The four papers
C1 Advanced is built from four papers, typically taken on the same day. Each contributes to a single overall score out of 210 on the Cambridge English Scale.
| Paper | Timing | Parts | Weighting | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading & Use of English | 1 h 30 min | 8 | 40% of total mark | 56 questions across 8 parts |
| Writing | 1 h 30 min | 2 | 20% of total mark | 2 tasks — 220–260 words each |
| Listening | ≈ 40 min | 4 | 20% of total mark | 30 questions across 4 parts |
| Speaking | 15 min · pairs | 4 | 20% of total mark | Face-to-face, 2 candidates + 2 examiners |
Overall grading
Cambridge converts your raw scores into a single Cambridge English Scale result.
Grade
A
200–210
C1 certificate (C2-level performance)
Grade
B
193–199
C1 — high pass
Grade
C
180–192
C1 — pass
Grade
Level B2
160–179
B2 certificate (below pass)
Note on Grade A: a Grade A still awards the C1 Advanced certificate — it states that your performance was at C2 level, but it is not a C2 certificate. To obtain a C2 certificate you must sit the separate C2 Proficiency exam.
Read these next
Reading & Use of English
1 h 30 min · 8 parts · 56 items · 40% of the mark.
Writing
1 h 30 min · 2 tasks · five genres · four scales.
Listening
≈ 40 min · 4 parts · 30 items · each recording twice.
Speaking
15 min · pairs · 4 parts · five scales.
Sample Materials
Question papers, answer sheets and Speaking materials.
Official Cambridge samples
Each paper page also links directly to the authentic Cambridge sample paper, answer key and audio — straight from Cambridge Assessment English.
Cambridge Assessment English
Reading & Use of English
Go and see the real paper — question layouts, timings and instructions straight from Cambridge. Opens on cambridgeenglish.org.
Cambridge Assessment English
Writing
Go and see the real paper — question layouts, timings and instructions straight from Cambridge. Opens on cambridgeenglish.org.
Cambridge Assessment English
Listening
Go and see the real paper — question layouts, timings and instructions straight from Cambridge. Opens on cambridgeenglish.org.
Cambridge Assessment English
Speaking
Go and see the real paper — question layouts, timings and instructions straight from Cambridge. Opens on cambridgeenglish.org.