About CAE CAE is the fourth level in the Cambridge ESOL five-level series of examinations and is designed to offer an advanced qualification, suitable for those who want to use English for professional or study purposes. The CAE examination can also serve as a useful step in the development of the language skills necessary for the CPE examination.

The CAE examination can be used as proof of the language level necessary to work at managerial or professional level or to follow a course of study at university. CAE is recognised by most British universities for English language entrance requirements. Cambridge Level Five Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Cambridge Level Four Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) Cambridge Level Three First Certificate in English (FCE) Cambridge Level Two Preliminary English Test (PET) Cambridge Level One Key English Test (KET)

In CAE there are five Papers as shown below: Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes) Reading 4 parts 40 marks Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes) Writing 2 parts 40 marks Paper 3 (1 hour) Use of English 5 parts 40 marks Paper 4 (approximately 40 minutes) Listening 4 parts 40 marks Paper 5 (approximately 15 minutes) Speaking 4 parts 40 marks TOTAL 200 marks

PAPER 1 READING (1 hour and 15 minutes) This paper has four parts with 34 questions drawn from reading texts which contain about 3,000 words in total. Part 1: Three themed texts with 2 multiple-choice questions on each text. Test focus: detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, attitude, text, organisation features, etc. Part 2: A gapped text with 6 missing paragraphs. Test focus: text structure, cohesion and coherence. Part 3: A text followed by 7 four-option multiple-choice questions. Test focus: detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, amplification, attitude, text organisation features Part 4: A text preceded by 15 multiple-matching questions. Test focus: specific information, detail, opinion and attitude.

PAPER 2 WRITING (1 hour 30 minutes) This paper has two parts. Part 1 requires 180-220 words and Part 2 requires 220-260 words. Part 1 One compulsory task based on given input. Test focus: may include evaluating, expressing opinions, hypothesising, justifying, comparing, recommending, supporting, etc. Tasks will always include an element of persuasion. Part 2 One task from a choice of four. Question 5 is always based on set texts. Test focus: comparing, giving opinions, persuading, justifying, giving advice, describing, evaluating, hypothesising, judging priorities (2 or more of these as specified in task)

PAPER 3 USE OF ENGLISH (1 hour) This paper has five parts with a total of 50 questions. Part 1 A multiple-choice doze of approximately 200 words containing 12 gaps and followed by 12 four-option multiple-choice answers. Test focus: lexico -grammatical / lexical items. Part 2 A modified open doze of approximately 200 words containing 15 gaps. Test focus: grammatical / lexico – grammatical items. Part 3 One text of up to 130 words each. Words must be formed to complete 10 gaps using the given prompt words. Test focus: lexical / lexico – grammatical items. Part 4 Five sets of 3 sentences with gaps to be completed with the same word. Test focus: lexical items. Part 5 Eight key word transformation sentences. Test focus: lexical and grammatical items.

PAPER 4 LISTENING (Approximately 40 minutes) This paper has four parts with 30 questions. All parts are heard twice. Part 1 Three short unrelated exchanges with two multiple-choice questions for each. Test focus: feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, function, agreement, gist, etc. Part 2 A monologue with 8 sentence completion questions. Test focus: specific information, stated opinion Part 3 A conversation between 2 or more speakers with 6 multiple choice questions. Test focus: altitude and opinion Part 4 A series of five short extracts with two multiple matching tasks. Test focus: gist, attitude, main points, interpreting context

PAPER 5 SPEAKING (Approximately 15 minutes) This paper contains four parts, and is taken by the candidates in pairs with two examiners present. One of the examiners acts as Interlocutor and the other one as Assessor. Part 1 A conversation between the Interlocutor and each candidate. Test focus: general interactional and social language Part 2 Individual 1 minute 'long turn' for each candidate with brief 30 second response from 2nd candidate. Each candidate is given 3 visual stimuli with questions. Test focus: organising a larger unit of discourse, comparing, describing, expressing opinions, speculating.

PAPER 5 SPEAKING (Approximately 15 minutes) Part 3 Two-way conversation between the candidates. The candidates are given spoken instructions with written and visual stimuli, which are used in a decision-making task. Test focus: exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc. Part 4 A conversation between the candidates and the Interlocutor related to the topic introduced in Part 3. Test focus: expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and or disagreeing