university of cambridg esol examinations certiﬁcate...

Handbook for teachers

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations

Certificate ofProficiency inEnglish

1cpe handbook | contents

2 Introduction to Cambridge ESOL

3 Introduction to CPE

5 CPE support

Contents

Preface

7 General description

7 Structure and tasks

8 The four parts of the Reading paper

9 Preparation

12 Sample paper

17 Answer keys and Answer Sheet



19 The two parts of the Writing paper

20 Preparation

23 Sample paper

24 Assessment

27 Sample scripts with examiner

comments



35 The five parts of the Use of English

paper

36 Preparation

39 Sample paper

43 Answer keys and mark scheme

44 Assessment of summary writing task

45 Answer Sheet 1

46 Answer Sheet 2

47 Sample scripts with examiner

comments

INTRODUCTION

OVERVIEW OF CPE

1

READING PAPER

1

WRITING PAPER

USE OF ENGLISH PAPER

LISTENING PAPER



50 The four parts of the Listening paper

50 Preparation

52 Sample paper

55 Sample tapescript

59 Answer keys and answer sheet

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.

SPEAKING TEST



61 The three parts of the Speaking test

62 Preparation

64 Sample paper

67 Assessment

GLOSSARY69 Glossary of terms and acronyms

Inside front cover CPE content and overview

2

1

3

4

5

2 cpe handbook | introduction to cambridge esol

Cambridge ESOL examinations fulfil the Code of Practice

established by ALTE. This Code of Practice focuses on the

responsibilities of both examination providers and

examination users and covers four main areas:

• developing examinations

• interpreting examination results

• striving for fairness

• informing examination takers.

For more information on ALTE please visit www.ALTE.org

� 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 English (ESOL)’.

� Key features of Cambridge ESOL examinations

Cambridge ESOL undertakes:

• to assess language skills at a range of levels, each of

them 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 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

language skill at the appropriate level

• to relate the examinations to the teaching curriculum in

such a way that they encourage positive learning

experiences, and to seek to achieve a positive impact

wherever possible

• to endeavour to be fair to all candidates, whatever their

national, ethnic and linguistic background, gender or

disability.

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

and accurate, and therefore the extent to which they can be

depended on for making decisions about the candidate.

Impact concerns the effects, beneficial or otherwise, which an

examination has on the candidates and other users, whether

these are educational, social, economic or political, or various

combinations of these. Practicality can be defined as the

extent to which an examination is practicable in terms of the

resources needed to produce and administer it. All these

factors underpin the development and production of

Cambridge ESOL examinations.

Introduction to CambridgeESOL� University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL)

provides an extensive range of examinations, certificates and

diplomas for learners and teachers of English, with a tradition

of language assessment dating back to 1913. Cambridge ESOL

is a part of the Cambridge Assessment group, which is a

department of the University of Cambridge and one of the

world’s largest educational assessment agencies*.

Cambridge ESOL examinations are suitable for learners of all

nationalities, whatever their first language and cultural

background, and there are examinations suitable for learners

of almost any age. The range of Cambridge ESOL examinations

includes specialist examinations in Business English and

English for Academic Purposes, as well as tests for young

learners and a suite of certificates and diplomas for language

teachers.

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 skills

they need to make practical use of the language in a variety of

contexts. Above all, what the Cambridge ESOL examinations

assess is the ability to communicate effectively in English.

Cambridge ESOL is committed to providing examinations of

the highest possible quality. This commitment is underpinned

by an extensive programme of research and evaluation, and by

continuous monitoring of the marking and grading of all

Cambridge ESOL examinations. Of particular importance is the

rigorous set of procedures which are used in the production

and pretesting of question papers.

� The Association of Language Testers in Europe(ALTE)

Cambridge ESOL is a member of the Association of Language

Testers in Europe (ALTE), which was formed in 1990. The

members are all providers of language examinations and

certificates from countries within Europe.

The principal objectives of ALTE are as follows:

• to promote the transnational recognition of certification,

especially in Europe

• to establish common standards for all stages of the

language testing process, i.e. test development, question

and materials writing, test administration, marking and

grading, reporting of test results, test analysis and

reporting of findings

• to collaborate on joint projects and in the exchange of

ideas and know-how.

*Cambridge Assessment is the operating name for the University of

Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

3cpe handbook | introduction to cpe

Introduction to CPE� The level of CPE

CPE is designed to offer a high-level qualification in the

language to those wishing to use English for professional or

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.

CPE is at Level C2 of the Common European Framework, and a

description of this level is given below in terms of:

• what material learners can handle

• 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

such as drama, film and literature. Success in examinations at

this level may be seen as proof that the learner is able to cope

with high-level academic work.

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

The Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) has

developed a framework which covers six levels of language

proficiency aligned to the Council of Europe Common

European Framework. Research carried out by ALTE has shown

what language learners can typically do at each level. The

table below gives some examples at CPE level of typical

general ability plus ability in each of the skill areas and in a

range of contexts.

‘Can Do’ summary

Typical abilities Listening and Speaking Reading and Writing

Overall general CAN advise on or talk about complex or sensitive issues, CAN understand documents, correspondence and reports,

ability understanding colloquial references and dealing including the finer points of complex texts.

confidently with hostile questions.

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 CAN (for example, when looking for accommodation)

without awkwardness. 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 CAN understand reports and articles likely to be encountered

contentious issues, such as legal or financial during his/her work, including complex ideas expressed

matters, to the extent that he/she has the in complex language.

necessary specialist knowledge.

CAN make full and accurate notes and continue to

participate in a meeting or seminar.

Study CAN understand colloquial asides and cultural CAN access all sources of information quickly

allusions. and reliably.

CAN make accurate and complete notes during the

course of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.

4 cpe handbook | introduction to cpe

� Varieties of English

Candidates’ responses to tasks in the Cambridge ESOL

examinations are acceptable in varieties of English which

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

using a British spelling of a word to an American spelling

of the same word in the same written response to a given

task.

� Recognition

CPE is recognised as fulfilling English language entrance

requirements by many higher education institutions and

corporate bodies across the world. More information

about recognition is available from centres, British

Council offices, Cambridge ESOL and from

www.CambridgeESOL.org

� CPE candidature

Information is collected about the CPE candidates at each

session, when candidates fill in a Candidate Information

Sheet. The candidates for CPE come from a wide range of

backgrounds and take the examination for a number of

different reasons. The following points summarise the

characteristics of the current CPE candidature.

• Nationality

CPE is taken by candidates throughout the world in about

90 countries, although the total number of nationalities

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

About 70% of candidates are under 25, with the average age

being about 23. In some countries the average age is lower

(e.g. in Greece it is about 19).

• Gender

About 63% of candidates are female.

• Employment

Most candidates are students, although there are

considerable differences in the proportion of students in

different countries.

• Exam preparation

A large proportion of candidates (about 80%) undertake a

preparatory course before taking the examination.

• Reasons for taking CPE

Candidates’ reasons for wanting an English language

qualification are roughly distributed as follows:

• for study (36%)

• for work (46%)

• other (18%).

� CPE administration

CPE is held each year in June and December in over 1,000

centres worldwide. Candidates must enter through a

recognised centre.

� Grading and results

The five CPE papers total 200 marks, after weighting. Each

paper is weighted to 40 marks. 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.

The overall grade boundaries (A, B, C, D and E) are set

according to the following information:

• statistics on the candidature

• statistics on the overall candidate performance

• statistics on individual items, for those parts of the

examination for which this is appropriate (Papers 1, 3

and 4)

• advice, based on the performance of candidates and

recommendations of examiners, where this is relevant

(Papers 2 and 5)

• comparison with statistics from previous years’

examination performance and candidature.

Results are reported as three passing grades (A, B and C) and

two failing grades (D and E). The percentage of marks needed to

achieve each grade may vary from session to session depending

on the precise difficulty of the individual papers which make

up the particular examination. The approximate ranges of

percentages for each grade at CPE are typically as follows:

Passing Grades Failing Grades

Grade A 80% and above Grade D 55% to 59%

Grade B 75% to 79% Grade E 54% and below

Grade C 60% to 74%

Statements of results are sent out to all candidates and

include a graphical display of the candidate’s performance in

each paper. These are shown against the scale Exceptional –

Good – Borderline – Weak, and indicate the candidate’s relative

performance in each paper.

� Notification of results

Statements of results are issued through centres

approximately two months after the examination has been

taken. Certificates are issued about six weeks after the issue of

statements of results. Enquiries about results may be made

through Local Secretaries, within a month of the issue of

statements of results.

� Special requirements

Special requirements covers three main areas: special

arrangements, special consideration and malpractice.

5cpe handbook | cpe support

provide a general view of how candidates performed overall

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/support/pubs/index.cfm

The sample question papers included in this handbook have

been produced to reflect the format of the examination.

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.

� On-line support

Cambridge ESOL provides an on-line resource for teachers,

designed to help them understand the examinations better

and to prepare candidates more effectively.

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.

www.CambridgeESOL.gr (Greece)

www.CambridgeESOL.ch (Switzerland)

� Seminars for teachers

Cambridge ESOL offers a wide range of seminars designed

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

teachers to established examinations and also to new or

revised examinations. Contact Cambridge ESOL Information

for further details.

� Further information

Copies of the regulations and details of entry procedure,

current fees and further information about this and other

Cambridge examinations can be obtained from the Cambridge

ESOL Local Secretary in your area, or from the address on the

back cover of this handbook. In some areas this information

can also be obtained from the British Council.

• Special arrangements:

These are available for candidates with a permanent or

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

Cambridge ESOL Local Secretary in your area for more

details as soon as possible.

• Special consideration:

Cambridge ESOL will give special consideration to candidates

affected by adverse circumstances immediately before or

during an examination. Special consideration can be given

where an application is sent through the centre and is made

within ten 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

are suspected of copying, collusion or breaking the

examination regulations in some other way. Results may be

withheld because further investigation is needed or

because of infringement of regulations. Centres are notified

if a candidate’s results have been investigated.

CPE support� Course materials

A number of coursebooks and practice materials are available

from publishers. A list of UK publishers which produce material

related to the examinations is available from Cambridge ESOL

Information and is on the Cambridge ESOL website. CPE

requires an all-round language ability and this should be borne

in mind when selecting course materials. Most coursebooks will

need to be supplemented; care should be taken to ensure that

coursebooks and practice materials selected accurately reflect

the content and format of the examination.

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

can be used for practice, and examination reports, which

1PAPER

READING

7cpe handbook | paper 1: reading

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Paper format 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); non-

specialist 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 answerreceives 1 mark.Parts 2, 3 and 4 – each correctanswer receives 2 marks. Thetotal score is then weighted toa maximum of 40 marks forthe whole paper.

STRUCTURE AND TASKS

PART 1

Task type Multiple-choice lexical cloze.and focus Idioms, collocations, fixed phrases,

complementation, phrasal verbs, semanticprecision.

Format Three unrelated texts from a range of sources,each with six gaps. Candidates must chooseone word or phrase from a set of four to filleach gap.

No. of Qs 18.

PART 2

Task type Multiple-choice.and focus 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-choicequestions.

No. of Qs 8.

PART 3

Task type Gapped text.and focus Cohesion, coherence, text structure, global

meaning.

Format A text from which paragraphs have been removedand placed in jumbled order after the text.Candidates must decide from where in the textthe paragraphs have been removed.

No. of Qs 7.

PART 4

Task type Multiple-choice.and focus Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea,

implication, text organisation features(exemplification, comparison, reference).

Format A text followed by four-option multiple-choicequestions.

No. of Qs 7.

8 cpe handbook | paper 1: reading8

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 writer’s

purpose, understanding of text organisation or global

understanding of the text. Questions focusing on detail are

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

in the pair. The questions can be answered correctly only by

referring closely to the text.

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

the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have

made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their

answers to the Answer Sheet.

� PART 3 – GAPPED TEXT

This part tests candidates’ understanding of text structure and theirability to follow text development.

� Sample task and answer key: pages 15 and 17.

� Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks.

The task requires candidates to select from eight options the

correct extract to fit in each of seven gaps in a text. There is only

one correct answer for each gap. There is no example answer.

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

well as their development throughout the whole of the gapped

text. They should then decide which extract fits each gap, and

write the appropriate letter in each gap. They should remember

that each letter may only be used once and that there is one

extract that they will not need to use. When they have made

their selection and checked each choice carefully, they should

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 organization and the opinions andattitudes expressed in it.



Part 4 consists of one longer text followed by seven multiple-

choice questions which test detailed understanding of the

The four parts of the Reading paper

� PART 1 – LEXICAL CLOZE

This part tests the candidates’ control and range of vocabulary.


� Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.

This task requires candidates to complete a short gapped text

by selecting the correct word or phrase from a set of four

options. This involves choosing the answer that correctly fits

the meaning within a phrase or sentence, and candidates may

also have to take into account the broader context of the

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

the word is used in context; this may involve, e.g. choosing

‘interested’ rather than ‘keen’, ‘eager’ or ‘enthusiastic’ to fill

the gap in: ‘You may be … in applying for this job’. In this

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’.





answers to the Answer Sheet.

� PART 2 – MULTIPLE-CHOICE (SHORT THEMED TEXTS)

This part tests candidates’ detailed understanding of a range oftexts, including the purpose, main idea and organisation of the textsand the opinions and attitudes expressed in them.



Part 2 consists of four short texts, with two multiple-choice

questions on each. Each text has a title. The texts come from a

range of sources and may vary in style, but they share a broad

theme which is given in the rubric at the beginning. Being


text, including opinions and attitudes expressed in it. The text

has a title and may also have a subheading. Candidates need

to read the text closely in order to distinguish between, for

example, apparently similar viewpoints, outcomes or reasons.

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.





answers to the answer sheet.

Preparation

General� Exposure to, and engagement with, a substantial and varied

range of written English is essential preparation for the

Reading paper. The students who are most successful in CPE

are likely to be those for whom reading in English is a leisure

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 questions, 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,

fixed phrases, and features of lexico-grammar such as

dependent prepositions. However, students should also be

aware of alternative techniques for coping with unfamiliar

vocabulary, such as the use of contextual clues.

� 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

aware of the need to allow sufficient time for each part of the

paper.

� 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

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

filling in lozenges on the Answer Sheet in pencil. This must be

done within the time allowed for the Reading paper (11⁄2 hours).

The Answer Sheets are scanned by an Optical Marks Reader. If

a question is left blank, or if a candidate fills in more than one

lozenge for a question, the Answer Sheet is rejected and

checked manually.

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

10 cpe handbook | paper 1: reading

indication of which words were gapped) and suggest which

words or phrases might be gapped, discussing what words

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.

� A useful pre-reading activity is for the teacher to extract

a number of two-word collocations from a text and separate

and jumble them. The students can then be asked to predict

the original collocations before reading the text to check.

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 gapped. Students can predict the

missing words and then check with the text.

� PART 2

� Students should always read the rubric, as this will give

them information about the theme of this part of the paper.

Encourage your students to read each text carefully, thinking

about its overall meaning and purpose, before reading the two

questions that follow it.

� 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 be then 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.

� Students should not assume that an option is correct

simply because it contains a word that is also in the text. They

need to check carefully that the meaning is the same in the

text as in the question. Ask your students to check the

questions which take the form of unfinished sentences very

carefully. The whole sentence has to match what is written in

the text, not just the phrase in the option A, B, C or D.

� This part of the paper shows the greatest variety in terms of

source, point of view, style and purpose. Students should

therefore familiarise themselves with a wide range of

registers, topics and lexical fields. They should also be aware

of the different reading skills involved in Parts 2 and 4, such as

opinion, attitude, purpose and implication, as well as text

organisation features and lexical and grammatical references

and linking words.

� Activities which focus on recognising and evaluating

attitude and opinion and which enhance students’ abilities to

infer underlying meaning will be helpful in preparation for

both Part 2 and Part 4. For example, students could look at

ways in which the writer’s choice of vocabulary reveals

opinion and attitude, or of the effect of metaphor and simile

within a 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

throughout the whole of the gapped text. Students frequently

make the wrong choice by selecting options which fit the text

before the gap, and neglecting to check that the text after the

gap follows on smoothly.

� 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. appear in the surrounding text

as in one of the extracts, that is necessarily the right option to

fill the gap. Students should be trained to consider the

development of the text as a whole, and not to focus on each

gap separately. Sometimes students will need to choose

carefully between two extracts as possible answers and will

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

alternatives more easily. If this activity is done in pairs or

groups, students will also be encouraged to justify their

combinations and links to one another. Exercises which

involve analysing the organisation of different types of texts

and understanding how this affects meaning would also be

helpful.

� Candidates should beware of approaching the gapped-text

task as an exercise requiring them merely to identify extracts

from the text and sections in the text which contain the same

words. The task is designed to test understanding of the

development of ideas, opinions and events rather than the

superficial recognition of individual words.

� PART 4

� Preparation for the multiple-choice task should include

practice in reading a text quickly for a first overall impression,

followed by close reading of the text in order to prevent any

misunderstandings which may lead students to choose

a wrong answer. As with Part 2, they must be aware of the

need to check each option against the evidence of the text.


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 multiple-

choice) 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.

18 cpe handbook | paper 2: writing

2

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Paper format The paper contains two

parts.

Timing 2 hours.

No. of parts 2.

No. of questions Candidates are required to

complete two tasks – a

compulsory one in Part 1,

and one from a choice of

four in Part 2.

Task types 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.

Answer format Candidates write their

answers 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.

Marks Each question on this papercarries equal marks.

STRUCTURE AND TASKS

PART 1

Task type QUESTION 1and focus Writing one of the following:

• an article• an essay• a letter• a proposal.The task focus is discursive.

Format Candidates are required to respond to input materialof approximately 100 words. This may includeextracts from newspapers, magazines, books, lettersor advertisements, or could be based on quotationsmade by speakers during a discussion. The input textmay be supported by visual material.

No. of tasks One compulsory task.and length 300–350 words

PART 2

Task type Either:and focus QUESTIONS 2–4

Writing one of the following:• an article• a letter• a proposal• a report• a review

Or:

QUESTION 5Writing one of the following, based on reading onefrom a prescribed list of three books:• an article• an essay• a letter• a report• a review.

Format Contextualised writing tasks, each specified in nomore than 70 words.

No. of tasks Four tasks from which candidates choose one.and length 300–350 words.

PAPER

WRITING

19cpe handbook | paper 2: writing

The two parts of the Writingpaper

� Each question on the Writing paper carries equal

marks.

� Expected text length

Candidates are asked to write 300–350 words for each answer,

and writing approximately the right number of words is an

integral part of task achievement. If significantly fewer words

are written, this is likely to mean that the task has not been

successfully completed, whereas overlong pieces of writing

may involve irrelevance, repetition of ideas, poor organisation

or have a negative effect on the target reader. If this is the

case, overlong or short answers will be penalised.

� Irrelevance

The examiner will assess whether a candidate has addressed

the requirements of a task. If a candidate does not fully

address the requirements of the task, this will limit the Band

score which can be awarded.

� PART 1 – COMPULSORY TASK

This part of the paper tests the candidates’ ability to produce aspecified task type, which may be an article, an essay, a letter or aproposal, in response to instructions and one or more texts, whichmay be supported by visual prompts.

� Sample question and scripts: pages 23 and 27–28.

� Task type and focus

The questions in Part 1 always have a discursive focus.

Discursive writing is a style used in academic writing and it

requires the high level of language competence appropriate at

CPE. Candidates may be asked, for example, to present and

defend an argument, to express and then justify an opinion, to

explain a problem and suggest a solution, or to evaluate ideas

and make recommendations. The input which explains and

defines the task will always present at least three points to be

addressed, and candidates are required to cover these points

in their answers and to add their own views and opinions. The

input will always define the purpose for writing and will

identify the target reader.

� Task format

Candidates are required to base their answers on input

material which will take the form of a short text or texts, or

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.

Since the task focus is on productive language, the input will

be well within the reading competence of candidates at this

level.

� PART 2

This part consists of four optional questions, one of which offers threeoptions based on the set texts. Candidates must choose one questionfrom this part of the paper.

� Task format

The input for the questions in Part 2 is considerably shorter

than in Part 1, and will not be more than 70 words in length.

The rubric for each question will define the purpose for

writing, identify the target reader and therefore indicate the

appropriate format and register required in the answer.

� PART 2 – QUESTIONS 2–4

� Sample questions and scripts: pages 23 and 29–31.

� Task types and focus

The different task 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, review and proposal. The

characteristics of each are detailed below.

AN ARTICLE is written on a particular theme in a style which

makes it suitable for publication in an English-language

newspaper, magazine or newsletter. The question identifies

the topic for the article, and the type of publication mentioned

gives the candidate guidance as to the appropriate register to

be used – for example how academic or lively the article

should be. The purpose of an article is to convey information;

it may contain some description and/or narrative, and

candidates should bear in mind the need to engage the

interest of their readers.

A LETTER is written in response to the situation outlined in the

question. Letters in the CPE Writing paper will require a

response which is consistently appropriate for the specified

target reader, and candidates can expect to be asked to write

letters to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine,

to the director of an international company, or to a school or

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 REPORT is written for a specified audience. This may be a

superior, for example a boss at work, or members of a peer

group, colleagues or fellow class members. The question

identifies the subject of the report and specifies the areas to

be covered. The content of a report is mainly factual and

draws on the prompt material, but there will be scope for

candidates to make use of their own ideas and experience.

A PROPOSAL has a similar audience and format to a report.

Whereas the focus of a report is on something that has


already happened, a proposal is concerned with some

future event or decision. A question of this type requires

the candidate to put forward suggestions or make

recommendations for discussion or for action. The objective

or aim of the proposal will be specified in the question; the

candidate’s task will be to provide suggestions about how to

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.

A REVIEW may be about a book, magazine, film, play or concert,

but it may also be about, for example, a restaurant, hotel, or

perhaps an exhibition. The target reader is specified in the

question, so the candidate knows not only what register is

appropriate, but also has an idea about the kind of

information to include. A review does not merely require a

general description of, for example, an event or publication,

but it 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.

� PART 2 – QUESTIONS 5(A), 5(B) AND 5(C)

Question 5 consists of a choice of three tasks based on the set readingtexts, as specified in the Examination Regulations issued every year(also available on the Cambridge ESOL website:www.cambridgeesol.org/cpe).

This option is included to encourage the extended reading whichdevelops candidates’ linguistic competence, widens the range oflanguage they encounter and enriches their language study. A varietyof texts is included in order to appeal to different tastes. Each textremains on the list for two years.

� Sample questions and scripts: pages 23 and 32–33.

� Task types and focus

The task types used in question 5 are article, essay,

letter, report and review. With the exception of the essay,

reference has been made to these in the section on

questions 2–4.

AN ESSAY is usually written for a teacher. It should be well

organised, with an introduction, clear development and an

appropriate conclusion. The question specifies what particular

aspects of the book (development of character or significance

of events) should form the content of the essay.

Candidates are not required to produce literary analysis for

question 5.

PreparationGeneral� 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.

� Candidates need to read the question very carefully in

order to perform the task set effectively. Students need

practice in identifying what the task is and what needs to be

addressed. The question identifies the context, the writer’s

role and the target reader, which helps the candidate to

choose the appropriate register. It is also very important that

students learn to distinguish between the various task types

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.

� Candidates should get into the habit of planning their

answers thoroughly before they begin to write. This will

encourage an organised and coherent approach and prevent

irrelevant digression. Practice in writing to time will help

prepare students to answer the question under examination

conditions, produce the appropriate number of words

required in the time set and avoid the possibility of running

out of time.

� The various task types which appear on the paper require

the use of a range of language functions, for example the

language of persuasion, description, recommendation,

comparison. Students should be given guidance in identifying

these, and practice in using them.

� Remind your students that correct spelling and

punctuation are important. If spelling errors or faulty

punctuation impede communication, then this will be

reflected in the mark awarded. American usage and spelling

are acceptable (see page 4: Varieties of English).

� 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

27–32 of this Handbook also show examples of what is

required of specific tasks in terms of content and target

reader.

21cpe handbook | paper 2: writing

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.

� Students need to be reminded that the Part 1 task always

has a discursive focus. Part of the task, therefore, is to put

forward a well-argued and logical case, making sure that this

is appropriate to the particular task type – letter, essay, article

or proposal – and that the register is suitable for the scenario

outlined in the question.

� Candidates may, of course, use key words from the

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.

� Because of the discursive focus of this part of the paper,

students need to be equipped to discuss a range of topics.

Reading and discussing articles in English on a variety of

issues will help them to develop their ideas and extend their

vocabulary in order to cover the points raised in the questions.

� PART 2

� There is considerable choice on this part of the paper:

advise your students to choose task types and topics that

appeal to their interests and experience.

� The questions in Part 2 are shorter, but just as much care is

required in reading them. Candidates who do not read a

question carefully enough may seize on a familiar topic and

start the task before they have identified exactly what is

required. It is always the case that there are at least two parts

to these questions, and only candidates who produce a

balanced answer dealing adequately with all parts of the

question can expect to gain a mark in the higher bands.

� Encourage your students to use a wide variety of

grammatical structures and language functions and to explore

the use of a range of vocabulary and expression.

Articles� Students should be reminded that a successful article

interests and engages the reader, often with some description,

narration and anecdote. In some cases, a personal angle will

be appropriate and a catchy title will attract the reader’s

attention. However, remind students that there are many

different types of article, and that they should check carefully

to see what kind of publication they are being asked to write

for. An article in an academic publication will have a very

different style and choice of language from one in a student

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.

Letters� It is important that a letter begins and ends appropriately:

it may be appropriate at the beginning to explain the reason

for writing, and the letter should have a suitable conclusion.

Students should be encouraged to read and discuss letters in

newspapers and magazines as this may help make them

aware of the style of writing required.

Reports� The purpose of the report must be identified so that the

correct information can be selected; establishing the identity

of the target reader will ensure that a suitable style and choice

of language is used. It is also important for students to read

the context carefully to identify their role as writer. A report

should be well organised and clearly arranged in sections.

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.

Proposals (not used for set text questions)

� A proposal needs a very clear structure and should be

organised in clear sections. As with a report, the purpose,

the target reader and role of the writer must be identified.

Students should be given practice in using section headings

and in writing clear conclusions. Students should also be

given opportunities to gain experience in using the language

commonly used in proposals, for example the language of

describing, analysing, justifying and persuading.

Reviews� In order to become familiar with what is required of a

review, students should read and discuss a range of reviews

such as can be found in various magazines and newspapers.

The language appropriate to a review will include, for

example, language for describing, narrating and evaluating

and students should try to extend their vocabulary to include

that related to literature and the media.

Essays (only used for set text questions)

� Essays may be united by a central idea which provides a

point and purpose to the writing, so they need careful

planning. Students should be encouraged to practise

organising the points they wish to 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.

Set text questions� Set texts may give rise to useful and stimulating classroom

work and discussion. Candidates who choose these questions

will be expected to have a good knowledge of the text 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 book 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.

34 cpe handbook | paper 3: use of english

3

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Paper format The paper contains five

parts.

Timing 1 hour 30 minutes.

No. of parts 5.


Task types Open cloze, word

formation, gapped

sentences, sentence

transformations,

comprehension questions

and summary writing task.

Answer format Candidates write their

answers on two answer

sheets. 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.

Marks Parts 1 and 2 – each correctanswer receives 1 mark.Part 3 – each correct answerreceives 2 marks.Part 4 – each correct answerreceives up to 2 marks.Part 5 – questions 40–43,each correct answerreceives 2 marks.For question 44 there are 14marks available: up to 4marks may be awarded forcontent and up to 10 marksfor summary writing skills.

STRUCTURE AND TASKS

PART 1

Task type Open cloze.and focus Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary.

Format A modified cloze test containing 15 gaps.

No. of Qs 15.

PART 2

Task type Word formation.and focus Emphasis on vocabulary.

Format A text containing 10 gaps. Each gap corresponds toa word. The stems of the missing words are givenbeside the text and must be changed to form themissing word.

No. of Qs 10.

PART 3

Task type Gapped sentences.and focus Emphasis on vocabulary.

Format Questions are made up of three discrete sentences.Each sentence contains one gap. The gapped word iscommon to the three sentences. Candidates mustwrite one word which is appropriate in all threesentences.

No. of Qs 6.

PART 4

Task type Key word transformations.and focus Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary.

Format 8 discrete items with a lead-in sentence and agapped response to complete in 3–8 words includinga given ‘key’ word.

No. of Qs 8.

PART 5

Task type Comprehension questions and summary writingand focus task.

The focus of the questions is on awareness of the useof language (recognising and understanding the forceof lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices andreferencing).The focus of the summary is on informationselection, linking and sentence construction.

Format Two texts with two questions on each text. Thesummary task requires selection of relevantinformation from both texts.

No. of Qs 4.1 summary writing task.

PAPER

USE OF

ENGLISH

The five parts of the Use ofEnglish paper� PART 1 – OPEN CLOZE

In this part, the focus of the gapped words is grammatical or lexico-grammatical.



Part 1 is a modified cloze text containing fifteen gaps plus one

example. Candidates are required to draw on their knowledge

of the structure of the language and understanding of the text

in order to fill the gaps. A single word is needed to fill each

gap, never a phrase or contraction. There may be more than

one acceptable word for a gap, defined by the mark scheme.

Candidates must write their answers in capital letters on

Answer Sheet 1.

� PART 2 – WORD FORMATION

In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. affixation, compounding).



Part 2 is a word-building task, consisting of a text with ten gaps

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

In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. collocation, phrasal verbs, wordcombinations).



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.

� PART 4 – KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS

In this part, the focus is on grammar and vocabulary.


� 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

which only the beginning and end are given. Candidates have

to fill the gap in the second sentence so that it is similar in

meaning to the lead-in sentence. Candidates are required to

manipulate structures and lexical phrases in their answer,

e.g. a verb in the given sentence might need to be changed to a

noun. They can use between three and eight words including

the given key word. The key word must not be changed in any

way and candidates must write their answers on Answer

Sheet 2.

� PART 5 – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ANDSUMMARY WRITING TASK

In this part, the focus of the comprehension questions is onawareness of the use of language (recognising and understanding theforce of lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices and referencing).The focus of the summary question is on information selection,linking and sentence construction.


� 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

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

organise it into a well-constructed and grammatically accurate

summary of between fifty and seventy 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.

35cpe handbook | paper 3: use of english

36 cpe handbook | paper 3: use of english36

PreparationGeneral� For all parts of the Use of English paper, students need to

analyse language at both sentence and paragraph level, and to

regard texts critically in order to develop sensitivity to, for

example, word combinations, collocations and idioms. They

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’).

� Candidates may think that, for certain questions, more

than one answer is possible. However, they should not give

more than one answer on the separate Answer Sheets, as they

may lose marks if they do. This is because if one answer is

incorrect, they will not be awarded any marks.

� Candidates may write on the question paper during the

examination, but their notes will not be marked. Candidates

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

check that they have written the answer next to the

appropriate question number.

� Candidates can complete the various parts of the test in

any order, but it is probably better to do them in the order of

the question paper to avoid the possibility of putting answers

in the wrong sections of the Answer Sheets.

� Candidates should write in a soft pencil (B or HB) on the

Answer Sheets. If they wish to change an answer, they should

rub it out using an eraser and write the correct answer

instead. If candidates cross out an answer instead of rubbing it

out, they should do this clearly. It is not a good idea to alter

the word itself, as this will make it unclear. Candidates should

not put the word in brackets, as this may appear to be an

alternative answer and they may lose marks.

� 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

view. They may need to look for a referent (e.g. names; places;

pronouns, he/they, etc.) in another part of the sentence, and in

this case they should make sure that the word they write in

the gap agrees with the subject.

� Encourage students to pay particular attention to the words

before and after the gap, as they may form part of

a collocation that is completed by the missing word.

� 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.

� In class, encourage students to note down and learn words

and expressions in context, especially grammatical patterns

and collocations. It is also useful if they mark collocations in

texts that they read.

� Work on text organisation, particularly linkers and

referents, is also useful for this part.

37cpe handbook | paper 3: use of english

� PART 2

� As with all texts, candidates should read the title and the

whole text before attempting to fill in any gaps.

� 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. wide – width. There can be any number

of changes to a word, e.g. relate – relationships; mercy –

mercifully.

� Use activities in class that help students to manipulate

word forms such as word-building games. Encourage students

to note down all parts of a new word when they come across it

in a reading text and not just the base form.

� Suggest that students use a thesaurus to help them to

extend their range of vocabulary, but remind them to check all

new words in a dictionary as there may be differences not only

in meaning but also how they are used. Remind students that

many dictionaries give collocations and phrases with words.

� 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

of vocabulary in a range of contexts and with a range of

meanings would be helpful in preparation for this task, e.g.

• Students can write their own sets of gapped sentences

for each other, using a dictionary. They can start by only

writing two sentences, to make the task easier in class.

• 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.

These two activities promote awareness of words used in

different contexts.

� 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.

� PART 4

� Remind students that the answer must consist of three,

four, five, six, seven or eight words. If they write more than

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

be singular or plural. They should also take particular note of

the words immediately before and after the gap.

� In preparing for this part of the paper, give your students

practice in paraphrase use. You could ask them to rewrite

sentences from texts they have read, or rewrite sentences

from their own or a partner’s written work. You can also use

tapescripts from listening activities; give students a

paraphrase of a sentence and ask them to listen and identify

the original. Remember to discuss whether the paraphrase has

changed the register or style of the sentence. In speaking, ask

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.

� Provide exercises which will help students to understand

textual features such as the use of different words or phrases

to refer to the same object or theme.

� Do exercises which encourage students to recognise ways

in which texts are structured and organised at whole-text and

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.

There are two steps students need to take when writing the

summary:

• 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 cpe handbook | paper 3: use of english38

� 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.

49cpe handbook | paper 4: l istening

4PAPER

LISTENING

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Paper format The paper contains four parts.

Each part contains a recorded

text or texts and corresponding

comprehension tasks.

Timing Approximately 40 minutes.

No. of parts 4.


Task types Multiple-choice, sentence

completion, matching.

Task focus Understanding gist, main

points, detail, specific

information, deducing

meaning.

Text types Monologues, prompted

monologues or interacting

speakers: interviews,

discussions, conversations,

radio plays, talks, speeches,

lectures, commentaries,

documentaries, instructions.

Answer format Candidates are advised to

write their answers in the

spaces provided on the

question paper. There will be

five 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.

Marks Each correct answer receives

one mark.

STRUCTURE AND TASKS

PART 1

Task type Three-option multiple-choice.and focus Gist, detail, function, purpose, topic, speaker,

addressee, feeling, attitude, opinion, etc.

Format Four short unrelated texts lasting approximately 1 minute each, consisting of either monologues orexchanges between interacting speakers. There aretwo multiple-choice questions per text, each withthree options.

No. of Qs 8.

PART 2

Task type Sentence completion.and focus Specific information, stated opinion.

Format A monologue or prompted monologue lasting 3 to 4 minutes.

No. of Qs 9.

PART 3

Task type Four-option multiple-choice.and focus Opinion, gist, detail, inference.

Format A text involving interacting speakers lasting 3 to 4minutes.

No. of Qs 5.

PART 4 Task type Three-way multiple matching.and focus Candidates match statements on a text to either of

two speakers or to both when they expressagreement. Stated and non-stated opinion,agreement and disagreement.

Format A text with interacting speakers lasting 2 to 3minutes, in which opinions are exchanged andagreement or disagreement expressed.

No. of Qs 6.

50 cpe handbook | paper 4: l istening50

The four parts of the Listening paper� PART 1 – MULTIPLE-CHOICE

This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for a variety of focuses.

�Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 52, 55

and 59.


The eight questions in this part relate to four separate texts

(two questions per text). The texts may be self contained or

may be extracts from longer texts. The four texts are a mixture

of monologues, prompted monologues and texts with

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?

• 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?

� PART 2 – SENTENCE COMPLETION

This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for specific wordsor phrases and produce written answers in response to the sentences.

�Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 53, 56

and 59.


Candidates listen to a monologue or prompted monologue

of an informative nature, aimed at a non-specialist audience.

The nine questions in this part take the form of incomplete

sentences. The candidates show their understanding of what

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

the grammatical structure of the sentence. The questions

follow the order of the information in the text and candidates

write down the words that are heard on the recording.

� PART 3 – MULTIPLE-CHOICE

This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for opinion, gist, detailand inference.

� Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 53, 57

and 59.


Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are

expressed, both implicitly and explicitly. The five four-option

multiple-choice questions in this part focus on detailed

understanding of points raised. Questions follow the order of

the information found in the text, but the final question may

test global understanding of the text as a whole.

� PART 4 – THREE-WAY MULTIPLE MATCHING

This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for stated and non-statedopinion, agreement and disagreement.

� Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 54, 58

and 59.


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

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 thee-way matching task. Candidates are

asked to match each statement to the speaker who expresses

that view, or to indicate where speakers are in agreement.

Recording informationEach text is heard twice. Recordings will contain a variety of

accents corresponding to standard variants of native speaker

accents, and to non-native speaker accents that approximate

to the norms of native speaker accents. Background sounds

may be included before speaking begins to provide contextual

information.

PreparationGeneral� The best preparation for the Listening paper is exposure to,

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

51cpe handbook | paper 4: l istening

is helpful to work through a sample paper before the

examination takes place and to have practice in completing

the Answer Sheets.

� Students should listen to a range of text types and accents

regularly.

� Build up students’ confidence in listening by grading

listening tasks from easy to more challenging.

� Make students aware of how much they themselves bring

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.

By part� PART 1

� Candidates should be very wary of choosing an answer just

because it contains a word or phrase which they hear on the

recording. They should listen to the whole text carefully and

then choose the answer. Similarly, they should not answer the

question ‘too soon’, and perhaps jump to the wrong conclusion.

� Candidates can prepare for this part by listening to a range

of short extracts of speech and concentrating on the main

points of what they hear, as well as predicting the purpose of

the text and the attitudes and opinions expressed.

� Working with the transcript, marking where the correct

answer is located, can help candidates gain confidence in their

listening skills. This could then be followed by discussion of

the reasons for the distractors being wrong.

� PART 2

� Tasks such as gap-filling exercises which focus on

retrieving facts from an informative text will prepare students

for this part.

� Candidates need to get into the habit of reading what is

before and after the gap in the sentence so that they do not

attempt to repeat information which is already in the

sentence, and to check that what they have written fits into

the grammatical structure of the sentence.

� Candidates should be discouraged from attempting to write

long or complicated answers, the size of the boxes on the

question paper and Answer Sheet serving as a guide to the

length of expected responses.

� Remind students that they should write the actual word or

words they hear.

� Remind students that they should write their

answers clearly when they copy them onto the Answer Sheet,

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 practice

for this part.

� It is useful for students to work with texts where opinions

are stated indirectly rather than directly and to practice

‘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

refocus on the next question. The second listening should

allow students the opportunity to finalise their answers.

� PART 4

� Students need exposure to a range of texts containing the

type of language used between peers when discussing

everyday topics of common interest.

� In addition to what is directly stated, candidates should

have practice in recognising the role of stress and intonation

in supporting meaning.

� Analysing spoken text to recognise how people agree and

disagree will help students decide on Both answers. People do

not always say something as obvious as ‘Yes, that’s right’.

� Activities which encourage students to express their

opinions, and agree and disagree with others, such as debates,

are very useful practice.

� As candidates can write their answers on the question

paper before transferring their answers to the mark sheet

at the end of the test, it is good practice to write the letter of

each speaker, as he or she expresses the opinion stated, on

the question paper because it makes it easy to confirm

whether both speakers agree or not.

� Remind students to listen carefully to check whether the

speakers agree, as this will give a Both answer.

PAPER

SPEAKING

5

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Paper format The Speaking test contains

three parts.

Timing 19 minutes.

No. of parts 3.

Interaction Two candidates and twopattern examiners. One examiner acts

as both interlocutor andassessor and manages theinteraction either by askingquestions or setting up thetasks for candidates. The otheracts as assessor and does notjoin in the conversation.

Task types Short exchanges with the

examiner (and with the other

candidate); a collaborative task

involving both candidates; a

2-minute long turn and follow-

up discussion.

Task focus Using general interactional

and social language;

speculating, evaluating and

making decisions; organising

a larger chunk of discourse;

expressing and justifying

opinions; developing topics.

Marks Candidates are assessed on

their performance throughout

the test.

STRUCTURE AND TASKS

PART 1

Task type Conversation between the interlocutor and each and format candidate.

The interlocutor encourages the candidates togive information about themselves and to expresspersonal opinions.

Focus General interactional and social language.

Timing 3 minutes.

PART 2

Task type Two-way conversation between the candidates.and format The candidates are given visual and spoken

prompts, which are used in a decision-makingtask.

Focus Speculating, evaluating, comparing, givingopinions, exchanging information, decision-making, etc.

Timing 4 minutes.

PART 3

Task type Long turn from each candidate followed by and format a discussion on topics related to the long turns.

Each candidate in turn is given a written questionto respond to. The interlocutor leads a discussionto explore further the topics of the long turns.

Focus Organising a larger unit of discourse, expressingand justifying opinions, developing topics.

Timing 12 minutes (2-minute long turn for each candidateand approximately 8 minutes following the longturns).

60 cpe handbook | paper 5: speaking 60

The three parts of theSpeaking test

FormatThe paired format of the CPE Speaking test (two examiners

and two candidates) offers candidates the opportunity to

demonstrate 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 not take any part in the interaction

but focuses solely on listening to, and making an assessment

of, the candidates’ oral proficiency.

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,

and wherever possible this will be the form which the

Speaking test takes. In cases where there is an uneven

number of candidates at a centre, the last Speaking test of

the session will be taken by three candidates together

instead of two. The test format, test materials and procedure

will remain unchanged but the timing will be longer;

28 minutes instead of 19. A 1:1 test format will only be

allowed in exceptional circumstances and emergencies.

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

This part tests the candidates’ ability to provide informationabout themselves and to offer their personal opinions on a range oftopics.

� Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 64 and 67.

This part of the test gives candidates the opportunity to show

their ability to use general interactional and social language.

The interlocutor asks each candidate a series of questions by

addressing one question to each candidate in turn. The

questions begin by asking candidates for general information

about themselves and move on to more open questions

requiring speculation or an opinion.

The candidates do not need to talk to each other in this part of

the test, though they may if they wish.

� PART 2 – COLLABORATIVE TASK

This part tests the candidates’ ability to engage in a discussion andto work towards a negotiated outcome of the task set.

� Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 64–65 and

67.

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.

First, the candidates are asked a question which focuses on

their reaction to aspects of one or more pictures, and they are

given 1 minute to talk about this. After this, the interlocutor

gives the candidates spoken instructions for a decision-

making 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.

The task gives candidates the opportunity to show their range

of language (speculating, evaluating, comparing, giving

opinions, eliciting, negotiating, etc.) and their ability to

manage a discussion.

� PART 3 – LONG TURN + DISCUSSION

This part tests the candidates’ ability to develop and sustaindiscourse, and to engage in discussion on the topics of the long turns.

� Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 66 and 67.

In this part of the test, each candidate is given the opportunity

to speak for 2 minutes without interruption. Each candidate in

turn is given a card with a question on it, and there are also

some ideas on the card which the candidates can make use of

if they choose.

Candidates need to pay attention while their partner is

speaking, as they are asked to comment (for about 1 minute)

after their partner has spoken; a further question on the same

topic is then directed to both candidates. Candidates should

be aware that they must not speak during their partner’s long

turn.

In this part, candidates need to be able to organise their

thoughts and ideas, and express themselves coherently in

appropriate language in the given time.

Following both candidates’ long turns and follow-up

questions, the interlocutor leads a discussion which further

explores the topics of the long turns.

61cpe handbook | paper 5: speaking

62 cpe handbook | paper 5: speaking6262

PreparationGeneral� Classroom activities which involve students working in

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.

� Make sure your students are familiar with the format of

each part of the test. They should be aware of the interaction

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).

� It is helpful for the students to know the timings for each

part.

� Encourage your students to speak clearly and audibly so

that they can be heard by both the interlocutor and assessor,

and to paraphrase when they do not know or cannot

remember a word.

� 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

is their responsibility to give a good account of themselves.

� Remind students that they can ask for clarification of

instructions before they begin a task.

� In some centres, candidates from the same school are

paired together. However, where candidates from a number

of different schools are entered at the same centre, some

candidates may find that they are paired with a candidate

from another school. Students should check with the centre

through which they are entering for the local procedure.

By part� PART 1

� Examiners will ask candidates a minimum of three

questions each about their everyday life, work experience,

interests, travel, etc. Candidates will also have the opportunity

to express what they think in some of their answers.

� Encourage students to respond promptly to the questions.

Discourage students from preparing rehearsed speeches,

however, as these answers are likely to be overlong, unnatural

and inappropriate.

� Give students practice with a variety of questions; some

which require general information about themselves and

which can be answered quite briefly and others which

demand a more extended response.

� Encourage students to socialise with others in an English-

speaking environment.

� In class, students can practise interviewing each other

using questions from the released material.

� 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

accompanies the visuals sheet needs to go beyond the level of

pure description and contain a speculative element.

� 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

the title about the context or audience (e.g. College debate)

will help students to keep their discussion focused, and to

ensure that the outcome is appropriate.

� It is very important that the students interact with each

other in this task. All classroom discussion in pairs and small

groups provides excellent preparation. Students should know

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.

� Set up classroom activities that allow students to express

their reactions to and opinions about pictures.

� Encourage students to discuss the messages portrayed

in visuals. Choose two or three thematically-linked

pictures from your coursebook, or cut them out of a

magazine (or get students to bring in some); ask students

to talk about the aspects of the theme that the pictures

illustrate.

� 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 3

� Remind students they can allow themselves up to ten

seconds before they need to speak. Some students find it

helpful to read the question out loud as a way of getting

started.

� Brainstorming activities in class will give students practice

in getting ideas quickly.

� After the question on the card, there are three bulleted

points; these are ideas which support the question. Remind

students that they do not need to use these points if they

don’t want to. As a classroom activity, remove the bullet

points. This focuses the students’ attention on the main

question.

63cpe handbook | paper 5: speaking

� 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.

CPE content and overview

Part/timing Content Test focus

1READING1 hour 30 mins

Part 1 Three short texts with six four-option multiple-choice cloze questions on each.

Assessment of candidates’ ability to understandthe meaning of written English at word, phrase,sentence, paragraph and whole text level.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.

2WRITING2 hours

Part 1 One compulsory question. Assessment of candidates’ ability to write specifiedtext types with a range of functions.

Part 2 Candidates answer one question from a choice of four questions (including the set text option).

3USE OF ENGLISH1 hour 30 mins

Part 1 Modified open cloze with fifteen questions. Assessment of candidates’ ability to demonstrateknowledge and control of the language system bycompleting various tasks at text and sentence level.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.

4LISTENING40 mins (approx)

Part 1 Four short extracts with two three-option multiple-choice questions on each.

Assessment of candidates’ ability to understandthe meaning of spoken English, to extract informa-tion from a text and to understand speakers’ atti-tudes and opinions.

Part 2 One long text with nine sentence completion ques-tions.

Part 3 One long text with five four-option multiple-choice questions.

Part 4 One long text with six matching questions.

5

SPEAKING19 mins

Part 1 Interview Assessment of candidates’ ability to produce spo-ken English using a range of functions in a varietyof tasks.

Part 2 Collaborative task

Part 3 Individual long turns and follow-up discussion.

69cpe handbook | cpe glossary

CPE GlossaryAFFIXATION: adding prefixes or suffixes to a base word to make

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 a

candidate’s performance, using subjective judgement to

do so.

BASE 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.

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.

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.

DISTRACTOR: each incorrect option in a multiple-choice item.

GAP-FILLING ITEM: any type of item which requires the

candidate to insert some written material – letters,

numbers, single words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs –

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.

GIST: the central theme or meaning of the text.

IMPEDING ERROR: an error which prevents the reader from

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.

KEY: the correct answer to an item.

LEXICAL: adjective from lexis, meaning or to do with

vocabulary.

LONG TURN: the opportunity in the Speaking test for a

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 TASK: a task in which a number of

questions or sentence completion items, generally based on

a reading text, are set. The responses are provided in the

form of a bank of words or phrases, each of which can be

used an 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,

productive tasks are found in CPE Paper 3 and Paper 4, Parts

2 and 4.

REFERENCING: the technique of using ‘referents’.

REFERENT: a word or term that refers to another person, place,

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.

At CPE level a report in Paper 2 Part 2 should be clearly

organised into paragraphs/sections and may include

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.

70 cpe handbook | cpe glossary

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.

WORD FORMATION: a word-building task comprising a text with

10 gaps, with prompts supplied.

AcronymsALTE: The Association of Language Testers in Europe.

CEF: Common European Framework.

EFL: English as a Foreign Language.

ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages.

UCLES: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.

© UCLES 2006 EMC | 2318 | 5Y12

University of CambridgeESOL Examinations1 Hills RoadCambridgeCB1 2EUUnited Kingdom

Tel. +44 1223 553355Fax. +44 1223 460278e-mail [email protected]

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