Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) Listening about 40 minutes

You both hear and see the instructions for each task, and you
Reading and Use of English 1 hour 30 minutes hear all four parts twice.
Parts 1 and 3 mainly test your vocabulary; Part 2 mainly tests
Part Task type Questions Format
grammar. Part 4 often tests both vocabulary and grammar.
Parts 5–8 test reading comprehension. 1 Multiple 6 Three short extracts with
choice two people talking for about
Part Task type Questions Format a minute in three different
1 Multiple- 8 Fill each gap in a text situations. For each of two
choice cloze from options A, B, C questions, you choose from
or D. answers A, B or C.
2 Open cloze 8 Fill each gap in a text 2 Sentence 8 One person speaking
with one word. completion for about three minutes.
3 Word 8 Fill each gap in a text Complete sentences by
formation with the right form of a writing a word or short
given word. phrase.
4 Key word 6 Complete a sentence 3 Multiple 6 An interview or conversation
transformation with a given word and choice of about four minutes.
up to five more words Choose from answers A, B,
to mean the same as C or D.
another sentence. 4 Multiple 10 Five extracts of about 30
5 Multiple choice 6 Read a text followed matching seconds each, with a common
by questions with four theme. For each extract there
options: A, B, C or D. are two tasks. Choose from a
list of eight possible answers.
6 Cross-text 4 Read across four
multiple short texts and match Speaking 15 minutes
matching prompts to the correct You do the Speaking test with one other candidate. There
sections. are two examiners, but one of them does not take part in the
7 Gapped text 6 Read a text with six conversation.
paragraphs removed.
There are seven Part Task type Minutes Format
paragraphs to choose 1 The 2 Talk about yourself.
from. examiner
8 Multiple 10 Read one or more texts. asks you
matching Match prompts to questions.
elements in the texts. 2 Talk on your 4 Talk about two pictures and
own for one then comment on the other
Writing 90 minutes minute. candidate’s pictures for
You have to do Part 1 plus one of the Part 2 tasks. In Part 2 you about 30 seconds.
can choose one of questions 2–4. 3 Talk to your 4 A two-minute discussion.
Part Task Words Format partner. You then have a minute to
type make a decision.
1 discursive 220–260 Write in response to two 4 Discuss 5 A discussion led by the
essay points given in an input text. topics examiner.
Give reasons for your opinion. connected
with the
2 letter / 220–260 Choose one from three tasks
theme of
email, based on a given context and
Part 3.
proposal, topic, with a clear purpose and
report or target reader.
review

exam overview 7