cae_handbook.pdf

Preface

This handbook is for anyone who is preparing candidates for the Cambridge ESOL Certiﬁcate in

Advanced English examination (CAE).

The introduction gives an overview of CAE and its place within Cambridge ESOL. This is followed by a

focus on each paper and includes content, advice on preparation and example papers.

Contents

2 Introduction to Cambridge ESOL

5 CAE support

INTRODUCTION

3 Introduction to CAE

6 General description

8 Preparation

READING PAPER

6 Structure and tasks

10 Sample paper

7 The four parts of the Reading paper

15 Answer keys and answer sheet

16 General description

20 Sample paper

WRITING PAPER

16 Structure and tasks

22 Assessment

17 The two parts of the Writing paper

24 Sample scripts and mark schemes

18 Preparation

29 General description

31 Preparation

29 Structure and tasks

33 Sample paper

30 The six parts of the English in Use

paper

37 Answer keys

38 Answer sheet

ENGLISH IN USE PAPER

39 General description

50 Answer keys and answer sheet

39 Structure and tasks

51 Alternative Part 3 task type

40 The four parts of the Listening paper

52 Alternative Part 3 task type tapescript

and answer key

41 Preparation

LISTENING PAPER

43 Sample paper

53 Alternative Part 4 task type

46 Sample tapescript

54 Alternative Part 4 task type tapescript

and answer key

55 General description

57 Preparation

55 Structure and tasks

60 Sample paper

56 The four parts of the Speaking test

63 Assessment

SPEAKING TEST

65 CAE content and overview

66 CAE Glossary of terms and acronyms

OVERVIEW OF CAE AND

GLOSSARY

cae handbook | contents

Introduction to Cambridge

ESOL

Cambridge ESOL examinations fulﬁl the Code of Practice

established by ALTE. This Code of Practice focuses on the

responsibilities of both examination providers and

examination users and covers four main areas:

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations

• developingexaminations

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL)

provides an extensive range of examinations, certiﬁcates and

diplomas for learners and teachers of English, with a tradition

of language assessment dating back to 1913. Cambridge ESOL

is a part of the Cambridge Assessment group, which is a

department of the University of Cambridge and one of the

world’s largest educational assessment agencies*.

• interpreting examination results

• striving for fairness

• informing examination takers.

For more information on ALTE please visit www.ALTE.org

Ofﬁcial accreditation in the UK

Cambridge ESOL examinations can be taken by anyone whose

ﬁrst language is not English. They are suitable for learners of

all nationalities, whatever their ﬁrst language and cultural

background, and there are examinations suitable for learners

of almost any age. The range of Cambridge ESOL examinations

includes specialist examinations in Business English and

English for Academic Purposes, as well as tests for young

learners and a suite of certiﬁcates and diplomas for language

teachers.

CAE has been accredited by the Qualiﬁcations and Curriculum

Authority (QCA), the statutory regulatory authority for external

qualiﬁcations in England, and its counterparts in Wales and

Northern Ireland, at Level 2 in the National Qualiﬁcations

Framework, under the title ‘Cambridge ESOL Level 2 Certiﬁcate

in English (ESOL)’.

Key features of Cambridge ESOL examinations

Cambridge ESOL undertakes:

The examinations cover all four language skills – reading,

writing, listening and speaking. They include a range of tasks

which assess candidates’ ability to use English, so that in

preparing for the examinations, candidates develop the skills

they need to make practical use of the language in a variety of

contexts. Above all, what the Cambridge ESOL examinations

assess is the ability to communicate effectively in English.

• to assess language skills at a range of levels, each of

them having a clearly deﬁned relevance to the needs of

language learners

• to assess skills which are directly relevant to the range

of uses for which learners will need the language they

have learned, and which cover the four language skills –

reading, writing, listening and speaking – as well as

knowledge of language structure and use

Cambridge ESOL is committed to providing examinations of

the highest possible quality. This commitment is underpinned

by an extensive programme of research and evaluation, and by

continuous monitoring of the marking and grading of all

Cambridge ESOL examinations. Of particular importance is the

rigorous set of procedures which are used in the production

and pretesting of question papers.

• to provide accurate and consistent assessment of each

language skill at the appropriate level

• to relate the examinations to the teaching curriculum in

such a way that they encourage positive learning

experiences, and to seek to achieve a positive impact

wherever possible

The Association of Language Testers in Europe

(ALTE)

• to endeavour to be fair to all candidates, whatever their

national, ethnic and linguistic background, gender or

disability.

Cambridge ESOL is a member of the Association of Language

Testers in Europe (ALTE), which was formed in 1990. The

members are all providers of language examinations and

certiﬁcates from countries within Europe.

Cambridge ESOL examinations are designed around four

essential qualities: validity, reliability, impact and practicality.

Validity is normally taken to be the extent to which a test can

be shown to produce scores which are an accurate reﬂection

of the candidate’s true level of language skills. Reliability

concerns the extent to which test results are stable, consistent

and accurate, and therefore the extent to which they can be

depended on for making decisions about the candidate.

Impact concerns the effects, beneﬁcial or otherwise, which an

examination has on the candidates and other users, whether

these are educational, social, economic or political, or various

combinations of these. Practicality can be deﬁned as the

extent to which an examination is practicable in terms of the

resources needed to produce and administer it. All these

factors underpin the development and production of

Cambridge ESOL examinations.

The principal objectives of ALTE are as follows:

• to promote the transnational recognition of certiﬁcation,

especially in Europe

• to establish common standards for all stages of the

language testing process, i.e. test development, question

and materials writing, test administration, marking and

grading, reporting of test results, test analysis and

reporting of ﬁndings

• to collaborate on joint projects and in the exchange of

ideas and know-how.

*Cambridge Assessment is the operating name for the University of

Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

cae handbook | introduction to cambridge esol

Introduction to CAE

varying degrees of formality. They can use language in a

creative and ﬂexible way, with the ability to respond

appropriately to unforeseen as well as predictable situations,

producing quite long and complex utterances.

The level of CAE

CAE is designed to offer a high-level qualiﬁcation in the

language to those wishing to use English for professional or

study purposes. It is also designed to encourage the

development of the skills required by students progressing

towards CPE, with emphasis very much on real-world tasks.

The written and spoken texts encountered in most common

everyday situations can be dealt with at a level below that

reached by the C1 learner, but certain more difﬁcult situations,

e.g. discussing abstract or cultural topics with a good degree of

ﬂuency, demand this level of language. Users at this level can

enjoy a wide range of social contacts.

CAE is at Level C1 of the Common European Framework, and a

description of this level is given below in terms of:

• what material learners can handle

What a CAE candidate can do

• what learners can be expected to be able to do.

Examinations at Level C1 may be used as proof of the level of

language necessary to work at a managerial or professional

level or follow a course of academic study at university level.

The type of material a CAE candidate can deal with

At this level, learners are expected to be able to use the

structures of a language with ease and ﬂuency. They are aware

of the relationship between the language and the culture it

exists in, and of the signiﬁcance of register. This means that to

some extent they are able to adapt their language use to a

variety of social situations, and express opinions and take part

in discussions and arguments in a culturally acceptable way.

Learners at this level can develop their own interests in

reading both factual and ﬁctional texts. They can also produce

a variety of types of texts and utterances, such as letters of

The ALTE ‘Can Do’ Project

The Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) has

developed a framework which covers six levels of language

proﬁciency aligned to the Council of Europe Common

European Framework. Research carried out by ALTE has shown

what language learners can typically do at each level. The

table below gives some examples at CAE level of typical

general ability plus ability in each of the skill areas and in a

range of contexts.

‘Can Do’ summary

Typical abilities

Listening and Speaking

Reading and Writing

Overall general

CAN contribute effectively to meetings and seminars within

CAN read quickly enough to cope with an academic course,

ability

own area of work or keep up a casual conversation with a

and CAN take reasonably accurate notes in meetings or

good degree of ﬂuency, coping with abstract expressions.

write a piece of work which shows an ability to communicate.

Social & Tourist

CAN pick up nuances of meaning/opinion.

CAN understand complex opinions/arguments as

expressed in serious newspapers.

CAN keep up conversations of a casual nature for an

extended period of time and discuss abstract/cultural topics

CAN write most letters (s)he is likely to be asked to do; such

with a good degree of ﬂuency and range of expression.

errors as occur will not prevent understanding of the message.

Work

CAN follow discussion and argument with only occasional need

CAN understand the general meaning of more complex

for clariﬁcation, employing good compensation strategies to

articles without serious misunderstanding.

overcome inadequacies.

CAN, given enough time, write a report that communicates

CAN deal with unpredictable questions.

the desired message.

Study

CAN follow up questions by probing for more detail.

CAN scan texts for relevant information, and grasp main

topic of text.

CAN make critical remarks/express disagreement without

causing offence.

CAN write a piece of work whose message can be followed

throughout.

cae handbook | introduction to cae

Varieties of English

CAE administration

Candidates’ responses to tasks in the Cambridge ESOL

examinations are acceptable in varieties of English which

would enable candidates to function in the widest range of

international contexts. Candidates are expected to use a

particular variety with some degree of consistency in areas

such as spelling, and not for example switch from using a

British spelling of a word to an American spelling of the same

word in the same written response to a given task.

CAE is held each year in March, June and December in over

1,000 centres worldwide. Candidates must enter through a

recognised centre.

Grading and results

The ﬁve CAE papers total 200 marks, after weighting. Each

paper is weighted to 40 marks.

Recognition

A candidate’s overall CAE grade is based on the total score

gained by the candidate in all ﬁve papers. It is not necessary to

achieve a satisfactory level in all ﬁve papers in order to pass

the examination.

CAE is recognised as fulﬁlling English language entrance

requirements by many higher education institutions and

corporate bodies across the world. More information about

recognition is available from centres, British Council ofﬁces,

Cambridge ESOL and from www.CambridgeESOL.org

The overall grade boundaries (A, B, C, D and E) are set

according to the following information:

• statistics on the candidature

CAE candidature

• statistics on the overall candidate performance

Information is collected about the CAE candidates at each

session, when candidates ﬁll in a Candidate Information

Sheet. The candidates for CAE come from a wide range of

backgrounds and take the examination for a number of

different reasons. The following points summarise the

characteristics of the current CAE candidature. The annual

candidature for the CAE examination is in excess of 70,000

worldwide.

• statistics on individual items, for those parts of the

examination for which this is appropriate (Papers 1, 3

and 4)

• advice, based on the performance of candidates and

recommendations of examiners, where this is relevant

(Papers 2 and 5)

• comparison with statistics from previous years’

examination performance and candidature.

• Nationality

CAE is taken by candidates throughout the world in about

87 countries, although the total number of nationalities

represented in the candidature is over 190. The majority of

these candidates enter for CAE in European and South

American countries. Many candidates also take the

examination in the UK.

Results are reported as three passing grades (A, B and C) and

two failing grades (D and E). The percentage of marks needed

to achieve each grade may vary from session to session

depending on the precise difﬁculty of the individual papers

which make up the particular examination. The approximate

ranges of percentages for each grade at CAE are typically as

follows:

• Age

Nearly 75% of candidates are under 25, with the average age

being about 23. In some countries the average age is lower

(e.g. in Greece it is about 19).

Passing Grades

Failing Grades

Grade A 80% and above

Grade D 55% to 59%

Grade B 75% to 79%

Grade E 54% and below

Grade C 60% to 74%

• Gender

About 64% of candidates are female.

Statements of results are sent out to all candidates and

include a graphical display of the candidate’s performance in

each paper. These are shown against the scale Exceptional –

Good – Borderline – Weak, and indicate the candidate’s relative

performance in each paper.

• Employment

Most candidates are students, although there are

considerable differences in the proportion of students in

different countries.

• Exam preparation

A large proportion of candidates (about 80%) undertake a

preparatory course before taking the examination.

Notiﬁcation of results

Statements of results are issued through centres approximately

two months after the examination has been taken. Certiﬁcates

are issued about six weeks after the issue of statements of

results. Enquiries about results may be made through Local

Secretaries, within a month of the issue of statements of results.

• Reasons for taking CAE

Candidates’ reasons for wanting an English language

qualiﬁcation are roughly distributed as follows:

• for study (36%)

• for work (46%)

• other (18%).

cae handbook | introduction to cae

Special circumstances

The sample question papers included in this handbook have

been produced to reﬂect the format of the examination.

However, candidates are strongly advised not to concentrate

unduly on working through practice tests and examinations as

this will not by itself make them more proﬁcient in the

different skills.

Special circumstances covers three main areas: special

arrangements, special consideration and malpractice.

• Special arrangements:

These are available for candidates with a permanent or

long-term disability, such as a visual or hearing difﬁculty, or

a temporary difﬁculty such as a broken hand, or ear

infection affecting a candidate’s ability to hear clearly. They

may include extra time, separate accommodation or

equipment, Braille transcription, etc. Consult the

Cambridge ESOL Local Secretary in your area for more

details as soon as possible.

On-line support

Cambridge ESOL provides an on-line resource for teachers,

designed to help them understand the examinations better

and to prepare candidates more effectively.

The Teaching Resources website can be found at

www.CambridgeESOL.org/teach

• Special consideration:

Cambridge ESOL will give special consideration to

candidates affected by adverse circumstances immediately

before or during an examination. Special consideration can

be given where an application is sent through the centre

and is made within ten working days of the examination

date. Examples of acceptable reasons for giving special

consideration are in cases of illness or other unexpected

events.

In some countries, a dedicated Cambridge ESOL website is

available. These websites can be found at

www.CambridgeESOL.(initials for country) , e.g.

www.CambridgeESOL.gr (Greece)

www.CambridgeESOL.ch (Switzerland)

Seminars for teachers

Cambridge ESOL offers a wide range of seminars designed for

teachers concerned with the examinations; some are also

suitable as introductions for administrators, school directors,

etc. Some seminars are intended to provide information and

support for teachers who are familiar with the examinations,

and others can be used to introduce teachers to established

examinations and also to new or revised examinations.

Contact Cambridge ESOL Information for further details.

• Malpractice:

Cambridge ESOL will consider cases where candidates are

suspected of copying, collusion or breaking the

examination regulations in some other way. Results may be

withheld because further investigation is needed or

because of infringement of regulations. Centres are notiﬁed

if a candidate’s results have been investigated.

Further information

CAE support

Copies of the regulations and details of entry procedure,

current fees and further information about this and other

Cambridge examinations can be obtained from the Cambridge

ESOL Local Secretary in your area, or from the address on the

back cover of this handbook. In some areas this information

can also be obtained from the British Council.

Course materials

A number of coursebooks and practice materials are available

from publishers. A list of UK publishers which produce

material related to the examinations is available from

Cambridge ESOL Information and is on the Cambridge ESOL

website. CAE requires an all-round language ability and this

should be borne in mind when selecting course materials.

Most coursebooks will need to be supplemented; care should

be taken to ensure that coursebooks and practice materials

selected accurately reﬂect the content and format of the

examination.

N.B. Cambridge ESOL does not undertake to advise on textbooks or

courses of study.

Past papers and examination reports

Cambridge ESOL produces past examination papers, which

can be used for practice, and examination reports, which

provide a general view of how candidates performed overall

and on each paper, and offer guidance on the preparation of

candidates. Details of how you can order past papers and

examination reports, and a downloadable order form, are

available from

www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/pubs/index.cfm

cae handbook | cae support

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