CAE Use of English Overview teachers notes

Description First, students answer questions about the content of Paper 3. They also do a task to check that they understand what they have to do in each part of the paper, and then they match each part to its instructions. Finally, students match common mistakes to the part where they are typically made. Time required: Additional materials required: Aims: 45 minutes CAE handbook

to familiarise teachers and students with the content of the CAE Use of English paper to make sure students know what to do in each part of the paper to raise students awareness of common mistakes

Procedure 1. Explain to the class that the questions in the first task on the handout are designed to help them get to know what is in Paper 3, the Use of English paper. Depending how familiar your class is with CAE and with Paper 3 in particular, you could either ask them to discuss the questions without any help (if they are quite familiar with the paper) or you could give them a copy of the CAE Handbook p. 47, where they can find the answers to the questions. Students can work in pairs for all the questions in this activity. 2. Check through the answers and invite students to ask any other questions they may have about paper 3. Refer to the CAE Handbook for answers to questions. 3. The names of the tasks types in paper 3 may not be familiar to all students. In order to check that they do know the names of the parts and more importantly what they have to do in each part. Go through the instructions for this question. Ask students to look at Test 1 in the Handbook; pages 51 54 to find the answers. (Try to dissuade them from looking at p. 48, where there are descriptions of the parts and their focuses.) The first one is done as an example. Point out that their answers dont have to be in such good English; they just have to demonstrate that they know what they have to do. 4. Check the answers as a whole class. (see key or handbook p. 48) 5. Ask the class to look at question 3. Ask students NOT to look at the CAE Handbook now. This activity draws their attention to the instructions for each part and it is a reminder of what they learnt in question 2; what they have to do in each part. 6. Ask the class to look at question 3 (typical mistakes made by candidates). They should decide which part of the Use of English paper these mistakes occur in. Again the focus here is less on the mistakes and more on drawing students attention to what is being tested. Is it a mistake of grammar or vocabulary? 7. Check the answers with the whole class.
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CAE Use of English Overview answer keys

Key to Students worksheet 1 1 How many parts are there in CAE Paper 3? Five 2 How much time have you got for Paper 3? One hour 3 How many questions are there in total on Paper 3? 50 4 Can candidates write their answers on the question paper? Yes (but they must transfer their answers onto the answer sheet) 5 How do candidates mark their answers on the Answer Sheet? They have to shade in a small box in pencil or write a word or words in capital letters. NB Pencil must be used. 6 How many marks can candidates get for correct answers in the different parts? Parts 1, 2 and 3: each correct answer receives 1 mark. Part 4: each correct answer receives 2 marks. Part 5: each correct answer receives up to 2 marks. 2 Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze Part 1 consists of a text in which there are 12 gaps (plus one gap as an example). Each gap represents a missing word or phrase. The text is followed by 12 sets of four words or phrases, each set coresponding to a gap. Candidates have to choose which of the four words or phrases in the set fills the gap corectly. Part 2 Open cloze Part 2 consists of a text in which there are 15 gaps (plus one gap as an example). Candidates use their knowledge of the structure of the language and understanding of the text in order to fill the gaps. In this part, as there are no sets of words from which to choose the answers, candidates have to think of a word which will fill the gap correctly. The focus of the gapped words is either grammatical, such as articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, pronouns, verb tenses and forms; or lexico-grammatical, such as phrasal verbs, linkers and words within fixed phrases. The answer will always be a single word. In some cases, there may be more than one possible answer and this is allowed for in the mark scheme. The absence or misuse of punctuation is ignored, although spelling, as in all parts of the Use of English paper, must be correct.

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Part 3 Word formation In this part, there is an emphasis on vocabulary. Part 3 consists of a text containing 10 gaps (plus one gap as an example). At the end of some of the lines, and separated from the text, there is a stem word in capital letters. Candidates need to form an appropriate word from given stem words to fill each gap. The focus of this task is primarily lexical, though an understanding of structure is also required. It tests the candidates knowledge of how prefixes, suffixes, internal changes and compounds are used in forming words. Candidates may be required to demonstrate understanding of the text beyond sentence level. Part 4 Gapped sentences In this part, there is an emphasis on vocabulary Part 4 consists of five questions; each question is made up of three discrete sentences. Each sentence contains one gap and the gapped word is common to all sentences. Candidates must write the one word which is appropriate in all three sentences. The focus of the task is lexical and aims to test candidates knowledge of lexical patterns such as collocation, phrasal verbs and other word combinations. It tests whether candidates know items of vocabulary in a range of contexts and with a range of meanings Part 5 Key word transformations In this part, there is an emphasis on grammar and vocabulary Part 5 consists of eight questions (plus an example). Each question contains three parts: a lead-in sentence, a key word, and a second sentence of which only the beginning and end are given. Candidates have to fill the gap in the second sentence so that the completed sentence is similar in meaning to the lead-in sentence. The gap must be filled with between three and six words, one of which must be the key word. The key word must not be changed in any way.

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3 Parts of the paper Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze Instructions B

Part 2 Open cloze

Part 3 Word formation

Part 4 Gapped sentences E Part 5 Key word transformations C

4 1. Candidates make mistakes with spelling and have problems forming words which require a negative affix, especially in adverbs (e.g. unacceptably). Part 3 Word formation

2. Candidates fail to check that the answer fits in with both the immediate grammatical context and with the text as a whole. Part 2 Open cloze

3. Candidates use more than six words. Part 5 Key word transformations

4. Candidates fail to check that the word is appropriate in all three sentences. Part 4 Gapped sentences

5. Candidates are careless when they transfer their answers to the answer sheet. All parts of the paper 6. Candidates fail to distinguish between the precise meanings of the options. Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze

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 UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo

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CAE Use of English Overview Students Worksheet

What do you know about CAE Paper 3?

Work in pairs and discuss the answers to these questions. 1. How many parts are there in CAE Paper 3? 2. How much time have you got for Paper 3? 3. How many questions are there in total on Paper 3? 4. Can candidates write their answers on the question paper? 5. How do candidates mark their answers on the Answer Sheet? 6. How many marks can candidates get for correct answers in the different parts?

Parts of the paper 2 Look at the names of the parts of the Use of English paper. Working with a partner, discuss what you have to do in each part. Look at Test 1 in the Handbook to help you; pages 51 54. The first one is done as an example. Part 1 Multiple-choice cloze Part 1 consists of a text in which there are 12 gaps (plus one gap as an example). Each gap represents a missing word or phrase. The text is followed by 12 sets of four words or phrases, each set corresponding to a gap. Candidates have to choose which of the four words or phrases in the set fills the gap correctly. Part 2 Open cloze

Part 3 Word formation

Part 4 Gapped sentences

Part 5 Key word transformations

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Instructions 3 Look at the instructions for the five parts of the CAE Use of English paper. Can you match them to each part?

A. Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Part .. B. Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). Part C. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words. Here is an example (0). D. Read the text below and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). E. Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Here is an example (0). Mistakes 4 Now, look at the mistakes which some candidates make when they take this paper. Decide which part(s) of the paper they typically occur in. Candidates make mistakes with spelling and have problems forming words which require a negative affix, especially in adverbs (e.g. unacceptably). Candidates fail to check that the answer fits in with both the immediate grammatical context and with the text as a whole. Candidates use more than six words. Candidates fail to check that the word is appropriate in all three sentences. Candidates are careless when they transfer their answers to the answer sheet. Candidates fail to distinguish between the precise meanings of the options.

3 4 5 6

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