CAE

CAE Introduction


The Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English examination, or CAE for short, is a qualification in English as a Foreign Language awarded by the Cambridge ESOL. The current version of the exam was recently introduced for December 2008 and is sometimes referred to as the 'revised CAE'. It currently has about 50,000 candidates per year. .


The Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English is one of five examinations offered by Cambridge ESOL. The level of CAE is described as Advanced. The table below shows how CAE fits into the Cambridge ESOL framework: .

Because the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English is internationally recognised, people choose to take the exam for work purposes, study purposes or just for their own interest..

The following is an overview of Paper 1: Reading

Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes.



1. Multiple choice Three themed texts, each followed by two multiple-choice questions with four options. pick out specific information from the text ( 6 questions=

2. Gapped text Read a text from which paragraphs have been removed and choose the correct place in the text for them. understand text organisation (6 questions)

3. Multiple choice Read a text and answer multiple choice questions about the text. (Choose one from four options). find detail, recognise inference, and interpret the text (7 questions)

4. Multiple matching Read one or several texts and match the prompt question to the relevant section of the text(s). pick out specific information from the text (15 questions)

Follow these links to try a sample of this part of the test:

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/1part1.htm
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/1part2.htm
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/1part3.htm
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/3part2.htm


An overview of Paper 2: Writing.
Paper Format The paper contains two parts.
Timing 1 hour 30 minutes
No of Questions Candidates are required to to complete two tasks: a compulsory one in Part 1 and one from a choice of five in Part 2.
Task Types From the following: an article, a competition entry, a contribution to a longer piece, an essay, an information sheet, a letter, a proposal, a report, a review.
Each task has a given purpose and a target reader.

In Part 1, Candidates are required to deal with input material of up to 150 words. This may include material taken from advertisements, extracts from letters, emails, postcards, diaries, short articles, etc.

Part 2 is a situationally based writing task specified in no more than 80 words.
Answering: The questions are in a booklet with lined pages for the answers. The blank pages at the back of the booklet can be used for writing notes or finishing answers, if necessary.
Marks:Each question on this paper carries equal marks. Candidates' answers are assessed with reference to the content, organisation and coherence, range of structure and vocabulary, register and format, and target reader indicated in the task.

To read and analyse different different types of writing I highly recommend:
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/writing/makeover/archive.htm
Here, you can read different models written by real students + the corrections teachers suggest.

An overview of paper 3:

PaperFormat	The paper contains five parts.
Timing	1 hour
No of Questions	50
Types of questions	Multiple-choice cloze, open cloze, word formation, gapped sentences, key word transformations.
Answering	Candidates may write on the question paper, but must transfer their answers to the separate answer sheets within the time limit. Candidates indicate their answers by shading the correct lozenges or writing the required word or words in capital letters in a box on the separate answer sheets.
Marks	Parts 1, 2, and 3: each correct answer receives 1 mark. Part 4: each correct answer receives 2 marks. Part 5: each answer receives up to 2 marks.

For practice:

Part 1: http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/mcclze3.htm
Part 2:  http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/ocltst3.htm
Part 3:  http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/wfts3.htm
Part 4:  http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/gapped1.htm
Part 5:  http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/strtest1.htm