Reading and Use of English Where should I start? Should I tell you about the screams of protest, the tears and the agony I have to deal with when it is time to practise Reading and Use of English in my C1 Advanced preparation classes? Should I mention the cold sweat on my students’ foreheads…
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Paper-based or computer-based? Many people find out pretty late that there even is a computer-based version of B2 First and it is quite often already too late to make the switch by the time they discover this. I thought it would be a good idea to let my readers know what the similarities and differences…
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My Top 10 books to prepare for B2 First Choosing the perfect book to prepare for Cambridge B2 First is very important, and while there are many different options to develop your language skills as well as exam strategies and techniques it depends on the individual. For me, these are the best options: Objective First…
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Cambridge B2 First Speaking in a nutshell Speaking is one of the five exam papers in Cambridge B2 First, the others being Reading, Use of English, Listening and Writing. It usually takes around 14 minutes and you are tested together with another candidate. In the Speaking test, you need to demonstrate your ability to respond…
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Introduction A letter/an email is written in response to the situation outlined in the task. Letters/emails in the C1 Advanced Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate for the specified target reader. Candidates can expect to be asked to write to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine, to the…
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B2 First (FCE) vs. C1 Advanced (CAE) Cambridge B2 First (formerly known as FCE) and C1 Advanced (CAE) are two English language examinations designed and administered by Cambridge Assessment at the University of Cambridge. While passing B2 First is equivalent to CEFR level B2, C1 Advanced indicates a higher level at C1. Both exams can…
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Introduction A review may be about a book, magazine, film, play or concert; it may also be about a product or a service. A review in the C1 Advanced Writing paper does not merely ask for a general description of the thing reviewed, but requires an evaluation of its suitability for a particular purpose or…
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Introduction A report may be written for a superior (e.g. a boss or college principal) or a peer group (e.g. club members or colleagues). The content of a report is to some extent factual and draws on the prompt material, but there will be scope for candidates to make use of their own ideas and…
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Introduction In 2020 Cambridge English updated the B1 Preliminary exam and there were a few changes to the Speaking paper so it is important for students and teachers to know what the ‘new’ Speaking exam looks like and what you can do to get ready and practise the right way. The structure of the Speaking…
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Introduction One of the more complicated things about C1 Advanced is definitely how your writing tasks are marked. I get this question asked a lot by my students, but the problem is that it is very difficult to explain the whole thing in just a minute or two. So I thought it would be a…
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