university of cambridg esol examinations certificate...
TRANSCRIPT
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
18 General description
18 Structure and tasks
19 The two parts of the Writing paper
20 Preparation
23 Sample paper
24 Assessment
27 Sample scripts with examiner
comments
34 General description
34 Structure and tasks
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
49 General description
49 Structure and tasks
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
60 General description
60 Structure and tasks
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.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 16 and 17.
� Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 2 marks.
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.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 12 and 17.
� 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’.
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 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.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 13 and 17.
� Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 2 marks.
Part 2 consists of four short texts, with two multiple-choice
questions on each. Each text has a title. The texts come from a
range of sources and may vary in style, but they share a broad
theme which is given in the rubric at the beginning. Being
9cpe handbook | paper 1: reading
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.
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.
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.
11cpe handbook | paper 1: reading
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
20 cpe handbook | paper 2: writing
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
22 cpe handbook | paper 2: writing
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.
No. of questions 44.
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.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 39 and 43.
� Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
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).
� Sample task and answer key: pages 39 and 43.
� Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark.
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).
� Sample task and answer key: pages 40 and 43.
� Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks.
The task in Part 3 aims to test candidates’ knowledge of lexical
patterns, e.g. collocations and phrasal verbs. Part 3 consists of
six questions; each question is made up of three discrete
sentences. Each sentence contains one gap and candidates
must supply a single word which is common to all three
sentences. Candidates must write their answers in capital
letters on Answer Sheet 1.
� PART 4 – KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS
In this part, the focus is on grammar and vocabulary.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 41 and 43.
� 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.
� Sample task and answer key: pages 42 and 43.
� 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.
No. of questions 28.
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.
� Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
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.
� Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark.
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.
� Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 1 mark.
Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are
expressed, both implicitly and explicitly. The five four-option
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.
� Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 1 mark.
The six questions in this part relate to one text which is usually
in the form of an informal discussion in which opinions about a
topic are exchanged and agreement and disagreement are
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
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