Cambridge English (FCE/CAE/CPE) Requirements & Prerequisites

Number of Questions

C1 Advanced has 88 scored items and tasks: 56 Reading and Use of English questions across eight parts, 30 Listening questions across four parts and 2 Writing tasks, plus a four-part Speaking test. B2 First has 52 Reading and Use of English questions across seven parts. C2 Proficiency has 53 across seven parts. All three have the same 30-question Listening paper and the same two Writing tasks.

Duration

C1 Advanced totals about 235 minutes: 1 hour 30 minutes Reading and Use of English, 1 hour 30 minutes Writing, about 40 minutes Listening and about 15 minutes Speaking. B2 First totals about 209 minutes (1 hour 15, 1 hour 20, about 40 and 14). C2 Proficiency totals about 236 minutes (1 hour 30, 1 hour 30, about 40 and 16 minutes, or 24 minutes for a group of three).

Question Format

Multiple-choice cloze: one text with eight gaps and four options each, 1 mark per answer, Open cloze: one text with eight gaps to be filled with a single word and no options given, Word formation: eight gaps, each with a prompt word to be transformed, Key word transformations: six items rewriting a sentence using a given key word, worth up to 2 marks each, Multiple-choice reading on a long text, 2 marks per answer, Gapped text, replacing removed sentences or paragraphs in the correct order, 2 marks per answer, Multiple matching and cross-text multiple matching across several short texts, Listening: multiple choice, sentence completion and multiple matching, each recording played twice, Writing: one compulsory essay plus one task chosen from three or four options, such as a letter, email, proposal, report, review or article, Speaking: interview, one-minute long turn on photographs, a collaborative decision-making task and a discussion, taken with another candidate

Passing Requirement

Grade C, which sits at 160 for B2 First, 180 for C1 Advanced and 200 for C2 Proficiency. Full bands: B2 First grade A 180 to 190, B 173 to 179, C 160 to 172, Level B1 certificate 140 to 159. C1 Advanced grade A 200 to 210, B 193 to 199, C 180 to 192, Level B2 certificate 160 to 179. C2 Proficiency grade A 220 to 230, B 213 to 219, C 200 to 212, Level C1 certificate 180 to 199.

How It Is Delivered

Digital or paper-based at an authorised exam centre, never at home. Cambridge states the content, scoring and certificate are identical between the two versions. All papers except Speaking are taken on the same day; the Speaking test usually happens on a different day within a speaking window set by the centre. Test day photographs are mandatory for C1 Advanced candidates testing in Asia, Australasia or Africa.

Languages Offered

English only. All rubrics, tasks and responses are in English, and there is no first-language support.