LanguageCert C1 Expert flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Listening played twice

Both passes of the recording are for answering. Use the first for gist and provisional answers, the second to verify specific details and catch corrections the speaker makes.

Distractor by lexical overlap

An option that repeats a word heard in the recording is usually wrong. The correct option paraphrases the same idea in different words, so match meaning, not vocabulary.

Correction sequence

Speakers often state something then revise it ("not Tuesday, the day after"). The final settled version, signalled by actually or I mean, is the answer.

Gap-fill word limit

Instructions such as no more than three words are hard limits. An answer exceeding the maximum scores zero even when the meaning is fully correct.

Spelling in listening gaps

Names, streets and email addresses are often spelled aloud or repeated. Misspelt answers in gap-fill items are marked wrong regardless of comprehension.

Signposting change of plan

Markers like however, actually and the thing is introduce a revision of an earlier statement. Answer with the final position, not the first one offered.

Order of listening items

Items follow the chronology of the recording. Once an item is missed, abandon it and track the next question rather than waiting for the answer to reappear.

Attitude markers in options

Phrases such as I'd rather or that's not quite it reveal the speaker's real preference. They eliminate options that merely describe the situation neutrally.

Paraphrase as correct evidence

In reading, the right answer restates the passage in different words. An option copying the passage wording verbatim is almost always a trap.

Grammatical fit in gap-fill

A gap answer must fit the syntax around it: a noun after a determiner, a past participle after have, a base verb after a modal.

Topic sentence location

Paragraph main ideas sit in the first or last sentence. Middle sentences supply examples and support, so heading matches usually depend on the edges.

Reference resolution

Words like this, such, the former and by contrast point to earlier or later content. Identifying what they refer to is frequently the actual item being tested.

Not given versus false

False means the passage contradicts the statement. Not given means the passage is silent on it, so absence of evidence decides the answer.

Misattributed true statement

A common distractor is a fact that is true in the passage but attributed to the wrong person or placed in the wrong section.

Skim before questions

Reading for overall structure before looking at items prevents local misreading and reduces the tendency to hunt only for confirmation of a guessed answer.

Time budget per reading item

Roughly ninety seconds per item keeps pace with the paper. A stubborn item should be left and revisited only if time remains at the end.

Two writing tasks

The paper sets a formal or semi-formal piece and a transactional letter or email. Each is marked for task fulfilment, organisation, range and accuracy.

Content points mandatory

Every bullet in the prompt must be addressed explicitly. Leaving one undeveloped is a task-fulfilment failure that language quality cannot offset.

Register as scored feature

Formal writing avoids contractions, direct address and informal phrasal verbs. Register mismatch is penalised as a language error, not a stylistic preference.

Organisation through paragraphing

One idea per paragraph with a clear topic sentence and varied cohesive devices demonstrates organisation. Repeated use of the same linker weakens the impression.

Range via complex structures

Higher bands require accurate conditionals, passives, nominalisation and relative clauses. Rare vocabulary used decoratively does not substitute for structural control.

Report and proposal conventions

A report presents findings under headings and closes with a recommendation. A proposal argues for a course of action and anticipates objections.

Complaint letter structure

State the problem, give evidence with dates and details, specify the remedy requested, and close formally. Omitting the requested remedy loses task fulfilment.

Error gravity in writing

A slip inside an ambitious structure costs less than a basic error in simple language. Repeated basic errors, however, cap the achievable band.

Speaking test shape

A warm-up, a long turn on a topic card with preparation time, and a discussion extending the topic. All phases contribute to the final band.

Long turn length

The monologue should run about two minutes. Stopping early reduces evidence of range and discourse management, even if the language used is accurate.

Fluency as repair

Fluency is judged by flow and effective self-correction, not by accent. Long pauses and abandoned sentences lower the score more than minor slips.

Interactive communication

In the discussion phase, initiate, respond and develop the interlocutor's point. Single-sentence answers provide no evidence of interactive competence.

Speculation on topic cards

Cards ask why something might be or how important it is. Descriptive listing of facts is insufficient; evaluation and hypothesis are required.

Discourse markers for coherence

Phrases such as on the other hand, what I mean is and to take an example are the primary evidence of coherence at C1 in connected speech.

Word stress and intelligibility

Consistent misplacement of word stress impedes understanding more than individual vowel quality. Pronunciation is scored for intelligibility, not native accent.

Accurate simple language ceiling

Using only safe, simple structures accurately will not reach the top band. Range across the whole test is required alongside accuracy.