C1 Advanced syllabus

Cambridge English qualification at CEFR C1. Four papers, five Cambridge English Scale scores, overall 142 to 210.

Reading and Use of English

8 parts, 56 questions · 1 hour 30 minutes

One paper, one clock. Reading is Parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (50 marks). Use of English is Parts 2, 3 and 4 (28 marks). A wrong answer scores 0. In Part 4 a partly right answer scores 1 mark and a completely right answer scores 2. The key word must be used, unchanged, in an answer of three to six words.

  • Part 1: multiple-choice cloze, 8 questions, 1 mark each
  • Part 2: open cloze, one word, 8 questions, 1 mark each
  • Part 3: word formation, 8 questions, 1 mark each
  • Part 4: key-word transformations, 6 questions, up to 2 marks each
  • Part 5: multiple choice on one long text, 6 questions, 2 marks each
  • Part 6: cross-text multiple matching, 4 questions, 2 marks each
  • Part 7: gapped text, 6 questions, 2 marks each
  • Part 8: multiple matching, 10 questions, 1 mark each

What it tests

  • Part 1 (multiple-choice cloze): vocabulary in a text: idioms, collocations, shades of meaning, phrasal verbs and fixed phrases
  • Part 2 (open cloze): grammar and vocabulary: prepositions, articles, auxiliaries, pronouns, relative words, linkers and fixed expressions
  • Part 3 (word formation): vocabulary: prefixes, suffixes, negative forms, plurals and changes of word class from a given stem
  • Part 4 (key-word transformations): grammar, vocabulary and collocation: passives, reported speech, inversion, conditionals, comparisons and phrasal verbs, said in another way
  • Part 5 (multiple choice): reading one long text for detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, implication and attitude
  • Part 6 (cross-text multiple matching): understanding and comparing the opinions and attitudes of four writers on one subject
  • Part 7 (gapped text): the structure and development of a text: which removed paragraph fits each gap, from references, linkers and the flow of the argument
  • Part 8 (multiple matching): finding specific information, detail, opinion and attitude in one long text or several short ones

Writing

2 parts · 1 hour 30 minutes

The two parts carry equal marks. Each answer is marked from 0 to 5, in whole marks, on Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, giving 20 marks a task and 40 for the paper.

  • Part 1: a compulsory essay, 220–260 words, based on two points, saying which point is more important and why
  • Part 2: one task from a choice of three, 220–260 words: a letter or email, a proposal, a report or a review

What it tests

  • Part 1 (essay): developing two given points fully, deciding which is more important and justifying it; evaluating, expressing opinions, hypothesising and persuading
  • Part 2 (choice of one): a letter or email, a proposal, a report or a review, each in the layout and register its reader expects
  • Marked on four criteria: Content (is everything relevant there), Communicative Achievement (right register and effect on the reader), Organisation (paragraphs, linking) and Language (range and accuracy of grammar and vocabulary)

Listening

4 parts, 30 questions · About 40 minutes

Each recording is heard twice. Each question scores 1 mark, 30 in all. On paper, candidates have five minutes at the end to copy answers onto the answer sheet. Spelling must be correct.

  • Part 1: three short extracts, two three-option questions each (6 questions)
  • Part 2: a monologue of about 3 minutes, eight sentence-completion questions
  • Part 3: a conversation of about 4 minutes, six four-option questions
  • Part 4: five monologues of about 30 seconds, two matching tasks (10 questions)

What it tests

  • Part 1: three short conversations: feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, function, agreement, course of action, gist and detail
  • Part 2: a talk of about 3 minutes: specific information and stated opinion, written as words heard in the recording
  • Part 3: an interview or discussion of about 4 minutes: attitude, opinion, agreement, gist, feeling, speaker purpose, function and detail
  • Part 4: five short monologues on one theme, two tasks at once: gist, attitude, opinion, main points, speaker purpose and feeling, and interpreting context

Speaking

4 parts · 15 minutes per pair; 23 minutes for three candidates

Two examiners. The assessor marks Grammatical Resource, Lexical Resource, Discourse Management, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication from 0 to 5, and those marks are doubled. The interlocutor's Global Achievement mark, from 0 to 5, is multiplied by five. Half marks are allowed. The total is 75.

  • Part 1: interview with the interlocutor, about 2 minutes for the pair
  • Part 2: a one-minute long turn on two of three photographs, then about 30 seconds for the other candidate to comment
  • Part 3: a collaborative task, about 2 minutes of discussion and 1 minute to decide (longer for three candidates)
  • Part 4: a discussion with the interlocutor and the partner, about 5 minutes

What it tests

  • Part 1: giving information about yourself and your opinion on everyday subjects
  • Part 2: talking alone for a minute about two of three photographs: comparing, describing, expressing opinions and speculating
  • Part 3: with the partner: exchanging ideas, justifying opinions, agreeing and disagreeing, suggesting, evaluating and reaching a decision by negotiation
  • Part 4: a wider discussion of the Part 3 subject: expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and disagreeing
  • Marked on Grammatical Resource, Lexical Resource, Discourse Management, Pronunciation, Interactive Communication and Global Achievement