CAE CAE Exam Strategies 2

Question 1

What should a candidate do immediately upon receiving the CAE exam paper?

Accepted Answer

Read all instructions and briefly skim the whole paper

Answer

Briefly scanning the whole paper allows candidates to understand task types, plan time allocation, and identify any particularly easy or challenging sections.

Question 2

In CAE Use of English Part 1 (multiple choice cloze), what should candidates focus on?

Accepted Answer

Identifying which option collocates correctly, fits the grammar, and matches meaning

Answer

Part 1 typically tests vocabulary in context — collocations, fixed phrases, and semantic precision — so all three factors must be checked for each answer.

Question 3

Which mistake most commonly costs marks in CAE key word transformations (Part 4)?

Accepted Answer

Changing the key word or adding extra words beyond the limit

Answer

The key word must be used exactly as given (never changed), and the total word count must stay within 2–6 words; breaking these rules results in zero marks.

Question 4

Why is it important to check spelling on the CAE answer sheet?

Accepted Answer

Misspelled words in certain parts (e.g., Listening Part 2) may not be accepted

Answer

In Listening Part 2 (sentence completion), answers must be spelled well enough to be recognisable; in other parts, spelling is also an assessed criterion.

Question 5

What is the best way to use process of elimination in CAE multiple choice questions?

Accepted Answer

Rule out options that are clearly contradicted by the text before choosing from remaining options

Answer

Eliminating clearly wrong options reduces the choice to two or three, making it easier to identify the most strongly supported answer from the text.

CAE - Cambridge English Advanced Practice Test

CAE - Cambridge English Advanced Practice Test

CAE CAE Exam Strategies 2