The CPE Listening paper contains four parts and lasts for about 40 minutes.
Each part contains a recorded text or texts and corresponding comprehension tasks. Each part is heard twice.
Part 1 Multiple choice
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for a variety of focuses
The six questions in this part relate to three separate texts (two questions per text). The texts may be self-contained or may be extracts from longer texts. The three texts are a mixture of monologues and texts with interacting speakers.
Each question focuses on a different aspect of each text, for example:
• What is the speaker’s attitude to those who complain?
• In the speaker’s opinion, what explains the team’s recent lack of success?
Part 2 Sentence completion
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for specific words or phrases and produce written answers in response to the sentences
Candidates listen to a monologue of an informative nature, aimed at a non-specialist audience. The nine questions in this part take the form of incomplete sentences.
Candidates show their understanding of what they have heard by completing gaps in these sentences. Answers are short, generally in the form of single words or noun groups. They must be spelled correctly and must fit into the grammatical structure of the sentence. The questions follow the order of the information in the text.
Part 3 Multiple choice
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for opinion, gist, detail and inference
Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are expressed, both implicitly and explicitly.
The five 4-option multiple-choice questions in this part focus on detailed understanding of points raised. Questions follow the order of the information heard in the text, but the final question may test global understanding of the text as a whole.
Part 4 Multiple matching
This part tests candidates’ ability to identify the gist of a number of short texts on a theme by identifying main points and interpreting context.
The exercise consists of a series of five short monologues on a theme. The text is 3–4 minutes in length with each monologue lasting approximately 35 seconds. The monologues represent spontaneous speech, delivered by speakers with a range of backgrounds and voices. There are two parallel multiple-matching tasks, each with a different focus. In each case, the correct option has to be chosen from a list of eight.
Tips!
The best preparation for the CPE Listening paper is exposure to a wide range of spoken English, including a range of voices, accents and styles of delivery. News broadcasts, documentaries and discussions can be used as suitable texts, as can light entertainment and drama broadcast in English.
Use the time allowed before each part to read through the questions carefully, so that you know what to listen out for.
Concentrate on what the speakers say and listen for both stated and implied attitudes and opinions.
Confirm your answers when you listen to each text for the second time.
Answer all the questions, even if you are not sure – you may have understood more than you think!