C1 Advanced (CAE) syllabus 2026: every part, what it tests, marks and timing
C1 Advanced, still widely called CAE, has no list of set books or topics. Its syllabus is the exam's format: four papers, nineteen parts, and for each part a fixed task that tests a fixed set of skills. Once you know what each part is for and how many marks it carries, you know where to put your preparation. This page sets out all of it from Cambridge's own format page, with the marks per part worked out and a suggested way to split the 90 minutes of the hardest paper.
The four papers at a glance
| Paper | Time | Parts | Questions | Raw marks | Scores reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English | 1 hour 30 minutes | 8 | 56 | 78 | Reading and Use of English, separately |
| Writing | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2 | 2 tasks | 40 | Writing |
| Listening | About 40 minutes | 4 | 30 | 30 | Listening |
| Speaking | 15 minutes for a pair | 4 | 4 tasks | 75 | Speaking |
Each of the five scores is on the Cambridge English Scale from 142 to 210 and counts equally towards the overall score. That is the single most useful fact for planning: Use of English, with only 28 raw marks, is worth as much of your result as Reading with 50. A mark in Parts 2 to 4 moves your result more than a mark in Parts 5 to 8.
Reading and Use of English: part by part
| Part | Task | Questions | Marks | Counts towards | What it tests | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple-choice cloze | 8 | 8 (1 each) | Reading | Idioms, collocations, shades of meaning, phrasal verbs, fixed phrases | 6 min |
| 2 | Open cloze | 8 | 8 (1 each) | Use of English | Grammar words: prepositions, articles, auxiliaries, pronouns, linkers | 7 min |
| 3 | Word formation | 8 | 8 (1 each) | Use of English | Prefixes, suffixes, negatives, changes of word class | 7 min |
| 4 | Key-word transformations | 6 | 12 (2 each) | Use of English | Grammar, vocabulary and collocation, said another way in 3 to 6 words | 10 min |
| 5 | Multiple choice, one long text | 6 | 12 (2 each) | Reading | Detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, attitude | 15 min |
| 6 | Cross-text matching, four writers | 4 | 8 (2 each) | Reading | Comparing opinions and attitudes across texts | 10 min |
| 7 | Gapped text, missing paragraphs | 6 | 12 (2 each) | Reading | The structure and development of a text | 15 min |
| 8 | Multiple matching | 10 | 10 (1 each) | Reading | Specific information, detail, opinion and attitude | 15 min |
The suggested times add up to 85 minutes and leave 5 to check; they are our suggestion, not Cambridge's. Two things in this table surprise many candidates:
- Part 1 is marked as Reading, even though it looks like a vocabulary exercise. Reading is Parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (50 marks); Use of English is Parts 2, 3 and 4 (28 marks).
- Parts 4 to 7 are worth two marks a question. Those 22 questions carry 44 of the paper's 78 marks. In Part 4 a partly right answer can still earn one mark, so never leave one blank.
There is no negative marking anywhere in the exam. A wrong answer scores 0, so answer every question.
Writing
| Part | Task | Length | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A compulsory essay based on two points, saying which is more important and why | 220 to 260 words | 20 |
| 2 | One task from a choice of three: a letter or email, a proposal, a report or a review | 220 to 260 words | 20 |
Each answer is marked from 0 to 5 on four criteria, giving 20 marks a task:
- Content: everything the task asks for is there and relevant.
- Communicative Achievement: the register and format suit the reader; a report reads like a report.
- Organisation: clear paragraphs and linking that carries the argument.
- Language: the range and accuracy of grammar and vocabulary.
Split the 90 minutes evenly: about 45 minutes a task, including 5 to plan and 5 to check. Our C1 Advanced writing guide has a plan for each task type.
Listening
| Part | Recording | Questions | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Three short conversations | 6 (three options each) | Feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, agreement, gist, detail |
| 2 | A talk of about 3 minutes | 8 (sentence completion) | Specific information and stated opinion |
| 3 | A conversation of about 4 minutes | 6 (four options each) | Attitude, opinion, agreement, gist, purpose, detail |
| 4 | Five monologues of about 30 seconds | 10 (two matching tasks) | Gist, attitude, main points, purpose, interpreting context |
Every recording is heard twice and every question is worth one mark, 30 in all. In Part 2 you write the words you hear, and spelling must be correct.
Speaking
| Part | Task | Time (pair) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interview: questions about yourself and your opinions | About 2 minutes |
| 2 | A one-minute long turn on two of three photographs; then a short comment on your partner's | About 4 minutes |
| 3 | A collaborative task: discuss ideas with your partner, then decide | About 4 minutes |
| 4 | A wider discussion of the Part 3 subject | About 5 minutes |
The assessor marks Grammatical Resource, Lexical Resource, Discourse Management, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication; the interlocutor gives a Global Achievement mark. You are marked on how you interact with your partner as well as on your own English.
How to use this syllabus
- Sit one full C1 Advanced mock test to find your weakest of the five scores.
- Spend the most time on the score that is lowest, not on the paper that feels hardest. Because all five count equally, raising a weak score by 10 points lifts your overall score by 2.
- For Use of English, practise Parts 2, 3 and 4 a little every day; our Use of English guide has worked examples.
- Take a second full mock after two or three weeks, and compare the five scores.
The full outline, with each paper's tasks, is on our C1 Advanced syllabus page. The set exam dates are on the C1 Advanced exam dates page.
Useful links
- C1 Advanced exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- Free C1 Advanced mock tests
- C1 Advanced syllabus
- C1 Advanced exam dates
- C1 Advanced scores, grades and IELTS equivalent
- C1 Advanced: exam dates and how to book
Frequently asked questions
Is there a set syllabus or reading list for C1 Advanced?
No. There are no set books or topics. The syllabus is the format: each part always uses the same task type and tests the same skills, on subjects that change from paper to paper.
How many questions are in C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English?
56 questions in 8 parts, in 1 hour 30 minutes, for 78 raw marks: 50 for Reading and 28 for Use of English.
Which parts of C1 Advanced are worth two marks?
Parts 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Reading and Use of English: 22 questions worth 44 marks. In Part 4 a partly right answer can earn one mark.
Is the computer-based C1 Advanced different from the paper one?
Cambridge states that the content, scoring and certificate are the same. Only the way you answer and the dates differ.