CAE Exam Strategies Flashcards

What should a candidate do immediately upon receiving the CAE exam paper?

Answer: Read all instructions and briefly skim the whole paper

Briefly scanning the whole paper allows candidates to understand task types, plan time allocation, and identify any particularly easy or challenging sections.

In CAE Use of English Part 1 (multiple choice cloze), what should candidates focus on?

Answer: Identifying which option collocates correctly, fits the grammar, and matches meaning

Part 1 typically tests vocabulary in context — collocations, fixed phrases, and semantic precision — so all three factors must be checked for each answer.

Which mistake most commonly costs marks in CAE key word transformations (Part 4)?

Answer: Changing the key word or adding extra words beyond the limit

The key word must be used exactly as given (never changed), and the total word count must stay within 2–6 words; breaking these rules results in zero marks.

Why is it important to check spelling on the CAE answer sheet?

Answer: Misspelled words in certain parts (e.g., Listening Part 2) may not be accepted

In Listening Part 2 (sentence completion), answers must be spelled well enough to be recognisable; in other parts, spelling is also an assessed criterion.

What is the best way to use process of elimination in CAE multiple choice questions?

Answer: Rule out options that are clearly contradicted by the text before choosing from remaining options

Eliminating clearly wrong options reduces the choice to two or three, making it easier to identify the most strongly supported answer from the text.

In CAE Use of English Part 2 (open cloze), what should candidates write if they are unsure of the exact word?

Answer: Write their best guess of a grammatically appropriate word

There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so writing a grammatically possible word — even if uncertain — is always better than leaving a blank.