Summary for CPE Exam Parts and Tasks

Summary forSummary for CPECPE ExamExam UpdatedUpdated
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CPE
by Matifmarin
The Cambridge Proficiency English is made up of four papers developed to test your English skills. You can see
below what is in each paper:
LET’S SEE THE DIFFERENT PARTS!
Paper Content Purpose
Reading and Use of English
(1 hour 30 minutes)
7 parts/ 53 questions
Shows you can deal confidently with different types of text, such as fiction and
non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and manuals.
Writing
(1 hour 30 minutes)
2 parts
Requires you to be able to write a variety of text types, such as essays, reports
and reviews.
Listening
(about 40 minutes)
4 parts/ 30 questions
Requires you to be able to follow and understand a range of spoken materials,
such as lectures, speeches and interviews.
Speaking
(16 minutes per pair of
candidates)
3 parts Tests your ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face situations.

CPE
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What’s in the Reading and Use of English paper?
Summary for CPESummary for CPE ExamExam UpdatedUpdated
Paper 1: Reading and Use of English (are combined)
Time allowed:
1 hour 30 minutes A total of 53 questions
7 parts
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
LENGTH OF TEXTS:
About 3,000 words to read in total
□ Texts may be from:
Books (fiction and non-fiction), non-specialist articles from newspapers, magazines and the Internet.
Parts 1, 2, 3 and 7 receive 1 mark per correct answer.
Part 4 receives up to 2 marks per correct answer.
Parts 5 and 6 receive 2 marks per correct answer.
Marks:
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Let’s see the structure and tasks on next pages!

CPE
by Matifmarin
Task types
Reading and Use of English paper
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Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)
Part 2 (Open cloze)
What's in Part 2? A modified cloze test consisting of a text with eight gaps. Candidates think of the word which
best fits each gap.
What do I have to practise? Awareness and control of grammar with some focus on vocabulary.
How many questions are there? 8
How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.
What's in Part 1? A single text with eight gaps. Candidates must choose one word or phrase from a set of four to
fill each gap.
What do I have to practise? Idioms, collocations, fixed phrases, complementation, phrasal verbs, semantic precision.

CPE
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Part 3 (Word formation)
What's in Part 3? A text containing eight gaps. Each gap corresponds to a word. The stems of the missing
words are given beside the text and must be changed to form the missing word.
What do I have to practise?
Vocabulary, in particular the use of affixation, internal changes and compounding in
word formation.
Part 4 (Key word transformations)
What's in Part 4? Six discrete items with a lead-in sentence and a gapped response to complete in 3–8 words
including a given ‘key’ word.
What do I have to practise? Grammar, vocabulary and collocation.
How many marks are there? Up to 2 marks for each correct answer.

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Part 5 (Multiple choice)
What's in Part 5? A long text followed by some multiple-choice questions, each with four options (A, B, C or D).
Identifying detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea, implication and how a text is
organised.
How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.
Part 6 (Gapped text)
What's in Part 6?
A text from which paragraphs have been removed and placed in jumbled order after the text.
Candidates must decide from where in the text the paragraphs have been removed.
What do I have to practise? Understanding of cohesion, coherence, text structure, global meaning.
How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.
Part 7 (Multiple matching)
What's in Part 7?
A text, or several short texts, preceded by multiple-matching questions. Candidates must match a
prompt to elements in the text.
What do I have to practise? Understanding of detail, opinion, attitude and specific information.

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The Writing Test
Time allowed: 1 hour and 30 minutes
2 parts● Candidates are required to complete two tasks:
Task types A range from the following: article; email/letter; essay; report; review.
Marks Each question on this paper carries equal marks.
Let’s see the structure and tasks on next pages!
CPE
by Matifmarin
What’s in the Writing paper?
In the two parts of the Cambridge English: Proficiency Writing paper, you have to show
that you can write different types of text in English.
Number of questions: 2
Part 1: one compulsory question: an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from two texts.
Part 2: one question from a choice of four
From 2015 there are also optional set text questions as part of the Writing paper.
Set texts:
Set texts for Cambridge English: Proficiency January 2014 – December 2015:
1. E. M. Forster: Howards End (any edition)
2. Nick Hornby: An Education (screenplay) and film directed by Lone Scherfig (2009).
□ Candidates should not attempt the optional set text question in Part 2 unless they have the necessary understanding of the text to answer the task set.
□ Teachers are best placed to judge which, if any, of the set texts and/or film versions may be appropriate and stimulating for a given teaching situation.

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Part 1
What's in Part 1?
Some material to read (two texts, each approximately 100 words). Using the information in this
material, you have to write an essay.
Writing a discursive essay in which you have to summarise and evaluate the key points contained in two
texts of approximately 100 words each. Candidates must integrate a summary of these key points, an
evaluation of the abstract arguments involved and their own ideas on the topic in a coherent essay.
How many questions are there? One compulsory question.
How much do I have to write? 240–280 words
Part 2
What's in Part 2?
A choice of four questions (2–5). For Questions 2–4, you may have to write an article, a letter, a
report or a review.
What about Question 5?
If you read one of the set books and want to write about it, you may decide to try Question 5. You
have a choice of two tasks, 5(a) or 5(b) for this question. You may have to write an article, essay,
letter, report or a review.
What do I have to practise? Writing different types of text as specified above, based on a given context.
How many questions are there? One question from a choice of four.
How much do I have to write? 280–320 words
!

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It is advisable to master at least two categories of writings from the range required for CPE before you take the exam.
(1) An article in the CPE is a writing in which the author expresses his opinion and ideas about a particular topic in a
magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose of an article is to interest and engage the reader, so there should
be some opinion or comment, and an eye-catching heading will help.
(2) An email/letter is written in response to the situation outlined in the input material. Candidates should be aware that they
will be expected to write grammatically correct sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation in a style suited to the
situation and target reader.
(3) An essay is usually written for a teacher and may be written as a follow up to a class activity. It should be well organised,
with an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. The main purpose of this task is the development
of an argument and/or discussion of issues surrounding a certain topic. In an essay you are expected to present a
convincing argument, which is developed in a logical sequence.
(4) A Report has a formalised structure (i.e. executive summary, scope, discussion, recommendations) and it is written with a
specific purpose in mind, or with a particular focus. A report may be written for a superior (e.g. a boss or college
principal) or a peer group (e.g. club members or colleagues). The content of a report is to some extent factual and draws
on the prompt material, but there will be scope for candidates to make use of their own ideas and experience.
(5) A review is usually written for an English language magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose is to describe and
express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film, a product, a holiday, a website
etc.). The target reader is specified in the task, and candidates should be encouraged to use this information when
choosing appropriate ideas and language to include in their response.
Read the following information below and practise:

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Listening TestListening Test
Aprox. 40 minutes long
30 Questions
4 parts
Each part contains a recorded text or texts and corresponding comprehension tasks. Each part is heard twice.
Marks Each correct answer receives 1 mark.
What’s in the Listening paper?

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What's in Part 1?
Four short, unrelated recordings lasting approximately 1 minute each. You have to listen to the
recordings and answer two multiple-choice questions for each recording. Each question has three
options (A, B or C).
What do I have to practise? Listening for gist, detail, function, purpose, topic, speaker, addressee, feeling, attitude, opinion, etc.
How many marks are there? One mark for each correct answer.
Part 2 (Sentence completion)
What's in Part 2?
A monologue or prompted monologue lasting 3–4 minutes. The questions are a series of
incomplete sentences. You have to listen to the recording and identify the information you need
(one to three words) to fill each gap.
What do I have to practise? Listening for specific information, stated opinion.

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What's in Part 3?
A recording with interacting speakers lasting 3–4 minutes. You have to listen to the recording and
answer a series of multiple-choice questions, each with four options (A, B, C or D).
What do I have to practise? Listening for opinion, gist, detail, inference.
Part 4 (Multiple matching)
What's in Part 4?
Five short, themed monologues, of approximately 35 seconds each. There are two multiple-matching
tasks. Each multiple-matching task requires the selection of the five correct options from a list of
eight.
What do I have to practise? Gist, attitude, main points, interpreting context.

CPE
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What’s in the Speaking paper?What’s in the Speaking paper?
2 candidates
Number of parts: 3
Time: 16 minutes per
pair of candidates
Part 1 = 2 minutes
Part 2 = 4 minutes
Part 3 = 10 minutes
2 Examiners
Only one speaksMarks Each correct answer receives 1 mark.
You have to talk
with the examiner,
with the other candidate
and on your own.
Hello!
Hi!

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Part 1 (Interview)
What's in Part 1?
Conversation between the interlocutor and each candidate.
The examiner asks each of you a series of questions,
addressing a question to each of you in turn, to give you an
opportunity to talk about yourselves.
Giving information about yourself and expressing your
opinion or speculating about various topics.
How long does Part 1 last? 2 minutes
Part 2 (Collaborative task)
What's in Part 2?
The interlocutor gives you some spoken instructions and one
or more pictures to look at. First, you have to answer a
question which focuses on your reaction to aspects of one or
more pictures (1 minute). The second part is a decision-
making task which you have to do with the other candidate.
Sustaining an interaction: exchanging ideas, expressing and
justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting,
speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through
negotiation, etc.
How long does Part 2 last? 4 minutes

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Part 3 (Long turn and discussion)
What's in Part 3?
The interlocutor gives you a card with a question and some ideas on it and you have to speak
for about 2 minutes on your own. After you finish, your partner has to comment and the
interlocutor then asks you both a question on the same topic. The interlocutor follows the
same procedure with your partner and then leads a discussion with both of you.
What do I have to practise? Speaking on your own for a longer time, expressing and justifying opinions, developing topics.
How long does Part 3 last?
10 minutes (2-minute long turn for each candidate and then approximately 6 minutes for the
discussion).

CPE
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 EndEnd
That’s all!!That’s all!!
Thanks for watchingThanks for watching
andand
Please, watch the videos to practise: https://matifmarin.wordpress.com/ex-cpe/

Summary for CPE Exam Parts and Tasks

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Summary for CPE Exam Parts and Tasks