Certificate of
Proficiency in
English
Handbook for teachers
© UCLES 2008
EMC/2318/8Y12
CPE content and overview
Part/timing
1
READING
1 hour 30 mins
2
WRITING
2 hours
Content
Part 1
Three short texts with six four-option
multiple-choice cloze questions on each.
Part 2
Four short texts with two four-option
multiple-choice questions on each.
Part 3
Gapped text with seven questions.
Part 4
Long text with seven four-option
multiple-choice questions.
Part 1
One compulsory question.
Part 2
Candidates answer one question from a
choice of four questions (including the
set text option).
Part 1
Modified open cloze with fifteen questions.
Part 2
One short text with ten word formation
questions.
Part 3
Six sets of three gapped sentences
Part 4
Eight key word transformations.
Part 5
Two texts with four questions and a
summary writing task.
Part 1
Four short extracts with two three-option
multiple-choice questions on each.
Part 2
One long text with nine sentence completion questions.
Part 3
One long text with five four-option multiplechoice questions.
Part 4
One long text with six matching questions.
Part 1
Interview
Part 2
Collaborative task
Part 3
Individual long turns and follow-up discussion.
3
USE OF ENGLISH
1 hour 30 mins
4
LISTENING
40 mins (approx)
5
SPEAKING
19 mins
Test focus
Assessment of candidates’ ability to understand
the meaning of written English at word, phrase,
sentence, paragraph and whole text level.
Assessment of candidates’ ability to write specified
text types with a range of functions.
Assessment of candidates’ ability to demonstrate
knowledge and control of the language system by
completing various tasks at text and sentence level.
Assessment of candidates’ ability to understand
the meaning of spoken English, to extract information from a text and to understand speakers’ attitudes and opinions.
Assessment of candidates’ ability to produce spoken English using a range of functions in a variety
of tasks.
Preface
This handbook is for anyone who is preparing candidates for the Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in
English examination (CPE). The introduction gives an overview of CPE and its place within Cambridge ESOL. This is
followed by a focus on each paper and includes content, advice on preparation and example papers.
If you require additional CDs or further copies of this booklet, please email: ESOLinfo@CambridgeESOL.org
Contents
Inside front cover
CPE content and overview
OVERVIEW OF CPE
2
University of Cambridge ESOL
Examinations
2
Key features of Cambridge ESOL
examinations
INTRODUCTION TO
CAMBRIDGE ESOL
2
Content of CPE
3
Official accreditation in the UK
3
The level of CPE
3
The CPE candidature
3
Varieties of English
4
Marks and results
EXAMINATION CONTENT
AND PROCESSING
3
Recognition
5
Special circumstances
5
Course materials
6
Seminars for teachers
5
Past papers and examination reports
6
Administrative information
5
Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE
6
Further information
5
Online support
7
General description
9
Preparation
7
Structure and tasks
12 Sample paper
8
The four parts of the Reading paper
17 Answer keys and answer sheet
CPE SUPPORT
11
READING PAPER
18 General description
21 Task types in the CPE Writing paper
18 Structure and tasks
23 Sample paper
19 The two parts of the Writing paper
25 Assessment
20 Preparation
28 Sample scripts with examiner
comments
35 General description
44 Answer keys and mark scheme
35 Structure and tasks
45 Assessment of summary writing task
36 The five parts of the Use of English
paper
46 Answer Sheet 1
37 Preparation
40 Sample paper
48 Sample scripts with examiner
comments
50 General description
53 Sample paper
50 Structure and tasks
56 Sample tapescript
51 The four parts of the Listening paper
60 Answer keys
51 Preparation
61 Answer sheet
62 General description
64 Preparation
62 Structure and tasks
66 Sample paper
63 The three parts of the Speaking test
69 Assessment
12
WRITING PAPER
3
USE OF ENGLISH PAPER
47 Answer Sheet 2
4
LISTENING PAPER
5
SPEAKING TEST
71 Glossary of terms and acronyms
GLOSSARY
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | co nte nts
1
Introduction to Cambridge
ESOL
learned, and which cover the four language skills – reading,
writing, listening and speaking – as well as knowledge of
language structure and use
• to provide accurate and consistent assessment of each
■ University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL)
language skill at the appropriate level
• to relate the examinations to the teaching curriculum in
is a part of the Cambridge Assessment Group*, which is a
such a way that they encourage positive learning
department of the University of Cambridge. It has a tradition
experiences, and to seek to achieve a positive impact
of language assessment dating back to 1913, and is one of the
wherever possible
world’s largest educational assessment agencies. Cambridge
• to endeavour to be fair to all candidates, whatever their
ESOL offers an extensive range of examinations, certificates
national, ethnic and linguistic background, gender or
and diplomas for learners and teachers of English. In 2006,
disability.
over 2 million people took these examinations at centres in
over 130 countries.
Cambridge ESOL’s systems and processes for designing,
developing and delivering examinations and assessment
services are certified as meeting the internationally
recognised ISO9001:2000 standard for quality management.
Cambridge ESOL examinations are designed around four
essential qualities: validity, reliability, impact and practicality.
Validity is normally taken to be the extent to which a test can
be shown to produce scores which are an accurate reflection
of the candidate’s true level of language skills. Reliability
concerns the extent to which test results are stable, consistent
Cambridge ESOL examinations are suitable for learners of all
and accurate, and therefore the extent to which they can be
nationalities, whatever their first language and cultural
depended on for making decisions about the candidate.
background, and there are examinations suitable for learners
Impact concerns the effects, beneficial or otherwise, which an
of almost any age. Although they are designed for native
examination has on the candidates and other users, whether
speakers of languages other than English, no language related
these are educational, social, economic or political, or various
restrictions apply. The range of Cambridge ESOL examinations
combinations of these. Practicality can be defined as the
includes specialist examinations in Business English and
extent to which an examination is practicable in terms of the
English for Academic Purposes, as well as tests for young
resources needed to produce and administer it. All these
learners and a suite of certificates and diplomas for language
factors underpin the development and production of
teachers.
Cambridge ESOL examinations.
The examinations cover all four language skills – reading,
writing, listening and speaking. They include a range of tasks
which assess candidates’ ability to use English, so that in
preparing for the examinations, candidates develop the
Examination content and
processing
skills they need to make practical use of the language in a
variety of contexts. Above all, what the Cambridge ESOL
The Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) was first
examinations assess is the ability to communicate effectively
introduced in 1913. Since that time it has been regularly
in English.
revised and updated to bring it into line with current
Cambridge ESOL is committed to providing examinations of
the highest possible quality. This commitment is underpinned
thinking in language teaching, applied linguistics and
language testing theory and practice.
by an extensive programme of research and evaluation, and by
The current version of CPE was introduced in December 2002.
continuous monitoring of the marking and grading of all
■ Content of CPE
Cambridge ESOL examinations. Of particular importance is the
rigorous set of procedures which are used in the production
Cambridge ESOL examinations reflect a view of language
and pretesting of question papers.
proficiency in terms of a language user’s overall
communicative ability; at the same time, for the purposes of
■ Key features of Cambridge ESOL examinations
Cambridge ESOL undertakes:
• to assess language skills at a range of levels, each of them
practical language assessment, the notion of overall ability is
subdivided into different skills and subskills. This ‘skills and
components’ view is well established in the language research
and teaching literature.
having a clearly defined relevance to the needs of language
learners
• to assess skills which are directly relevant to the range of
uses for which learners will need the language they have
Four main skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are
recognised, and each of these is assessed in a test component
of the same name. Reading and listening are multidimensional skills involving the interaction of the
reader/listener’s mental processing capacities with their
*Cambridge Assessment is the operating name for the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).
2
language and content knowledge; further interaction takes
place between the reader/listener and the external features of
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | i ntr o d uc t i o n to c a m b r i d g e e s o l
the text and task. Purpose and context for reading/listening
shape these interactions and this is reflected in the CPE
Reading and Listening components through the use of
different text and task types which link to a relevant target
language use context beyond the test.
Writing ability is also regarded as a linguistic, cognitive, social
What a CPE candidate can do
Examinations at Level C2 may be used as proof of the level of
language necessary to work at a managerial or professional
level or follow a course of academic study at university level.
The ALTE ‘Can Do’ Project
and cultural phenomenon that takes place in a specific
context and for a particular purpose. Like Reading and
The Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) has
Listening, CPE Writing involves a series of complex
developed a framework which covers five levels of language
interactions between the task and the writers, who are
proficiency aligned to the Council of Europe Common
required to draw on different aspects of their knowledge and
European Framework of Reference for Languages. (See Table 1.)
experience to produce a written performance for evaluation.
Table 1
Like Writing, Speaking involves multiple competencies
Cambridge Main Suite
ALTE levels
CEF levels
including vocabulary and grammatical knowledge,
Certificate of Proficiency in English
Certificate in Advanced English
First Certificate in English
Preliminary English Test
Key English Test
5
4
3
2
1
C2
C1
B2
B1
A2
phonological control, knowledge of discourse, and pragmatic
awareness, which are partially distinct from their equivalents
in the written language. Since speaking generally involves
reciprocal oral interaction with others, Speaking in CPE is
assessed directly, through a face-to-face encounter between
Research carried out by ALTE has shown what language
candidates and examiners.
learners can typically do at each level. Table 2 (overleaf) gives
A fifth test component in CPE (Use of English) focuses on the
language knowledge structures or system(s) that underpin a
some examples at CPE level of typical general ability plus
ability in each of the skill areas and in a range of contexts.
user’s communicative language ability in the written medium;
these are sometimes referred to as ‘enabling’ (sub)skills and
include knowledge of vocabulary, morphology, syntax,
■ Varieties of English
Candidates’ responses to tasks in the Cambridge ESOL
punctuation, and discourse structure.
examinations are acceptable in varieties of English which
Each of these five test components in CPE provides a unique
contribution to a profile of overall communicative language
ability that defines what a candidate can do at this level.
would enable candidates to function in the widest range of
international contexts. Candidates are expected to use a
particular variety with some degree of consistency in
areas such as spelling, and not for example switch from
■ The level of CPE
using a British spelling of a word to an American spelling
CPE is designed to offer a high-level qualification in the
of the same word in the same written response to a given
language to those wishing to use English for professional or
task.
study purposes. The CPE examination contains some tasks
which are likely to be more suitable in content for candidates
who have achieved a certain degree of maturity in their
handling of abstract ideas and concepts.
■ Recognition
CPE is recognised as fulfilling English language entrance
requirements by many higher education institutions and
CPE is at Level C2 of the Common European Framework, and a
corporate bodies across the world. More information
description of this level is given below in terms of:
about recognition is available from centres, British
Council offices, Cambridge ESOL and from
• what material learners can deal with
www.CambridgeESOL.org
• what learners can be expected to be able to do.
The type of material a CPE candidate can deal with
At this level the learner is approaching the linguistic
competence of an educated native speaker, and is able to use
the language in a range of culturally appropriate ways. Users
at this level are able to improve their use of the language by
extending their vocabulary and refining their usage and
command of style and register rather than by learning about
new areas of grammar. Their level of competence gives them
access to the press and other media, and to areas of culture
■ Official accreditation in the UK
CPE has been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum
Authority (QCA), the statutory regulatory authority for external
qualifications in England and its counterparts in Wales and
Northern Ireland, at Level 3 in the National Qualifications
Framework, under the title ‘Cambridge ESOL Level 3 Certificate
in ESOL International’.
■ The CPE candidature
such as drama, film and literature. Success in examinations at
Information is collected about the CPE candidates at each
this level may be seen as proof that the learner is able to cope
session, when candidates fill in a Candidate Information
with high-level academic work.
Sheet. The candidates for CPE come from a wide range of
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Table 2
‘Can Do’ summary
Typical abilities
Listening and Speaking
Reading and Writing
Overall general
ability
CAN advise on or talk about complex or sensitive issues,
understanding colloquial references and dealing
confidently with hostile questions.
CAN understand documents, correspondence and reports,
including the finer points of complex texts.
CAN write letters on any subject and full notes of meetings or
seminars with good expression and accuracy.
Social & Tourist
CAN talk about complex or sensitive issues
without awkwardness.
CAN (for example, when looking for accommodation)
understand a tenancy agreement in detail, including
its main implications.
CAN write letters on any subject with good
expression and accuracy.
Work
CAN advise on/handle complex, delicate or
contentious issues, such as legal or financial
matters, to the extent that he/she has the
necessary specialist knowledge.
CAN understand reports and articles likely to be encountered
during his/her work, including complex ideas expressed
in complex language.
CAN make full and accurate notes and continue to
participate in a meeting or seminar.
Study
CAN understand colloquial asides and cultural
allusions.
CAN access all sources of information quickly
and reliably.
CAN make accurate and complete notes during the
course of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
backgrounds and take the examination for a number of
• Reasons for taking CPE
different reasons. The following points summarise the
Candidates’ reasons for wanting an English language
characteristics of the current CPE candidature.
qualification are roughly distributed as follows:
• Nationality
– for study (36%)
CPE is taken by candidates throughout the world in about
90 countries, although the total number of nationalities
– for work (46%)
– other (18%).
represented in the candidature is over 170. The majority of
these candidates enter for CPE in European and South
American countries. Many candidates also take the
examination in the UK.
• Age and Gender
The majority of candidates are aged between 16 and 24.
About 61% of the candidates are female.
• Education
Most candidates are students, although there are
considerable differences in the proportion of students in
different countries.
• Preparation
A large proportion of candidates (about 80%) undertake a
preparatory course before taking the examination.
■ Marks and results
• A candidate’s overall CPE grade is based on the total score
gained by the candidate in all five papers. It is not
necessary to achieve a satisfactory level in all five papers in
order to pass the examination.
• All the papers are equally weighted, each contributing
40 marks to the examination’s overall total of 200
marks.
• Results are reported as three passing grades (A, B and C)
and two failing grades (D and E) and are set according to
the following information:
– statistics on the candidature
– statistics on the overall candidate performance
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c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | e x a m i n at i o n co nte nt a n d p r o ce s s i n g
– statistics on individual items, for those parts of the
examination regulations in some other way. Results may be
examination for which this is appropriate (Papers 1, 3
withheld because further investigation is needed or
and 4)
because of infringement of regulations. Centres are notified
– advice, based on the performance of candidates and
if a candidate’s results have been investigated.
recommendations of examiners, where this is relevant
(Papers 2 and 5)
– comparison with statistics from previous years’
examination performance and candidature.
• Candidates are issued with statements of results
CPE support
■ Course materials
approximately two months after the examination has been
A number of coursebooks and practice materials are available
taken. These include the grades awarded, a graphical
from publishers. A list of UK publishers which produce material
display of the candidate’s performance in each paper
related to the examinations is available from Cambridge ESOL
(shown against the scale Exceptional – Good – Borderline –
Information and is on the Cambridge ESOL website. CPE
Weak), and a standardised score out of 100 (which is
requires an all-round language ability and this should be borne
converted from the aggregate mark of 200). This score
in mind when selecting course materials. Most coursebooks will
allows candidates to see exactly how they performed. It has
need to be supplemented; care should be taken to ensure that
set values for each grade, allowing comparison across
coursebooks and practice materials which have been selected
sessions of the examination:
accurately reflect the content and format of the examination.
Grade A = 80–100 marks
Grade B = 75–79 marks
Grade C = 60–74 marks
Grade D = 55–59 marks
Grade E = 54 marks or below.
N.B. Cambridge ESOL does not undertake to advise on textbooks or
courses of study.
■ Past papers and examination reports
Cambridge ESOL produces past examination papers, which
This means that the score a candidate needs to achieve
can be used for practice, and examination reports, which
a passing grade will always be 60.
provide a general view of how candidates performed overall
• Certificates are issued to candidates gaining a passing
grade (A, B or C) approximately six weeks after the issue of
statements of results.
• Certificates are not issued to candidates awarded the failing
grades D and E.
■ Special circumstances
and on each paper and offer guidance on the preparation of
candidates. Details of how you can order past papers and
examination reports, and a downloadable order form, are
available from:
www.CambridgeESOL.org/resources/past-papers.html
www.CambridgeESOL.org/resources/teacher/cpe.html
The sample question papers included in this handbook have
been produced to reflect the format of the examination.
Special circumstances covers three main areas: special
arrangements, special consideration and malpractice.
• Special arrangements:
These are available for candidates with a permanent or
However, candidates are strongly advised not to concentrate
unduly on working through practice tests and examinations as
this will not by itself make them more proficient in the
different skills.
long-term disability, such as a visual or hearing difficulty, or
a temporary difficulty such as a broken hand, or ear
infection affecting a candidate’s ability to hear clearly. They
may include extra time, separate accommodation or
equipment, Braille transcription, etc. Consult the
■ Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE
The Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE is a
comprehensive teacher resource pack designed to help
teachers who are preparing students for the CPE Speaking test.
Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager in your area for
more details as soon as possible.
Written by experienced examiners, it provides clear
explanations of what each of the three parts of the Speaking
• Special consideration:
Cambridge ESOL will give special consideration to candidates
affected by adverse circumstances immediately before or
test involves. The step-by-step guidance and practical
exercises help your students perform with confidence on the
day of the test.
during an examination. Special consideration can be given
where an application is sent through the centre and is made
See inside back cover for more information and how to buy.
within 10 working days of the examination date. Examples of
acceptable reasons for giving special consideration are in
cases of illness or other unexpected events.
• Malpractice:
Cambridge ESOL will consider cases where candidates
■ Online support
Cambridge ESOL provides an online resource for teachers,
designed to help them understand the examinations better
and to prepare candidates more effectively.
are suspected of copying, collusion or breaking the
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | cp e s u p p o rt
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The Teaching Resources website can be found at
www.CambridgeESOL.org/teach
In some countries, a dedicated Cambridge ESOL website is
available. These websites can be found at
www.CambridgeESOL.(initials for country), e.g.
■ Administrative information
The CPE examination is offered twice a year in June and
December.
Candidates must enter through a recognised centre.
www.CambridgeESOL.gr (Greece)
www.CambridgeESOL.ch (Switzerland).
■ Further information
■ Seminars for teachers
General information about the examination, including details
Cambridge ESOL offers a wide range of seminars designed
Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager in your area.
for teachers concerned with the examinations; some are
also suitable as introductions for administrators, school
directors, etc. Some seminars are intended to provide
information and support for teachers who are familiar with
the examinations, and others can be used to introduce
of entry procedure and current fees can be obtained from the
Further information about this and other Cambridge ESOL
examinations can be found on the Cambridge ESOL website by
clicking on the appropriate examination in:
www.cambridgeesol.org/exams
teachers to established examinations and also to new or
Copies of the Regulations can be found in:
revised examinations. Contact Cambridge ESOL Information
www.cambridgeesol.org/regulations
for further details.
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PAPER 1
READING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
STRUCTURE AND TASKS
Paper format
PART 1
The paper contains nine texts
with accompanying
vocabulary and
comprehension tasks.
Timing
1 hour 30 minutes.
No. of parts
4.
No. of questions
40.
Task types
Lexical cloze, gapped text,
multiple choice.
Text types
From the following: books
(fiction and non-fiction); nonspecialist articles from
journals, magazines and
newspapers; promotional and
informational materials (e.g.
advertisements, guide books,
manuals).
Length of texts
Approximately 3,000 words in
total.
Answer format
For all parts of this paper,
candidates indicate their
answers by shading the correct
lozenges on an answer sheet.
Marks
Part 1 – each correct answer
receives 1 mark.
Parts 2, 3 and 4 – each correct
answer receives 2 marks. The
total score is then weighted to
a maximum of 40 marks for
the whole paper.
Task type
and focus
Multiple-choice lexical cloze.
Idioms, collocations, fixed phrases,
complementation, phrasal verbs, semantic
precision.
Format
Three unrelated texts from a range of sources,
each with six gaps. Candidates must choose
one word or phrase from a set of four to fill
each gap.
No. of Qs
18.
PART 2
Task type
and focus
Multiple choice.
Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea,
implication, text organisation features
(exemplification, comparison, reference).
Format
Four texts on one theme from a range of sources,
each followed by two four-option multiple-choice
questions.
No. of Qs
8.
PART 3
Task type
and focus
Gapped text.
Cohesion, coherence, text structure, global
meaning.
Format
A text from which paragraphs have been removed
and placed in jumbled order after the text.
Candidates must decide from where in the text
the paragraphs have been removed.
No. of Qs
7.
PART 4
Task type
and focus
Multiple choice.
Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea,
implication, text organisation features
(exemplification, comparison, reference).
Format
A text followed by four-option multiple-choice
questions.
No. of Qs
7.
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The four parts of the
Reading paper
aware of the thematic link between the texts should help
candidates in moving from one text to the next.
Two multiple-choice questions appear after the text. Some
questions focus on specific sections of the text and test
understanding of detail, while others may test the writer’s
■ PART 1 – LEXICAL CLOZE
purpose, understanding of text organisation or global
understanding of the text. Questions focusing on detail are
This part tests the candidates’ control and range of vocabulary.
presented in the same order as the information in the text. If a
text has a question with a global focus, this will be the second
Sample task and answer key: pages 12 and 17.
in the pair. The questions can be answered correctly only by
referring closely to the text.
Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
Candidates should select one option for each question and
mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on
This task requires candidates to select from four options the
the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have
correct word or phrase to fit in each of six gaps in a text.
made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their
This involves choosing the answer that correctly fits the
answers to the answer sheet.
meaning within a phrase or sentence, and candidates may
also have to take into account the broader context of the
■ PART 3 – GAPPED TEXT
previous or following sentences or the whole text. The texts
are from a variety of sources and may be formal, neutral or
informal in style. Each text has a title. There is no example
answer.
Some items focus on the meaning of individual words; this
may involve choosing, e.g. ‘leaking’ rather than ‘pouring’,
‘spilling’ or ‘flowing’ to fill the gap in: ‘The roof of our tent
was … ’. In other cases candidates need to be aware of how
This part tests candidates’ understanding of text structure and their
ability to follow text development.
Sample task and answer key: pages 15 and 17.
Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks.
the word is used in context; this may involve, e.g. choosing
The task requires candidates to select from eight options the
‘interested’ rather than ‘keen’, ‘eager’ or ‘enthusiastic’ to fill
correct extract to fit in each of seven gaps in a text. There is only
the gap in: ‘You may be … in applying for this job’. In this
one correct answer for each gap. There is no example answer.
example, ‘keen’ is wrong not because it has the wrong
meaning but because it does not fit in with the grammar of
the sentence. This part of the paper also tests fixed phrases,
idioms and collocations such as ‘to pay attention to’ and ‘to
take no notice of’ as well as phrasal verbs, and linkers such as
‘in case’, ‘as long as’ , ‘even if’ and ‘while’.
The task consists of a gapped text followed by the extracts from
the text and one further extract which does not fit in any of the
gaps. The text has a title and may also have a sub-heading.
Candidates need to read the gapped text first in order to gain an
overall idea of the structure and meaning of the text, noticing
carefully the information and ideas before and after each gap as
Candidates should select one option for each question and
well as their development throughout the whole of the gapped
mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on
text. They should then decide which extract fits each gap, and
the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have
write the appropriate letter in each gap. They should remember
made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their
that each letter may only be used once and that there is one
answers to the answer sheet.
extract that they will not need to use. When they have made
their selection and checked each choice carefully, they should
■ PART 2 – MULTIPLE CHOICE (SHORT THEMED TEXTS)
This part tests candidates’ detailed understanding of a range of
texts, including the purpose, main idea and organisation of the texts
and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them.
Sample task and answer key: pages 13 and 17.
Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 2 marks.
Part 2 consists of four short texts, with two multiple-choice
questions on each. Each text has a title. The texts come from a
transfer their answers to the answer sheet.
■ PART 4 – MULTIPLE CHOICE (LONG TEXT)
This part tests candidates’ detailed understanding of a long text,
including its purpose and organisation and the opinions and
attitudes expressed in it.
Sample task and answer key: pages 16 and 17.
Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 2 marks.
range of sources and may vary in style, but they share a broad
Part 4 consists of one longer text followed by seven multiple-
theme which is given in the rubric at the beginning. Being
choice questions which test detailed understanding of the
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text, including opinions and attitudes expressed in it. The text
fixed phrases, and features of lexico-grammar such as
has a title and may also have a subheading. Candidates need
dependent prepositions. However, students should also be
to read the text closely in order to distinguish between, for
aware of alternative techniques for coping with unfamiliar
example, apparently similar viewpoints, outcomes or reasons.
vocabulary, such as the use of contextual clues.
The questions are presented in the same order as the
information in the text and the final question may depend on
interpretation of the text as a whole, e.g. the writer’s purpose,
attitude or opinion.
■ It is important that students are familiar with the format
of the Reading paper, including the instructions on the front
page of the question paper and the rubrics for each part of
the test, as well as the different task types. They should be
Candidates should select one option for each question and
aware of the need to allow sufficient time for each part of the
mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on
paper.
the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have
made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their
answers to the answer sheet.
■ Students should also be familiar with the technique of
indicating their answers on the separate answer sheet so that
they can do this quickly and accurately. (They may write on
the question paper during the examination, but their notes
Preparation
will not be marked.) Some students prefer to transfer their
answers at the end of each task rather than wait until they
have completed the whole paper. Answers must be marked by
General
filling in lozenges on the answer sheet in pencil. This must be
■ Exposure to, and engagement with, a substantial and varied
The answer sheets are scanned by an Optical Mark Reader. If a
range of written English is essential preparation for the
question is left blank, or if a candidate fills in more than one
Reading paper. The students who are most successful in CPE
lozenge for a question, the answer sheet is rejected and
are likely to be those for whom reading in English is a leisure
checked manually.
done within the time allowed for the Reading paper (11⁄2 hours).
activity as well as an educational requirement. Students
should be encouraged to read extensively outside the
classroom. This will enable them to become familiar with
a wide range of language and will also be helpful when they
are working on the longer texts in Parts 3 and 4. The Reading
paper includes a range of text types, so students should aim to
read a variety of authentic texts including modern fiction,
short stories, and articles from newspapers and magazines.
The internet now provides access to news and feature articles
from the press of Britain and other English-speaking
countries, as well as journal articles and promotional and
informational materials. Students should be able to follow
their own interests while reading outside the classroom.
Extensive reading can be supported by asking students to
provide verbal or written feedback on their reading, or by
using it as the basis for classroom discussion, as well as by
encouraging students to share texts and information on good
text sources between themselves.
■ In class, students should consider the relationship between
text type, purpose, organisation and language when using
coursebooks and practice materials. As well as practising
intensive reading skills focusing on detail, students should be
encouraged to discuss the main points of longer texts,
concentrating on overall understanding and progression of
ideas within the argument or narrative. Students should be
aware of the different reading strategies required by different
types of question, and it is also useful for them to experiment
with alternative ways of dealing with texts so that they can
decide which ones suit them best.
■ Regular and effective use of an advanced monolingual
English dictionary is essential, not only to clarify the meaning
of new words but also to extend knowledge of collocations,
By part
■ PART 1
■ Students should be aware of the different aspects of
vocabulary tested in this part of the paper. They should read
through each text carefully, not forgetting the title, to get a
general idea of the text type and meaning before looking at
the options. They could also be encouraged to think about the
possible forms and meanings of the gapped words at this
stage. They should be aware that the missing word(s) may
form part of an idiom, fixed phrase or collocation, so they
should always check the words around the gap carefully. The
missing word(s) must also fit the whole context of the passage
so they should also check that the completed sentence makes
sense in the passage as a whole. This is particularly important
in the case of linkers.
■ For Part 1, students need to develop their knowledge of the
form, meaning and use of lexical items. They should discuss
different methods of recording and recycling vocabulary and
be encouraged to experiment with different techniques.
Effective use of a good up-to-date monolingual dictionary is
essential, and dictionary work may be particularly useful to
check and extend knowledge of lexis extracted from reading
and listening tasks. As well as learning new words, students
should refine their knowledge of familiar lexis through
extending their knowledge of collocations, fixed phrases and
idioms.
■ A helpful preparation activity might be to give students
a short text and ask them to find examples of the different
aspects of vocabulary tested in the exam. Students could also
look at completed Part 1 tasks (retyped so that there is no
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 1 : r e a d i n g
9
indication of which words were gapped) and suggest which
opinion and attitude, or of the effect of metaphor and simile
words or phrases might be gapped, discussing what words
within a text.
might be used as distractors, then comparing this with the
actual gapped task. Students could also be given a range of
short texts from different sources (e.g. newspaper articles,
advertising material, and fiction) and encouraged to look at
the relationship between style and lexis, for example by
looking at a list of words and phrases from the texts and
predicting which might appear in each text.
■ PART 3
■ Encourage your students to read the main (base) text first
so that they gain an overall idea of the structure and
development of the theme or argument of the text, before
starting to do the task. They should pay attention to the
information and ideas before and after each gap as well as
■ A useful pre-reading activity is for the teacher to extract
throughout the whole of the gapped text. Students frequently
a number of two-word collocations from a text and separate
make the wrong choice by selecting options which fit the text
and jumble them. The students can then be asked to predict
before the gap, and neglecting to check that the text after the
the original collocations before reading the text to check.
gap follows on smoothly.
Alternatively, a number of collocations, idioms and fixed
phrases can be extracted from the text and written on the
board with one word in each gap. Students can predict the
missing words and then check with the text.
■ PART 2
■ The way in which a text has been gapped may require the
reader to consider large sections or even the organisation of
the whole of a text, in order to reconstitute a particular part
of the text. As in Part 2, it is important to discourage your
students from ‘word spotting’, that is assuming that if the
same word, name, date, etc. appears in the surrounding text
■ Students should always read the rubric, as this will give
as in one of the extracts, that is necessarily the right option to
them information about the theme of this part of the paper.
fill the gap. Students should be trained to consider the
Encourage your students to read each text carefully, thinking
development of the text as a whole, and not to focus on each
about its overall meaning and purpose, before reading the two
gap separately. Sometimes students will need to choose
questions that follow it.
carefully between two extracts as possible answers and will
■ Candidates will need to read each question very carefully,
as well as the four options, all of which may appear at first to
be likely answers.
■ When answering the questions, some students find it
useful to consider a possible answer by first looking only at
the stem and not at the options. They may then be able to
identify a possible answer in the text, which can then be
compared with the options. However, they must be aware that
it is also necessary to check each option against the evidence
of the text.
need to make decisions about which is the most logical extract
to fill the particular gap. They should not rule out an answer
for consideration on the grounds that they have already used
it, as the earlier use may be incorrect.
■ Practice is needed in recognition of a wide range of
linguistic devices which mark the logical and cohesive
development of a text, e.g. words and phrases indicating
sequence of events, cause and effect, premise and
conclusion. In class, the task can be adapted by photocopying
the text and cutting up the paragraphs, which gives students
additional visual support and allows them to compare
■ Students should not assume that an option is correct
alternatives more easily. If this activity is done in pairs or
simply because it contains a word that is also in the text. They
groups, students will also be encouraged to justify their
need to check carefully that the meaning is the same in the
combinations and links to one another. Exercises which
text as in the question. Ask your students to check the
involve analysing the organisation of different types of texts
questions which take the form of unfinished sentences very
and understanding how this affects meaning would also be
carefully. The whole sentence has to match what is written in
helpful.
the text, not just the phrase in the option A, B, C or D.
■ Candidates should beware of approaching the gapped-text
■ This part of the paper shows the greatest variety in terms of
task as an exercise requiring them merely to identify extracts
source, point of view, style and purpose. Students should
from the text and sections in the text which contain the same
therefore familiarise themselves with a wide range of
words. The task is designed to test understanding of the
registers, topics and lexical fields. They should also be aware
development of ideas, opinions and events rather than the
of the different reading skills involved in Parts 2 and 4, such as
superficial recognition of individual words.
understanding opinion, attitude, purpose and implication, as
well as text organisation features and lexical and grammatical
references and linking words.
■ PART 4
■ Preparation for the multiple-choice task should include
■ Activities which focus on recognising and evaluating
practice in reading a text quickly for a first overall impression,
attitude and opinion and which enhance students’ abilities to
followed by close reading of the text in order to prevent any
infer underlying meaning will be helpful in preparation for
misunderstandings which may lead students to choose
both Part 2 and Part 4. For example, students could look at
a wrong answer. As with Part 2, they must be aware of the
ways in which the writer’s choice of vocabulary reveals
need to check each option against the evidence of the text.
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c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 1 : r e a d i n g
They will therefore need practice in skimming a text quickly to
get a general idea of its meaning, as well as scanning to find
the information needed to check options.
■ It may be useful to discuss which aspect of reading each
question is focusing on (e.g. detail, inference or organisation).
As with Part 2, activities which focus on recognising and
evaluating attitude and opinion and inferring underlying
meaning will be helpful. Students can also be encouraged to
identify similar features in texts of their own choice, and to
work in groups to prepare questions (not necessarily multiplechoice) focusing on these features.
■ Part 4 texts often contain complex ideas, and in the
classroom students should be encouraged to discuss these
and relate them to their own experience and world knowledge
both before and after reading.
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PAPER 1: READING
Part 1 (Questions 1–18)
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PAPER 1: READING
Part 2 (Questions 19–22)
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PAPER 1: READING
Part 2, continued (Questions 23–26)
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PAPER 1: READING
Part 3 (Questions 27–33)
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PAPER 1: READING
Part 4 (Questions 34–40)
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PAPER 1: READING
Answer keys and answer sheet
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
1
D
19
A
27
G
34
C
2
B
20
D
28
A
35
B
3
A
21
D
29
F
36
B
4
B
22
A
30
D
37
D
5
C
23
C
31
C
38
D
6
D
24
C
32
E
39
A
7
C
25
B
33
H
40
C
8
B
26
A
9
A
10
C
11
D
12
A
13
B
14
C
15
B
16
A
17
A
18
B
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 1 : R E A D I N G – a ns w e r k e ys a n d a ns w e r s h e e t
17
PAPER 2
WRITING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
STRUCTURE AND TASKS
Paper format
The paper contains two
parts.
PART 1
Timing
2 hours.
No. of parts
2.
No. of questions
Task types
Answer format
Marks
18
Task type
and focus
Candidates are required to
complete two tasks – a
compulsory one in Part 1,
and one from a choice of
five in Part 2.
QUESTION 1
Writing one of the following:
• an article
• an essay
• a letter
• a proposal.
The task focus is discursive.
Format
A range of tasks from the
following text types:
articles, essays, letters,
proposals, reports, reviews.
Each task has a given
purpose and a target reader.
Candidates are required to respond to input material
of approximately 100 words. This may include
extracts from newspapers, magazines, books, letters
or advertisements, or could be based on quotations
made by speakers during a discussion. The input text
may be supported by visual material.
No. of tasks
and length
One compulsory task.
300–350 words
Candidates write their
answers, within the grey
lines on the appropriate
page, in the question paper
booklet. Answers should be
written in pen. There are
blank pages in the question
paper booklet; these can be
used for making notes or
for completing the tasks if
necessary.
PART 2
Task type
and focus
Or:
QUESTION 5
Writing one of the following, based on reading one
from a prescribed list of two books:
• an article
• an essay
• a letter
• a report
• a review.
Each question on this paper
carries equal marks.
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 2 : w r i t i n g
Either:
QUESTIONS 2–4
Writing one of the following:
• an article
• a letter
• a proposal
• a report
• a review
Format
Contextualised writing tasks, each specified in no
more than 70 words.
No. of tasks
and length
Five tasks from which candidates choose one.
300–350 words.
The two parts of the Writing
paper
Each question on the Writing paper carries equal
marks.
■ PART 2
This part consists of four optional questions, one of which offers two
options based on the set texts. Candidates must choose one question
from this part of the paper.
■ Task format
■ Expected text length
The input for the questions in Part 2 is considerably
Candidates are asked to write 300–350 words for each answer,
shorter than in Part 1, and will not be more than 70 words
and writing approximately the right number of words is an
in length. The rubric for each question will define the
integral part of task achievement. If significantly fewer words
purpose for writing, identify the target reader and therefore
are written, this is likely to mean that the task has not been
indicate the appropriate format and register required in the
successfully completed, whereas overlong pieces of writing
answer.
may involve irrelevance, repetition of ideas, poor organisation
or have a negative effect on the target reader.
■ PART 1 – COMPULSORY TASK
This part tests the candidates’ ability to produce a specified task
type, in response to instructions and one or more texts, which may be
supported by visual prompts.
■ PART 2 – QUESTIONS 2–5
Sample questions and scripts: pages 24 and 30–34.
■ Task types and focus
In Part 2, candidates have a choice of task. The different task
Sample question and scripts: pages 23 and 28–29.
types are intended to provide the candidates with a clear
context, topic, purpose and target reader for their writing. For
questions 2–4, the task types used are article, letter, report,
■ Task type and focus
In Part 1, candidates are asked to write one of the following:
an article, an essay, a letter or a proposal. The questions in
review and proposal. The characteristics of each are detailed
on pages 20–21.
■ PART 2 – QUESTIONS 5(A) AND 5(B)
Part 1 always have a discursive focus. Discursive writing is a
style used in academic writing and it requires the high level of
Question 5 consists of a choice between two tasks based on
language competence appropriate at CPE. Candidates may be
the set reading texts. Further information can be found on:
asked, for example, to present and defend an argument, to
www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/general-english/cpe.html
express and then justify an opinion, to explain a problem and
This option is included to encourage the extended reading
suggest a solution, or to evaluate ideas and make
which develops candidates’ linguistic competence, widens the
recommendations. The input which explains and defines the
range of language they encounter and enriches their language
task will always present at least three points to be addressed,
study. It also enables candidates to show in their writing that
and candidates are required to cover these points in their
they have appreciated the themes, characters and
answers and to add their own views and opinions. The input
relationships within the text they have read. A choice of texts
will always define the purpose for writing and will identify the
is included in order to appeal to different tastes. Alternatively,
target reader.
or in addition, candidates may choose to watch a film version
of one of the set texts. Teachers are best placed to make a
■ Task format
Candidates are required to base their answers on input
material which will take the form of a short text or texts, or
judgement as to which set text on offer may be appropriate
and stimulating for a particular teaching situation. Each text
will normally remain on the list for two years.
quotations. The texts will come from a variety of sources
such as extracts from newspaper articles, magazines, books,
letters or advertisements; the quotations will be from
speakers heard, for example, on the radio or during a
discussion. Visual material such as diagrams, simple graphs
or pictures may be included to support or extend the topic.
■ Task types and focus
Candidates are required to write one of the following: an
article, an essay, a letter, a report or a review. The
characteristics of each are detailed on pages 21 and 22.
Since the task focus is on productive language, the input will
Candidates are not required to produce literary analysis for
be well within the reading competence of candidates at this
question 5.
level.
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19
Preparation
General
■ It is important that students are familiar with the format of
the paper and the range of text types used so that in Part 2
they can make the best choice from the questions which are
available.
■ Make sure students know how important it is to read the
questions very carefully and to identify, before they begin to
plan their answers, what they hope to achieve through writing
(the purpose of the task), to whom they are writing (the target
reader) and their role as writer.
By part
■ PART 1
■ There are always at least three content points to address in
a Part 1 task, and students need to be given practice in
identifying these. It is important that candidates spend some
time reading the input carefully and identify the main points
which need to be included. Careful reading of the question will
establish important details. It is important for candidates to
remember that, in Part 1, the object is not merely to restate
the content points, but to develop them and integrate them
into a piece of discursive writing of the appropriate task type.
A successful answer may also refer to the writer’s own ideas
and opinions.
■ Candidates need to read the question very carefully in
■ Students need to be reminded that the Part 1 task always
order to perform the task set effectively. Students need
has a discursive focus. Part of the task, therefore, is to put
practice in identifying what the task is and what needs to be
forward a well-argued and logical case, making sure that this
addressed. The question identifies the context, the writer’s
is appropriate to the particular task type – letter, essay, article
role and the target reader, which helps the candidate to
or proposal – and that the register is suitable for the scenario
choose the appropriate register. It is also very important that
outlined in the question.
students learn to distinguish between the various task types
■ Candidates may, of course, use key words from the
required by the questions. Even though a candidate may
display an excellent command of the language, an answer will
only achieve a high mark if all the above factors are taken into
account.
question, but must avoid ‘lifting’ whole segments of the input.
No credit will be given for language or ideas that have not
been appropriately expanded on or integrated into their
writing.
■ Candidates should get into the habit of planning their
■ Because of the discursive focus of this part of the paper,
answers thoroughly before they begin to write. This will
students need to be equipped to discuss a range of topics.
encourage an organised and coherent approach and prevent
Reading and discussing articles in English on a variety of
irrelevant digression. Practice in writing to time will help
issues will help them to develop their ideas and extend their
prepare students to answer the question under examination
vocabulary in order to cover the points raised in the questions.
conditions, produce the appropriate number of words
required in the time set and avoid the possibility of running
■ PART 2
out of time.
■ There is considerable choice on this part of the paper:
■ The various task types which appear on the paper require
the use of a range of language functions, for example the
advise your students to choose task types and topics that
appeal to their interests and experience.
language of persuasion, description, recommendation,
■ The questions in Part 2 are shorter, but just as much care is
comparison. Students should be given guidance in identifying
required in reading them. Candidates who do not read a
these, and practice in using them.
question carefully enough may seize on a familiar topic and
start the task before they have identified exactly what is
■ Remind your students that correct spelling and
required. It is always the case that there are at least two parts
punctuation are important. If spelling errors or faulty
to these questions, and only candidates who produce a
punctuation impede communication, then this will be
balanced answer dealing adequately with all parts of the
reflected in the mark awarded. American usage and spelling
question can expect to gain a mark in the higher bands.
are acceptable (see page 3: Varieties of English).
■ Encourage your students to use a wide variety of
■ Familiarity with the assessment criteria can be another
useful part of preparation. The General Mark Scheme gives
information about the linguistic aspects that examiners will
consider, including range of vocabulary and expression,
collocation, variety of structure, organisation and cohesion,
register and format; the Task Specific Mark Schemes on pages
28–33 of this handbook also show examples of what is
required of specific tasks in terms of content and target
reader.
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grammatical structures and language functions and to explore
the use of a range of vocabulary and expression.
Task types in the CPE Writing paper
Preparation
AN ARTICLE is written on a particular theme in a style which
Students should be reminded that a successful article
makes it suitable for publication in an English-language
interests and engages the reader, often with some description,
newspaper, magazine or newsletter. The question identifies
narration and anecdote. In some cases, a personal angle will
the topic for the article, and the type of publication
be appropriate and a catchy title will attract the reader’s
mentioned gives the candidate guidance as to the appropriate
attention. However, remind students that there are many
register to be used – for example how academic or lively the
different types of article, and that they should check carefully
article should be. The purpose of an article is to convey
to see what kind of publication they are being asked to write
information; it may contain some description and/or
for. An article in an academic publication will have a very
narrative, and candidates should bear in mind the need to
different style and choice of language from one in a student
engage the interest of their readers.
magazine. It may be appropriate to use headings for the
various sections in an article; whether this is done or not, the
article needs to be well planned and paragraphed. Reading
and discussing a range of articles from a variety of
publications will be useful preparation here.
AN ESSAY is usually written for a teacher. It should be well
Essays (only used for set text questions) may be united by a
organised, with an introduction, clear development and an
central idea which provides a point and purpose to the
appropriate conclusion. The question specifies what
writing, so they need careful planning. Students should be
particular aspects of the book (development of character or
encouraged to practise organising the points they wish to
significance of events) should form the content of the essay.
make and the textual references that will support these points
in order to write a clearly structured essay with a suitable
introduction, development and conclusion.
A LETTER is written in response to the situation outlined in
It is important that a letter begins and ends appropriately: it
the question. Letters in the CPE Writing paper will require a
may be appropriate at the beginning to explain the reason for
response which is consistently appropriate for the specified
writing, and the letter should have a suitable conclusion.
target reader, and candidates can except to be asked to write
Students should be encouraged to read and discuss letters in
letters to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine,
newspapers and magazines as this may help make them
to the director of an international company, or to a school or
aware of the style of writing required.
college principal. A letter to a newspaper or magazine may
well include a narrative element which details personal
experience; other letters may be more concerned with giving
factual information.
A PROPOSAL has a similar audience and format to a report.
A proposal (not used for set text questions) needs a very clear
Whereas the focus of a report is on something that has
structure and should be organised in clear sections. As with a
already happened, a proposal is concerned with some future
report, the purpose, the target reader and the role of the writer
event or decision. A question of this type requires the
must be identified. Students should be given practice in using
candidate to put forward suggestions or make
section headings and in writing clear conclusions. Students
recommendations for discussion or for action. The objective
should also be given opportunities to gain experience in using
or aim of the proposal will be specified in the question; the
the language commonly used in proposals, for example the
candidate’s task will be to provide suggestions about how to
language of describing, analysing, justifying and persuading.
achieve the desired outcome, and to do this in a suitably
persuasive way. An example of a proposal would be a bid for
funds for a project defined in the task, and would entail
outlining the way the funds would be spent, the benefits
which would accrue, and the way progress would be
monitored and evaluated if the bid were to be successful.
Proposals should be well structured with clear sections.
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Task types in the CPE Writing paper
Preparation
A REPORT is written for a specified audience. This may be a
The purpose of the report must be identified so that the
superior, for example, a boss at work, or members of a peer
correct information can be selected; establishing the identity
group, colleagues or fellow class members. The question
of the target reader will ensure that a suitable style and choice
identifies the subject of the report and specifies the areas to
of language is used. It is also important for students to read
be covered. The content of a report is mainly factual and
the context carefully to identify their role as writer. A report
draws on the prompt material, but there will be scope for
should be well organised and clearly arranged in sections.
candidates to make use of their own ideas and experience.
Students should be given practice in achieving this, perhaps
by using section headings and they should also be given
practice in writing an effective conclusion. Students should
also be encouraged to develop an awareness of the language
commonly used in reports, for example the language of
describing, comparing, analysing and making
recommendations.
A REVIEW may be about a book, magazine, film, play, or
In order to become familiar with what is required of a review,
concert, but it may also be about, for example, a restaurant,
students should read and discuss a range of reviews such as
hotel, or perhaps an exhibition. The target reader is specified in
can be found in various magazines and newspapers. The
the question, so the candidate knows not only what register is
language appropriate to a review will include, for example,
appropriate, but also has an idea about the kind of information
language for describing, narrating and evaluating and
to include. A review does not merely require a general
students should try to extend their vocabulary to include that
description of, for example, an event or publication, but it
related to literature and the media.
specifies the particular aspects to be considered. For example,
the review may employ narrative, as well as descriptive and
evaluative language, and a range of vocabulary relating, for
example, to literature and the media such as cinema or TV.
SET TEXT questions may be articles, essays, letters, reports or
Set texts may give rise to useful and stimulating classroom
reviews.
work and discussion. Candidates who choose these questions
will be expected to have a good knowledge of the text, or the
film version, and to be able to deal with the themes and ideas
of the chosen text. Credit will be given for task achievement
and language competence; candidates are not expected to
demonstrate skill in literary analysis. They are expected,
however, to read the question carefully and to address the
requirements of the task while clearly referring to specific
events or characters from the set text. Useful preparation for
these questions may be to consider themes which run
through the text and then identify events or characters that
exemplify these. Students should be made aware that merely
reproducing, for instance, a summary of a novel’s plot or
outlining its principal message will not provide a successful
answer, and that their statements and opinions must be
clearly supported by evidence from the text.
These indications of readership and purpose are not comprehensive, but are intended to give some guidelines to the different task
types. It must be stressed that specialised writing skills are not expected of candidates at this level.
22
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Part 1
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Part 2
24
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■ Paragraphing
Assessment
This is a function of organisation and format. The Task
Candidates’ answers are assessed with reference to two mark
Specific Mark Scheme will give an indication to examiners of
schemes: one based on the examiner’s overall impression (the
what is expected.
General Mark Scheme), the other on the requirements of the
■ Handwriting
particular task (the Task Specific Mark Scheme). The General
Mark Scheme summarises the content, organisation and
If handwriting interferes with communication without
cohesion, range of structures and vocabulary, register and
preventing it, the candidate will be penalised. Totally illegible
format, and target reader indicated in the task. The Task
scripts receive 0.
Specific Mark Scheme focuses on criteria specific to each
■ Irrelevance
particular task.
The examiners’ first priority is to give credit for the
Examples of candidate responses, together with the Task
candidates’ efforts at communication, but candidates are
Specific Mark Schemes, can be found on pages 28–34.
penalised for inclusion of content irrelevant to the task set.
Candidates are penalised for dealing inadequately with the
requirements of the Task Specific Mark Scheme. The accuracy
■ Set reading texts
of language, including spelling and punctuation, is assessed
In question 5, the examiners are looking for evidence that
on the general impression scale for all tasks.
candidates have read and understood a set text, or seen the
film version, and are able to provide evidence of this in the
■ Marking
form of illustrated description and discussion. Assessment is
The panel of examiners is divided into small teams, each with
based, as for the other tasks, on control of language in fulfilling
a very experienced examiner as Team Leader. A Principal
the task set, and also requires explicit reference to the chosen
Examiner guides and monitors the marking process, beginning
text. Candidates should not attempt these tasks without having
with a meeting of the Principal Examiner for the paper and the
prepared the texts thoroughly.
Team Leaders. This is held immediately after the examination
and begins the process of establishing a common standard of
assessment by the selection and marking of sample scripts for
all the questions in the Writing paper. These are chosen to
demonstrate the range of responses and different levels of
competence. Examiners discuss these Task Specific and
General Mark Schemes during the meeting and refer to them
regularly while they are working.
During marking, each examiner is apportioned scripts chosen
on a random basis from the whole entry. A rigorous process of
co-ordination and checking is carried out before, during and
after the marking process.
The CPE General Mark Scheme is interpreted at Council of
Europe Level C2. A summary of the General Mark Scheme is
given on page 26. Trained examiners, who are co-ordinated
prior to each examination session, work with a more detailed
version, which is subject to updating.
■ Length
Writing approximately the correct length of text is an integral
part of task achievement. Significantly fewer words are likely
to mean that the task has not been completed, whereas
overlong pieces of writing may involve irrelevance or have a
negative effect on the target reader. If this is the case, overlength responses will be penalised.
■ Spelling and punctuation
These are important aspects of accuracy and are always taken
into account. American spelling and usage is acceptable (see
page 3 Varieties of English).
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 2 : w r i t i n g – a s se s sm e nt
25
CPE
General Mark Scheme
BAND Outstanding realisation of the task set:
• Sophisticated use of an extensive range of vocabulary,
collocation and expression, entirely appropriate to the task set
• Effective use of stylistic devices; register and format wholly
appropriate
• Impressive use of a wide range of structures
• Skilfully organised and coherent
• Excellent development of topic
• Minimal error
Impresses the reader and has a very positive effect.
5
BAND Good realisation of the task set:
• Fluent and natural use of a wide range of vocabulary,
collocation and expression, successfully meeting the
requirements of the task set
• Good use of stylistic devices; register and format appropriate
• Competent use of a wide range of structures
• Well organised and coherent
• Good development of topic
• Minor and unobtrusive errors
Has a positive effect on the reader.
4
BAND Satisfactory realisation of the task set:
• Reasonably fluent and natural use of a range of vocabulary
and expression, adequate to the task set
• Evidence of stylistic devices; register and format generally
appropriate
• Adequate range of structures
• Clearly organised and generally coherent
• Adequate coverage of topic
• Some non-impeding errors
Achieves the desired effect on the reader.
3
BAND
2
Inadequate attempt at the task set:
• Limited and/or inaccurate range of vocabulary and expression
• Little evidence of stylistic devices; some attempt at register
and format
• Inadequate range of structures
• Some attempt at organisation, but lacks coherence
• Inadequate development of topic
• A number of errors, which sometimes impede communication
Has a negative effect on the reader.
BAND
1
Poor attempt at the task set:
• Severely limited and inaccurate range of vocabulary and
expression
• No evidence of stylistic devices; little or no attempt at
register and format
• Lack of structural range
• Poorly organised, leading to incoherence
• Little relevance to topic, and/or too short
• Numerous errors, which distract and often impede
communication
Has a very negative effect on the reader.
BAND
Negligible or no attempt at the task set:
• Totally incomprehensible due to serious error
• Totally irrelevant
• Insufficient language to assess (fewer than 20% of the
required number of words)
• Totally illegible.
0
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Cambridge ESOL
Common Scale for Writing
LEVEL MASTERY
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH:
Fully operational command of the written language
• Can write on a very wide range of topics.
• Is able to engage the reader by effectively exploiting stylistic
devices such as sentence length, variety and appropriacy of
vocabulary, word order, idiom and humour.
• Can write with only very rare inaccuracies of grammar or
vocabulary.
• Is able to write at length organising ideas effectively.
C2
The Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Writing has been
developed to allow users to:
• interpret levels of performance in the Cambridge tests
from beginner to advanced
• identify typical performance qualities at particular levels
• locate performance in one examination against
performance in another.
The Common Scale is designed to be useful to test candidates
and other test users (e.g. admissions officers or employers).
The description at each level of the Common Scale is not
intended as a specification for the test content, but rather
aims to provide a brief, general description of the nature of
written language ability at a particular level in real-world
contexts. In this way the wording offers an easily
understandable description of performance which can be
used, for example, in specifying requirements to language
LEVEL EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY
CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH:
Good operational command of the written language
• Can write on most topics.
• Is able to engage the reader by using stylistic devices such as
sentence length, variety and appropriacy of vocabulary, word
order, idiom and humour, though not always appropriately.
• Can communicate effectively with only occasional inaccuracies
of grammar and vocabulary.
• Is able to construct extended stretches of discourse using
accurate and mainly appropriate complex language which is
organisationally sound.
C1
trainers, formulating job descriptions and specifying language
requirements for new posts.
LEVEL VANTAGE
FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH:
Generally effective command of the written language
• Can write on familiar topics.
• Shows some ability to use stylistic devices such as variety and
appropriacy of vocabulary and idiom, though not always
appropriately.
• Can communicate clearly using extended stretches of
discourse and some complex language despite some
inaccuracies of grammar and vocabulary.
• Can organise extended writing which is generally coherent.
B2
LEVEL THRESHOLD
PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST:
Limited but effective command of the written language
• Can write on most familiar and predictable topics.
• Can communicate clearly using longer stretches of discourse
and simple language despite relatively frequent inaccuracies
of grammar or vocabulary.
• Can organise writing to a limited extent.
B1
LEVEL WAYSTAGE
KEY ENGLISH TEST:
Basic command of the written language
• Can write short basic messages on very familiar or highly
predictable topics possibly using rehearsed or fixed
expressions.
• May find it difficult to communicate the message because of
frequent inaccuracies of grammar or vocabulary.
A2
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 1 (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 1: CANDIDATE A
■ Content
■ Organisation and cohesion
■ Range
For a Band 3 or above, the proposal
Clearly organised proposal, possibly
Language for:
must give information about:
with headings.
• discussing
Suitable introduction and conclusion.
• evaluating
• which famous person should
open the centre
• what activities would make the
event memorable
• how the college would benefit
from the open day in the future.
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
Register consistently appropriate for
proposal for College Principal.
• recommending.
■ Target reader
Would understand what is being
proposed and the benefits to the
college for the future.
Candidate A
PROPOSAL
To: The Principal of the college
From: <name>, student of the college
Subject: “How the open day of the college’s new centre should be organised to best promote the
work of the college’”
Date: 3 December, 2006
Examiner comments
■ Content
Excellent development of topic.
Introduction
As requested by the college, I am submitting the following proposal on how the open day of the
college’s new centre, consisting of a computer room, a recreation area and a sports hall, should be
organised to best promote the work of the college. So, in order to achieve this aim, it would be
wise to consider which famous person to invite to open the centre or what activities to organise
to make the event partticularly memorable and how the college will benefit from this open day in
the future.
■ Organisation and cohesion
Famous person to invite
To start with, we should consider seriously the possibility of inviting to open the centre the most
renowned persons in their fields: firstly, Bill Gage, who is the owner of Microsoft and the richest
person in the whole world, and secondly, the best football player ever, David Beckham! Undoubtedly,
it would be a great honour for our college to open officially the computer room such a guest like Bill
Gage, who is the first man worldwide to create the pattent of Microsoft Windows that all people
use in their computers. Also, who else could open our sports hall if not David Beckham who, because
of his successful career as a football player, is admired from all people and especially youths.
Some non-impeding errors.
Activities to make the event memorable
A god idea (so as) to make the event memorable is to organise a lecture in which the two special
guests will talk about the world of (the) computers and football and thus stress the idea of how
important it is for a college to have a computer room, a sports hall and a recreation area.
Another idea would be to show from a videowall various football, basketball or even volleyball
matches and of course pictures that have to do with computers, in general. We could, as well
take cuttings from newspapers that show pictures pertaining to sports and multimedia. Thus, all
the students of our college will remember the inportance of this day for ever.
Well organised and coherent.
■ Range
A wide range.
■ Accuracy
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Wholly appropriate.
■ Target reader
Positive effect.
■ Marks awarded
Band 4.
Benefit from this open day in the future
Undisputably, this open day will be of benefit to the college in the future on the grounds that
from this day all students can have access in computers and multimedia, in sports and they will
have a recreation area, too. In this way, the college will organise sports events or other events
that have to do with computers a fact that will allow it to distinguish among other colleges.
Conclusion
Having considered the various options, I believe that in my proposal is the best way of organising
the open day of our college’s new centre to best promote the work of the college and I therefore
trust that you will give it due consideration.
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 1 (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 1: CANDIDATE B
■ Content
■ Organisation and cohesion
■ Range
For a Band 3 or above, the proposal
Clearly organised proposal, possibly
Language for:
must give information about:
with headings.
• discussing
Suitable introduction and conclusion.
• evaluating
• which famous person should
open the centre
• what activities would make the
event memorable
• how the college would benefit
from the open day in the future.
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
Register consistently appropriate for
proposal for College Principal.
• recommending.
■ Target reader
Would understand what is being
proposed and the benefits to the
college for the future.
Candidate B
Examiner comments
When new facilities are been building is always a good oportunity to reestablish our view about the targets of education. Education is not only the
way to knoledge but also to help the students to develop their own skills and
abilities. That it would be the message tha we have to dispach during the
opening day.
For these reasons I will recomment some activities that would help us to
reach our target. First of all, it would be great to invite some famous persons
that have passed from college as students during the previous years. They can
have speech about the differences between their times and now regarding the
new infrastracture. Because of being famous they will surely make influence to
the youngsters.
A second proposal it would be, to held social activity in every single domain
inside the new center. For example, it would be great to organise a web
conferance to demonstrate the abilities of the computer room, or to held a
LAN party with online games. As for the recreation area it would be nice to
organise an exposition of paintings or sculptures that students draw or build.
That it would be a message about the new leasure or creative activities that
they wold take place from now on at the new recreation facility.
As for the sports hall it would be most reasonable to establish a common
game cup such as basketball umong other colleges and this cup to be held
annualy, so to remind every one the days that this new center open its gates.
■ Content
Poor attempt at task.
■ Organisation and cohesion
Attempt at organisation and cohesion but
lacks appropriate introduction and
conclusion.
■ Range
Limited range.
■ Accuracy
Numerous errors, which distract and often
impede.
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Attempt at appropriate register and format.
■ Target reader
Very negative effect.
■ Marks awarded
Band 1.
All the activities that i mention above, of course, would be accompanied with
soft drinks, food and music. It is party so that the way it should be.
The college from these new buildings will raise its status, so it will bring higher
level students during the years to come. Furthermore, it can be a pole for the
locals people and not only for the students.
Every new attempt for the benefit of the students is welcome.
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 2 (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 2: CANDIDATE C
■ Content
■ Organisation and cohesion
■ Range
For a Band 3 or above, the article must:
Clear development of ideas.
Language for:
• briefly describe the object
Appropriate use of paragraphing and
• describing
• narrate its interesting/unusual
linking.
• narrating
history.
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
Consistently appropriate for an article
in a magazine.
• explaining.
■ Target reader
Would be informed about the writer’s
possession and how they came to
own it.
Candidate C
I have to admit that through my life I haven’t been an ardent fan of what
we call destiny. I always believed that we are the ones who make our
destiny, but I guess life at times proves me wrong. That’s what happened
several years ago, when I was still in high school.
Examiner comments
■ Content
Good development of topic.
As we all know high-school kids become almost obsessed at the beginning of
every school year. They always try to find the best bags and accessories that
will make the drudgery of the new school year a little bit more pleasant. Like
every kid, I set out with my mother on Saturday morning to discover and
buy my new school bag. And just about we were ready to give up, as we had
been in every single store and I still hadn’t found the one, there it was. A
brown leather bag, very simple, but I was sure that this would be the bag I
would keep for the rest of my time at school. Of course it was very expensive
and we didn’t have all the money required so I would have to come back and
get it on Monday noon.
■ Organisation and cohesion
To my great disappointment the one and only piece was sold, when I came
back on Monday, and to my greater disappointment I notices during the week
that a girl from my new class was holding it. And here it is that fate enters.
During the year I ended up spending very much time with that girl and before
the school year ended we had become inseparable. Towards the end of the
year I confessed to her that I wanted her bag desperately in the beginning.
So during the summer, when it was my birthday, she gave it to me as a
present, saying that our friendship was more important than the bag.
Positive effect.
Very well organised and coherent.
■ Range
Wide range.
■ Accuracy
Minor and unobtrusive errors.
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Entirely appropriate.
■ Target reader
■ Marks awarded
Band 4.
Today I still have in my life both the bag and my best friend. Of course I don’t
use that bag anymore, since I’m not at school, but it also became a symbol
of our friendship, and not just my favourite bag.
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 3 (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 3: CANDIDATE D
■ Content
■ Organisation and cohesion
■ Range
For a Band 3 or above, the review
Clear development of ideas.
must:
Appropriate use of linking and
• describing
paragraphing.
• narrating
• identify the novel and describe
the use of local landscape,
buildings and characters
• comment on the effectiveness of
the descriptions.
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
Consistently appropriate for a review
in a newspaper.
Candidate D
Language for:
• evaluating.
■ Target reader
Would be informed about the novel
and the writer’s view of it.
Examiner comments
Everybody who has lived in Athens during the past 30 years could relate to
John Armstrong’s new novel ‘City Days’. By means of a simple storyline,
concerning the adventures of six friends growing up together in the city centre,
the writer manages to show Athens’ evolution during the years 1979-2000.
The fact that John Armstrong is not Greek has no effect on his perception of
Athens, since he has lived here for more than 20 years. All of the city centre’s
areas, including Syntagma, Omonoia and Plaka, are described almost exactly
as they are or have been. It is obvious that he was careful not to give
misleading information about them and that he has studied the city’s
history, including its architectural styles during the past three decades, since
all of the characteristic buildings in Athens are presented, and all other
buildings described do or could exist, and the changes that it has gone
through. Even the landscapes look familiar to an Athens’ resident like me.
I have often had the feeling that I knew where a place described was, even if
its name was not mentioned.
The novel’s only weak point is the description of its characters. While the main
six characters, especially George, the protagonist, are ordinary people, good
examples of how Greek youth thought and felt at the time, secondary ones
are not given as much attention. The writer tends to follow the clichés that
have been established concerning Greeks, describing almost all of them as
good-natured but lazy and not serious people. That is partially true, but during
the post-dictatory years Greeks were not like that, especially the capital’s
residents. They used to think a lot and were no longer passive. By making this
mistake the writer fails to capture that age’s spirit.
■ Content
Excellent development of topic.
■ Organisation and cohesion
Skilfully organised and coherent.
■ Range
Extensive range.
■ Accuracy
Minimal error.
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Wholly appropriate.
■ Target reader
Impresses the reader and has a very positive
effect.
■ Marks awarded
Band 5.
Despite its disadvantages, though, the novel is totally worth reading. I was
really moved while reading it, perhaps because of personal experiences and my
bond to the place. To sum up, this novel accomplishes its main purpose; to
show that, despite its chaos, the difficulties it poses and the problems it
causes, one can’t help loving Athens. I do, and the writer does, too.
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 4 (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 4: CANDIDATE E
■ Content
■ Organisation and cohesion
■ Range
For a Band 3 or above, the letter must:
Early explanation for reason for
Language for:
• identify a restaurant
writing.
• describing
• describe the quality of its food,
Clearly organised ideas.
• explaining
Appropriate conclusion.
• recommending.
service and atmosphere
• explain how the restaurant has
attracted a wide range of
customers.
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
■ Target reader
Consistently appropriate for a letter to
thinks the restaurant should be
a newspaper.
nominated.
Candidate E
Sir or Madam
I am writing this letter as an invitation from your newspaper to readers to
propose a restaurant for the competition ‘ Restaurant of the year’.
The restaurant which I would like to proposed, called ‘Food Company’ and it
is in the centre of Athens. This place has been my favourite since I was a
university student and I believe then when you will read my letter you will
understand the reason.
Would understand why the writer
Examiner comments
■ Content
Good development of the topic.
■ Organisation and cohesion
Well organised and coherent.
To being with, I would like to say that my taste in food is quite strange that
is why it is difficult for me to find a restaurant which I really like. Food
Company is the ideal place. For me, as it cater to all the different tastes of
food. You can find traditionall greec recipes but also a great variety of Italian
pasta. And the best of all is that although I am a vegeterian, it is not difficult
to find interesting dishes without meat and not only boring salads as it
happens in other restaurants. Don’t forget to mention that the dishes are
delicious as if your mother was cooking.
■ Range
Another factor which also it is important for me in a restaurant is the
atmosphere and of course the service. ‘Food Company’ is a friendly place with
a lovely decoration which attract your impression from the first moment. For
me and my company is the best choice for cold nights and as we enjoy having
a dinner and listening to jazz, as ‘Food Company’ loves this kind of music. In
connection with the service you should know that the stuff is always ready
to propose a dish and they are always at your disposal.
Achieves the desired effect.
Wide range.
■ Accuracy
Some non-impeding errors.
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Appropriate.
■ Target reader
■ Marks awarded
Band 3.
Finally, as the prices are extremely low, you can meet university students but
also doctors, artists and generally different types of people. This is, I believe, a
great advantage of this restaurant as it creates the impression of small
society in the centre of the town.
To conclude, I would not hesitate to recommend ‘Food Company’ as the best
choice for your readers to enjoy a delicious dinner. I hope my letter will be of
interest to you and I am looking forward to see it in print.
Yours faithfull
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PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 5(b) (sample script)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 5(B): CANDIDATE F
■ Content
Finding joy and happiness
For a Band 3 or above, the letter must:
• explain and describe how
human nature triumphs in a
desperate situation
• recommend Bel Canto.
Answer must be supported by
reference to the text. The following
• hostages and hostage-takers all
The desperate situation
• the kidnap attempt fails because the
President is not at the party
• a siege situation develops
• the women, except Roxane, have
been freed, so husbands/wives
separated
• the Generals are intransigent, and
the garden – running, playing
■ Appropriacy of register and
format
football, gardening
Register consistently appropriate for a
• everyone takes pleasure in being in
• younger hostage-takers enjoy
television
• General Benjamin plays chess with
Mr Hosokawa
• Ruben enjoys looking after his house
letter to the local librarian.
■ Range
Language for:
• describing
• narrating
and making people as comfortable
• explaining
as possible – he gives antibiotics to
• recommending.
General Benjamin
• relationships develop – Mr Hosokawa
■ Target reader
and Roxane, Gen and Carmen, Ruben
Would understand how the characters
and Ishmael whom he plans to adopt.
are able to find joy and happiness in
a desperate situation, and be able to
refuse to surrender even when told
none of their demands will be met.
Effective use of paragraphs.
enjoy the music
• Cesar is taught to sing by Roxane
are possible references:
Well-organised ideas.
■ Organisation and cohesion
judge whether the book is suitable for
Appropriate introduction and
the reading list.
conclusion.
Candidate F
Examiner comments
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing in response to your request for recommendation of books to
be added to your reading list on the theme of ‘The Triumph of the Human
Spirit’.
Having recently read BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett I would strongly
recommend this book be added to the list. BEL CANTO is the novel of great
passion, where love, music and languages are main themes.
Being captured in the host country (poor Latinoamerican country) the
hostages build a close relationship with terrorists and the drama begins.
Roxanne Coss, a soprano diva, holds everyone together with her magnificent
singing, her amazing voice, and is admired by terrorists as much as by the
hostages.
■ Content
Good realisation of the task.
■ Organisation and cohesion
Well organised and coherent.
■ Range
Wide range.
■ Accuracy
Minor and unobtrusive.
■ Appropriacy of register and format
Appropriate.
Gen, Mr Hosokawa’s translator, becomes a ‘bridge’ between hostages and
terrorists and the outside world.
■ Target reader
He is a great example of how people in desperation become close, form a very
strong connection and find happiness in most unexpected way.
■ Marks awarded
Has a positive effect.
Band 4.
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33
PAPER 2: WRITING
Question 5(b) (sample script, continued)
Sample script with examiner comments
QUESTION 5(B): CANDIDATE F (CONTINUED)
His love for Carmen, a terrorist girl, is pure and passionate, something he
never experienced in his life before. Ruben Iglesias, the Vice president of the
country, now hostage in his own house, finds happiness and joy in spending
time with Ishmael, the terrorist boy, and the bond between them is so
strong that he is considering of adopting him once they are released. All the
terrorist are killed at the end of the novel and such a strong ending breaks up
the almost idyllic world of love and happiness where hostages and terrorists
live together.
Bel Canto has brought together the most unusual characters under one roof.
I am looking forward to reading most of the books recommended by other
readers and do hope that some of them will enjoy BEL CANTO as much as
I did.
Yours faithfully
34
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PAPER 3
USE OF
ENGLISH
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
STRUCTURE AND TASKS
Paper format
The paper contains five
parts.
PART 1
Timing
1 hour 30 minutes.
No. of parts
5.
No. of questions
44.
Task types
Open cloze, word
formation, gapped
sentences, sentence
transformations,
comprehension questions
and summary writing task.
Answer format
Marks
Candidates write their
answers on two answer
sheets. They may write on
the question paper, but they
must transfer answers to
the separate answer sheet
within the time limit.
For Parts 1, 2 and 3,
candidates write their
answers in capital letters in
the spaces provided on
Answer Sheet 1. For Parts 4
and 5, candidates write on
Answer Sheet 2 and capital
letters are not required.
Parts 1 and 2 – each correct
answer receives 1 mark.
Part 3 – each correct answer
receives 2 marks.
Part 4 – each correct answer
receives up to 2 marks.
Part 5 – questions 40–43,
each correct answer
receives 2 marks.
For question 44, there are
14 marks available: up to 4
marks may be awarded for
content and up to 10 marks
for summary writing skills.
Task type
and focus
Open cloze.
Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary.
Format
A modified cloze test containing 15 gaps.
No. of Qs
15.
PART 2
Task type
and focus
Word formation.
Emphasis on vocabulary.
Format
A text containing 10 gaps. Each gap corresponds to
a word. The stems of the missing words are given
beside the text and must be changed to form the
missing word.
No. of Qs
10.
PART 3
Task type
and focus
Gapped sentences.
Emphasis on vocabulary.
Format
Questions are made up of three discrete sentences.
Each sentence contains one gap. The gapped word is
common to the three sentences. Candidates must
write one word which is appropriate in all three
sentences.
No. of Qs
6.
PART 4
Task type
and focus
Key word transformations.
Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary.
Format
8 discrete items with a lead-in sentence and a
gapped response to complete in 3–8 words including
a given ‘key’ word.
No. of Qs
8.
PART 5
Task type
and focus
Comprehension questions and summary writing
task.
The focus of the questions is on awareness of the use
of language (recognising and understanding the force
of lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices and
referencing).
The focus of the summary is on information
selection, linking and sentence construction.
Format
Two texts with two questions on each text. The
summary task requires selection of relevant
information from both texts.
No. of Qs
4.
1 summary writing task.
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35
The five parts of the Use of
English paper
■ PART 1 – OPEN CLOZE
In this part, the focus of the gapped words is grammatical or
lexico-grammatical.
Sample task and answer key: pages 40 and 44.
■ PART 4 – KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS
In this part, the focus is on grammar and vocabulary.
Sample task and answer key: pages 42 and 44.
Each correct answer in Part 4 receives up to 2 marks.
Part 4 consists of eight key word transformations, plus one
example. Each question contains three parts: a lead-in
sentence, a key word and a second response sentence of
Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
which only the beginning and end are given. Candidates have
to fill the gap in the second sentence so that it is similar in
Part 1 is a modified cloze text containing 15 gaps plus one
meaning to the lead-in sentence. Candidates are required to
example. Candidates are required to draw on their knowledge
manipulate structures and lexical phrases in their answer,
of the structure of the language and understanding of the text
e.g. a verb in the given sentence might need to be changed to a
in order to fill the gaps. A single word is needed to fill each gap
noun. They can use between three and eight words including
– never a phrase or contraction. There may be more than one
the given key word. The key word must not be changed in any
acceptable word for a gap, defined by the mark scheme.
way and candidates must write their answers on Answer
Candidates must write their answers in capital letters on
Sheet 2.
Answer Sheet 1.
■ PART 2 – WORD FORMATION
In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. affixation, compounding).
Sample task and answer key: pages 40 and 44.
Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark.
Part 2 is a word-building task, consisting of a text with 10 gaps
■ PART 5 – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND
SUMMARY WRITING TASK
In this part, the focus of the comprehension questions is on
awareness of the use of language (recognising and understanding the
force of lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices and referencing).
The focus of the summary question is on information selection,
linking and sentence construction.
Sample task, answer key and mark scheme: pages 43
and 44.
plus one gap as an example. The types of word-building involve
not just the addition of affixes (e.g. ‘honest’ to ‘dishonesty’ or
‘person’ to ‘impersonal’), but also internal changes (e.g. ‘strong’
to ‘strengthened’) and compounding (e.g. ‘rain’ to ‘raindrop’ or
‘set’ to ‘outset’). Any number of changes may be made to the
stem word and candidates may be required to demonstrate
understanding of the text beyond sentence level. Candidates
must write their answers in capital letters on Answer Sheet 1.
■ PART 3 – GAPPED SENTENCES
The four comprehension questions (40–43) each
receive 2 marks.
14 marks are available for the summary question
(44): up to 4 marks may be awarded for content and
up to 10 marks for summary writing skills.
Part 5 consists of two texts from different sources which
represent different treatment of the same topic. Complete
sentences are not required; some questions can be answered
In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. collocation, phrasal verbs, word
combinations).
Sample task and answer key: pages 41 and 44.
by a short phrase or a single word. Candidates must write
their answers on Answer Sheet 2.
Question 44, the summary task, tests candidates’ ability to
select appropriate information from the two texts, and to
Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks.
The task in Part 3 aims to test candidates’ knowledge of lexical
patterns, e.g. collocations and phrasal verbs. Part 3 consists of
six questions; each question is made up of three discrete
sentences. Each sentence contains one gap and candidates
must supply a single word which is common to all three
sentences. Candidates must write their answers in capital
letters on Answer Sheet 1.
organise it into a well-constructed and grammatically accurate
summary of between 50 and 70 words. The paragraph must be
written in complete sentences and should be in a
formal/neutral register. All the information required is found
in the texts and candidates are not expected to offer their own
opinion. The task focus is on productive language, so texts will
be well within the reading competence of candidates at this
level. Candidates must write their answer on Answer Sheet 2.
Details of the assessment of the summary writing task are
given on page 44.
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c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 3 : use o f e n g l is h
Preparation
■ Candidates should write in a soft pencil (B or HB) on the
answer sheets. If they wish to change an answer, they should
General
rub it out using an eraser and write the correct answer
■ For all parts of the Use of English paper, students need to
out, they should do this clearly. It is not a good idea to alter
analyse language at both sentence and paragraph level, and to
the word itself, as this will make it unclear. Candidates should
regard texts critically in order to develop sensitivity to, for
not put the word in brackets, as this may appear to be an
example, word combinations, collocations and idioms. They
alternative answer and they may lose marks.
also need to increase their awareness of appropriacy in the
selection of language and to be able to analyse the use of
modality and tenses. Encouraging students to read a wide
variety of text types will help them develop their ability to
understand the language system and how this system can be
manipulated.
■ There are four texts in the Use of English paper, which are
largely contemporary and taken from journalistic, academic
and literary sources. There is a title to the texts in Parts 1 and 2
of the paper. This is meant to give candidates an early idea of
what to expect from the text, and to help them use their
predictive reading skills. Encourage candidates to read
through the whole of any text in the Use of English paper to
have a clear idea of what it is about before they begin to
answer any of the questions.
■ Parts 1–4 of the test have an example at the beginning of
each task, and candidates should be encouraged to read these
examples carefully, to help them understand what they have
to do. (They should not write the answer to the example on
the separate answer sheets.)
■ The amount of language candidates are required to produce
in Parts 1–5 of the Use of English paper increases progressively
from one-word answers to short phrases to a paragraph.
Candidates should always write complete words in their
answers and not use abbreviations (e.g. ‘sthg’ for ‘something’).
instead. If candidates cross out an answer instead of rubbing it
■ In Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 all spellings must be correct; spelling
and punctuation are important aspects of accuracy and will be
taken into account in the assessment of the candidates’
writing skills. In Part 5 some minor misspellings are allowed,
as long as the message is communicated. Encourage
candidates to try to make their handwriting clear, so that it
can be easily read by the markers.
■ Encourage candidates to plan their time carefully and not
spend too long on any one part of the test. They should also
make sure that they have a few minutes at the end of the test
to check through their answers.
By part
■ PART 1
■ Remind your students to treat the open cloze as a normal
text, and to read the title and the whole text before attempting
to fill in any gaps. This will help them to understand what the
text is about, and make it easier for them to fill in the gaps.
Emphasise that they should always keep in mind the meaning
of the whole text when doing the task.
■ Remind students that they should always read the
complete sentence that contains the gap before deciding on
their answer, and should always check for negatives,
conditionals or structures that might put the opposite point of
■ Candidates may think that, for certain questions, more
view. They may need to look for a referent (e.g. names; places;
than one answer is possible. However, they should not give
pronouns, he/they, etc.) in another part of the sentence and, in
more than one answer on the separate answer sheets as they
this case, they should make sure that the word they write in
may lose marks if they do. This is because, if one answer is
the gap agrees with the subject.
incorrect, they will not be awarded any marks.
■ Encourage students to pay particular attention to the words
■ Candidates may write on the question paper during the
before and after the gap, as they may form part of
examination, but their notes will not be marked. Candidates
a collocation that is completed by the missing word.
must complete two separate answer sheets for the Use of
English paper, which are then marked and/or scanned.
Candidates can either transfer their answers to the separate
answer sheets as they complete each part of the test, or
transfer all their answers at the end, but they must complete
the transfer of answers within the time allowed for the Use of
English paper (11⁄2 hours). Candidates should practise
completing the answer sheets correctly and should always
■ Remind students that they must only use one word to fill in
each gap, and they will not be expected to use a contraction
(don’t = do not) when these count as two words. If they are not
sure of an answer, advise them to leave it blank and go on.
Then, when they check their work after doing the task, they
should read the whole text through again. This may give them
the clue they need to fill in the word they are not sure of.
check that they have written the answer next to the
■ In class, encourage students to note down and learn words
appropriate question number.
and expressions in context, especially grammatical patterns
■ Candidates can complete the various parts of the test in
any order, but it is probably better to do them in the order of
and collocations. It is also useful if they mark collocations in
texts that they read.
the question paper to avoid the possibility of putting answers
■ Work on text organisation, particularly linkers and
in the wrong sections of the answer sheets.
referents, is also useful for this part.
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37
■ PART 2
■ PART 4
■ As with all texts, candidates should read the title and the
■ Remind students that the answer must consist of three,
whole text before attempting to fill in any gaps.
four, five, six, seven or eight words. If they write more than
■ Remind students to read the whole sentence before they fill
in the answer, as they may need to use the plural or negative
form of the base word.
■ To prepare for this part of the paper, help students to
develop flexibility in the application of affixation and word
formation. Make them aware of the range of words that can be
formed from the same base word including the negative
forms, e.g. friend friendship friendliness friendly befriend
unfriendly.
■ Remind them that they may also have to make internal
changes to a word, e.g. strong – strength. There can be any
number of changes to a word, e.g. relate – relationships; mercy
– mercifully.
eight words they will not be awarded the marks. Remind them
that, as in Part 1, contractions (don’t) count as two words (do
not). Each transformation is divided into two parts, each worth
one mark, so a candidate may score 0, 1 or 2 marks depending
on the accuracy of the response.
■ Candidates must use the key word in their answer and they
must not change it in any way. If they do not use it or if they
alter it, they will not be awarded the marks. When they write
their answers on the answer sheet they should only write the
words that are needed to fill the gap and not the whole
sentence.
■ Remind students to pay careful attention to the frame for
the answer, especially any verb in the final part of the second
sentence as it may indicate whether a verb in the gap should
■ Use activities in class that help students to manipulate
be singular or plural. They should also take particular note of
word forms such as word-building games. Encourage students
the words immediately before and after the gap.
to note down all parts of a new word when they come across it
in a reading text and not just the base form.
■ In preparing for this part of the paper, give your students
practice in paraphrase use. You could ask them to rewrite
■ Suggest that students use a thesaurus to help them to
sentences from texts they have read, or rewrite sentences
extend their range of vocabulary, but remind them to check all
from their own or a partner’s written work. You can also use
new words in a dictionary as there may be differences not only
tapescripts from listening activities; give students a
in meaning but also how they are used. Remind students that
paraphrase of a sentence and ask them to listen and identify
many dictionaries give collocations and phrases with words.
the original. Remember to discuss whether the paraphrase has
changed the register or style of the sentence. In speaking, ask
■ PART 3
■ Remind students that there will be more than one word
that can fit each individual sentence, but there is only one
word which fits the gap in all three sentences. This word must
be the same part of speech in each gap.
■ Suggest that students note all the possible words for the
gap at the end of each individual sentence. This will show up
the one word that fits all three sentences.
■ Exercises which increase candidates’ awareness of the use
them to paraphrase by saying, ‘In other words … ’. These
activities will back up formal exam practice, and will also help
students with the summary writing in Part 5.
■ PART 5
To help students prepare for the comprehension questions,
the following may be useful:
■ Encourage students to read as widely as possible to help
extend their range of vocabulary.
of vocabulary in a range of contexts and with a range of
■ Provide exercises which will help students to understand
meanings would be helpful in preparation for this task, e.g.
textual features such as the use of different words or phrases
• Students can write their own sets of gapped sentences
to refer to the same object or theme.
for each other, using a dictionary. They can start by only
■ Do exercises which encourage students to recognise ways
writing two sentences, to make the task easier in class.
in which texts are structured and organised at whole-text and
• In class, put students in pairs and give each pair a set of
five different words. They write a sentence for each word.
They then exchange their words with another pair, and
write sentences for the new words. Finally the two pairs
compare their sentences and discuss the differences.
sentence level, for example reassembling jumbled text or
completing gapped texts.
■ Give students practice in describing the meaning of a
specific word or phrase in context.
These two activities promote awareness of words used in
There are two steps students need to take when writing the
different contexts.
summary:
■ Activities that provide practice in collocations are also
useful for this part of the test, e.g. matching verbs to nouns –
make the bed. Always encourage students to note down new
words in phrases, collocations or complete sentences.
• selecting and interpreting specific and key information
from two texts
• presenting the relevant, key information in a coherent
and concise manner with appropriate use of cohesive
devices.
38
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 3 : use o f e n g l is h
■ Provide frequent practice in selecting specific information
from a variety of texts to help students to find relevant
information.
■ Provide regular practice in presenting four points of
information in 50–70 words, to develop students’ ability to
convey information concisely.
■ Increase students’ awareness of linguistic devices which
mark the development of a text by working with linking words
and doing exercises where students have to combine
sentences.
■ If possible, find texts on similar topics, e.g. from different
newspapers or internet articles, and ask students to note
down the main points from each and discuss the differences
between them.
■ Remind students to use their own words and not to rely on
‘lifting’ words from the text. Paraphrasing work suggested for
Part 4 will also help them with this.
■ Encourage students to read through their summary when
they have written it, to check for overall coherence and for any
irrelevant information. They should also check for spelling and
grammatical mistakes.
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Parts 1 and 2 (Questions 1–25)
40
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Part 3 (Questions 26–31)
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Part 4 (Questions 32–39)
42
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Part 5 (Questions 40–44)
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Answer keys and mark scheme
PART 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
PART 3
if
first
far
whose
the
deal
to
in
out
way(s)
how
brought
Although/Though/While/Whilst
best
good
enlightened
intriguing
dismissed
insignificant
graphic/graphical
conception
outstanding
input
geographer
exemplify
PART 5
free
call
keep
cut
tips
safe
PART 4
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
PART 2
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
39
gave me ][ her word
been (preying) on ][ my mind
(before) had the city (ever) seen/witnessed ][ such a(n)
large/big/huge/major/enormous/great
would bring ][ the matter up/up the matter
(going/sure/certain) to close down/closing down ][
whether we like it
goes ][ without saying (that)
the first time ][ (that) Raymond has (ever) been beaten/defeated
highly unlikely/improbable ][ (that) the motorway
plan will be
MARK SCHEME FOR QUESTIONS 40–44
40 we use the names of flowers and fruit/natural
objects/phenomena (to describe colours)
41 definitive
42 (meaning) of all things (yellow)
43 That blue was the last of the (major/primary
colours) to be defined/named (in many languages)
44
These points draw on the language used in the texts. Students should be rewarded for effective
re-wording in their summaries.
i. ‘Hitherto, such colours had been regarded merely as
shades of red, yet so limited was their use that people
managed to talk about them quite adequately without
needing to be more precise.’(acceptable paraphrase:
It was not considered necessary to be precise
about shades of colour).
iv. ‘difficult to obtain from natural sources, and planters
and textile dyers throughout the ages have often
found themselves at the mercy of what contemporary
chemical technology could offer’ (acceptable paraphrase: some colours are more difficult to obtain
from natural sources).
ii. ‘Today’s requirements are more complex’ (acceptable
paraphrase: we now have more need to distinguish subtle variations in colour).
v. ‘our eyes’ sensitivity to different colours is weakest in
the blue-violet part of the visible spectrum, so that a
rich blue does not strike us with the same bright
impact as a strong yellow or red.’ (acceptable paraphrase: eyes are more sensitive to some colours
than others).
iii. ‘the myriad variations of blues and greens, reds and
purples that modern chemistry has produced’
(acceptable paraphrase: technology has produced an increasing number of distinct colours
in recent times).
44
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 3 : use o f e n g l is h – a ns w e r k e ys a n d m a r k sch e m e
Assessment of summary
writing task
CPE
Summary Mark Scheme
For question 44, an impression mark for summary skills is
BAND
5
Outstanding realisation of the task set:
• Totally relevant
• Concise and totally coherent
• Skilfully organised, with effective use of linking devices
• Skilfully re-worded, where appropriate
• Minimal non-impeding errors, probably due to ambition
Clearly informs and requires no effort on the part of the
reader.
BAND
4
Good realisation of the task set:
• Mostly relevant
• Concise and mostly coherent
• Well organised, with good use of linking devices
• Competently re-worded, where appropriate
• Occasional non-impeding errors
Informs and requires minimal or no effort on the part of the
reader.
BAND
3
Satisfactory realisation of the task set:
• Generally relevant, with occasional digression
• Some attempt at concise writing and reasonably coherent
• Adequately organised, with some appropriate use of
linking devices
• Adequately re-worded, where appropriate
• Some errors, mostly non-impeding
Adequately informs, though may require some effort on the
part of the reader.
BAND
2
Inadequate attempt at the task set:
• Some irrelevance
• Little attempt at concise writing, so likely to be overlength
and incoherent in places OR too short
• Some attempt at organisation, but only limited use of
appropriate linking devices and may use inappropriate
listing or note format
• Inadequately re-worded and/or inappropriate lifting
• A number of errors, which sometimes impede
communication
Partially informs, though requires considerable effort on
the part of the reader.
BAND
1
Poor attempt at the task set:
• Considerable irrelevance
• No attempt at concise writing, so likely to be seriously
over-length and seriously incoherent OR far too short
• Poorly organised, with little or no use of appropriate
linking devices and/or relies on listing or note format
• Poorly re-worded and/or over-reliance on lifting
• Numerous errors, which distract and impede communication
Fails to inform and requires excessive effort on the part of
the reader.
BAND
Negligible or no attempt at the task set:
• Does not demonstrate summary skills
• Incomprehensible due to serious error
• Totally irrelevant
• Insufficient language to assess
• Totally illegible
awarded using the Summary Mark Scheme on the right.
Content points are separately assessed; see Part 5 Mark
Scheme on page 44. The 10 marks for summary writing skills
are divided into five bands, as described in the mark scheme,
and candidates can be awarded one of two performance levels
within each band. For example, in Band 4, 4.1 represents
weaker performance, while 4.2 represents stronger
performance within Band 4.
Length
50 to 70 words are asked for. Candidates producing very short
or long summaries will be penalised, as specified in the mark
scheme.
Spelling and punctuation
These are important aspects of accuracy and must be taken
into account. American spelling and usage is acceptable (see
page 3: Varieties of English).
Handwriting
If handwriting interferes with communication, the candidate
will be penalised. Totally illegible responses receive 0.
Mark scheme for the summary task
Note: This mark scheme is interpreted at CPE level. A separate
mark scheme is used to assess content (see page 44).
0
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45
PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Answer sheet 1
46
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Answer sheet 2
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PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Sample scripts
Sample script with examiner comments
Candidate A
Examiner comments
Some colours have not been for a long period in English. But there are some
reasons for that. Firstly, they did not need to precise an object’s colour as it’s
use was limited and people could understand each other without identifying the
colour. Moreover, people had in their minds a specific shape wanted a specific
name. They wanted the correct name. Secondly, the chemical technology helped
“painters and textile dyers” to dye with contemporary colours. The last reason
is in the “eye’s sensitivy”. Ancient people could not easily recognise the
difference between two colours as it did not “strike” them.
The summary includes content points 1 and
5. There is some irrelevance and there are a
number of errors which impede the reader’s
understanding. 2.2
Sample script with examiner comments
Candidate B
Examiner comments
Before 17th century, because some colours did not be used enough, people did
not need to be more accurate when they refered to these colours. Nowadays
the situation is more complex. Modern chemistry has produced many colours,
which take their names after nature. Moreover, back in those days the
chemical technology was not so developed. In addition to all these, human
eye is not so sensitive to every kind of colour in the visible spectrum and for
that reason some colours do not have the same bright influence like others.
The summary includes content points 1, 2, 3
48
and 5. This is a good realisation of the task.
It is well organised with good use of linking
devices. 4.1
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 3 : use o f e n g l is h – sa m p l e sc r i p ts w i th e x a m i n e r com m e nts
PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH
Sample scripts
Sample script with examiner comments
Candidate C
Examiner comments
The reasons that explain why some colours have only been named in English
more recetly are as follows: 1) some colours were considered as shades of the
primary ones because of their rarity. 2) the variety of colours depends on the
technological process. 3) some colours were in rare raw materials. 4) human
vision is less sensitive in some parts of the visible spectrum. So the longestablished colour names in English are the names of the primary colours
depending on the use of each one of them throughout English history
The summary covers content points 1, 4 and
5 – point 3 is not adequately made. This fails
to make Band 3 due to limited use of
appropriate linking and the irrelevance of
the final sentence. 2.2
Sample script with examiner comments
Candidate D
Examiner comments
In the first text the writer says that, in the past, there were colours that
were not often found in people’s discutions, so there wasn’t a need to name
them, and if there was, they were named as shades of other colours. In the
second text the writer talks about a biological reason and he says that the
eye isn’t very sensitive in some colours, so people weren’t interested in naming
them.
The summary covers content points 1 and 5.
It is generally relevant, well organised and
competently re-worded. 3.2
Sample script with examiner comments
Candidate E
Examiner comments
In the first place, some colours had no definition as they were primarily
described as shades of others. Moreover others remained unknown until lately
because they couldn’t be found from natural resources. Finally certain colours
were not appreciated due to our eye’s insensitivity towards some colours, in a
way that a striking colour has a stronger impact on our eye.
The summary covers content points 1, 4 and
5. It is concise and well organised with
occasional non-impeding errors. 4.1
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49
PAPER 4
LISTENING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
STRUCTURE AND TASKS
Paper format
The paper contains four parts.
Each part contains a recorded
text or texts and corresponding
comprehension tasks. Each
part is heard twice.
PART 1
Task type
and focus
Three-option multiple choice.
Gist, detail, function, purpose, topic, speaker,
addressee, feeling, attitude, opinion, etc.
Timing
Approximately 40 minutes.
Format
No. of parts
4.
No. of questions
28.
Four short unrelated texts lasting approximately
1 minute each, consisting of either monologues or
exchanges between interacting speakers. There are
two multiple-choice questions per text, each with
three options.
Task types
Multiple choice, sentence
completion, matching.
No. of Qs
8.
Text types
Answer format
Recording
information
Marks
50
Monologues, prompted
monologues or interacting
speakers: interviews,
discussions, conversations,
radio plays, talks, speeches,
lectures, commentaries,
documentaries, instructions.
Candidates are advised to
write their answers in the
spaces provided on the
question paper while listening.
There will be 5 minutes at the
end of the test to copy the
answers onto the separate
answer sheet. Candidates
indicate their answers by
shading the correct lozenges or
writing the required letter,
word or short phrase in a box
on the answer sheet.
The instructions for each task
are given in the question paper,
and are also heard on the
recording. These instructions
include the announcement of
pauses of specified lengths,
during which candidates can
familiarise themselves with the
task. A variety of voices, styles of
delivery and accents will be
heard in each Listening paper to
reflect the various contexts
presented in the recordings, as
appropriate to the international
contexts of the test takers.
Each correct answer receives 1
mark.
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 4 : l is te n i n g
PART 2
Task type
and focus
Sentence completion.
Specific information, stated opinion.
Format
A monologue or prompted monologue lasting
3 to 4 minutes.
No. of Qs
9.
PART 3
Task type
and focus
Four-option multiple choice.
Opinion, gist, detail, inference.
Format
A text involving interacting speakers lasting 3 to 4
minutes.
No. of Qs
5.
PART 4
Task type
and focus
Three-way multiple matching.
Candidates match statements on a text to either of
two speakers or to both when they express
agreement. Stated and non-stated opinion,
agreement and disagreement.
Format
A text with interacting speakers lasting 2 to 3
minutes, in which opinions are exchanged and
agreement or disagreement expressed.
No. of Qs
6.
The four parts of the
Listening paper
■ PART 3 – MULTIPLE CHOICE
■ PART 1 – MULTIPLE CHOICE
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for a variety of focuses.
Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 53, 56
and 60.
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for opinion, gist, detail
and inference.
Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 54, 58
and 60.
Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 1 mark.
Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are
expressed, both implicitly and explicitly. The five four-option
Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
multiple-choice questions in this part focus on detailed
understanding of points raised. Questions follow the order of
The eight questions in this part relate to four separate texts
the information found in the text, but the final question may
(two questions per text). The texts may be self contained or
test global understanding of the text as a whole.
may be extracts from longer texts. The four texts are a mixture
of monologues, prompted monologues and texts with
■ PART 4 – THREE-WAY MULTIPLE MATCHING
interacting speakers. Candidates should read the introductory
sentence carefully as this gives information which will help to
contextualise what they will hear. Each question focuses on a
different aspect of each text, for example:
• What is the speaker’s attitude to those who complain?
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for stated and non-stated
opinion, agreement and disagreement.
Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 55, 59
and 60.
• In the speaker’s opinion, what explains the team’s recent
lack of success?
• What is the programme going to be about?
• What should you do if you want to enter the
competition?
Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 1 mark.
The six questions in this part relate to one text which is usually
in the form of an informal discussion in which opinions about a
topic are exchanged and agreement and disagreement are
■ PART 2 – SENTENCE COMPLETION
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for specific words
or phrases and produce written answers in response to the
sentences.
expressed. There are two main speakers, one male and one
female to facilitate identification, although some texts may also
feature a presenter’s introduction and/or questions. A series of
six statements summarises the main points raised in the text
and forms the basis of a three-way matching task. Candidates are
asked to match each statement to the speaker who expresses
Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 54, 57
and 60.
Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark.
that view, or to indicate where speakers are in agreement.
Recording information
Each text is heard twice. Recordings will contain a variety of
accents corresponding to standard variants of native speaker
Candidates listen to a monologue or prompted monologue
accents, and to non-native speaker accents that approximate
of an informative nature, aimed at a non-specialist audience.
to the norms of native speaker accents. Background sounds
The nine questions in this part take the form of incomplete
may be included before speaking begins to provide contextual
sentences. The candidates show their understanding of what
information.
they have heard by completing gaps in these sentences.
Answers are short, generally in the form of single words or
noun groups. They must be spelled correctly and must fit into
Preparation
the grammatical structure of the sentence. The questions
General
follow the order of the information in the text and candidates
■ The best preparation for the Listening paper is exposure to,
write down the words that are heard on the recording.
and engagement with, a wide range of spoken English,
including a range of voices, accents and styles of delivery.
News broadcasts, documentaries and discussions can be used
as suitable texts, as can light entertainment and drama
broadcast in English. Classroom discussion activities also
provide an invaluable source of listening practice.
■ Candidates should familiarise themselves with the format
of the paper and the task types, which are always the same. It
c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 4 : l is te n i n g
51
is helpful to work through a sample paper before the
■ Candidates should be discouraged from attempting to write
examination takes place and to have practice in completing
long or complicated answers, the size of the boxes on the
the answer sheets.
question paper and answer sheet serving as a guide to the
■ Students should listen to a range of text types and accents
length of expected responses.
regularly.
■ Remind students that they should write the actual word or
■ Build up students’ confidence in listening by grading
words they hear.
listening tasks from easy to more challenging.
■ Remind students that they should write their
■ Make students aware of how much they themselves bring
answers clearly when they copy them onto the answer sheet,
to a listening task. For example, discuss with them what they
expect to hear in a particular context.
■ Students should practise listening to and reading the rubric
so that they are sure they understand what they are listening
for, and what they have to do.
■ Remind students that they should use the time allowed
before each part to read through the questions carefully, so
that they know what to listen out for.
■ As students listen to texts, encourage them to concentrate
on what the speakers say, and to listen for both stated and
implied attitudes and opinions, especially in Parts 1, 3 and 4.
■ Train students to follow the questions through as they listen
to a text so that they can ‘locate’ the answer to each question.
■ Encourage students to confirm their answers when they
listen to each text for the second time.
■ Students should get used to answering all the questions,
even if they are not sure – they have probably understood
more than they think.
using capital letters if they are not sure about their
handwriting.
■ PART 3
■ Classroom preparation for this part could include at first
focusing on the question and not the options. This encourages
students to concentrate on the focus of the question and
really listen to what the speaker says about this point.
■ Students should listen carefully to locate where the answer
to the question lies. You could ask students to raise their
hands when they hear the ‘cue’ (the first reference) for the
next question.
■ Summarising what the speaker(s) say is valuable practise
for this part.
■ It is useful for students to work with texts where opinions
are stated indirectly rather than directly and to practise
‘listening between the lines’.
■ If the answer to a question cannot be heard during the first
listening, encourage students to mentally leave that point and
By part
refocus on the next question. The second listening allows
students the opportunity to finalise their answers.
■ PART 1
■ Candidates should be very wary of choosing an answer just
■ PART 4
because it contains a word or phrase which they hear on the
■ Students need exposure to a range of texts containing the
recording. They should listen to the whole text carefully and
type of language used between peers when discussing
then choose the answer. Similarly, they should not answer the
everyday topics of common interest.
question ‘too soon’, and perhaps jump to the wrong conclusion.
■ In addition to what is directly stated, candidates should
■ Candidates can prepare for this part by listening to a range
have practice in recognising the role of stress and intonation
of short extracts of speech and concentrating on the main
in supporting meaning.
points of what they hear, as well as predicting the purpose of
■ Analysing spoken text to recognise how people agree and
the text and the attitudes and opinions expressed.
disagree will help students decide on ‘Both’ answers. People do
■ Working with the transcript, marking where the correct
not always say something as obvious as ‘Yes, that’s right’.
answer is located, can help candidates gain confidence in their
■ Activities which encourage students to express their
listening skills. This could then be followed by discussion of
the reasons for the distractors being wrong.
■ PART 2
opinions, and agree and disagree with others, such as debates,
are very useful practice.
■ As candidates can write their answers on the question
■ Tasks such as gap-filling exercises which focus on
paper before transferring their answers to the mark sheet
retrieving facts from an informative text will prepare students
at the end of the test, it is good practice to write the letter of
for this part.
each speaker, as he or she expresses the opinion stated, on
■ Candidates need to get into the habit of reading what is
before and after the gap in the sentence so that they do not
the question paper because it makes it easy to confirm
whether both speakers agree or not.
attempt to repeat information which is already in the
■ Remind students to listen carefully to check whether the
sentence, and to check that what they have written fits into
speakers agree, as this will give a ‘Both’ answer.
the grammatical structure of the sentence.
52
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to defend people’s rights.
to change residents’ attitudes.
B
C
the basic defect in the proposals for Oxford.
the value of following an existing model.
the need for improved public transport in Oxford.
A
B
C
The speaker mentions Canterbury in order to emphasise
to propose alternative solutions.
A
The speaker’s purpose is
4
3
did not command widespread respect.
lacked the most basic office skills.
B
C
disappointed that she did not have a permanent contract
unhappy that she was expected to work overtime
annoyed that she was not trusted to behave responsibly
A
B
C
How did the woman feel about her status as an employee?
was trying to establish authority over her.
A
An incident during the early stages of her employment made the woman realise that her boss
You hear a woman talking about her first job.
Extract Two
2
1
You hear a woman talking during a public debate on transport problems in the city of Oxford.
Extract One
You will hear four different extracts.
For questions 1 – 8, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best according to what you hear.
There are two questions for each extract.
________________________________________________________________________________
Part 1
Everybody will interpret the restored painting in a different way.
Recreating an unfinished original involves too much guesswork.
B
C
C
B
A
trying to judge exactly how much of the original to retain.
cleaning the original rather than repainting any lost details.
removing signs of previous restoration to reveal the original.
The woman claims that nowadays much of a restorer’s work is taken up with
Trying to make the artist’s intentions more visible is undesirable.
A
What is the man’s central argument against restoring the painting?
8
7
to keep calm while waiting in the plane.
to overcome the urge for self-preservation.
B
C
C
B
A
the hazardous nature of the jumps
the recurring feeling of excitement
the sensation of being suspended
In his opinion, what explains skydiving’s lasting attraction?
to remember the trainer’s safety rules.
A
He says that, on your first skydive it is difficult
You hear a man talking on the radio about a type of parachuting called skydiving.
Extract Four
6
5
Turn overŹ
You hear a radio programme in which two artists are discussing a plan to restore a famous painting.
Extract Three
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Part 1 (Questions 1–8)
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53
54
10
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are unfounded.
15
without
17
Thanks to a new marketing strategy, some kinds of soap are now being sold, as they used to be,
and
16
smells may soon become fashionable.
when talking about the fragrance of their goods.
Soap marketing campaigns increasingly focus on the benefits of soap for both
The speaker thinks that
14
12
and clothing, as well as for personal use.
Manufacturers of household cleaning products are careful to use the word
13
In the past, the same piece of soap was used to clean items of
According to the speaker, any claims linking soap with longer
blocks of soap and
11
for their products.
and detergent.
In the days before mass production, the same kind of device was used by shopkeepers to cut
Manufacturers of soap were among the earliest to make up
9
22
21
20
19
18
selling goods which other students needed.
increasing the size of his market.
his parents offered to pay for him to start a business.
D
It gives impartial advice to its customers.
Her work was unsatisfactory.
Her salary demands were too high.
to move into a different retail sector
to attract buyers for the company
to acquire other companies
C
D
to offer up-to-date products
B
A
What does Jerry say is his goal in the near future?
D
They had numerous disagreements.
B
C
She gave confidential information to the press.
A
Why did Jerry ask the company's Public Relations Officer to leave?
D
It only stocks products from selected companies.
C
It has a range of bargain offers.
It only recruits well-qualified staff.
B
A
According to Jerry, how is Mobile Madness different from its competitors?
a friend suggested that they should start a business.
he anticipated problems with the company's sales strategy.
he saw little prospect of career development.
C
B
A
Jerry left the electrical retailer where he first worked because
D
finding someone whose talents he could use.
B
C
being able to afford to buy his initial stock.
A
Jerry believes that the key to his business success at school was
Turn overŹ
You will hear an interview with Jerry Davison, the owner of a chain of mobile-phone shops called
Mobile Madness.
For questions 18 – 22, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
________________________________________________________________________________
You will hear part of a lecture on soap and its role in society.
For questions 9 – 17, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Until recently, Morrison’s soap was produced in rectangular bars of
Part 3
Part 2
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Parts 2 and 3 (Questions 9–22)
25
26
27
28
26 The end of the book came as an anticlimax.
27 I preferred the author's first book.
28 I felt misled by the publicity.
24
24 A novelist’s distance from the subject should not inhibit the writing.
25 The structure of the novel reinforces the theme.
23
23 The storyline is the novel’s strength.
Write
T for Tanja,
S for Steve,
or
B for Both, where they agree.
_________________________________________________________________________________
You will hear part of a discussion in which two friends, Tanja and Steve, are discussing a book they
have each read recently.
For questions 23 – 28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers, or
whether the speakers agree.
Part 4
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Part 4 (Questions 23–28)
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55
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Tapescript for Part 1
This is the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
I’ve been a self-employed journalist for 15 years. Before that,
Listening test.
I started my working life in a publishing house. My
I’m going to give you the instructions for this test.
immediate boss delighted in writing out letters in pencil and
I’ll introduce each part of the test and give you time to look at the
questions.
summoning me to type them out at the drop of a hat. I’m
afraid my response was rather insubordinate and surly – if
she had the time to write them out in long hand, why on
At the start of each piece you’ll hear this sound:
—
***
—
earth didn’t the woman just type them out herself in the first
place? I guess it was my first introduction to office politics
You’ll hear each piece twice.
and hierarchy, and I didn’t appreciate being put in my place.
Remember, while you’re listening, write your answers on the
I’d never been one for petty bureaucracy. Having to get the
question paper. You’ll have 5 minutes at the end of the test to
green light to take an hour off work to go to the dentist or
copy your answers onto the separate answer sheet.
use the office phone to call my bank felt like an insult to
There’ll now be a pause. Please ask any questions now, because
you must not speak during the test.
my integrity and dignity. If I got the work done, chose to
stay on late, why should I demean myself with asking
another adult permission to go about my basic business?
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
Obviously, this attitude wasn’t one that was going to
Now open your question paper and look at Part 1.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
guarantee life-long employment.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
You’ll hear four different extracts. For questions 1–8, choose the
answer (A, B, or C) which fits best according to what you hear.
—
*** —
—
*** —
REPEAT EXTRACT 2
There are two questions for each extract.
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
Extract one.
Extract three.
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
—
*** —
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
Thank you. I’d like to say that there are all kinds of reasons
why people may need to use their cars to get into the
Man: I’m more than a little concerned that this museum
centre of Oxford and there are proposals currently about to
intends to restore ‘The Warring Gods’ painting. Can you,
be implemented by the city council which are actually
number one, restore an unfinished painting? What does it
going to make it virtually impossible for people in the east
mean to make an unfinished painting intelligible? Because
of the city, which is the majority of residents, to get into
that is apparently the avowed goal of the restorer. How do
the city centre using their cars. And I know from knocking
you make something that was never intelligible,
on countless doors, that many people, cyclists included,
intelligible, as it were? We’re dealing here with too many
whom I’ve spoken to are desperately opposed to this idea.
unknowns. And even if you wanted to do that, who’s it to
be intelligible for?
Now, I used to live just outside Canterbury, and there the
city centre has been successfully pedestrianised – 25 years
Woman: Look, the whole ethics thing of being a restorer is
ago – because the road layout makes it possible to
that you do not put your personal views on to a painting.
pedestrianise the heart of the city, whilst at the same time
Everything is very professional – absolute quantifiable
allowing people to get very near the city centre in their
analysis along with academic research, including the
cars, or on public transport for that matter. And in some
participation of art historians. This whole idea that we
cities it’s possible, but in a city such as ours, the road
restorers are the . . . kind of . . . janitors, running around
layout makes it impossible to do that successfully.
with a bottle of cleaner taking off the original paint is just
baloney. Anyway, a lot of what’s happened is that in the
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
past there has been vast over-restoration through hundreds
—
***
—
of years and often what a painting’s restorer does is to try
and undo that work, not tamper with the original.
REPEAT EXTRACT 1
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
Extract two.
—
REPEAT EXTRACT 3
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
—
56
*** —
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
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*** —
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Tapescript for Parts 1 and 2
So how did we ever come to fall in love with soap? Over
Extract four.
the past 100 years, soap has reflected the development of
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
consumer culture. Some of the earliest brand names were
—
***
—
given to soap, and it was one of the first mass-produced
The first time you go skydiving you don’t jump alone.
goods to be machine cut into standard size and packaged.
You’re attached to an instructor and he’ll deploy the
This was revolutionary stuff, the customer was reassured
parachute and ensure a safe landing. Time relentlessly
of quality and quantity, and there was no need for the
ticks away; and it takes a good 20 minutes for the plane to
messy business of the grocer lopping off a slice of soap
reach jump height, and then you’re another 3 minutes
with a cheese wire. Thus, mass-production set up a direct
falling – and that feels like an eternity.
relationship between manufacturer and consumer,
When the plane door opens, the wind rushes in. You
waddle towards the door and it becomes a roar. With your
bypassing the grocer. Soap is in some ways the ultimate
demonstration of consumer capitalism.
toes over the edge, your head tells you this is absurd, and
But the supremacy of soap is not as rational as we might
orders your body to walk back inside the plane. It’s unreal;
believe. Soap has more to do with the imagination than
the ground looks like a scale model directly below.
with the health of our bodies. It’s a widely held
Then you’re lying prostrate in the air with nothing around
you, floating. Up and above, the plane’s disappearing as if
someone’s pulling it up with a string, and the ground’s
approaching, slowly then fast.
misconception that soap is good for us; in fact, it does little,
if anything, for global health. Yes, the rise in the use of soap
has coincided with improving life expectancy, a fact that
some soap producers have been keen to point out, but that
has been due to the availability of clean water and effective
After a few times, skydiving loses its initial thrill, but the
sewerage rather than anything to do with soap.
camaraderie with the other jumpers and the marvellous
feeling from floating above the earth remain. The view’s
always intriguing as the perspective you get is so rare.
So what is soap all to do with then? Well, we now have a
cultural obsession with smelling nice. For something to be
clean, it has to smell clean. The concept of cleanliness as a
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
smell started with soap – one bar was once used to wash
—
REPEAT EXTRACT 4
everything from furniture to clothes and bodies. As soap
*** —
has multiplied into dozens of specific cleaning products,
from shampoo to fabric softener, so have the smells. Some
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
have developed particular associations: after lemon
became a staple of household cleaners, lemon soaps went
That’s the end of Part 1.
out of fashion. Every corner of the well-kept house offers a
Now turn to Part 2.
symphony of elaborately constructed smells, all purporting
to be natural. Producers know this sells and are anxious to
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
You’ll hear part of a lecture on soap and its role in society. For
questions 9–17, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
You now have 45 seconds in which to look at Part 2.
claim it in their advertising. In fact, the smells are more
often complex synthetic imitations owing everything to
the art of industrial chemists.
Tastes in soap have fragmented into different markets.
There’s been a move from utility to pampering yourself.
PAUSE 45 SECONDS
—
Basically, soap is a cheap treat. The fragrance has shifted
*** —
from strong florals to food smells, such as fruits, which are
Hello and welcome to Liverpool College. Liverpool is a very
fitting place for this lecture on the social role of soap, for, as
you probably know, the last bar of soap has just dropped off
the production line at the nearby Morrison’s factory,
signalling an end to 114 years of those little oblong blocks
understood in the business as reassuring, reminding the
consumer of their childhood. Presently, there’s a move
towards watery fragrances – smells such as you get at the
seaside or in melons or cucumbers. And herbal fragrances
are my prediction as the next big thing.
of fat mixed up with various kinds of detergent. But fear
not, the mass-produced block is merely being discontinued
Another very significant development has been prompted by
in favour of liquid versions – shower gels, bodywashes and
the dramatic expansion of the male cosmetics market. This
liquid soap in dispensers. The soap bar, you understand,
has entailed a shift from the marketing people who are now
has been deemed unhygienic. Liquid soap costs more, but
refocusing on hygiene in the original sense of the word – a
no matter: soap is something on which we seem happy to
sense of wellbeing of mind and body. The soap is sold around
spend, spend, spend.
the idea that it is physically and emotionally therapeutic.
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57
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Tapescript for Parts 2 and 3
There is no sign of packaging and it is sold in bars.
JD: Exactly. But even though the company was turning more
Manufacturers have targeted new outlets such as sports
and more floor space over to mobiles, after a while I just
shops, and I note with interest that soap is now not only once
knew I wasn’t getting anywhere. I had a handful of good
again being sold in health food shops, but is also made on the
contacts in the industry and boundless energy. Plus I could
premises. Truly the wheel has come full circle . . . [fade]
scrape together just enough savings to open a shop. So I
asked another old schoolmate to help me set up Mobile
PAUSE 10 SECONDS
Madness, and we never looked back. I’d consulted my
Now you’ll hear Part 2 again.
—
parents, who were always supportive and helped me
*** —
financially after the launch, when money was tight. I’m
very conscious of the debt I owe them.
REPEAT PART 2
Int: Why do you think Mobile Madness has been so much
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
more successful than its competitors?
That’s the end of Part 2.
JD: The mobile phone market has boggled consumers with its
complexity for years: different networks, changing
Now turn to Part 3.
technology. I decided at the outset that we’d differentiate
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
ourselves by providing retailing consultancy. We have quite
You’ll hear an interview with Jerry Davison, the owner of a chain
a lot of staff in every shop, to minimise queueing, but we
of mobile phone shops called Mobile Madness. For questions
make sure they’re well-briefed, so that they can help
18–22, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according
customers through the maze of products and prices. And
to what you hear.
we’re independent of the manufacturers. We aim to sell
You now have 1 minute in which to look at Part 3.
people the cheapest product that will actually meet their
requirements. But price alone isn’t the decisive factor:
PAUSE 60 SECONDS
every retailer gives special offers these days.
—
***
—
Int: In the 12 years since opening his first shop selling mobile
phones, Jerry Davison has turned Mobile Madness into a
Int: Things haven’t always gone smoothly, though. You came
in for quite a lot of flak when you sacked your Public
Relations Officer after just six months, didn’t you?
major retail chain, and he’s probably one of the most
JD: That left quite a nasty taste. She seemed ideal at first, and
successful young entrepreneurs in Britain today. Jerry,
couldn’t be faulted on her rapport with the media, as I
welcome to the programme.
found to my cost. I was very hurt that she went to the
JD: Thank you.
Int : Is it true that you started your first business venture at
school?
JD: That’s right. I sold fancy goods, like sunglasses and pens,
which I bought in bulk through a small ad. It didn’t cost
much to get going: I bought a small stock, and sold it for
double, so from then on the whole thing was selffinancing. School wasn’t the ideal marketplace, of course,
being restricted in size, and mostly short of the readies, at
that. I soon realised that selling wasn’t my forte, though,
so I hired a schoolmate with the gift of the gab to do it.
After that, everything just seemed to fall into place. He
could sell sunglasses when it was pouring with rain.
Int: Did you set up Mobile Madness when you left school?
JD: No, first I got a job with an electrical retailer, who put me
onto selling mobile phones. Remember this was in the
press about it after what I thought was an amicable
agreement to part, saying that we clashed too often. But
the bottom line is that in business you’re judged by results,
and she just wasn’t up to it.
Int: And finally, Jerry, can you see yourself selling the company
and getting out?
JD: I wouldn’t entirely rule it out, in some hazy future. In the
meantime, there’s work to be done. We’ve taken over several
firms recently, and now we have to focus on integrating
them. The way I see it panning out, developments in the
technology will mean that to keep up, we need to keep on
our toes with our product range, or we’re finished.
Int: Jerry Davison, thank you very much.
JD: Thank you.
PAUSE 10 SECONDS
Now you’ll hear Part 3 again.
really early days. I soon realised that this was the best thing
that had ever happened to me. The market for mobiles was
just taking off, demand was outstripping supply.
—
REPEAT PART 3
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
Int: So more a case of allocating than selling, then.
58
That’s the end of Part 3.
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*** —
PAPER 4: LISTENING
Tapescript for Part 4
Steve: Contrived and self-conscious in my view – people’s
Now turn to Part 4.
lives hardly divide up into chapters like that and somehow
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
it meant that the story didn’t flow, it just jumped from one
You’ll hear part of a discussion in which two friends, Tanja and
rigid section to another. It was like those old silent films
Steve, are discussing a book they have each read recently. For
with titles introducing each bit.
questions 23–28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by
only one of the speakers, or whether the speakers agree. Write T
for Tanja, S for Steve, or B for both, where they agree.
You now have 30 seconds in which to look at Part 4.
Tanja: Oh, come on – in fairness, within that, she has a lovely
style.
Steve: Mmm . . . I suppose that’s why I carried on reading it –
and there were bits which were interesting, but then these
PAUSE 30 SECONDS
odd staccato jumps – it may have had something to do
—
***
with the way she kept writing in the present tense. And I
—
Tanja: So, Steve, what did you think of Anna Wilson’s latest
thought the ending was silly. You’ve waited all this time for
the party, and it’s not really important. It’s as if she had
novel? I was quite struck . . .
thought of the last chapter first, and then sat down and
Steve: Really? Oh, Tanja! I’m afraid it just struck me as
wrote all the chapters up to that point.
empty – you know, not fleshed out. I can’t get to grips with
Tanja: And I think that’s quite a common failing in novels these
the characters at all.
days. Overall, I quite enjoyed it – but not as much as I
Tanja: But little snippets of detail about their hair, clothes, or
just a gesture were embedded throughout. Then you just
thought I would. That’s often a problem – after a writer’s
brilliant debut, their next attempt can be a let down, can’t it?
had to add a dash of imagination and you were there.
Steve: There was certainly a lot of hype for that one.
Steve: . . . and if I can’t get an inkling of what they look like –
they’re just blobs on a page. They were very twodimensional. And she keeps repeating stuff about the
Tanja: And for this one too. But that’s what the publisher has
to do to get a book talked about.
characters that she’s already told you – you know like Larry
Steve: Yes, the blurb on the cover made it sound incredible, so
was 31, or Larry was married to Donna. It’s only reinforcing
I decided to save it for a long train journey and so I was
information which still doesn’t help you get to know Larry
really looking forward to it, but it was like ordering a meal
any better. You’re still seeing him through a glass. There’s
and thinking it will be lovely and then the food arrives and
not enough description, but I suppose the book is
it isn’t really what you thought it would be.
redeemed by the narrative.
Tanja: That reminds me of when I last went . . . [fade]
Tanja: A cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter – kept me
going, I must admit. But one of the problems I had was
PAUSE 10 SECONDS
Now you’ll hear Part 4 again.
I wasn’t sure whether I liked Larry or not.
—
Steve: Well, Larry’s an oddball – certainly – and not very
convincing. All that stuff about going to flower arranging
REPEAT PART 4
classes – and Beth is weird too.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
Tanja: I wondered whether it would have been different if
she’d made the main character a woman. Maybe there is a
kind of gulf anyway if you’re a woman writing about a
man. I know when the book came out she was questioned
about why she’d made the main character a man.
Steve: But there are hundreds of writers who can write about
the opposite sex without it jarring – or write about things
they haven’t experienced personally, come to that. I think
the fact that we are discussing this is because he seems
unreal and distant, not because she’s a woman writer.
Tanja: But perhaps that’s also a result of how the book is
*** —
That’s the end of Part 4.
There’ll now be a pause of 5 minutes for you to copy your
answers onto the separate answer sheet. Be sure to follow the
numbering of all the questions. I’ll remind you when there is 1
minute left, so that you’re sure to finish in time.
PAUSE 4 MINUTES
You have one more minute left.
PAUSE 1 MINUTE
That’s the end of the test. Please stop now. Your supervisor will
now collect all the question papers and answer sheets.
organised, you know with chapter headings and so on. It
seemed to match Larry’s obsession with mazes and there’s
something rather pleasing about its symmetry.
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PAPER 4: LISTENING
Answer keys
PART 1
PART 2
PART 4
PART 3
1
B
9
fat(s)
18
C
23
B
2
A
10
(brand) names
19
A
24
S
3
A
11
cheese
20
D
25
T
4
C
12
life (expectancy)/lives
21
B
26
B
5
C
13
furniture
22
A
27
T
6
A
14
natural
28
S
7
C
15
herbal
8
A
16
mind and body
17
(any sign of)
packaging/wrapping
N.B. In Part 2, bracketed words do not have to appear in the answer.
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PAPER 4: LISTENING
Answer sheet
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PAPER 5
SPEAKING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
STRUCTURE AND TASKS
Paper format
The Speaking test contains
three parts.
PART 1
Timing
19 minutes.
Task type
and format
Conversation between the interlocutor and each
candidate (spoken questions).
No. of parts
3.
Focus
General interactional and social language.
Interaction
pattern
Two candidates and two
examiners. One examiner acts
as both interlocutor and
assessor and manages the
interaction either by asking
questions or setting up the
tasks for candidates. The other
acts as assessor and does not
join in the conversation.
Timing
3 minutes.
Task types
Marks
62
Short exchanges with the
examiner and with the other
candidate; a collaborative task
involving both candidates; a
2 minute long turn and followup discussion.
Candidates are assessed on
their performance throughout
the test.
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PART 2
Task type
and format
A two-way conversation between the candidates.
The candidates are given instructions with
written and visual stimuli, which are used in a
decision-making task.
Focus
Sustaining an interaction; exchanging ideas,
expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing
and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating,
evaluating, reaching a decision through
negotiation, etc.
Timing
4 minutes.
PART 3
Task type
and format
An individual ‘long turn’ from each candidate
followed by a discussion on topics related to the
long turns. Each candidate in turn is given a
written question to respond to. The interlocutor
leads a discussion to explore further the topics of
the long turns.
Focus
Organising a larger unit of discourse, expressing
and justifying opinions, developing topics.
Timing
12 minutes (2-minute long turn for each candidate
and approximately 8 minutes following the long
turns).
The three parts of the
Speaking test
■ PART 2 – COLLABORATIVE TASK
Format
The paired format of the CPE Speaking test (two examiners
This part tests the candidates’ ability to engage in a discussion and
to work towards a negotiated outcome of the task set.
Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 66–67 and
69.
and two candidates) offers candidates the opportunity to
demonstrate in a controlled but friendly environment, their
ability to use their spoken language skills effectively in a range
of contexts. The test takes 19 minutes. One examiner, the
interlocutor, conducts the test and gives a global assessment
of each candidate’s performance. The other, the assessor, does
The candidates are given spoken instructions and are
provided with a visual stimulus (one or several photographs/
artwork/computer graphics, etc.) to form the basis for a task
which they carry out together.
not take any part in the interaction but focuses solely on
First, the candidates are asked a question which focuses on
listening to, and making an assessment of, each candidate’s
their reaction to aspects of one or more pictures, and they are
oral proficiency.
given 1 minute to talk about this. After this, the interlocutor
At the end of the Speaking test, candidates are thanked for
attending, but are given no indication of the level of their
achievement.
The standard format is two examiners and two candidates.
In cases where there is an uneven number of candidates at a
centre, the last Speaking test of the session will be taken by
gives the candidates spoken instructions for a decisionmaking task.
Candidates are expected to work together towards a
negotiated completion of the task and are assessed on their
speaking skills while doing this; there is no right or wrong
answer to the task.
three candidates together instead of two. The test format,
The task gives candidates the opportunity to show their range
test materials and procedure will remain unchanged but the
of language (speculating, evaluating, comparing, giving
timing will be longer; 28 minutes instead of 19.
opinions, eliciting, negotiating, etc.) and their ability to
The Speaking test consists of three parts, each of which
is assessed. Each part of the test focuses on a different
type of interaction: between the interlocutor and each
candidate, between the two candidates, and among all
three. The patterns of discourse vary within each part of the
test.
■ PART 1 – INTERVIEW
manage a discussion.
■ PART 3 – LONG TURN + DISCUSSION
This part tests the candidates’ ability to develop and sustain
discourse, and to engage in discussion on the topics of the long turns.
Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 68 and 69.
This part tests the candidates’ ability to provide information
about themselves and to offer their personal opinions on a range of
topics.
In this part of the test, each candidate is given the opportunity
some ideas on the card which the candidates can make use of
Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 66 and 69.
to speak for 2 minutes without interruption. Each candidate in
turn is given a card with a question on it, and there are also
if they choose.
Candidates need to pay attention while their partner is
This part of the test gives candidates the opportunity to show
speaking as they are asked to comment (for about 1 minute)
their ability to use general interactional and social language.
after their partner has spoken; a further question on the same
The interlocutor asks each candidate a series of questions by
topic is then directed to both candidates. Candidates should
addressing one question to each candidate in turn. The
be aware that they must not speak during their partner’s long
questions begin by asking candidates for general information
turn.
about themselves and move on to more open questions
requiring speculation or an opinion.
In this part, candidates need to be able to organise their
thoughts and ideas, and express themselves coherently in
The candidates do not need to talk to each other in this part of
appropriate language in the given time.
the test, though they may if they wish.
Following both candidates’ long turns and follow-up
questions, the interlocutor leads a discussion which further
explores the topics of the long turns.
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63
Preparation
■ Encourage students to socialise with others in an Englishspeaking environment.
General
■ In class, students can practise interviewing each other
■ Classroom activities which involve students working in
using questions similar to those in the sample task on page
pairs and small groups will give them practice in skills such as
sensitivity to turn-taking and responding appropriately to their
partners, which is essential to success in the Speaking test.
■ Ensure students have the opportunity to work with
different partners in the class.
66.
■ PART 2
■ Teach your students to listen carefully to the instructions
and to carry them out. Students should be aware that their
response to the first 1 minute focus question that
■ Make sure your students are familiar with the format of
accompanies the visuals sheet needs to go beyond the level of
each part of the test. They should be aware of the interaction
pure description and contain a speculative element.
patterns (in Part 1 they speak mainly to the interlocutor, in
Part 2 to each other, and in Part 3 to each other and the
interlocutor).
■ Train your students to take notice of the title on the visuals
sheet. First of all, it is very useful in helping them remember
the examiner’s instructions. Secondly, information given in
■ It is helpful for the students to know the timings for each
the title about the context or audience (e.g. Library exhibition)
part.
will help students to keep their discussion focused, and to
■ Encourage your students to speak clearly and audibly so
ensure that the outcome is appropriate.
that they can be heard by both the interlocutor and assessor,
■ It is very important that the students interact with each
and to paraphrase when they do not know or cannot
other in this task. All classroom discussion in pairs and small
remember a word.
groups provides excellent preparation. Students should know
■ Train your students to listen carefully to the instructions so
that they know precisely what they have to talk about.
■ In order to make a fair and accurate assessment of
candidates’ performance, the examiners must be given
a reasonable amount of language to assess. Remind students it
how to make positive contributions to move a discussion
forward, and show a willingness to take turns, inviting others
to speak, listening and responding, as well as initiating
discussion themselves.
■ Encourage students to be good listeners. They should be
able to pick up on their partner’s points.
is their responsibility to give a good account of themselves.
■ Remind students that they can ask for clarification of
■ Set up classroom activities that allow students to express
their reactions to and opinions about pictures.
instructions before they begin a task.
■ Encourage students to discuss the messages portrayed
■ In some centres, candidates from the same school are
in visuals. Choose two or three thematically linked
paired together. However, where candidates from a number
pictures from your coursebook, or cut them out of a
of different schools are entered at the same centre, some
magazine (or get students to bring some into class); ask
candidates may find that they are paired with a candidate
students to talk about the aspects of the theme that the
from another school. Students should check with the centre
pictures illustrate.
through which they are entering for the local procedure.
By part
■ Equip students with the functional language needed to
manage a discussion, i.e. how to move forward, re-direct if
necessary, manage the conclusion, etc.
■ PART 1
■ Examiners will ask candidates three questions each about
■ PART 3
their everyday life, work experience, interests, travel, etc.
■ Remind students they can allow themselves up to 10
Candidates will also have the opportunity to express what
seconds before they need to speak. Some students find it
they think in some of their answers.
helpful to read the question out loud as a way of getting
■ Encourage students to respond promptly to the questions.
started.
Discourage students from preparing rehearsed speeches,
■ Brainstorming activities in class will give students practice
however, as these answers are likely to be overlong, unnatural
in getting ideas quickly.
and inappropriate.
■ After the question on the card, there are three bulleted
■ Give students practice with a variety of questions; some
points; these are ideas which support the question. Remind
which require general information about themselves and
students that they do not need to use these points if they
which can be answered quite briefly and others which
don’t want to. As a classroom activity, remove the bullet
demand a more extended response.
points. This focuses the students’ attention on the main
question.
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c p e h a n d b o o k f o r te ac h e r s | pa p e r 5 : s p e a k i n g
■ Encourage students to focus on structuring extended
contributions, for example by using linking, counter-argument
and summing up.
■ In order to give students practice in getting the feel of how
long 2 minutes is, put students in pairs – one as a speaker and
one as a time-keeper.
■ In the discussion that follows the long turns, the
interlocutor will ask questions addressed to both candidates.
He/she might not use the candidates’ names so students must
be prepared to take it in turns to be the initial responder and
the one who reacts to that response. In class, make sure paired
students get practice in being both the first speaker to react to
a question, and the second.
■ Remind your students that this is not a test of knowledge.
It is quite acceptable to admit to not knowing much about
a particular topic, but this should be followed by some sort of
opinion in order to provide a large enough sample of language
for assessment.
■ After your students have both done their long turns, read
them the rubric that introduces the discussion phase (‘Now, to
finish the test, we’re going to talk about … in general’). Ask
pairs of students to write five or six discussion questions on
the topic. These sets can be exchanged within the class and
discussed.
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PAPER 5: SPEAKING
Parts 1 and 2
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PAPER 5: SPEAKING
Part 2
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PAPER 5: SPEAKING
Part 3
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■ Interactive Communication
Assessment
Throughout the test candidates are assessed on their own
individual performance and not in relation to each other. The
assessor awards marks according to five analytical criteria:
This refers to the candidate’s ability to take an active part in
the development of the discourse. It requires the ability to
participate in the range of interactive situations in the test
and to develop discussions on a range of topics by initiating
and responding appropriately. It also refers to the deployment
• Grammatical Resource
of strategies to maintain and repair interaction at an
• Lexical Resource
appropriate level throughout the test so that the tasks can be
• Discourse Management
fulfilled.
• Pronunciation
• Interactive Communication.
The interlocutor awards a mark for Global Achievement.
■ Global Achievement Scale
This scale refers to the candidate’s overall effectiveness in
dealing with the tasks in the three separate parts of the CPE
■ Grammatical Resource
Speaking test. The global mark is an independent impression
This refers to the accurate application of grammatical rules
mark which reflects the assessment of the candidate’s
and the effective arrangement of words in utterances. At CPE
performance from the interlocutor’s perspective.
level a wide range of grammatical forms should be used
appropriately and competently. Performance should be viewed
in terms of the overall effectiveness of the language used.
Marking
Assessment is based on performance in the whole test, and is
not related to performance in particular parts of the test. In
■ Lexical Resource
many countries, Oral Examiners are assigned to teams, each of
which is led by a Team Leader who may be responsible for
This refers to the candidate’s ability to use a wide and
approximately 15 Oral Examiners. Team Leaders give advice
appropriate range of vocabulary to meet task requirements. At
CPE level the tasks require candidates to express precise
meanings, attitudes and opinions and to be able to convey
abstract ideas. Although candidates may lack specialised
vocabulary when dealing with unfamiliar topics, it should not,
in general terms, be necessary to resort to simplification.
Performance is viewed in terms of the overall effectiveness of
the language used in spoken interaction.
and support to Oral Examiners, as required. The Team Leaders
are responsible to a Professional Support Leader, who is the
professional representative of Cambridge ESOL for the
Speaking tests. Professional Support Leaders are appointed by
Cambridge ESOL and attend an annual co-ordination and
development session regionally and in the UK. Team Leaders
are appointed by the Professional Support Leader in
consultation with the local administration.
After initial training of examiners, standardisation of marking
■ Discourse Management
is maintained by both annual examiner co-ordination sessions
This refers to the candidate’s ability to link utterances
and by monitoring visits to centres by Team Leaders. During
together to form coherent monologue and contributions to
co-ordination sessions, examiners watch and discuss sample
dialogue, without undue hesitation. The utterances should be
Speaking tests recorded on video and then conduct practice
relevant to the tasks and preceding utterances in the
tests with volunteer candidates in order to establish a
discourse. The discourse produced should be at a level of
common standard of assessment. The sample tests on video
complexity appropriate to CPE level and the utterances should
are selected to demonstrate a range of nationalities and
be arranged logically to develop the themes or arguments
different levels of competence, and are pre-marked by a team
required by the tasks. The extent of the contributions should
of experienced assessors.
be appropriate, i.e. long or short as required at a particular
point in the dynamic development of the discourse in order to
achieve the task.
■ Pronunciation
This refers to the candidate’s ability to produce intelligible
utterances to fulfil the task requirements. This includes stress
and intonation as well as individual sounds. Examiners put
themselves in the position of the non-ESOL specialist and
assess the overall impact of the pronunciation and the degree
of effort required to understand the candidate.
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69
Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for
Speaking
The Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Speaking has been
developed to help users to:
• interpret levels of performance in the Cambridge tests
from beginner to advanced
• identify typical performance qualities at particular levels
• locate performance in one examination against
performance in another.
The Common Scale is designed to be useful to test candidates
and other test users, e.g. admissions officers or employers.
The description at each level of the Common Scale aims to
provide a brief, general description of the nature of spoken
language ability at a particular level in real-world contexts. In
this way the wording offers an easily understandable description
of performance which can be used, for example, in specifying
requirements to language trainers, formulating job descriptions
and specifying language requirements for new posts.
LEVEL MASTERY
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH:
Fully operational command of the spoken language
• Able to handle communication in most situations, including
unfamiliar or unexpected ones.
• Able to use accurate and appropriate linguistic resources to
express complex ideas and concepts and produce extended
discourse that is coherent and always easy to follow.
• Rarely produces inaccuracies and inappropriacies.
• Pronunciation is easily understood and prosodic features are
used effectively; many features, including pausing and
hesitation, are ‘native-like’.
C2
LEVEL EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY
CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH:
Good operational command of the spoken language
• Able to handle communication in most situations.
• Able to use accurate and appropriate linguistic resources to
express ideas and produce discourse that is generally coherent.
• Occasionally produces inaccuracies and inappropriacies.
• Maintains a flow of language with only natural hesitation
resulting from considerations of appropriacy or expression.
• L1 accent may be evident but does not affect the clarity of the
message.
C1
LEVEL VANTAGE
FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH:
Generally effective command of the spoken language
• Able to handle communication in familiar situations.
• Able to organise extended discourse but occasionally produces utterances that lack coherence and some inaccuracies
and inappropriate usage occur.
• Maintains a flow of language, although hesitation may occur
whilst searching for language resources.
• Although pronunciation is easily understood, L1 features may
be intrusive.
• Does not require major assistance or prompting by an interlocutor.
B2
LEVEL THRESHOLD
PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST:
Limited but effective command of the spoken language
• Able to handle communication in most familiar situations.
• Able to construct longer utterances but is not able to use
complex language except in well-rehearsed utterances.
• Has problems searching for language resources to express
ideas and concepts resulting in pauses and hesitation.
• Pronunciation is generally intelligible, but L1 features may put
a strain on the listener.
• Has some ability to compensate for communication difficulties
using repair strategies but may require prompting and
assistance by an interlocutor.
B1
LEVEL WAYSTAGE
KEY ENGLISH TEST:
Basic command of the spoken language
• Able to convey basic meaning in very familiar or highly
predictable situations.
• Produces utterances which tend to be very short – words or
phrases – with frequent hesitations and pauses.
• Dependent on rehearsed or formulaic phrases with limited
generative capacity.
• Only able to produce limited extended discourse.
• Pronunciation is heavily influenced by L1 features and may at
times be difficult to understand.
• Requires prompting and assistance by an interlocutor to
prevent communication from breaking down.
A2
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CPE Glossary
KEY: the correct answer to an item.
AFFIXATION: adding prefixes or suffixes to a base word to make
LONG TURN: the opportunity in the Speaking test for a
it fit a particular context.
ANCHOR TEST: a test with known measurement characteristics,
which is administered in association with another test.
Performance on the anchor test provides information about
the other test and about the candidates who have taken
both of them.
ANSWER SHEET: the form on which candidates record their
responses.
ASSESSOR: the Speaking test examiner who assigns a score to
LEXICAL: adjective from lexis, meaning or to do with vocabulary.
candidate to talk uninterrupted for a period of time,
enabling them to produce an extended piece of discourse.
LOZENGE: the space on the answer sheet which candidates
must fill in to indicate their answer to a multiple-choice
question.
MULTIPLE CHOICE: a task where candidates are given a set of
several possible answers of which only one is correct.
MULTIPLE MATCHING: a task in which a number of questions or
sentence completion items, generally based on a reading
a candidate’s performance, using analytical criteria to
text, are set. The responses are provided in the form of a
do so.
bank of words or phrases, each of which can be used an
CLOSURE TECHNIQUES: techniques used to draw a conversation
to a close, e.g. ‘That’s all’.
CLOZE TEST: a type of gap-filling task in which whole words
have been removed from a text and which candidates must
replace.
COHERENCE: language which is coherent is well planned and
clear, and all the parts or ideas fit well so that they form a
united whole.
COLLABORATIVE TASK: the opportunity in the Speaking test for
the candidates to engage in a discussion and work together
towards a negotiated outcome of the task set.
COLLOCATION: this term describes the likelihood of two words
going together, e.g. a good job, a wonderful occasion.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS: short questions testing
information selection, linking and sentence construction.
CONTENT POINTS: the points contained in the CPE Paper 2 Part 1
compulsory question, which must be included in the
response.
CONVERSATIONAL FILLERS: a word or sound filling a pause in an
utterance or conversation, e.g. ‘er’, ‘you know’.
DISCOURSE: written or spoken communication.
DISCRETE SENTENCES: sentences not connected by context or
meaning.
unlimited number of times.
NEUTRAL STYLE: a writing style with no specific features of
formality or informality.
OBJECTIVE TEST: a test which can be scored by applying a mark
scheme, without the need to bring expert opinion or
subjective judgement to the task.
OPENING AND CLOSING FORMULAE: the expressions, either formal
or informal, that are usually used to open and close letters,
e.g. ‘Dear Maria … With best wishes from … ’, or ‘Dear Mr
Dakari … Yours sincerely … ’.
OPTIONS: the individual words in the set of possible answers
for a multiple-choice item.
PARAPHRASE: to give the meaning of something using different
words.
PHRASAL VERB: a verb which takes on a new meaning when
followed by a certain preposition or adverb (e.g. ‘get away’,
‘take up’).
PRETESTING: a stage in the development of test materials at
which items are tried out with representative samples from
the target population in order to determine their difficulty.
PRODUCTIVE TASK: a task which provides candidates with a
stimulus to which the response is a piece of written or
spoken language. As well as the Writing and Speaking tasks,
DISTRACTOR: each incorrect option in a multiple-choice item.
productive tasks are found in CPE Paper 3 and in Parts 2 and
GAP-FILLING ITEM: any type of item which requires the
4 of Paper 4.
candidate to insert some written material – letters,
REFERENCING: the technique of using ‘referents’.
numbers, single words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs –
REFERENT: a word or term that refers to another person, place,
into spaces in the text. The response may be supplied by the
candidate or selected from a set of options.
GAPPED SENTENCE: a task in CPE Paper 3 Part 3 where questions
are made up of three gapped sentences, with the gapped
word being common to all three sentences.
etc.
REGISTER: the tone of a piece of writing. The register should be
appropriate for the task and target reader, e.g. a letter of
application is written in formal register.
REPORT LAYOUT: the way in which a report should be presented.
GIST: the central theme or meaning of the text.
At CPE level a report in Paper 2 Part 2 should be clearly
IMPEDING ERROR: an error which prevents the reader from
organised into paragraphs/sections and may include
understanding the word or phrase.
INPUT MATERIAL: the text and notes, sometimes supported by
illustrations or diagrams, which candidates have to base
their answers on in the CPE Paper 2 questions.
INTERLOCUTOR: the Speaking test examiner who conducts the
test and makes a global assessment of each candidate’s
performance.
ITEM: each testing point in a test which is given a separate
mark or marks, e.g. CPE Paper 1, Part 1 has 18 items.
headings.
RHETORICAL/STYLISTIC DEVICES: techniques used in a text to
achieve a particular effect.
RUBRICS: the instructions to an examination question
which tell the candidate what to do when answering the
question.
SENTENCE TRANSFORMATIONS: a task where a lead-in sentence is
followed by a prompt and a gapped sentence, which must be
completed.
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STEM WORD: the word at the end of each line in CPE Paper 3
Part 2 which is the basis for the word that has to be formed.
STYLE: a property of a text which may be neutral, formal,
informal, etc.
SUMMARY TASK: a task which requires candidates to
summarise in a specific number of words information from
two texts.
TARGET READER: the intended recipient of a piece of writing. It
is important to ensure that the effect of a written task on a
target reader is a positive one.
TRANSACTIONAL LETTER: a letter written in response to a
request for action or to initiate action, i.e. the letter will
trigger some outcome or result, usually in the form of
further communication. A letter of complaint is
transactional, a letter giving advice is not.
TRIALLING: a stage in the development of test materials at
which tasks for the Writing or Speaking papers are tried out
with representative samples of students to determine their
suitability as test materials and whether they work as
expected.
Acronyms
ALTE: The Association of Language Testers in Europe.
CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference.
EFL: English as a Foreign Language.
ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages.
UCLES: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
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