New Exam Updates 2015

Changes in Cambridge English: First, First for Schools and Advanced

Eva Vargov

Consultant
Cambridge English Language Assessment
Part of the University of Cambridge

100 years of CPE

June 1913
3 candidates

Translation
Essay
Literature
Phonetics
Dictation
Reading
Conversation

12 hours

100 years of CPE

Nobody passed

Aims of the revised exams

The result of a consultation process
More suitable for higher education,
career enhancement and general purposes
Up-to-date methodical approach to language
testing
User-friendly and accessible
Set the standards for B2 and C1 exams

General overview
Cambridge English: First
Cambridge English: First for Schools
Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge English: First (for Schools)

Revised: 3 hrs 29 mins
1 hr 15 mins
7 parts
Reading and Use of 52 questions
English

Writing

Listening
Speaking

1.
2.
3.
4.

1 hr 20 mins
140-190, 140-190
1 compulsory question
(essay)
1 from choice of 3 / 4
40 mins
4 parts
30 questions
14 mins
4 parts

Current: 3 hrs 59 mins

1 hr
3 parts
Reading
30 questions
45 mins
4 parts
Use of English
42 questions
1 hr 20 mins
120-150, 120-180 words
1 compulsory question
Writing
(email / letter)
1 from choice of 5
40 mins
4 parts
Listening
30 questions
14 mins
Speaking
4 parts

Which parts have been changed?

Which tasks have been changed?
Where has the time been changed?
Where has the number of questions been changed?

Cambridge English: First (for Schools)

Revised: 3 hrs 29 mins
1 hr 15 mins
7 parts
52 questions
Reading and
Use of English

Writing

Listening
Speaking

1.
2.
3.
4.

1 hr 20 mins
140-190, 140-190
1 compulsory question
(essay)
1 from choice of 3 / 4
40 mins
4 parts
30 questions
14 mins
4 parts

Current: 3 hrs 59 mins

1 hr
3 parts
Reading
30 questions
45 mins
4 parts
Use of English
42 questions
1 hr 20 mins
120-150, 120-180 words
1 compulsory question
Writing
(email / letter)
1 from choice of 5
40 mins
4 parts
Listening
30 questions
14 mins
Speaking
4 parts

Which parts have been changed?

Which tasks have been changed?
Where has the time been changed?
Where has the number of questions been changed?

Cambridge English: Advanced

Revised: 3 hrs 55 mins
1 hr 30 mins
8 parts
56 questions
Reading and
Use of English

Writing

Listening
Speaking

1.
2.
3.
4.

1 hr 30 mins
220-260, 220-260
1 compulsory question
(essay)
1 from choice of 3
40 mins
4 parts
30 questions
15 mins
4 parts

Current: 4 hrs 40 mins

1 hr 15 mins
4 parts
Reading
34 questions
1 hr
5 parts
Use of English
50 questions
1 hr 20 mins
180-220, 220-260
1 compulsory question
Writing
(variety)
1 from choice of 5
40 mins
4 parts
Listening
30 questions
15 mins
Speaking
4 parts

Which parts have been changed?

Which tasks have been changed?
Where has the time been changed?
Where has the number of questions been changed?

Cambridge English: Advanced

Revised: 3 hrs 55 mins
1 hr 30 mins
8 parts
56 questions
Reading and
Use of English

Writing

Listening
Speaking

1.
2.
3.
4.

1 hr 30 mins
220-260, 220-260
1 compulsory question
(essay)
1 from choice of 3
40 mins
4 parts
30 questions
15 mins
4 parts

Current: 4 hrs 40 mins

1 hr 15 mins
4 parts
Reading
34 questions
1 hr
5 parts
Use of English
50 questions
1 hr 30 mins
180-220, 220-260
1 compulsory question
Writing
(variety)
1 from choice of 5
40 mins
4 parts
Listening
30 questions
15 mins
Speaking
4 parts

Which parts have been changed?

Which tasks have been changed?
Where has the time been changed?
Where has the number of questions been changed?

Changes in
Cambridge English: First

Cambridge English: First for Schools

FCE: Reading and Use of English

Revised

Current

1. multiple-choice cloze

8 questions

12 questions

2. open cloze

8 questions

12 questions

3. word formation

8 questions

10 questions

4. key word transformation

6 questions

8 questions

5. multiple choice

6 questions

8 questions

6. gapped text

6 questions

7 questions

7. multiple matching

10 questions

15 questions

Which of these tasks are in the current Reading paper

and Use of English paper?
Is any of the current tasks missing?

FCE Reading and Use of English in summary:

1. What is the change in the revised Reading and Use of

English?
2. Do I need to prepare my students for any new task type?
3. Which paper do the candidates start with?

FCE: Writing Paper, Part 1

Revised version:

Current version:

one compulsory question

essay
140 190 words

one compulsory question

letter / e-mail
120 150 words

In your English class you have been talking about the

environment. Now, your English teacher has asked you to
write an essay.
Write an essay using all notes and give reasons for your point
of view.
Every country in the world has problems with pollution and
damage to the environment. Do you think these problems can
be solved?
Notes
Write about:
1. transport
2. rivers and seas
3. ....................... (your own idea)

FCE: Writing Paper, Part 2

Revised version:

Current version:

a choice of 3 (First) / 4 (First for Schools) tasks

140 190 words

a choice of five tasks

120 180 words

article email

essay letter

First

report review short story

set text

First for Schools

article
email / letter
review

article
email / letter
review

report

story
essay, article, review or
letter on the set text

FCE: Writing Paper, Part 2

First
article
email / letter
review
report

First for Schools

article
email / letter
review
story
essay, article, review or
letter on the set text

1. Which text types are different?

2. Why are they different?
3. Do you like the text types distribution?

FCE: Listening Paper

All tasks retained, the same length
Change to Part 1 and Part 3
Part 1
A series of 8 short unrelated
extracts, from monologues or
exchanges between
interacting speakers.
One multiple choice
question per text, each with
three options

Part 3
Five short related
monologues. The multiplematching questions require
selection of the correct option
from a list of six.

Change to Part 1
the options are not read out

Change to Part 3
there are two additional distractors
(three in total)

FCE: Speaking Paper

Revised

Current

Part 1

General topics
conversation

2 minutes
3 sets of 4 qs

3 minutes
5 sets of 5 qs

Part 2

Individual long
turn, short answer

the answer 30
secs

20 secs

Part 3

visuals
Conversation between written prompts
2 mins discussion in total 3 mins
the candidates
+ 1 min decision

Part 4 Discussion

no change

Changes in
Cambridge English: Advanced

CAE: Reading and Use of English

Revised

Current

1. multiple-choice cloze

8 questions

12 questions

2. open cloze

8 questions

15 questions

3. word formation

8 questions

10 questions

4. key word transformation

6 questions

8 questions

5. multiple choice

6 questions

7 questions

6. cross-text mult. matching

4 questions

7. gapped text

6 questions

6 questions

8. multiple matching

10 questions

15 questions

Is there any new task?

cross-text mult. matching

CAE: Cross-text Multiple Matching

Cross-text multiple matching

Focus

Understanding of opinion and

attitude, comparing and
contrasting of opinions and
attitudes across texts.

Format

Four short texts, followed by

multiple matching Qs. Candidates
must read across texts to match a
prompt to elements in the texts

No. of Qs

CAE: Writing Paper, Part 1

Revised version:

Current version:

one compulsory question

essay
220 260 words

one compulsory question

article / report / proposal / letter
180 220 words

In what way is the CAE and FCE essay different?

In what way is the CAE essay more demanding?

CAE and FCE Essay Comparison

You have listened to a radio discussion programme about facilities
which should receive money from local authorities. You have made
the notes below.
Write an essay discussing two of the facilities in your notes. You
should explain which facility is more important for local authorities
to give money to, giving reasons in support of your answer.

You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the
discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible.

In your English class you

have been talking about
the environment. Now, your
English teacher has asked
you to write an essay.
Write an essay using all
notes and give reasons for
your point of view.

1. museums

Every country in the world

has problems with pollution
and damage to the
environment. Do you think
these problems can be
solved?

2. sport centres

Notes

3. public gardens

Write about:

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage
to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?
Notes

Which facilities should receive money from local authorities?

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

1. transport

Museums arent popular with everybody!

Sports centres mean healthier people
A town needs green spaces parks are great for everybody

2. rivers and seas

3. .......................
(your own idea)

CAE and FCE Essay Comparison

You have listened to a radio discussion programme about facilities
which should receive money from local authorities. You have made
the notes below.
Write an essay discussing two of the facilities in your notes. You
should explain which facility is more important for local authorities
to give money to, giving reasons in support of your answer.

You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the
discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible.

In your English class you

have been talking about
the environment. Now, your
English teacher has asked
you to write an essay.
Write an essay using all
notes and give reasons for
your point of view.

1. museums

Every country in the world

has problems with pollution
and damage to the
environment. Do you think
these problems can be
solved?

2. sport centres

Notes

3. public gardens

Write about:

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage
to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?
Notes

Which facilities should receive money from local authorities?

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

1. transport

Museums arent popular with everybody!

Sports centres mean healthier people
A town needs green spaces parks are great for everybody

2. rivers and seas

3. .......................
(your own idea)

CAE: Writing Paper, Part 2

Revised version:

Current version:

a choice of 3 tasks
220 260 words

a choice of 4 tasks
220 260 words

article competition entry contribution to a longer piece essay

informatin sheet email/letter proposal report review set text

CAE revised

CAE current

email / letter

article

letter

proposal

competition entry

proposal

report

information sheet

report

review

essay

review

contr. to a l. piece

set text

1. How is the text types reduction going to change the exam preparation?
2. Do you find it benefitial?

CAE: Listening Paper

No changes in CAE Listening

CAE: Speaking Paper

Revised

Current

2 minutes

3 minutes

Part 1

General topics
conversation

Part 2

Individual long
turn, short answer

Part 3

visuals,
Conversation between written prompts
2 mins discussion 4 minutes
the candidates
+ 1 min decision

Part 4 Discussion

no changes

5 minutes

4 minutes

Most significant changes

Both Cambridge English: First and

Cambridge English: Advanced are shorter.

The Reading and Use of English papers have
been combined.

Part 1 of the Writing Paper is an essay.

The Cambridge English Scale

Example:
Cambridge English:
Advanced
Overall Score

182

Reading
Use of English
Writing
Listening
Speaking

177
171
183
187
181

What is the Cambridge English Scale?

A single range of scores that covers all CEFR levels
Candidates receive a score for each skill (Reading,
Writing, Listening and Speaking) plus Use of English.
They also get an overall score on the scale for the
exam
Scores on the Cambridge English Scale will replace
the standardised score and candidate profile
Cambridge English: First, Advanced and Proficiency
will report on the scale from January 2015

Questions?

www.CambridgeEnglish.org

www.CambridgeEnglish.org/Teaching-English
information about all exams
teaching resources: sample papers, classroom activities, lesson plans

www.CambridgeEnglish.org/Webinars

www.Youtube.com/CambridgeEnglishTV
webinars
videos about exams
teaching videos, learning videos

www.CambridgeEnglishTeacher.org

Courses

Webinars

Knowledge

Network

Online Professional Development for Teachers

Community

Recruitment

Reputation

Control

Join us on Facebook
www.Facebook.com/CambridgeEnglishCZ

www.CambridgeEnglishSchools.cz

Thank you!

Have a great day!

Contact us at:
Eva Vargov
vargova.e@cambridgeenglish.org
00421 948 304 551