Certificate in Advanced English

WHAT IS CAE?

The Certificate in Advanced English is an advanced level exam and the fourth level of Cambridge exams in general English. This exam is set at Level C1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for modern languages

WHO IS THE CAE EXAM FOR AND WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT?

The CAE exam is suitable for learners who have reached an advanced level of English and are able to use English effectively and confidently in social, educational and professional situations.
CAE is useful preparation for anyone who wishes to take CPE at a later stage and valuable for anyone who wants to work or study abroad.
a CAE certificate is valid for life. You will not need to take the exam again
CAE is a truly international certificate, recognised around the world for business and study purposes
thousands of employers, universities and government departments officially recognise CAE as an Advanced qualification in English

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE EXAM?

CAE has 5 papers:

Reading: 1 hour 15 minutes
You will need to be able to understand texts from publications such as fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines.

Writing: 1 hour 30 minutes 
You will have to show you can produce two different pieces of writing such as an article, a report, a proposal and a review.

Use of English Paper: 1 hour
Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you can control your grammar and vocabulary.

Listening: 40 minutes
You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including lectures, radio broadcasts, speeches and talks.

Speaking: 15 minutes
You will take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a group of three, and you will be tested on your ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidate and by yourself.

YOUR RESULT

Each component of the exam carries 20% of the total marks.
Candidates can access their results through the Cambridge ESOL Results Online website 8 weeks after the exam.
There are three Pass grades, A, B and C and two Fail grades D and E.
There is no minimum pass mark for individual papers. The grade is based on the total score of all 5 papers.
Certificates are awarded to candidates who achieve Pass grades and are despatch approximately 4 weeks after the results are issued