Certificate of Proficiency in English

WHAT IS CPE?

The Certificate of Proficiency in English is a very advanced level exam and the fifth and highest level of Cambridge exams in general English. This exam is set at Level C2 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for modern languages

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

The CPE exam is suitable for learners who have reached a high level of English and are approaching a standard of English similar to a native speaker. Candidates should be able to function effectively in almost any situation.
a CPE certificate is valid for life. You will not need to take the exam again
CPE is a truly international certificate, recognised around the world for business and study purposes
thousands of employers, universities and government departments officially recognise CPE as a proof of proficiency in English

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE EXAM?

CPE has 5 papers:

Reading: 1 hour 30 minutes
You will need to be able to understand the meaning of written English at word, sentence, paragraph and whole text level.

Writing: 2 hours
You will have to show you can produce a number of different items such as a short story, a letter, an article, a report or a composition, each of about 300—350 words.

Use of English: 1 hour 30 minutes
Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you can control your grammar and vocabulary and how well you can summarise information.

Listening: 45 minutes
You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including lectures, news programmes and public announcements.

Speaking: 19 minutes
You will take the Speaking test with another candidate or in groups of three, and you will be tested on your ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidates 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