C1 Advanced cheat sheet

The paper lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, contains 8 parts and 56 questions, and carries 78 marks in total.

Part 1 is a multiple-choice cloze with 8 items; each gap offers A-D and tests lexis, collocation and fixed expressions.

Part 2 is an open cloze with 8 gaps; exactly one word is supplied per gap and the missing items are typically grammar or function words.

Part 3 is word formation with 8 items; the base word may need a prefix, a suffix or an internal change, and a negative prefix is common.

Part 4 is key word transformation: 6 items worth 2 marks each, the given word must stay unchanged, and the answer is 2-5 words.

Part 5 is multiple choice with 6 items worth 2 marks each; the questions follow the order of the text.

Part 6 is cross-text multiple matching: 4 items worth 2 marks each, four short texts A-D, and questions are not in text order.

Part 7 is gapped text: 6 gaps, 7 paragraphs offered with one extra, 2 marks per gap; pronoun and linker clues cross the gap.

Part 8 is multiple matching: 10 statements worth 1 mark each, sections may be reused, and questions are not in text order.

The paper lasts 1 hour 30 minutes and has two tasks, each 220-260 words and worth 20 marks, for 40 marks in total.

Part 1 is compulsory: an essay based on notes, discussing two of the three bullet points plus one idea of the candidate's own.

Part 2 offers three options, typically a letter or email, a proposal, a report and a review; the candidate chooses one.

Each task is marked on four scales scored 0-5: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language.

Content rewards addressing every content point and giving the target reader all the information required.

Communicative Achievement rewards appropriate register, format and genre conventions for the stated target reader.

Organisation rewards paragraphing, sequencing and linking; Language rewards range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar.

An essay must integrate the chosen points and the own idea into a single argument; a list of unconnected points limits Organisation and Content.

The paper lasts about 40 minutes, has four parts and 30 questions, each worth one mark.

Part 1 consists of three short extracts with two three-option questions per extract, giving 6 items.

Part 2 is sentence completion with 8 gaps, answered with a word or short phrase heard in a monologue.

Part 3 is multiple choice with 6 three-option items on a conversation or interview, following recording order.

Part 4 is multiple matching with 10 items linked to five speakers or options; an option may be used more than once.

There is no negative marking, so every question is answered because a blank scores zero.

Distractors often name an option and then reject it through contrast or negation; the speaker's final position is the answer.

Paper-based candidates have five minutes to transfer answers after the recording; computer-based candidates enter answers directly.

The test lasts about 15 minutes with two candidates and two examiners: an interlocutor and an assessor.

Part 1 is a 2-minute interview covering personal, work, study and free-time topics.

Part 2 gives each candidate a 1-minute long turn on two photographs, followed by a 30-second response from the partner.

Part 3 is a 2-minute collaborative discussion followed by 1 minute to reach a decision together.

Part 4 is a 4-minute discussion of general questions linked to the Part 3 topic.

Five criteria are scored 0-5: Grammar and Vocabulary, Discourse Management, Pronunciation, Interactive Communication and Global Achievement.

Global Achievement reflects the overall communicative effect rather than a separate language feature.

Part 2 requires comparing the photographs and answering the question above them, not merely describing the images.