CAE Strategy
General strategy
The CAE is challenging, but it is highly predictable in format. Familiarity with each task type and good time management are essential.
Time allocation (Reading & UoE, 90 minutes total)
- Part 1 (MC Cloze) — 10 minutes
- Part 2 (Open Cloze) — 10 minutes
- Part 3 (Word Formation) — 10 minutes
- Part 4 (Key Word Transformation) — 15 minutes (high value, 2 points each)
- Part 5 (Long Reading) — 10 minutes
- Part 6 (Cross-text) — 8 minutes
- Part 7 (Gapped Text) — 11 minutes
- Part 8 (Multiple Matching) — 11 minutes
Universal tips
- Read the instructions carefully — task formats vary
- Manage your time strictly — don't get stuck on one question
- Always answer everything, even if guessing — there's no negative marking
- For Parts 2 and 3, write ONE word only per gap; for Part 4, count words carefully
- For Parts 5-8, the questions follow the text order (except Part 8)
- Final 5 minutes: transfer answers and check spelling
Listening (40 minutes, 4 parts, 30 questions, heard twice)
- Part 1 (3 short extracts, 2 questions each) — read both questions for an extract before it plays; you only get two listens
- Part 2 (1 monologue, 8 sentence-completion gaps) — answers are usually 1-3 words taken directly from what you hear; spelling counts
- Part 3 (1 longer multi-speaker conversation, 6 questions) — options are often close in meaning; listen for who says what, not just keywords
- Part 4 (5 short monologues, 2 matching tasks of 8 options each = 10 questions) — the hardest part: you're matching each speaker against two different lists at once, so track both on your first listen
- Transfer answers during the recordings, not after — there's no separate transfer time
Speaking (15 minutes, 4 parts, with a partner and two examiners)
- Part 1 (Interview, 2 min) — short personal questions from the examiner; keep answers natural, 2-3 sentences, not one-word
- Part 2 (Long turn, ~2 min) — you compare two of three photos for about a minute, then briefly react to your partner's photos; speculate ("might be", "could be") rather than just describing
- Part 3 (Collaborative task, 3 min) — discuss a set of prompts with your partner then reach a decision together; this is scored on interaction, so bring your partner in ("What do you think?")
- Part 4 (Discussion, 5 min) — the examiner extends Part 3's topic into a wider discussion; give opinions with reasons, don't just agree