Paper / Timing

Parts

Paper 1

READING AND USE OF ENGLISH

1 hour 15 minutes

7 parts

Paper 2

WRITING

1 hour 20 minutes

2 parts

Paper 3

LISTENING

Approx. 40 minutes

4 parts

Paper 4

SPEAKING

14 minutes per pair of candidates

4 parts

Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)

CONTENT: A text in which there are 8 gaps with some missing words. There are four possible answers for each gap and you have to choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Vocabulary – words with similar meanings, collocations, linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc.

Part 2

(Open cloze)

CONTENT: A text in which there are some missing words (8 gaps). You have to find the correct word for each gap.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Grammar and vocabulary words (relative pronouns, articles, prepositions, etc.).

Part 3

(Word formation)

CONTENT: A text containing 8 gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the line, there is a ‘prompt’ word which you have to change in some way to complete the sentence correctly.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Vocabulary – word building: the different words which you can make from a ‘stem’ word, e.g. ‘compete’ becomes ‘competition’, ‘competitor’, ‘competitive’...

Part 4

(Key word transformation)

CONTENT: Six sentences followed by a key word and a second sentence to be completed in two to five words. You have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Grammar and vocabulary – rewriting sentences with different words so that they mean the same thing.

Part 5

(Multiple choice)

CONTENT: A text followed by six multiple-choice questions. Each question has four options (A, B, C or D) and you have to decide which is the correct answer.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: How to understand the details of a text, including opinions and attitudes.

Part 6

(Gapped text)

CONTENT: A text from which 6 sentences have been removed and placed in jumbled order after the text. You have to choose the correct sentence for each gap.

EXAM TECHNIQUE:  How to understand the structure and follow the development of a text.

Part 7

(Multiple matching)

CONTENT: 10 questions and a long text or several short texts to read. For each question, you have to decide which text or part of the text mentions some specific information.

EXAM TECHNIQUE:  How to find specific information in a text or texts.

Part 1

(one COMPULSORY task)

CONTENTS: Writing an essay.

EXAM TECHNIQUE:  Focusing on agreeing or disagreeing with a statement, giving information, opinion and reasons, comparing and contrasting ideas or drawing to a conclusion.

WRITE BETWEEN 140–190 words.

Part 2

(one task to be selected from a choice of three)

CONTENT: A choice of three questions. Among these, you may find: an article, an informal email or letter, a formal email or letter, a report, a review.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Writing different types of text: articles, letters, reports or reviews. Depending on the question, you will have to advise, compare, describe, explain, express opinions, justify and/or recommend something.

WRITE BETWEEN 140–190 words.

Part 1

(Multiple choice)

CONTENT: Eight series of short, unrelated recordings of approximately 30 seconds each. You have to listen to the recordings and answer one multiple-choice question for each. Each question has three options (A, B or C).

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Listening for general meaning (gist), detail, function, purpose, attitude, opinion, relationship, topic, place, situation, genre, agreement, etc.

Part 2

(Sentence completion)

CONTENT: A monologue (one person speaking) lasting 3-4 minutes. You have to complete 10 sentences with information heard on the recording.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Listening for detail, specific information, stated opinion.

Part 3

(Multiple matching)

CONTENT: Five short related monologues of approximately 30 seconds each. You have to listen to the recordings and choose which statement best matches what each speaker says (selecting the correct options from a list of eight).

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Listening for general gist, detail, function, purpose, attitude, opinion, relationship, topic, place, situation, genre, agreement, etc.

Part 4

(Multiple choice)

CONTENT: An interview or exchange between two speakers lasting 3-4 minutes. You have to listen to the recording and answer seven multiple-choice questions. Each multiple-choice question has three options (A, B or C).

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Listening for opinion, attitude, gist, main idea, specific information.

Part 1

(Interview)

CONTENT: Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and you may have to give information about yourself, talk about past experiences, present circumstances and future plans.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Giving information about yourself and expressing your opinion about various topics.

TIMING: 2 minutes.

Part 2

(Long turn)

CONTENT: The examiner gives you a pair of photographs to talk about and you have to speak for 1 minute without interruption. When you have finished speaking, your partner has to answer a short question from the examiner about your photographs. Then, the other way round.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Talking on your own about something: comparing, describing, expressing opinions.

TIMING: 4 minutes (reading the instructions + a 1-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate + a 30-second response from the second candidate).

Part 3 (Collaborative task)

CONTENT: Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives you spoken instructions with written stimuli and a decision-making task to do. You have to talk with the other candidate and make a decision.

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.

TIMING: 4 minutes.

Part 4 (Discussion)

CONTENT: A discussion on topics related to the collaborative task (spoken questions).

EXAM TECHNIQUE: Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.

TIMING: 4 minutes.