CAE exam format: papers, parts and timing
C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced and the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), is a Cambridge English Qualification at CEFR level C1. It has four papers (Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking) and takes about 3 hours 55 minutes. A score of 180 on the Cambridge English Scale is a pass, and 200–210 earns a C2 certificate.
- Total time
- ≈ 3 h 55 min
- Papers
- 4
- Scores reported
- 142–210
- Pass (Grade C)
- 180
The four C1 Advanced papers at a glance
The format is the same on paper and on a computer. This page sets out every part of every paper, with timings, marks, preparation times and how the exam is scored. Your result has five equally weighted scores, because the Reading and Use of English paper produces two of them.
| Paper | Time | Parts | Questions | Raw marks | Share of your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English | 1 h 30 min | 8 | 56 | 78 (Reading 50, Use of English 28) | 40% (Reading 20%, Use of English 20%) |
| Writing | 1 h 30 min | 2 | 2 tasks | 40 | 20% |
| Listening | about 40 min | 4 | 30 | 30 | 20% |
| Speaking | 15 min (pairs), 23 min (groups of three) | 4 | 4 parts | 75 | 20% |
Reading and Use of English: 90 minutes
One paper of 1 hour 30 minutes with eight parts and 56 questions. It produces two of your five scores: Reading (Parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8, 50 marks) and Use of English (Parts 2, 3 and 4, 28 marks). You read 3,000–3,500 words in total, from newspapers, magazines, journals, fiction and non-fiction books, and promotional and informational material. Every text except the Part 4 sentences has a title.
| Part | Task | Questions | Marks | Counts towards | What you do | Official sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple-choice cloze | 1–8 | 1 each (8) | Reading | A short titled text with eight gaps and four options for each. On screen, the options appear when you click on the gap. | ≈ 150 words |
| 2 | Open cloze | 9–16 | 1 each (8) | Use of English | Write one word in each of eight gaps: grammar with some vocabulary, often decided by the structure of the whole sentence. | ≈ 160 words |
| 3 | Word formation | 17–24 | 1 each (8) | Use of English | Change a stem word to fit each of eight gaps. There is usually at least one word that needs a negative prefix. | ≈ 130 words |
| 4 | Key word transformations | 25–30 | up to 2 each (12) | Use of English | Six separate sentences: complete the second sentence in 3–6 words, including a key word you must not change. | 6 sentences |
| 5 | Multiple choice | 31–36 | 2 each (12) | Reading | One long text (sources include fiction) with six four-option questions on detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose and implication. | ≈ 790 words |
| 6 | Cross-text multiple matching | 37–40 | 2 each (8) | Reading | Four short texts by different writers on one theme. Each question asks which writer agrees or disagrees with another on a point. | ≈ 630 words (4 texts) |
| 7 | Gapped text | 41–46 | 2 each (12) | Reading | Six paragraphs have been removed from a long text. Choose the right one for each gap from seven; one is not needed. | ≈ 820 words with the paragraphs |
| 8 | Multiple matching | 47–56 | 1 each (10) | Reading | Match ten questions to the sections of a text or to several short texts. The questions come before the text, and an option can be used more than once. | ≈ 655 words |
| All | Total | 56 | 78 | Reading 50, Use of English 28 | 3,000–3,500 words to read in total | All parts |
Official sample: the approximate length of the text in the paper-based sample test in the C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers, as a guide. Cambridge publishes only the total reading load, not a length for each part.
Answer rules: Spelling must be correct in Parts 2, 3 and 4, and wrong spelling loses the mark. In Part 2 the answer is always one word, and contracted forms such as n't are not accepted. In Part 4 you must use the key word unchanged, contractions count as two words, more than six words scores zero, and each answer is split into two halves worth one mark each. Wrong answers never lose marks.
Writing: 90 minutes
One paper of 1 hour 30 minutes. You write two texts of 220–260 words: a compulsory essay, then one task from a choice of three. Both tasks carry equal marks.
| Part | Task | Words | What you are given | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Essay (compulsory), written for your tutor | 220–260 | After a discussion, lecture or documentary, you get notes with three points and three short opinions. You discuss two of the points, say which is more important and give reasons. You may use the opinions, in your own words. | 20 |
| Part 2 | One of three tasks: email or letter, proposal, report, review | 220–260 | A situation that gives the context, topic, purpose and reader. | 20 |
How Writing is marked: Each text is marked out of 20: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, each from 0 to 5 (whole marks only). Writing roughly the right number of words is part of completing the task. American and other varieties of spelling are accepted. The paper is worth 40 marks. Guides to every task: essay, proposal, report, review, email or letter.
Listening: about 40 minutes
About 40 minutes, four parts and 30 questions, one mark each. Every part is heard twice. The 40 minutes include 5 minutes at the end to copy your answers onto the answer sheet (paper) or 2 minutes to check them (computer).
| Part | What you hear | Questions | What you do | Time to read the questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Three short, unrelated conversations between two speakers, about a minute each | 1–6 | Two questions per conversation; choose A, B or C | Time to read before each extract (length not published) |
| Part 2 | One monologue of about 3 minutes, such as a talk or broadcast for a non-specialist audience | 7–14 | Complete eight sentences with the words you hear (a single word or short phrase) | 45 seconds |
| Part 3 | An interview or discussion with two or more speakers, about 4 minutes | 15–20 | Choose A, B, C or D; the questions follow the order of the recording | 70 seconds |
| Part 4 | Five short monologues on one theme. The whole series is played, then repeated. | 21–30 | Two tasks at once: match each speaker in Task 1 (21–25) and in Task 2 (26–30), eight options in each | 45 seconds |
Spelling and answers: In Part 2, correct spelling is expected at this level; British and American spellings are both accepted. Write the actual words you hear rather than a paraphrase: answers are usually no more than three words. The preparation times above are the ones given in the official recordings.
Speaking: 15 minutes
About 15 minutes for a pair of candidates, or 23 minutes for a group of three when numbers are uneven (the tasks are the same, with longer timings). There are two examiners: the interlocutor asks the questions and gives a Global Achievement mark; the assessor listens and gives the other marks. One examiner may examine remotely online. The Speaking test is face to face whether you take the other papers on paper or on a computer.
| Part | Task | What happens | Pair | Group of three |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interview | The interlocutor asks each of you questions about yourself, then one or more wider questions about topics such as free time, work, travel or influences. | 2 min | 3 min |
| 2 | Long turn | Each of you gets three pictures and talks about two of them for about a minute, answering the two questions printed above them. The task always asks you to speculate, not just describe. Then you answer a question about your partner's pictures (about 30 seconds). | 4 min | 6 min |
| 3 | Collaborative task | You get 15 seconds to read a question with five written prompts, then discuss it with your partner for 2 minutes. Then you have a minute to try to reach a decision; you are not penalised if you do not agree. | 4 min | 6 min (3 min discussion + 2 min decision) |
| 4 | Discussion | The interlocutor asks questions on the themes of Part 3, often more abstract, to each of you or to both of you. | 5 min | 8 min |
| All | Total | Four parts; you are marked on your performance across the whole test, individually rather than against your partner | 15 min | 23 min |
How Speaking is marked (75 marks)
| Criterion | Given by | Scale | Weighting | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammatical Resource | Assessor | 0–5 | × 2 | 10 |
| Lexical Resource | Assessor | 0–5 | × 2 | 10 |
| Discourse Management | Assessor | 0–5 | × 2 | 10 |
| Pronunciation | Assessor | 0–5 | × 2 | 10 |
| Interactive Communication | Assessor | 0–5 | × 2 | 10 |
| Global Achievement | Interlocutor | 0–5 | × 5 | 25 |
| Total | Both examiners | Half marks allowed on each scale | 75 | |
Paper-based vs computer-based C1 Advanced
Both versions lead to the same qualification, with the same tasks, timings and marks. These are the differences you will notice.
| What differs | Paper-based | Computer-based |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English answers | In pencil on an answer sheet, with capital letters in Parts 2, 3 and 4 | Clicked or typed on screen. You can change answers at any time, and the bar at the bottom shows which questions you have answered. |
| Multiple-choice options | Lettered A, B, C, D | Not lettered; in Part 1 they appear when you click on the gap |
| Word formation stems (Part 3) | In capitals to the right of the text | In capitals to the right of the text |
| End of the Listening paper | 5 minutes to copy answers onto the answer sheet | 2 minutes to check; answers are saved automatically, you use headphones with adjustable volume, and the audio cannot be paused |
| Listening Part 4 | Shade a letter for each speaker in both tasks on the answer sheet | Drag each option onto a speaker: drag and drop since 1 November 2025, to reduce scrolling |
| Writing | Handwritten on the answer sheet | Typed, with a word count on screen. You can copy, paste and edit, but there is no spell-checker. Digital Writing uses hybrid marking: technology together with human examiners. |
| Notes and highlighting | On the question paper | On-screen highlighting and notes, plus paper for notes provided by the centre |
| Speaking | Face to face with two examiners | The same face-to-face test |
| Results | Normally 4–6 weeks after the exam | 5–10 working days after the exam |
Exam dates for both versions run throughout the year, but not every centre offers every date, so check with your centre. Cambridge's FAQs: Cambridge English Qualifications Digital explain the computer-based exam in more detail.
C1 Advanced scores, grades and results
C1 Advanced reports scores on the Cambridge English Scale from 142 to 210. A certificate is awarded from 160, and 180 is a pass.
| Overall score | Result | CEFR level | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200–210 | Grade A | C2 | Yes, C1 Advanced Grade A (shows ability at C2) |
| 193–199 | Grade B | C1 | Yes, C1 Advanced Grade B |
| 180–192 | Grade C | C1 | Yes, C1 Advanced Grade C |
| 160–179 | Level B2 | B2 | Yes, a B2 certificate |
| 142–159 | No certificate | Not reported | No; the score appears on the Statement of Results only |
How the overall score works. Your Statement of Results shows a scale score for each of Reading, Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking, your overall score (the average of the five, rounded), your grade and your CEFR level. There is no pass mark for individual papers. For example, skill scores of 198, 186, 190, 195 and 192 average 192, which is Grade C, one point below Grade B. A result from 160 to 179 still earns a B2 certificate, so narrowly missing the C1 pass mark does not leave you without a qualification, and 200–210 earns Grade A with a C2 certificate. To turn the raw marks from a practice test into scale scores, use the CAE score calculator.
When results arrive. Results for computer-based exams are available 5–10 working days after the exam session, and results for paper-based exams normally 4–6 weeks after it. The Confirmation of Entry from your centre gives the final date. The paper certificate is usually sent to your exam centre within 3–4 weeks of a computer-based exam, or 7–10 weeks after a paper-based one.
How long the certificate lasts. A Cambridge English certificate does not expire. Universities, colleges and employers can still decide how long they accept results for, so check with the organisation you are applying to.
Test-day photo. Cambridge has reported that Statements of Results and certificates were redesigned and that a photo taken on the test day is now required for C1 Advanced.
How C1 Advanced differs from B2 First
The two exams share a structure, so the differences are in the detail. Full B2 First format: B2 First exam format.
| Paper | B2 First | C1 Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English | 1 h 15 min; 7 parts, 52 questions; 2,200–2,500 words to read | 1 h 30 min; 8 parts, 56 questions; 3,000–3,500 words, with cross-text matching (Part 6) added |
| Key word transformations | 2–5 words, including the key word | 3–6 words, including the key word |
| Writing | 1 h 20 min; 140–190 words; essay on a question with two given ideas plus your own; Part 2: article, email or letter, report, review | 1 h 30 min; 220–260 words; essay on two of three points, saying which matters more; Part 2: email or letter, proposal, report, review |
| Listening | Part 1: eight extracts, one question each. Part 3: one matching task. Part 4: interview with three options | Part 1: three conversations, two questions each. Part 3: interview with four options. Part 4: two matching tasks at once |
| Speaking | 14 min; two photos in Part 2; Part 4 lasts 4 min; 60 marks | 15 min; three pictures, choose two; Part 4 lasts 5 min; 75 marks, with Grammatical and Lexical Resource marked separately |
| Scores | Reported 122–190; pass at 160; Grade A shows C1 ability | Reported 142–210; pass at 180; Grade A earns a C2 certificate |
CAE exam format: questions
How long is the C1 Advanced exam?
About 3 hours 55 minutes in total: Reading and Use of English 1 hour 30 minutes, Writing 1 hour 30 minutes, Listening about 40 minutes and Speaking 15 minutes for a pair (23 minutes for a group of three).
How many parts does C1 Advanced have?
Reading and Use of English has eight parts (56 questions), Writing has two parts, Listening has four parts (30 questions) and Speaking has four parts.
What score do you need to pass C1 Advanced?
180 on the Cambridge English Scale is a pass at Grade C; 193–199 is Grade B and 200–210 is Grade A, which earns a C2 certificate. Scores are reported from 142 to 210, and a certificate is awarded from 160 (160–179 earns a B2 certificate).
Is the computer-based C1 Advanced different from the paper-based exam?
The tasks, timings and marks are the same. On screen, multiple-choice options are not lettered, Listening Part 4 is drag and drop, Writing is typed with a word count, Listening ends with 2 minutes to check instead of 5 minutes to transfer, and results come in 5–10 working days instead of 4–6 weeks.
Do I need to pass every paper in C1 Advanced?
No. There is no pass mark for each paper. Your overall score is the average of your five skill scores, so a strong paper can make up for a weaker one.
Sources
- C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)
- C1 Advanced exam format
- Cambridge English Qualifications: results
- Converting practice test scores to Cambridge English Scale scores
- FAQs: Cambridge English Qualifications Digital; Cambridge English Qualifications Digital
- Change to the format for Cambridge English Digital Listening tests (Cambridge English Helpdesk) (the Listening task itself is in the handbook above)
- Changes to the Statement of Results and Certificate (Cambridge English Helpdesk) (as reported; results and certificates also on Cambridge English Qualifications: results)
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
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