The shape of the paper
Eight parts, run together with no per-part timing. Parts 1 to 4 are short-answer tasks built on single words; Parts 5 to 8 are longer texts. There is one extra part compared with B2 First, and 56 questions against B2’s 52.
| Part | Task | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple-choice cloze — eight gaps, four options each | Vocabulary and collocation |
| 2 | Open cloze — eight gaps, one word each, no options | Grammar and fixed phrases |
| 3 | Word formation — eight gaps, root word given | Morphology |
| 4 | Key word transformations — rewrite six sentences | Grammar and set expressions |
| 5 | Multiple choice on a long text | Detail, opinion, implication |
| 6 | Cross-text multiple matching — four short texts | Comparing writers' positions |
| 7 | Gapped text — paragraphs removed | Cohesion at paragraph scale |
| 8 | Multiple matching — statements against a text | Scanning under time pressure |
Parts 1–4: the Use of English half
These are the precision parts, and they are the most learnable material on the whole exam because the same structures recur endlessly.
- Part 1 — all four options usually mean roughly the same thing. The question is which one the surrounding words actually take. Collocation, not definition.
- Part 2 — the answer is almost never a content word. Articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, relative pronouns, and at C1 the machinery of inversion and cleft sentences.
- Part 3 — a root word to change. At C1 single-step answers are the exception.
- Part 4 — six sentences to rewrite in between three and six words, two marks each, split across two halves of the answer.
Parts 3 and 4 stop being separate skills at this level, which is why they have a guide of their own: word formation and key word transformations.
Try it nowDrill one part type in a rowAll eight parts, every answer explained, two free exercises in each part — no account needed.PractiseParts 5–8: the Reading half
Part 5 — multiple choice
A long text with questions in text order. The texts are argumentative rather than narrative at C1, and the questions turn on implication: what a writer suggests without stating, where their tone shifts, what a particular phrase reveals about their attitude.
Part 6 — cross-text multiple matching (C1 only)
This part does not exist at B2, and it is the clearest illustration of what separates the levels. Four short texts by different writers on one subject, and questions asking who agrees with whom.
You are not asked what a writer said — you are asked how their position relates to someone else’s. That makes it a two-step task: fix each writer’s view on each sub-topic in a couple of your own words first, then read the questions. Trying to do both at once is what makes this part feel impossible; done in order it is merely slow.
Part 7 — gapped text
Whole paragraphs have been removed, not single sentences as at B2 — a different task rather than a harder version of one. Each option carries its own argument, so you are matching the flow of an idea into a gap rather than hooking up a reference word. Read the text through for the line of reasoning first; placing options by surface links alone will strand you on the last two gaps.
Part 8 — multiple matching
Statements to match against sections of a text, placed at the end of the paper on purpose, when concentration is thinnest. Expect heavy paraphrase: a statement about “reluctance to accept help” may be matched by a section using none of those words. Scanning by topic is unreliable here, because several sections share the topic and differ only in stance.
How the two scores are split
The paper is reported as two separate marks on your statement of results, and the division is not the obvious one:
| Reported as | Parts |
|---|---|
| Reading | 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Use of English | 2, 3, 4 |
Part 1 counts towards Reading despite sitting among the short tasks. This matters when you get your results: a low Use of English score points at three specific parts, which is a much more actionable finding than “the paper went badly”.
What to do with a lopsided result
Because the paper reports two numbers, a gap between them is a diagnosis rather than a disappointment — and the two gaps call for opposite responses.
- Use of English well below Reading. Good news, oddly: Parts 2, 3 and 4 are the most learnable material on the exam. The answer set is small and repeats, so drilling moves the number quickly.
- Reading well below Use of English. Usually a pacing problem rather than a comprehension one. Check whether your weak parts are the last two — if Part 7 and Part 8 are where the marks go, you are running out of time, not out of English.
- Both middling. Work on Use of English first anyway. It is worth the same marks and improves faster.
Ninety minutes, eight parts
No part has its own clock, so pacing is entirely your decision — and the reading parts are where candidates run out of time, not the Use of English ones.
A common working split is around 35 minutes for Parts 1–4 and the remaining 55 for Parts 5–8, which are far longer. Whatever you choose, decide it before the exam and practise sticking to it. Working it out on the day is how Part 8 gets four minutes.
Practising it
Because the paper reports two scores, part-level practice tells you something a whole mock cannot: which specific task type is costing you. Work through one part type in a row rather than one of each — the pattern in what a task rewards only becomes visible across repetitions.
Every part has its own set at C1 Advanced Reading & Use of English practice, with an explanation for every answer, and two free exercises in each part. For the whole paper under exam timing, see C1 Advanced mock tests.
The other papers: Listening Part 4, the Speaking test explained, and the C1 Advanced exam preparation guide for how all four fit together.