The document provides information about the format and techniques for different parts of the Cambridge English: First exam. It includes the following details: - The Reading and Use of English section is 1 hour 15 minutes long and contains multiple choice cloze questions, open cloze questions, word formation questions, key word transformation questions, and multiple choice and gapped text questions. - For multiple choice cloze questions, candidates should try to eliminate three of the four answer choices without looking at the options first. - For open cloze questions, candidates should use context clues to determine what type of word is missing and make sensible guesses if unsure. - For word formation questions, candidates must change a word stem into the

1. Use of english
Exam techniques

2. Paper/Timing Test content No. Of Qs
1
Reading and Use of English
1 hr 15 mins
Part 1. Multiple choice clozePart 1. Multiple choice cloze
Part 2. Open clozePart 2. Open cloze
Part 3. Word formationPart 3. Word formation
Part 4. Key word transformationPart 4. Key word transformation
Part 5. Multiple choice
Part 6. Gapped text
Part 7. Multiple matching
52

3. Task type Multiple choice-cloze
Focus Vocabulary, e.g. idioms, collocations, fixed phrases, complementation,
phrasal verbs, semantic precision.
Format A modified cloze test containing eight gaps.
There are 4-option multiple-choice items for
each gap.
No of Qs 8

4. Read the whole text for general understanding. Don’t look at the four
choices yet.
Read the text again and try to fill each space as you come to it. Study
the four choices, A, B, C and D and the words on either side of the
space.
Try to eliminate three of the four choices. There may be a gramatical
reason why choices area impossible.
If you are not sure, make a sensible guess. Don’t leave any spaces
empty.

5. Task type Open cloze
Focus Awareness and control of grammar with some focus on
vocabulary.
Format A modified cloze test containing eight gaps
No. Of Qs 8

6. Read the text quickly for a general idea of the topic.
Read the text again. Use the words on either side of the space to
help you decide what kind of word is missing, e.g. preposition,
pronoun, conjuction. Write in any words you are confident about.
Read the text again, filling in the remaining gaps.
If you are not sure, make a sensible guess. Don’t leave any
spaces empty.

7. Task type Word formation
Focus Vocabulary, in particular the use of affixation, internal changes and
compounding in word formation.
Format A text containing eight gaps. Each gap corresponds to a word. The stem of
the missing word is given beside the text and must be changed to form the
missing word.
No of Qs 8

8. Read the text quickly to get a general idea of the topic.
Read the text again, using the words on either side of the space to help you decide
what kind of word is missing, e.g. noun, verb, adjective.
Change the word in block capitals into the word you need by adding a prefix or suffix, or
by making some other change. For example, if the missing word is a noun, think of
typical noun endings and choose the one that sounds best.
Remember some words may be negative.
Read the completed text to check it makes sense.
If you are not sure, make a sensible guess. Don’t leave any spaces empty.

9. Task type Grammar, vocabulary, collocation.
Focus Grammar, vocabulary, collocation.
Format Six separate items, each with a lead-in
sentence and a gapped second sentence to be
completed in two to five words, one of which
is a given ‘key’ word.
No. Of Qs 6

10. For each sentence you have to rewrite, read the first sentence and
the gapped sentence.
Think carefully about how the key word can be used grammatically
in the gapped sentence. Think, for example, about whether it needs
a dependent preposition, whether you need to change the form of
another word, or whether the second sentence should be active or
passive.
Comple each sentence using between two and five words. Don’t
change the key word.