by studying the transcript, but you'll see which of Cambridge's traps you fell into.

Challenge your ideas

A common mistake students make is to pick their answer and stick to it. You might be so sure that you've found the right answer, but you must be open-minded to the possibility you've fallen into a trap. You hear the recordings twice for a reason!

Part 1 is a multiple choice section. You hear people talking to each other and you have two questions about what you hear. There are three short recordings, which means a total of 6 questions to answer.

Here's a sample:

First we have to underline keywords and predict what the answer might be.

I would be surprised if the answer was C, because who cares if the brochures look nice or not? A is more likely than C but I'm going to guess B. The point of the college brochure is to describe the courses, so that's probably what's most important to these friends.

Here is a transcript of what they say. (F = female speaker; M = male.)

Let's start by reading the transcript in terms of answer C (visually attractive). We have the words glossy brochures and trying to attract interest. These seem to be phrases about the attractiveness of the brochures, but the friends don't disagree about that, so that can't be the answer.

What about B? Well, they don't mention the descriptions of the courses at all! Almost the whole discussion is about the environmental rating system. The woman says it wouldn't impact her choice of course, but the man says he might consider it. They disagree! So the answer is A.

Remember that when you've listened twice and checked your answer to question 6, immediately turn to part 2 and start reading the questions!

Part 2 is called 'sentence completion'. Someone talks on a topic for about 3 minutes. You have to show you understand what he says by filling in the gaps in 8 sentences. Like this:

Remember I said you should use your preparation time to predict answers? Let's do it now. We know that we will hear from a guy called Josh and the intro tells us he was going to research botany in South Africa. Apart from his academic writing, what else might Josh write about?

Josh planned to write a:

Well, we haven't heard the recording yet, but we can already eliminate some of those answers. First, the answer can't be 'website' because the next part of the question is 'for a website'. He isn't going to write a website for a website! Be sure to read the whole sentence and make sure your answer fits grammatically!

Next, it can't be 'article' because the question says 'a' and article must be preceded by 'an'. The answer could be 'good article', though. Similarly, his autobiography doesn't fit.

Finally, 'the script for a movie' is too long. Answers are normally between one and three words.

Let's 'listen' to the recording.

There are three types of writing mentioned there - diary, blog, report.

Alarm! This is a classic case of Cambridge distractors! By mentioning three different types of writing they make it easy for weak students to make a mistake. Look closely - two of the possible answers are things he didn't write.

So the answer is 'report'.

Was it useful to predict the answer at the beginning? After all, we didn't think of diary, blog, or report in the prediction stage. The answer is yes -listening for a specific piece of information is much easier than listening to the whole recording. Try it a few times and I'm sure you'll agree with me.

Part 3 is another multiple choice activity (like part 1), but this time there's only one recording and it's quite long - up to 4 minutes. The format is often an interview. There are 6 questions. (In the exam the question numbers are 15-20.)

General Tips

You hear the answers in the order of the questions. In other words, the first answer comes at the start of the recording and the last answer is at the end.

As soon as part 2 is over, turn to part 3 and start reading the questions. This is the section with the most text so the more time you can spend reading, the better. Start by reading the question stems and if you have time, go back and start reading the choices. Underline key words.

As always, Cambridge use distractors in this section. Be very suspicious of 'exact match' phrases. If option C uses the word 'abundant' and one of the speakers uses the word 'abundant', it's probably not the answer.

Eliminate answers that are clearly wrong. Often it's possible to eliminate 3 of the 4 choices, so you can get the answer even if you don't know the meaning of a certain word.

There will be words you don't know. You have to develop the skill of guessing what words mean based on context.

How to Study for Part 3

A lot of this section is about understanding how people feel about certain topics. What are their attitudes and opinions? Get out your grammar/vocabulary books and study the following things:

1. Reporting verbs

"Jack regretted eating his girlfriend's chocolate."

"Thierry admitted he had cheated to win."

"Sally resents being made to learn the piano."

Here are all the reporting verbs from just one practice exam: emphasise, agree, support, compare, suggest, criticise. Could it be worth an hour of extra revision on that topic?

2. Adjectives and adverbs that describe feelings and attitudes

"I'm frustrated by the poor battery life of my phone. All phones are like this nowadays, so I guess it isn't unexpected. But I hoped it would be better and now I'm a bit disappointed."

3. Degrees of certainty

"I'm completely convinced that everyone will have a robot in the future."

"I find that doubtful. It's more likely that only rich people will have the money and the space in their homes."

Case Study

In this listening test, two journalists are talking about their work.

In the exam I'd underline some key words, (e.g. satisfied, good work, recognised) then make some quick predictions about what the answer might be. For most people the response would be D - 'I'm happy I got a new job but what if it's too hard for me? What if I can't do it?'

Here's what Jenny actually says:

Let's start by eliminating some answers. It's definitely not B because Jenny worried it would only be a short-term appointment - the opposite of relieved! And we can cross out D because she says she DID have the nerve and experience to do the job. What about A? Well, she talks about other work she had done, but there's nothing about that work being recognised. In fact, she only got the job because the previous guy had been involved in a scandal.

However she got the job, she was desperate to hold onto it, and believed she had the skills to do it. The quality she expresses is determination. Boom! Another point in the listening test!

Part 4 is my favourite part of the Listening test because it causes such chaos and confusion in my classes. Normally that would be a bad thing, but I can't help laughing. I hope this explanation will be clearer than the ones I give in my lessons...

Here's what the same task looks like in the Cambridge English: First (FCE) exam. You have to listen and say why each speaker changed their job.

For example, speaker 1 says, "I had to quit my job because I was working 7 days a week and I was close to burnout." Then you write 'E' in box 21. Easy, right? You'll notice that there are more possible answers than questions - there are three you shouldn't use.

Here's what it looks like at CAE level:

On the left is Task One: 'Why people changed their jobs'. On the right is Task Two: 'How they feel about their new jobs'. You have to do both Task One and Task Two at the same time.

So maybe speaker 1 says, "I had to quit my job because I was working 7 days a week and I was close to burnout. But then I started working as a janitor in a school, cleaning toilets and picking up litter. I can't believe how happy it's made me - now I can go home at 4 o'clock and all the stress I had before is gone."

In box 21 you should write 'E', and in box 26 you should write 'C' (delighted by a change in lifestyle).

Warning! This is possible: "I recently started working as a janitor in a school, cleaning toilets and picking up litter. I can't believe how happy it's made me - now I can go home at 4 o'clock and all the stress I had before is gone. I had to quit my old job because I was working 7 days a week and I was close to burnout."

It's almost exactly the same, but with the answer to Task Two coming before the answer to Task One. Just to keep you on your toes!

Strategies

Some students do Task One when listening the first time and Task Two when the recording is replayed. That works for some people but I don't recommend it. It's not the optimal method - What if someone sneezes or coughs during the replay and you miss a key word or phrase?

For most students, I'd advise doing both tasks simultaneously.

Note - Cambridge have done research that shows both methods work equally well! You should try both to see which is better for you.

For Task One (on the left) there are distractors about colleagues (who were familiar, not unfriendly); holiday entitlement (which she got a lot of); and challenge (the job was challenging enough for her). The key phrase is that the job was 'pretty pointless'. That's the same as lacking (i.e. not having) a sense of purpose.

Task Two also has distractors. Some students would get confused about the 'early results' because they would think the feeling of calm was at the beginning (whereas actually it was after 6 months). Some students would latch onto 'financially rewarding' and choose F (though the speaker means the opposite). And so on, until we get to D, relieved the initial uncertainty is over. That matches 'after six months of panic, I feel much calmer'.

Note that I wouldn't cross out answers A, B, D, etc as shown in this picture - they might be the answers for other speakers. It's just to show the thought process.

When Part 4 is Over

After part 4 is repeated, you get 5 minutes to copy your answers from the question paper to the answer sheet. If you have any blank spaces at this point, just guess. You never lose points for incorrect answers.

Be very, very careful to put your answers in the RIGHT SPACES. It's an easy mistake to make. Imagine you didn't know the answer to the 2nd question on part 4. That's question number 22 in the exam. You might write the answer from question 23 in the space for question 22, and then all the rest of the answers will be in the wrong place! If you think it could never happen to you, remember that's exactly what the captain of the Titanic said.

Take a listening test online for free

Cambridge have generously provided an online listening test. Sadly, it only works on Firefox or Chrome (browsers) so you'll need to install one of those if you normally use Internet Explorer (why?!) or Safari.

I wrote an article about it which explains how to take the test (explaining what the buttons do so you can focus on listening instead of trying to understand the software) - the link to the test is there.

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CAE Listening Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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The listening test has 4 parts and takes about 40 minutes. You normally have to do it after the Reading and Writing test, so you'll be quite tired. Every recording is played twice, but it's still a test of your concentration. Here are some general tips before we look at each section in a little more detail.

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Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) Listening

Difficulty level: C1 / advanced
What is The C1 AdvancedListening test like?
The test has four sections and takes about 40 minutes:

Part 1 - three short extracts from conversations with multiple-choice questions

Part 2 - Sentence completion

Part 3 - conversation with multiple-choice questions

Part 4 - Multiple matching

There are 30 questions in The C1 AdvancedListening Test. It makes up 20% of the entire exam. How to prepare for The C1 AdvancedListening test

Listen! The more English you listen to the better your will do. Listen to the radio, English language TV, podcasts...

Recordings may be: monologues: announcements, radio broadcasts, speeches, talks, lectures, anecdotes, etc.; or interacting speakers: radio broadcasts, interviews, discussions, etc.

You will hear the audio twice

Read the instructions carefully before you start

You have time to read the questions before you hear the audio

Think about the topic, the speaker(s) and the context as you read the questions.

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cae  exam practice english language elt efl grammar writing structure cambridge business exercises

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Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) - about the listening part

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Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE) Listening - links to free listening tests

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The Listening part of the CAE lasts about 40 minutes and consists of four different parts (Multiple choice - 3 short conversations; Sentence completion; Multiple choice - 1 long conversation; Multiple matching).

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CAE Listening will be the last of four written sections of your CAE exam. It consists of four parts, 30 questions in total and it lasts for about 40 minutes. We will take a look at each type of task in detail with examples.
Know the CAE Listening structure already? Go ahead and try some free CAE Listening Practice Tests!

CAE Listening General Information
Part 1. Multiple Choice I (6 questions)
Part 2. Sentence Completion (8 questions)
Part 3. Multiple Choice II (6 questions)
Part 4. Multiple Matching (10 questions)

CAE Listening General Information

CAE Listening main peculiarity is that you listen to each track two times. This provides you with a number of approaches to dealing with the tasks and allows you to listen closely to the parts you've had difficulties before.

The listening segments present a number of different characters, situations and accents. The last is especially important as some accents tend to be more challenging to get used to - Australian pronunciation seems to be especially challenging.

Part 1. Multiple Choice I

You will listen to three short independent extracts. There are two questions for each extracts for a total of six questions. You have to choose the right answer out of three given options. Example:

https://engexam.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CAE-Listening-Task-1.mp3

You are going to hear two people on a music programme talking about the singer Nancy Graham

1 What is the man's opinion of Nancy's second album?
A He thinks it is very experimental.
B He appreciates the continuity of style.
C He wonders if she is lacking inspiration.

2 What do the two speakers agree about?
A the freshness of the music
B the lack of real emotion in the music
C the calming effect of the music on the listener

Tapescritpt

John: I bought Nancy Graham's first album. I loved it and thought it was a really new sound and a different way to sing the old jazz and blues songs. This one, however, seems in a way more of the same and, although there's been an injection of country music to vary that jazz sound, I did think she was slightly running out of steam and maybe she's released this album too soon.

Meg: I think there's a lot of great stuff on it - the late night jazz numbers in particular. It just gets a bit bland at times for me. When the true 'country' stars sing of pain and anguish you believe them, which I can't say I do here.

John: Maybe it's just that she's just not quite mature enough yet to have had the necessary experience to inject into the songs, and that's why?

Meg: I have to say I did find it wonderfully soothing. I actually fell asleep listening to it but when I woke up I couldn't tell the difference between the track I'd started listening to and the one I was listening to then.

Your first and most powerful tool in CAE Listening is keywords. Question 1 keywords are "man's opinion" and "second album".

The man begins his speech by talking about the first album. He says that he liked very much. But we must remember that we need his opinion on the second album. He says that the second album is released too soon and the author might be "running out of steam" - this all means that the author didn't put enough effort in it and it came out worse that the first one. So the only answer that fits here is C.

The second question keywords are "two speakers agree". This question is more difficult. You may want to exclude the options that do not fit - you will have enough time to do that as you will be listening to the recording twice. Answer A doesn't fit - Meg says nothing about freshness of the music. C doesn't work either - only Meg mentions the calming effect of the music. B seems to be better - Meg mentions how the music is "bland" and John doesn't say anything against this opinion - he agrees with Meg.

Part 2. Sentence Completion

You will listen to one long extract - a monologue. You should fill the gaps with appropriate word from the recording. A gap may contain up to two words. Note that you shouldn't change the words you hear. See below for clarification.

The sample recording below is shortened down to four questions. Normally you have to answer eight questions. I have shortened the preparatory time accordingly (from 40 to 15 seconds)

https://engexam.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CAE-Listening-Task-2.mp3

You will hear a marine wildlife photographer called Bruce Hind talking about his work.
For questions 3 ─ 6, complete the sentences.

Bruce says that 3 ... is the most important aspect of his work.
Before going on a trip, Bruce makes 4 ... of the photographs he hopes to take.
Knowing the type of photographs he wants to take helps Bruce to choose
the right 5 ... .
Bruce disagrees with people who say his way of taking photographs is not 6 ... .

Tapescritpt

Well, the first thing to say about marine photography is that it's not as easy as it might look. Actually taking photos is only a part of it. Because you have to organise a boat and crew and everything, forward planning is actually the key to my work and without that I'd never pick up a camera, because I wouldn't know what I was aiming for. Another important aspect is doing drawings which show roughly what the photograph will contain - if I do that first, it means I'm more likely to capture it on film. And because I've decided beforehand what pictures I want, I'm in a position to select the appropriate equipment ... it's all part of the process.

I mean, not everybody goes about it as I do, I know, and some people say that I'm ruling out the creative side of photography by working in this way. But in fact the opposite is true. Because my aim is for every photo to depict something new, I need to think about how I'm going to achieve that, otherwise I'd just go home with the same photos every time.

As before you have to underline the keywords. This time however you should concentrate on understanding what part of speech the missing word or words belong to. Look at gap 3 - judging by the sentence it has to be a noun. It is crucial to keep that in mind when looking for the right word in the recording.

Anyway, the keyphrase here is "most important aspect". In the recording the speaker says: "Forward planning is actually the key to my work". Forward planning then is the words you should put in the gap. Next question is pretty similar.

Question 5 is a bit more difficult. Note how there is an adjective "right" before the gap. The word that you should use as the answer has another adjective before it. Do not use the adjective from the recording as you already have one.

Part 3. Multiple Choice II

CAE Listening Part 3 is slightly different from part one as this time you listen to one long recording instead of three short ones. The recording is a conversation of two or more people.

As with the previous task, this sample recording is reduced to three questions. Normally you would answer six questions. The preparation time is shortened as well (15 seconds from the usual 40)

https://engexam.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Cae-Listening-Task-3.mp3

You will hear part of a radio interview in which the comedian and writer Jane Clarkson is talking about her work. For questions 7 - 9, choose the answer ( A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.

7 What did Jane find difficult about writing a book?
A She couldn't travel around the country.
B She didn't get any instant reaction to her work. v
C She had to spend time looking after her daughter.
D She found the process itself very challenging.

8 According to Jane, why did some critics dislike her novel?
A They didn't think the book was funny.
B They were dismissive of her initial success.
C They thought her male colleagues were better writers.
D They thought she should stick to being a comedian. v

9 Which aspect of Jane's work as a comedian helped her to write?
A her patience
B her ability to listen
C her habit of watching people v
D her rational way of thinking

Tapescritpt

Int: Today I'm with the much-loved comedian and writer Jane Clarkson. Obviously Jane, this year has been quite a turning point for you...

Jane: Well, I'll never stop doing comedy, but there were practical reasons for wanting to take some time off and write a book. I felt my daughter had been neglected. She was just about to make the tricky transition from primary to secondary school and I thought she needed her mum around. I seem to have spent most of her life in a van touring from venue to venue for my comedy act. And I did enjoy being at home for a bit, although I missed the applause and the laughter. When I finished writing in the evening, I'd turn the computer off and there'd be nothing, which was hard to get used to.

Int: How was your novel received?

Jane: Well, a lot of male comedians had written books, so there was a bit of a bandwagon waiting to be jumped on, but with my impeccable timing I jumped slightly late, when everyone was starting to get heartily sick of comedians' books. Also there's a kind of fury coming from some journalists about comics writing books. They're absolutely livid, as if they see your book in a bookshop and they jump up and down, shouting, 'It's not fair! Why should she make money out of writing as well as performing?'

Int: Was it a difficult transition?

Jane: Well, if you think logically, writing is the obvious step. I've spent years trying to make people listen to my anecdotes, so that must count for something! Also, if you've been an observational comedian, which I am, it's not a great leap to use those skills you've developed, like observing odd mannerisms to use for jokes, and turn them into a book.
You start by underlining keywords. For Question 7 they are "difficult", "writing" and "book". The recording mentions three of four answers in one way or another, all of them related to the question but the only right answer is B. Answer A is the reason she started writing - she wanted to spend more time with her daughter. C has the same reason as A. Answer D is not mentioned.

B fits because the author mentions "missing the applause and the laughter" - the immediate response as opposed to writing a book and having to wait for the book to be judged by the public.

Question 8 keywords are "why", "critics", "disliked" and "novel". Answer A isn't mentioned in the recording - the critics do not say whether the book was funny or not. B is wrong too - nothing was said of the success of the book or journalists opinion about it. C doesn't fit - even though male comedians' books are mentioned the critics do not compare them in any way. The right answer is D - it is in the last sentence, expressing their dissatisfaction with taking up two activities - writing and performing.

Now try and answer question 9 without any guidance!

Part 4. Multiple Matching

CAE Listening Part 4 is by far the most difficult of all. You have to listen to five short monologues and answer 10 questions. You have to select ten correct options out of available sixteen.

https://engexam.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CAE-Listening-Practice-Test-17-Part-4.mp3

TASK ONE For questions
21-25, choose from the list A-H the person who is speaking.

TASK TWO For questions
26-30, choose from the list A-H what each speaker is expressing or talking about

A. a suspicion that people like to find excuses not to do work
B. the view that you should never ask for a pay rise
C. the feeling that helping an understudy may go unappreciated
D. an intimate knowledge of other people's affairs that could be profitable
E. the view that you should never take work home with you
F. a distrust of colleagues who are nice to you
G. a feeling of having been taken advantage of on account of inexperience
H. the wisdom of prioritising tasks

Tapescritpt

Speaker 2
One thing I've learned quickly is never offer to make coffee. In many businesses there is a ritual where everyone waits hours for the first person to say, "Who wants coffee?" That person then finds themselves in the kitchen for the rest of the day working as a junior catering manager. I should know, it happened to me when I first started here [16]. Being the new person leaves you vulnerable, especially as I'm kind of on the lowest rung on the ladder [11]. Once I'm qualified, I'm going to get someone else to make coffee for me! [16]

You have to answer 2 questions for each monologue. The task is to determine the speaker's profession ( Task 1) and their expressed idea ( Task 2). Note that there are extra options in each task so you won't use all of them.

The main challenge is that the speakers never clearly state their profession, you have to figure it out from the context - what they do, their responsibilities, likes and dislikes. Let's take speaker one as an example:

The person mentions being involved in organising information for their superiors. There are two options that are somewhat associated with business world here: A - receptionist and F - secretary. However, the implied degree of involvement goes beyond the duties of meeting and greeting that a receptionist would normally do. Therefore we stick to option F.

Task 2 is harder - the options are not as obvious as in Task 1. I usually scan-read all of the options and keep them in my head while listening to the monologues. That way it is easier to match them to the context of each monologue and see if they fit. For speaker One the answer is D - they possess many secret and could use them to their advantage, if they were so inclined

Answer Keys:
10 - F 15 - D
11 - B 16 - G
12 - D 17 - A
13 - H 18 - H
14 - A 19 - C

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CAE Listening is the last of four written sections of your CAE exam. CAE Listening has 4 parts, 30 questions in total and it lasts for about 40 minutes.