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Preparation Tips For The Cambridge University Exams. (FCE, CAE, CPE)

 

Preparation Tips For Cambridge University Exams. (FCE; CAE; CPE)

Grammar and reading tips

1. Make use of grammar apps

Correct spelling is very important for the "Use of English" part of the exam. The best way to prepare for this part is to make use of grammar and English language apps or any of the various websites that are available.

Identify your specific weaknesses well before you take the test, therefore, allowing you the necessary time to improve through the use of these apps and websites.

2. Avoid hidden distractors

One of the most important things to keep in mind when tackling any of the reading papers is that the texts will contain distractors. These are words or phrases that you will find in the text that can also appear in the questions which might lead you to choose the wrong answer. To overcome this problem, read, read, read in order to improve your understanding of context, and then make sure you highlight the important words or phrases during the reading that will allow you to grasp the true meaning.



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3. Don't waste any time

If you find yourself getting stuck, because the time for the reading section is very short, don't waste time, just choose the answer which you believe best answers the question and move on to the next question. 

A good way to prepare for the reading is to each day, read books, the newspaper, or any other general reading materials that are available and level appropriate.



6 Strategies for Achieving and Maintaining a B2 to C2 Level of English

Listening tips

1. Familiarise yourself with different accents

The recordings you will hear in the test might be interviews on the radio, monologues, speeches, general conversations, and so on. You can expect to hear a wide range of accents, so prepare by familiarising yourself by watching a variety of English films and series, listening to the radio, and watching YouTube.

This is a link to one of the many excellent websites that help students to learn the different English accents.

https://www.dialectsarchive.com/dialects-accents

2. Read the questions and highlight keywords

Before the recording of the exam starts you will have some time for reading the questions. During this time, it’s very important to underline keywords and phrases.

3. Avoid distractors

Distractors are as important to be aware of in the listening tasks as they are in the reading paper.

These are words or phrases that you will find in the audio that can also appear in the questions which might lead you to choose the wrong answer. To overcome this problem, spend a lot of time listening to a variety of materials in order to improve your understanding of context, and then make sure you take notes of the important words or phrases during the audio that will allow you to grasp the true meaning.


Speaking tips

1. Speak in English as much as possible

Here it’s important that you feel comfortable while speaking the English language. This comes with a lot of practice. If you’re in an English-speaking country, then try to speak to lots of different people in different kinds of places or attend language exchanges. This will result in you talking about many different subjects as well as making you comfortable to speak.

2. Record yourself speaking

You can also record yourself speaking and then later listen back to it to find errors. This can be very helpful and you don’t even need another person to do it.

Writing tips

1. Think of who you are writing to

In order to write well, you need to think about the target reader. Who are you writing to? A colleague, a magazine, a company, or your teacher? This will depend on whether the style of your writing has to be formal or informal.

2. Plan your structure

You need to also think about the aim of the text and the typical organization of the text. Do you need a title? How many paragraphs do you need and how should they be ordered? For the essay, for example, you need a heading, introduction, main body, and conclusion. Take some time to brainstorm before you start writing and make sure you will include all the points in the instructions. Watch out that you don’t repeat the input language and obey the given word limit.



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What to do moments before the test

Make sure that you’ve studied all that you can and then just give it all of your effort during the exam. There is no more that you can do than that. 

If you’re aware of that, it allows you to actually be calm during the test. You can also plan something fun to do after the exam for you to look forward to doing as a reward. It’s also very important that you get enough sleep and have a very good breakfast.

And last, but not least, you need to be on time in order to avoid stress.

Good luck, good studying.





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