CAE Writing Test 1: adult learning, borrowing equipment and museum documentaries
CAE Writing Test 1 is a free C1 Advanced Writing practice test: two tasks in 90 minutes, 220–260 words each, marked on Cambridge’s four criteria. You discuss support for adult learning, then choose a proposal for shared equipment, a report on flexible study spaces or a review of a museum documentary.
- Free, no sign-up to start
- Layout modelled on the computer-based exam
- Estimated Cambridge English Scale score
What is in CAE Writing Test 1
| Question | Task | What you write about |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essay | Which forms of support best help adults keep learning? |
| 2 | Proposal | Your neighbourhood association wants to help residents borrow equipment which they only need occasionally |
| 3 | Report | Your college has completed a trial in which three rooms could be used for either individual study or group work at different times |
| 4 | Review | An online magazine for people interested in culture is asking readers for reviews of documentaries about museums |
Question 1: essay (compulsory)
Your class has listened to a discussion about the support that enables adults to continue learning alongside their other responsibilities. You have made the notes below.
Which forms of support best help adults keep learning?
Forms of support discussed:
- affordable courses
- flexible timetables
- encouragement from other learners
- “Even a small course fee can put someone off.”
- “Adults need opportunities that fit around a changing working week.”
- “Sharing difficulties makes it easier to carry on.”
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which of these you consider more important in the situation described, giving reasons for your opinion. You may use the opinions expressed in the discussion, but use your own words as far as possible.
CAE essay guide →Questions 2, 3, 4: choose one
2. Proposal
Your neighbourhood association wants to help residents borrow equipment which they only need occasionally. As a member of the association, you have been asked to submit a proposal to its committee. Explain which equipment the scheme should initially offer, suggest how borrowing and returns could be managed, and show how the scheme would benefit residents. The committee has a limited budget and wants to begin with a small trial. Write your proposal.
CAE proposal guide →3. Report
Your college has completed a trial in which three rooms could be used for either individual study or group work at different times. The director of student services has asked you, as a student representative, to write a report. Evaluate how well the arrangements met students’ needs, identify any difficulties during the trial, and recommend whether the flexible study spaces should continue. You may draw on students’ comments and your own observations. Write your report.
CAE report guide →4. Review
An online magazine for people interested in culture is asking readers for reviews of documentaries about museums. You have watched a documentary exploring how the purpose of museums is changing. Write a review that evaluates the film’s treatment of this subject and the way it presents its ideas. Explain who would find it worth watching and why. The editor wants an informed judgement, rather than a description of the whole film. Write your review.
CAE review guide →How it is marked
CAE Writing marking
Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, 0–5 each: 40 marks for two texts. Our expert evaluation gives an estimate; 24/40 is about 180.
More CAE Writing tests
CAE Writing practice tests · CAE Mock Test 1 · Updated 15 November 2026
Ready for CAE Writing Test 1?
90 minutes. Free, no sign-up to start: you give an email address when you submit, and we email you when your expert evaluation is ready to view.