ADVANCED EXAM TIPS

READING AND USE OF ENGLISH

Part 1
Read text QUICKLY .(including title)
If unsure, LEAVE IT AND MOVE ON.
Write, circle, score out on the question paper
Double check for prepositions (they may not be right next to the space)

Part 2
Read title and text QUICKLY
Watch out for any CONTRASTS /NEGATIVE MEANINGS
Don´t be fooled by correct word but wrong MEANING.
(eg. He agreed with the fact that there should be more motorways. He agreed, along with Paul,
to help out.)
Remember words - NO NOT ONE ONES NOR THESE TO+ing AS DO
DOES (emphatic language) IT EITHER MYSELF WHAT THE WHICH(common)
WITH /WITHOUT (context is everything)

Part 3
Read text and title QUICKLY
Watch out for NEGATIVE MEANINGS
Be careful with PLURALS
Likely to be a suffix and a prefix
MIS (very common)
ADVERBS especially – PROGRESSIVELY DRAMATICALLY INCREASINGLY
(UN)SURPRISINGLY ALTERNATIVELY
Nouns endings – er ee tion ment age al ance ence hood iety ness
(CAREFUL WITH PLURALS)
ADJECTIVES are important in C1 – able ible al (nouns too) ial ant ate ive
ing ed ous ly (not always an adverb) y ful less ic ary ory
Verbs with EN – Endanger enrich encourage enlist lengthen shorten broaden
widen
Verbs with UNDER – undertake undergo(surgery, change, trauma) underpaid
undermine(an argument) underweight
WORDS with UP - upcoming uprising upheaval uproot upsetting update
uphold
Words with OUT – Outrageous outspoken outdated outstanding outright
outbreak(of an infectious disease) outcome outlet
Words with DOWN – downhill downfall
Words with OVER - overcrowded overweight overcome overwhelm overall

Part 4
Do not change names for pronouns
Check tenses – they must be the same
Keep as similar as possible
Watch out when changing adjectives into adverbs
If you don´t know one, LEAVE it until the end. (Maybe something in the readings might trigger
your memory)
ALL THROUGH THE READINGS we will see sentence transformations- expressing the same
idea in different ways.
Contractions are 2 words except CAN´T.

READINGS
To do the readings successfully and quickly we have to SKIM and SCAN.
We have to DEDUCE MEANING FROM CONTEXT
We also have to DISCARD in the readings.
WRITE on the paper –arrows, scribbles, underline…
Lots of the words are difficult but UNIMORTANT.

Part 5
Each question is 2 points.
Sequential, although sometimes last question is about the whole text.
Do not let your own ideas or opinions influence you. It is ALL about the writer.
Watch out for TRAPS regarding different people and their opinions-eg. Paul worried his parents
due to his lack of ambition.
We are not only interested in synonyms, but rather the meaning/opinion behind the words.
How does Paul feel? Worried? NO
When the question wants the MAIN reason , make you sure you choose the most important
one.
Always question your answers
SCAN – do not read the whole text . ZOOM IN

Part 6
Each question – 2 points
Read the whole text.
This is all about OPINIONS (NOT yours)
Read each writers ideas and opinions. Scribble them down in a simplified way using your own
words
BEWARE – they will try to confuse you with negative sounding words for a positive idea and
vice versa. (This film is awfully addictive)
Don´t be put off with so much unfamiliar vocab. It´s still possible to understand the writers´
ideas, which is the main thing.
We are not looking for synonyms, but rather MEANING. Try to get the OVERALL meaning of
each sentence.

Part 7
Each part – 2 points
When you read the text at first, try to PREDICT what the missing information will be.
Lots of important info before and after the gap.
Do easiest ones first.
CLUES – contrast words, chronology, verb tenses, names and pronouns, determiners
(THIS is why…) cause and effect speech marks

Part 8
Each question – 1 point (due to the fact this reading is easier)
Many students do this reading FIRST
Be careful of word-spotting.
Be careful of partial matches.
Try to guess unfamiliar words.
WRITING
Write a short plan (NOT a draft) Write your ideas to be included in each paragraph, the C1
structures you want to use, some examples to illustrate your point.
Always give reasons and examples.
Grammar – alternative to If inversion emphasis (What is extremely worrying is the fact
that …….) Linkers(Having said that, Conversely, Likewise, Similarly, Furthermore,
Moreover… As a result, …..)
Useful phrases – A significant number It is of vital importance that ……
There is a tendency to………. That may well be true, however, In this day and age,
Transitional words DO NOT always have to go at the beginning of a sentence. (eg. I love
autumn, and yet, it could be a sad season)
DO NOT MEMORISE ALL OF THE LINKERS AND TRANSITIONAL WORDS. CHOOSE
YOU FAVOURITES AND USE THEM IN EVERY WRITING.
Here is an extract of an essay -
Let us consider the case of the swimming pool. While it is true that the ticket is relatively
economical, the pool is need of some updating. Take for instance, the changing rooms.They are
undoubtedly dark and date from the 1960s. As a result, many local people are reluctant to take
up swimming.
OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH WRITE AND IMPROVE

PROPOSAL- this writing has the same basic structure as a report however we want to persuade
someone or some group to do something . Our language must be polite but persuasive.
Example –
The results of a recent survey undertaken in the local community indicate that refurbishing the
local pool would seem to be the best course of action.
There are several excellent, albeit expensive solutions. Take, for instance, the suggestion to
enlarge the pool. Although this may well be costly and time-consuming, ultimately more
members of the public will use it, which means more income for the local council.

SPEAKING
Part 3 and 4 (with partner)
Turn SLIGHTLY towards your partner
Nod. Look interested. Overlap with each other.
Don´t say which photos you´ve chosen
Don´t get side-tracked. Eg. How are important are these things for our health? Don´t talk about
how being healthy is important.
When choosing, always RULE OUT first.
No monologues
LISTEN and REACT
Don´t get stuck on one idea but don´t rush either
Better to do three options well than all of them badly.
MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS please
Take your partner´s contribution and develop it.
Help your partner out – good interaction.
Intonation is VERY IMPORTANT