Students Notes

Advanced (CAE): READING & USE OF ENGLISH

1 hour 30 minutes eight parts 56 questions. Parts 1, 2, 3 and 8 carry 1

markand Parts 4, 5, 6 and 7 carry 2 marks for each correct answer.

Parts 1 to 4 focus on Use of English.

Part 1 A text with 8 numbered gaps, each of which represents a missing

lexical item. After the text there are four possible answers for each gap. You have
to select the correct answer (A,B,C or D). This part of the exam is testing your
knowledge of fixed phrases, idioms, phrasal verbs, etc.

When doing a practice test record your errors you may be lucky, they might
come up in the test.

Part 2 An open cloze text with 8 numbered gaps. You can only use one word
per gap. This part of the exam has an emphasis on grammar but also tests
some vocabulary.

Part 3 A text containing 8 gaps. There is a prompt word at the end of the line
which you have to change so that it correctly fits into the gap. Changes include
adjective noun, positive adjective negative adjective, adjective adverb, etc.

Part 4 6 questions on key word transformations which test both grammar and
lexis.

Create a strategy for yourself as to how you are going to learn new words and
revise grammar. Stick post-its near to your computer. Always write a new word
in a sentence.

Remember the Macmillan Dictionary is on line and is free

www.macmillandictionary.com. There is also the valuable resource of the
thesaurus giving synonyms or related words for every word and phrase. You
need to have a wide vocabulary to be successful on the Advanced exam, so
work on a different topic area daily.

www.macmillanenglish.com/exams
Students Notes

Parts 5 to 8 focus on Reading.

Read as much as you can from newspapers, magazine articles, fiction and
non-fiction books, leaflets and brochures to recognize and get used to different
writing styles.

Part 5 6 multiple choice questions on a text. There are four options (A, B, C or
D) for each question.

Many of the options express ideas which are similar to, but not the same as
each other. Watch out for distractors.

Remember the questions follow the same order as the information in the text.
Glance through the questions before first reading and then, as you read mark
the general area of the text, which you think is relevant to each question.

Eliminate the options which are wrong and choose the best answer. Remember,
even if in doubt never leave a question blank, your choice could be correct and
you could gain a mark.

Part 6 Cross-text multiple matching. Four short texts that you must match to
four different prompts.

Part 7 Gapped text. A text from which six paragraphs have been removed.
These have to be placed back into the corret part of the text.

Read all the paragraphs before you start to make any choices. Try and find
words or phrases in the base text which have links with the missing paragraphs.
There is one extra paragraph check that this does not fit in anywhere when
reading through the whole article again with your answers.

Part 8 7 multiple choice questions each with four options.

Part 8 10 multiple matching questions. The text may be continuous or be a

group of shorter texts or sections of text.

Skim through the texts quickly to get an idea of their content. Underline key
words in the statements and then scan the texts looking for information which
matches that contained in the statements.

Skim through the texts quickly to get an idea of their content. Underline key
words in the statements and then scan the texts looking for information which
matches that contained in the statements.

www.macmillanenglish.com/exams