CAE Use of English Tips

Tips for the Advanced Cambridge Use of English

PART 1 USE OF ENGLISH
“Multiple choice” (Advanced Cambridge Exam)

In part 1 you have a short text with 8 words missing. You must choose from 4 options the best word for each space. I think part 1 is a nice, easy start. I mean, it's easy in the sense that it doesn't take much brain energy. You either know the answers or you don't.

GENERAL TIPS FOR PART 1 CAMBRIDGE ADVANCED EXAM

 we're looking for grammar clues like prepositions, and we're looking for words that fit the meaning of the sentence.
To do well here you should brush up on phrasal verbs, collocations, and the kinds of synonyms you'd find in a 'common mistakes at CAE book or Cambridge preparation course. 

SHOULD YOU READ THE WHOLE TEXT?

Good question! It depends how much you read English in your daily life. If you read a lot, you will probably be able to just look at the sentences and find the best answer.

But most students should read the whole text quickly to get an idea of what the writer really wants to say about the topic. That will make it easier to choose the answers. The key word is quickly.

The best way to prepare for the Use of English and Reading test is to READ. Read a lot.
If you know that two of the options have the same meaning, neither can be the answer. 
Remember to read the title. It's there to help you.
Never lose time trying to think of the answer to the example.
Prepositions are vital!!!

PART 2 USE OF ENGLISH
“Gap task” CAMBRIDGE ADVANCED EXAM

In part 2 there is a text with words missing, whereas in part 1 you pick from a choice of words, in part 2 there is no such help. You have to use your knowledge of grammar to produce the right word.

TIPS FOR PART 2 ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE EXAM

Write only one word. Contractions like 'won't' are two words (will not), so that will never be an answer in part 2. 

Read the whole text. This will help tell you if words should be positive or negative.

Sometimes more than one word might be possible - for example if 'whereas' fits, 'while' might also fit. Either answer is okay, but don't write both.

The most common answers were (in order of frequency):

to - being - which - for - with - one - not - as

Do you know the grammar rules behind those words? What sort of sentence uses the word 'to'? We can help you out at English Examination Institute.

ADVICES BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE

a) If the missing word is at the start of the sentence, ask yourself if a gerund or a participle fits. Many answers are -ing forms or participles (having and being are very frequent).

b) Cambridge loves relative pronouns, the most common one by far is which. Study defining and non-defining relative clauses.

c) 'With' comes up frequently, but so does 'without'. That's why you should read the text as a whole before you start thinking of the answers.

d) 'if' is very common, but so is 'unless'. “Unless” means 'if not', so again, reading the whole text to get if it´s positive or negative.

e) While 'to be' is, naturally, the most common verb and has its own section, other verbs are quite common. For example, 'have' (and has, had, etc) are useful for making perfect tenses. Do is useful for emphatic language. 

f) Linking phrases. For example: whereas, although, however, despite, spite (in the phrase in spite of), also, but, so, while, such as...
There are many easy points to get in this part of the exam. 

g) Prepositions. The most difficult and boring part of english and the problem is that Cambridge loves prepositions. Look for uses of: in, of, by, out, before, after, at , on…

h) These words also might appear: no, there, once, even, such, since, it, myself (or themselves etc), what, either, and these.

i) I was amazed how many times 'the' was the answer. 

PART 3 USE OF ENGLISH
“Word Formation” ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE EXAM

This is a Word Formation task. Word Formation activities test your ability to change one type of word into another, your ability to use prefixes and suffixes, your spelling and your reading comprehension. You are given a text with 8 words missing and you must fill in the correct word. Do not use the word they give without changing it to fill in an answer.

TIPS FOR WORD FORMATION CAMBRIDGE ADVANCED EXAM

* You need to read the whole text. That's because you'll have to change some of the words into negative forms, and you can't do that if you only read the sentences containing the missing words.

* You need to understand how sentences are built in English, that means understanding the function of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs. That sounds hard, but it's really not so bad when you get the hang of it.

COMMON ENDINGS FOR PART 3 WORD FORMATION CAMBRIDGE

Common endings for nouns

- Sometimes you can't spot a noun based on its ending: -eer; -tion; -ment, -age, -al, ance, hood, -iety, -ness….

Common ending for adjectives:

-able; -ible; -al, -ial; -ant; -ate; -ative; -ive; -ing; -ed; -ous; -y; -ful; -ness; -ic; -ary; -ory.

Adverbs

Adverbs are used frequently by Cambridge for example: increasingly, progressively, dramatically, alternatively, surprisingly, etc.

Common negative prefixes:

dis-; in-; im-; il-; un-; il-; de-; mis-

PART 4 USE OF ENGLISH
“Rephrasing” ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE EXAM

It tests a wide range of grammar, vocabulary, and you need to be able to change informal language into formal, active into passive, etc…
The instructions say 'you must use the word given. Use between 3-6 words. 

GENERAL TIPS FOR REPHRASING PART 4 ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE EXAM CAE

Most contractions are 2 words (won't, don't = will not, do not). It might be possible to complete the sentence in a grammatically correct way with 2 words, or with 22 words, but you won't get any points for that.
Don't change the word given. If the word given is 'TO' you can't use 'INTO'. If the word is 'GO' you can't use 'WENT'.
Each question is worth 2 points. You might not know the whole answer but sometimes one correct word will give you a point. 
Try to keep the same meaning. 
Check your tenses - if the first sentence is in the past tense, the second should be too.

Otros Consejos para aprobar tu examen de Advanced de Cambridge

Desde English Examination Institute hemos creado los mejores consejos para ti. Nuestros cursos desarrollan en profundidad todos estos consejos además de incluir recursos y prácticas continuas para que puedas dar lo mejor de ti mismo en la prueba. Los consejos para los exámenes estarán en inglés ya que presuponemos que si usted tiene nivel para acceder a un curso de ADVANCED CAE tiene el nivel suficiente para entender nuestras recomendaciones. Vamos allá!!!

CONSEJOS PARA LA PARTE DE SPEAKING

CONSEJOS PARA LA PARTE DE USE OF ENGLISH

CONSEJOS PARA LA PARTE DE READING

CONSEJOS PARA LA PARTE DE LISTENING

CONSEJOS PARA LA PARTE DE WRITING

ESTRUCTURA DEL EXAMEN DE ADVANCED

INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL PARA CAE

NUESTROS CURSOS DE PREPARACIÓN DE ADVANCED (CAE)

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