Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
Is CPE for you?
CPE is the most advanced Cambridge English exam. It is intended to show that you can use a very high level of English for professional and/or study purposes.
Can you...
- use English to give advice on, or talk about complex or sensitive issues?
- understand the finer points of documents, correspondence and reports?
If you are working towards acquiring those skills and your level of English currently permits you to do approximately those things, then CPE is probably the right exam for you.
What level is CPE?
CPE is at Level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF). At C2 level, typical users can be expected to:
- understand virtually everything they hear and read with ease
- make accurate and complete notes during a presentation
- understand colloquial asides
- talk about complex and sensitive issues without awkwardness
- express themselves precisely and fluently.
Your preparation for CPE will give you these kinds of practical language skills.
• Cambridge English - Preparation courses
What is on the CPE exam?
There are five papers on the CPE exam:
Reading - 1 hour 30 minutes
You will need to be able to understand the meaning of written English at word, sentence, paragraph and whole text level.
Writing - 2 hour
You will have to demonstrate you can produce a number of different items, such as a short story, a letter, an article, a report or a composition, each of about 300—350 words.
Use of English - 1 hour 30 minutes
Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you can control your grammar and vocabulary and how well you can summarise information.
Listening - 45 minutes
You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including lectures, news programmes and public announcements.
Speaking - 19 minutes
You will take the Speaking test with another candidate or in groups of three, and you will be tested on your ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidates and by yourself.
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