CAMBRIDGE KEY ENGLISH TEST (KET)
This exam provides an initial learning objective , enabling
learners to meet their basic communication needs in English, and is the
first step on the ladder of the five level KET has three PARTS:
| Reading Reading texts are taken from sources such as signs, forms, product packages, guides and newspapers. Texts used for writing include forms and simple messages and letters. The paper consists of forty objective items relating to a number of reading-based activities; fifteen one-word written responses relating to reading-based activities; and five points relating to a short writing task. The following task types are used: multiple choice, matching, gap filling and form filling. |
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| Listening Candidates are assessed in their ability to follow short spoken exchanges, and to extract specific information without necessarily understanding every word. They include informal exchanges, recorded messages and telephone conversations. The delivery speed is at the slow end of normal speech rate. There are fifteen objective items (multiple choice and matching task types) and ten items requiring short answers (one or two words, a number, etc.). The test lasts for approximately 25 minutes. |
| Speaking The Speaking Test has two parts and lasts 8 - 10 minutes. Candidates are tested in pairs by two Examiners and are required to participate in conversations about themselves and other topics, both with the examiner and with each other. In Part 1 the examiner asks ‘bio-data' type questions; Part 2 involves candidates asking and answering questions about factual information of a personal or non-personal kind. |
Results There are two pass grades: ‘Pass' and ‘Pass With Merit', and two fail grades: ‘Narrow Fail' and ‘Fail'. Certificates are awarded to candidates who achieve the passing grades.
CAMBRIDGE PRELIMINARY ENGLISH T EST (PET)
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The Preliminary English Test (PET) is for elementary and
lower intermediate students. A pass in PET indicates that the student
has adequate language skills for most social and work situations in an
English-speaking environment.
Our course prepares the student for the examination, which consists of: |
Paper 1 Reading and Writing (1 hour and 30 minutes) The candidate is expected to understand public notices and signs; to read short, factual texts in order to understand themes, attitudes of the writer and effects the passages may have on the reader. In Part 3 of the Writing Component (continuous, guided
writing) the candidate is expected to give information, report events,
describe situations, express opinions, etc. |
| Paper 2 Listening (approx. 45 mins) The candidate must be able to understand and respond to public announcements, extract factual information and make sense of dialogues showing an understanding of the attitudes of the speakers. The Speaking Component (10-12 mins) |
CAMBRIDGE F IRST CERTIFICATE
IN ENGLISH (FCE)
| The First Certificate in English is the most widely taken of
the Cambridge examinations. The FCE is an intermediate level
examination which requires a knowledge of all language skills and is
widely recognised in commerce and industry, as well as academic
institutions in some countries.
The examination consists of five papers as outlined below. |
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| Paper 1Reading (1 hour and 15 minutes)
Candidates are tested on their ability to understand written texts such
as newspaper and magazine articles, informational material (e.g.
brochures, guides, etc.), advertisements and fiction.
Paper 2 Writing (1 hour 30 minutes) The tasks set are made to be as realistic as possible and include letters, articles, reports or compositions. Examiners assess range and accuracy of language, appropriacy, organisation and task achievement. Paper 3 Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes) This paper tests candidates' knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical systems. |
| Paper 4 Listening ( approx. 40 minutes)
Candidates are tested on their ability to understand and to deduce
meaning in spoken English in a variety of contexts such as radio
programmes, answer phones messages, public announcements,
conversations, interviews, etc.
Paper 5 Speaking (approx. 14 minutes) The tasks set are designed to assess candidates' ability to exchange personal and factual information, and to express and find out about attitudes and opinions. |
CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH (CAE)
This is an examination at an advanced level which was introduced in
1991 and is suitable for people who require English for professional or
study purposes. There is an emphasis on real-world tasks. It is also
recognised by the majority of British universities as fulfilling
English Language entrance requirements. CAE has five components:
| Reading
Candidates are assessed as to their ability to read and understand texts. They should demonstrate a variety of reading skills including skimming, scanning, deduction of meaning from context and selection of relevant information to complete the given task. There are four texts, giving a total of about 3,000 words.
There are forty to fifty questions. The three main task types are:
multiple matching, multiple choice and gap filling (at paragraph
level). |
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| Writing Candidates are expected to complete non-specialist writing tasks in response to the stimuli provided (input text and task descriptions). The first part is compulsory and candidates must complete one or more tasks in response to a reading input which is usually made up of several short texts. The second part involves choosing one of four tasks from a range of writing activities (letters, articles, instructions, messages, etc.). Responses should be about 250 words in length. |
| English in Use Listening Candidates must complete six tasks with a total of approximately seventy items. The tasks are of the following types: gap filling, proof-reading exercises, text completion, text expansion (of notes etc.). Candidates are expected to understand each text as a whole, gain detailed understanding and appreciate gist and the attitude of the speaker. They must also be able to identify and interpret the context. |
There are four sections lasting approximately 45 minutes in all,
with a total of thirty to forty questions. The first two sections
consist of two short monologues, the third of a longer
dialogue/interview and the fourth of conversational extracts. The tasks
candidates are asked to perform include the following: information
transfer, various types of matching, note completion and multiple
choice. Sections A, C and D are repeated; Section B is played once
only.
| Speaking The Speaking Test is conducted by two Examiners with a pair of candidates. They must be able to demonstrate a range of speaking skills: interactional, social, transactional, negotiation and collaboration. The test lasts for fifteen minutes. The candidates first introduce themselves and respond to questions about their interests, careers, etc. Each candidate is then given a set of visual stimuli which serve to encourage a ‘long turn' from each candidate. The final two parts are linked. The candidates first complete a collaborative task. This is followed by further discussion between the candidates and both examiners on points which have arisen from the collaborative task. |
Each component is equally weighted and carries 20% of the total
marks. There are three pass grades (A, B and C) and certificates are
awarded to all successful candidates. Candidates who achieve a grade D,
E or U are judged not to have reached the required standard for CAE.
Examination dates 2000 June and December.
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH (CPE)
This is an examination at an advanced level, which is recognised as
fulfilling English language requirements by British universities and
for business and academic purposes overseas. CPE has five components:
| Reading Comprehension Composition Candidates are expected to show comprehension of gist, detailed content, tone and register. They are also tested on their wider knowledge of vocabulary, usage and grammatical control. There are two sections. In the first section there are twenty-five multiple-choice items. In the second section there are three texts, each between 350 and 550 words in length, with a total of fifteen items. Candidates must demonstrate comprehension of the text by completing a number of multiple choice items. There are five tasks from which the candidate chooses two. One of the five is based on an optional reading of one of three books. Responses should be approximately 300 or 350 words, as specified. |
| Use of English Listening Comprehension Candidates are expected to demonstrate their knowledge and control of the language system by completing various tasks at text and sentence level. They are also required to read a text and answer comprehension questions and to summarise specified information from the text. There are two sections. The first section consists of forty-two items of the following four types: one-word gap filling, transformation, word or phrase level gap filling and rewriting. The second section is a reading comprehension task with twelve to fifteen items and a summary writing task (approximately 80 words). There are usually three or four texts, each lasting between 1 and 4 minutes, with approximately thirty items of the following types: multiple choice, true/false, matching information, gap filling. All parts are repeated. |
| Interview Candidates may be tested either individually, in pairs or in groups of three. They must be able to discuss and comment on issues and express opinions. The first task involves describing and comparing a set of thematically linked photographs. Candidates are then required to read a passage silently and to comment on, for example, its source, its intended audience, etc. The final part consists of one or more communicative activities (discussion, planning, problem-solving, etc.). One or more texts may be read as background preparation for optional tasks in Paper 5. |
Cambridge examinations are internationally known and cover a
range of levels.
They are excellent courses for students wanting a challenging course in
all language skills
More information is available at http://www.ucles.org.uk