C1 Advanced case studies
C1 Advanced · Put your knowledge to work in context.
C1 Advanced is a Cambridge English Qualification at CEFR level C1, designed for learners who need to prove high-level English for study and work. Cambridge describes it as the logical step between B2 First (or B2 First for Schools) and C2 Proficiency, and notes that more than 11,000 educational institutions, businesses and government departments around the world accept it as proof of high-level achievement in English. The C1 Advanced case studies are 5 cases and about 1,934 words.
1The 9-Minute Cloze
Six weeks before the C1 Advanced exam, Marta, 17, scores 4/8 on Part 1 multiple-choice cloze in three consecutive mocks. Her errors are not spread evenly: four are phrasal verbs or preposition collocations, one is a linker, one is a lexical distractor.
414 words, about 2 min2The Transformation That Means Something Else
On Part 4 key-word transformations, Yuki scores 4/10. Her rewritten sentences are usually grammatical, but her teacher notices a pattern: she treats the keyword as a prompt for a synonymous sentence rather than a constrained rewrite.
417 words, about 2 min3The Essay That Misses Half the Task
Diego's Writing Part 1 essays are 250–280 words and take 40 minutes. His grammar is accurate and his vocabulary is range-appropriate, but in three timed essays he has addressed only one of the two content points, omitted a conclusion, and devoted 90 words to a personal anecdote.
372 words, about 2 min4The Exact-Word Trap in Listening Part 3
A listening class of eight takes a mock. Part 1: 70%; Part 2: 60%; Part 3: 40%; Part 4: 55%.
359 words, about 2 min5The Silent Partner in Speaking Part 3
In a Speaking Part 3 practice, Priya and Tom have two minutes to discuss a task. Priya speaks for about 80% of the time, interrupts twice, and answers her own questions.
372 words, about 2 min