CPE FAQs
FAQs about CPE
General
Reading
Writing
- Are candidates penalised for writing too much?
- Do candidates have to study all the set texts?
- Will any edition of the set texts do?
- Will there always be a narrative question?
- Are addresses to be omitted ONLY when stated in the task?
- Is report or proposal format obligatory for such questions on the Writing paper?
Use of English
Listening
- Which accents are used in the Listening paper?
- Is wrong spelling penalised in the Listening paper?
- Are candidates supposed to write the words they hear on the recording in answers to Part 2, or do they get more marks if they use their own words?
- In the Listening paper, can candidates fill in the answer sheet directly?
- Can candidates wear headphones in the Listening paper?
Speaking
- What should candidates do if they don't understand the instructions?
- What is done when there's only one candidate left at the end of a Speaking test session?
General
Is CPE a teaching qualification?
It is not designed as such. Although the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) demonstrates a high level of proficiency in English and is therefore recognised in some countries for English teaching purposes, it is a language and not a teaching qualification.
Candidates who are interested in doing a teaching qualification might like to consider the Cambridge ESOL Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), which is a teacher training certificate.
Is there a minimum age for candidate entry?
While Cambridge ESOL does not have a minimum age for candidate entry, there is a certain expectation concerning the maturity of the candidates taking CPE.
The CPE examination contains some texts and tasks which are likely to be more suitable in content for candidates who have achieved a certain degree of maturity in their handling of abstract ideas and concepts.
Success in CPE, which is at Level C2 in the Council of Europe Common European Framework, may be seen as proof that the learner is able to cope with high-level academic work.
Reading
Can computers spot when a candidate has made a mistake transferring the answers?
If more than one lozenge has been completed for one question, the computer rejects the answer sheet, which is then dealt with on an individual basis. Checks are in place to identify incomplete answer sheets, which are also then checked.
Cases where all the answers have been entered incorrectly, e.g. by putting answer 1 to question 2, answer 2 to question 3 etc., cannot be identified.
Candidates should be careful when filling in their answer sheets.
Writing
Are candidates penalised for writing too much?
Over-long answers are only penalised if there is irrelevance. However, the tasks are set to ensure they elicit the appropriate length of answer. Candidates may find that if they write over-long answers, they will be unable to complete the paper.
Do candidates have to study all the set texts?
The set text questions are optional. If candidates decide to answer on a set text, it is only necessary to study one of the books as there is always a question on each of them.
Will any edition of the set texts do?
Any full-length edition will do. CPE candidates should not be reading simplified editions, which are acceptable at FCE level.
Will there always be a narrative question?
There will sometimes be the opportunity to write a narrative, but it will be embedded in a letter or in an article, as in the sample papers in the CPE handbook.
Download the sample papers for CPE and other exams.
(Please note: such a question will not necessarily be on every paper.)
Are addresses to be omitted ONLY when stated in the task?
As a matter of policy, where the genre is given as a letter, the instruction 'You do not need to include postal addresses' is added to the rubric. Where other genres are given in the rubric (e.g. report, article), candidates sometimes choose to use a letter format to answer the question if appropriate to the task. In no case will the address, if included by the candidate, be subject to assessment, either negative or positive.
Is report or proposal format obligatory for such questions on the Writing paper?
Reports and proposals should be clearly organised and may contain headings. The report/proposal format is not obligatory, but will make a good impression on the target reader if used appropriately. The mark awarded to the report/proposal will, however, depend on how the writing meets the requirements of the General Mark Scheme and the Task Specific Mark Scheme for the question.
Use of English
What happens if candidates miss a negative in the transformations, thereby giving the opposite meaning to the original?
The instructions to the candidate state that the second sentence must have a similar meaning to the first. However, in the mark scheme the answer is divided into two parts (see below). The two parts of the sentence (either side of the dividing line) are always treated separately, so a candidate will receive one mark for correctly completing one part of the sentence even if a negative has been omitted from the other part.
e.g. I've never thought of asking the hotel staff for advice about restaurants.
occurred
It has ............. the hotel staff for advice about restaurants.
never occurred to me (1) | to ask (1)
Listening
Which accents are used in the Listening paper?
In General English examinations, there is a range of accents. These correspond to standard variants of English native speaker accents, and to English non-native speaker accents that approximate to the norms of native speaker accents, as this is what people have to listen to in real life.
Is wrong spelling penalised in the Listening paper?
Where candidates are asked to produce answers containing a word or words, as in Part 2, these must be spelled correctly. However, items are extensively pretested and care is taken that no word targeted as an answer causes candidates undue spelling problems.
Are candidates supposed to write the words they hear on the recording in answers to Part 2, or do they get more marks if they use their own words?
Candidates should try to use the actual words they hear on the tape/CD. They do not get more marks for using their own words.
In the Listening paper, can candidates fill in the answer sheet directly?
There is nothing to prevent candidates from doing this. However, it is recommended that candidates put their answers on the question paper while listening to the recording and then transfer these answers to the answer sheet when the recording has finished.
Can candidates wear headphones in the Listening paper?
There is no regulation against candidates using headphones. This depends on how the centre administers the exam.
Speaking
What should candidates do if they don't understand the instructions?
Candidates should ask the examiner to repeat the instructions. They will not be penalised for this. However, for reasons of standardisation, no variation on the instructions can be given.
What is done when there's only one candidate left at the end of a Speaking test session?
In all General English examinations, candidates are examined in pairs with two examiners. At centres with an uneven number of candidates, the last single candidate will be examined with the last pair to form a group of three.
