Free Practice Tests (Online) | C2 Proficient (CPE)

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CPE Practice Tests Online: Use of English

What’s in Part 1? Part 1 requires candidates to complete eight gaps in a text by selecting the correct word (or phrase in the case of whole phrasal verbs or linkers) from a set of four options plus one example.

What’s in Part 2? Part 2 is a text containing eight gaps plus one example. Candidates are required to draw on their knowledge of the structure of the language and understanding of the text in order to fill the gaps. A single word is needed to fill each gap - never a phrase or contraction. There may be more than one acceptable word for a gap, as given in the mark scheme

What’s in Part 3? Part 3 is a word-building task, consisting of a text with eight gaps plus one example. The types of word-building involve not just the addition of affixes (e.g. honest to dishonesty or person to impersonal), but also internal changes (e.g. strong to strengthened) and compounding (e.g. rain to raindrop or set to outset).

What’s in Part 4?

Part 4 consists of six key word transformations, plus one example. Each question contains three parts: a lead-in sentence, a key word and a second response sentence of which only the beginning and end are given. Candidates have to fill the gap in the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the lead-in sentence. The key word must be used.

CPE Practice Tests Online: Reading

What’s in Part 5?

Part 5 consists of one longer text followed by six multiple-choice questions which test detailed understanding of the text, including opinions and attitudes expressed within it. The text has a title and may also have a subheading. Candidates need to read the text closely to understand exactly what the writer is saying and in order to distinguish between apparently similar viewpoints or reasons in the options.

What’s in Part 6? A text from which paragraphs have been removed and placed in jumbled order after the text. Candidates must decide from where in the text the paragraphs have been removed.

What’s in Part 7? The task requires candidates to select from eight options the correct extract to fit in each of the seven gaps in the text. There is only one correct answer for each gap. There is no example answer. The task consists of a gapped text followed by the extracts from the text and one further extract which does not fit in any of the gaps.

CPE Practice Tests Online: Listening

The C2 Proficiency Listening paper has four parts. For each part you have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.

What’s in Part 1? The six questions in this part relate to three separate texts (two questions per text). The texts may be self-contained or may be extracts from longer texts. The three texts are a mixture of monologues and texts with interacting speakers.

What’s in Part 2? Candidates listen to a monologue of an informative nature, aimed at a non-specialist audience. The nine questions in this part take the form of incomplete sentences. The candidates show their understanding of what they have heard by completing gaps in these sentences.

What’s in Part 3? Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are expressed, both implicitly and explicitly. The five 4-option multiple-choice questions in this part focus on a detailed understanding of points raised. Questions follow the order of the information heard in the text, but the final question may test global understanding of the text as a whole.

What’s in Part 4? Part 4 consists of a series of five short monologues on a theme. The text is 3-4 minutes in length with each monologue lasting approximately 35 seconds. The monologues represent spontaneous speech, delivered by speakers with a range of backgrounds and voices. There are two parallel multiple-matching tasks, each with a different focus. In each case, the correct option has to be chosen from a list of eight.