All about the C1 exam
Level: Advanced
This exam is divided into four sections:
- Reading & Use of English (1 hour and 30 minutes) (8 parts)
- Writing (1 hour and 30 minutes) (2 parts)
- Listening (about 40 minutes) (4 parts)
- Speaking (15 minutes for each pair of candidates) (4 parts)
All Cambridge exams can be taken paper-based or computer-based.
Where can you take the C1 exam?
You can find your closest centre here.
Contact your closest centre, and they will assist you with exam dates and pricing.
How much does the exam cost?
Costs can vary according to the exam centre.
Easy steps to help you get ready to pass the C1
Practice each part of the exam.
Be consistent. If you have learnt British English use it in all parts of the exam. American English is also accepted. However, you cannot use both.
There are two versions of this exam:
- School-age learners
- Adult learners
Reading and Use of English: We recommend you read magazines, journals, newspapers, books (non-fiction and fiction), promotional and informational materials. Practice English grammar and vocabulary skills often.
Writing: you will have to write two different pieces of writing. An essay in the first part and choose from a letter/email, proposal, report or review in the second part.
Listening: you will need to follow and understand interviews, radio broadcasts, presentations, talks and everyday conversations. We recommend listening to the radio (BBC Radio 4), podcasts, TED, news programs, and if you are not living in an English speaking country we recommend watching TV programs and movies in English. Remember to write down new expressions, different ways of expressing an opinion, and new words.
Speaking part: practice speaking with different people. You will have to speak with the examiner, the other candidate and on your own. We recommend taking online English lessons and practicing with your colleagues.
You can book your lessons here from only 15 euros per person. Contact us if you don’t know another two people who are preparing for your exam and we will help you to find your match. You will be able to practice your English and improve your speaking and listening skills.
What is the format of the exam?
FIRST EXAM: Reading and Use of English
1 hour 15 minutes
40% of the total
PART 1 – Multiple-choice cloze
8 questions
1 point per question
– You will be given a text with eight gaps. Each one represents a word or phrase.
– There will be four possible answers for each gap and you have to choose (A, B, C or D).
What do you need to practice?
Vocabulary – idioms, collocations, nuances of meaning, verbs with prepositions, phrasal verbs, set expressions, etc.
PART 2 – Open cloze
8 questions
1 point per question
– You will be given a text with some missing words.
– You have to find out the correct word for each gap.
What do you need to practice?
Grammar, collocations, idioms, vocabulary.
PART 3 – Word formation
8 questions
1 point per question
– A text with eight words missing. At the end of the line is a word which you have to change correctly to complete the sentence.
What do you need to practice?
Vocabulary.
PART 4 – Key word transformations
6 questions
2 points per question
You will be given 6 sentences followed by a key word and a second sentence with a blank in the middle.
You have to use the key word to complete the second sentence, in three to six words, so that it has the same meaning as the first one.
What do you need to practice?
Grammar, collocations and vocabulary.
PART 5 – Multiple choice
6 questions
2 points per question
– A text with some multiple choice questions.
– You have to select A, B, C or D.
What do you need to practice?
– Reading paying attention to the tone, details, purpose, main idea, implication, and attitude implicit in the text.
PART 6 – Cross-text multiple matching
4 questions
2 points per question
– Four short texts with multiple-choice questions. You have to read all the texts and then match each question with elements from the texts.
What do you need to practice?
– You need to understand and compare opinions and attitudes.
PART 7 – Gapped text
6 questions
2 points per question
– A text with some numbered blanks representing missing paragraphs. After the text there are some unordered paragraphs.
After reading the text and the paragraphs you have to decide in which blank space you should place each paragraph to complete the text correctly.
What do you need to practice?
– Reading and finding out specific information, details, connecting words, etc.
– You need to be able to understand the structure and development of a text.
PART 8 – Matching questions
10 questions
1 point per question
– Several multiple matching questions followed by a text or various short texts. You have to match each question with elements of the text.
What do you need to practice?
– While reading you need to pay attention to specific information, detail, attitude and opinion.
SECOND EXAM: Writing
1 hour 30 minutes
20% of the total
Part 1 (Compulsory question)
You have to write between 220 – 260 words
– You are given a text and you have to write an essay and include ideas from the text, paraphrasing not copying them.
– You should be able to develop ideas as much as possible using a good range of vocabulary and structures. We recommend you practice different ways of giving your opinion, giving reasons, evaluating, persuading, and raising hypotheses.
Part 2 (Situation-based writing task)
You have to write between 220-260 words
You have to write a text from three different options:
-E email/letter, report, review or proposal.
– You will be provided with information about the context, who is your target reader, and the purpose of the topic.
What do you need to practice?
– Practice the type of texts provided in the exam. How they should be structured, the range of vocabulary you should use, etc.
THIRD EXAM: Listening
40 minutes
20% of the total
Part 1 (6 questions)
1 point per question
– Three short extracts from conversations between several speakers.
– Each extract has two multiple-choice questions and you have to choose A, B or C.
What do you need to practice?
– Listen to the radio as much as you can. We recommend BBC Radio 4. Pay attention when speakers are talking about feelings, try to understand their attitude, opinion, purpose, agreement, details given, etc.
Part 2 (Sentence completion)
8 questions
1 point per question
– A monologue of approximately 3 minutes. You have to complete the sentences with the information you have heard on the recording.
What do you need to practice?
– Listening comprehension of specific information and opinions expressed.
Part 3 (Multiple choice)
6 questions
1 point per question
– A conversation between two people of approximately 4 minutes. You have to select the correct option from A, B, C or D.
What do you need to practice?
– Listening comprehension of essence, attitude, opinion, agreement, and feeling.
– You need to understand the main points and details.
Part 4 (Multiple matching)
10 questions
1 point per question
– 5 monologues of approximately 30 seconds each. You have to complete two tasks.
– You have to match each monologue to eight possible answers.
What do you need to practice?
– Listening comprehension of attitudes, opinion, feeling, main ideas, the purpose of the speaker, and the context.
– We recommend you listen to radio programs and podcasts about different subjects.
FOURTH EXAM: Speaking
15 minutes
20% of the total
Part 1 (Interview)
2 minutes
– Conversation with the examiner and between the candidates. The examiner will ask you questions and you will have to provide him/her with information about your career, studies, interests, etc.
What do you need to practice?
– Providing personal information and expressing your opinion on a variety of topics.
– You can practice with a teacher, a friend or a colleague.
Part 2 (Long turn)
1 minute per candidate
– The examiner gives you three photographs and asks you to talk for 1 minute about two of them. Then the examiner will ask the other candidate a question based on the photographs, the reply should be 30 seconds long.
– The other candidate is given three different photographs and you have to listen and comment once she /he has finished talking.
– The questions you have to answer about your photographs are written at the top of the page.
What do you need to practice?
– Speaking on your own about photographs: describing, comparing, speculating, expressing opinions.
– You can practice this part with a teacher or on your own.
Part 3 (Collaborative task)
3 minutes (a 2 minute discussion plus 1 minute to make a decision)
– Dialogue with the other candidate.
The examiner will give you written instructions and will ask you to talk with the other candidate for 2 minutes (3 min if you are in a group of 3. Once the time finishes, the examiner will ask you a question and you will have to make a decision. You have one minute to talk and make the decision. (2 min if you are in a group of 3)
What do you need to practice?
– Exchanging ideas.
– Expressing and justifying opinions, agreement or disagreement, making suggestions, evaluating, negotiating and reaching a decision.
Part 4 (Discussion)
5 minutes
– The examiner will ask you questions to discuss with the other candidate about the topic raised in Part 3. He/she will ask you several questions and you will have to discuss them together.
What do you need to practice?
– You need to know how to express and justify opinions, agreements and disagreements.
We recommend the computer-based exam. Why?
The Writing Section: you will be able to see your word count in real time. You will be able to see your work as a whole and be able to edit with more ease.
The Listening Section: you will be able to use a pair of headphones, which will allow you to adjust the volume to suit your personal preference and reduce background noise.
Every section: there will be a timer on your screen which will indicate the time remaining in each portion of the exam.
Also, you will receive your exam results in 2 – 3 weeks, whereas with the paper-based version, you will receive your results in 4 – 6 weeks.
What grammatical concepts do you need to understand in order to pass the C1 exam?
Verb tenses
You need to know not only how to form all the following verb tenses but also to understand all the different uses they can have, how and when they can be used together.
- Present simple
- Present continuous
- Present perfect continuous
- Present perfect
- Past simple
- Past perfect
- Past continuous
- Past perfect continuous
- Future simple
- Future continuous
- Future perfect
- The subjunctive tense (present and past)
- To be going to
Passives
- All passive present tenses
- All passive past tenses
- All passive future tenses
- Passive modal verbs
Reported/indirect speech
You should know how to create sentences in reported speech with different verb tenses and when some words (e.g. today) change when using them.
- Declarative sentences (both positive and negative sentences)
- Questions
- Passive sentences
- Reporting verbs
- Requests and orders
Linkers
You should already know words and phrases (also called ‘linkers’) used to join ideas, two parts of a sentence or two sentences to show contrast, give a reason etc. For the C1 exam you need to learn as many as possible.
- Linkers of contrast (e.g. nonetheless)
- Linkers of addition (e.g. besides)
- Linkers of reason (e.g. due to)
- Linkers of purpose (e.g. to)
- Linkers of result (e.g. therefore)
- Linkers giving examples (e.g. for instance, such as)
Modal Verbs
You should already know most modal verbs and when you need to use them (e.g. give advice, show ability, etc.). For the C1 exam, you have to make sure you know how to use them when talking about the present, future and past,(e.g. ‘must’ to make recommendations).
- Modals of ability
- Modals of probability
- Modals of obligation
- Modals of prohibition
- Modals of advice
- Modals of request and permission
- Verbs, adjectives and adverbs which aren’t modals, but are used for expressing probability (e.g. had better, perhaps etc…)
Relative clauses
You should already know how to create basic relative clauses, and the common relative pronouns used to connect the clauses. When you take the C1 exam, you should know more advanced relative pronouns (e.g. in which, whoever etc.) and learn when and when not they are used.
- Defining relative clauses
- Non-defining relative clauses
- Relative pronouns and use
Other grammatical structures you need to know
- Adverbs (When can they be used to start a sentence, e.g. eventually, or modify a verb or adjective)
- All negative forms (no, not, don’t etc…) used with nouns, verbs and adjectives.
- ‘Any’, ‘some’, ‘no’ and ‘every’ (What do they mean and when are they used?)
- Conditional sentences: zero, first, second, third and mixed.
- Comparative sentences (using adjectives and adverbs).
- Countable and uncountable nouns.
- Gerunds and infinitives after verbs (When a verb is followed by a gerund or an infinitive).
- Gerunds as nouns (Why are they used and where are they used within the sentences?)
- Inversions (When are they used? What phrases are used with them? How to form sentences including inversions?)
- Prepositions (When are they used with specific nouns, verbs, adjectives or to talk about time, frequency and place?)
- Reflexive pronouns (What are they? Which verbs are they used with them?)
- Sentences with ‘wish’ (in the present and past).
- Superlative sentences (using adjectives and adverbs).
- Will (different uses)
- Would (different uses)
Grammatical words/phrases
All these words are frequently used in the C1 exam and some of them have several meanings. Study these meanings, when are they used and where are they used?
- Rather
- Though
- As
- For instance
- So
- Such
- Even
- Still
- Ever
- Do so
- Still
- Quite
- Yet
- While
- Whereas
- Like