International ESOL C1 Expert

Listening

Part 1: 6 multiple choice questions (each with 3 pptions)
Task:

• Listen twice to 6 unfinished conversations between 2 speakers
• Conversations will include idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms, register shifts and use of stress and intonation to indicate attitude
• Choose the appropriate option to complete each conversation

Part 2: 6 questions(each with 3 options)
Task:

• Listen twice to 3 conversations and identify: topic, purpose, context, speakers, gist, relationship between speakers, roles, functions, attitudes, feeling and opinions
• Choose the appropriate option for each question

Part 3: 7 questions (write notes on the message pad based on the information in the recording)
Task:

• Listen twice to a dense, factual lecture, radio broadcast, narrative, presentation, etc. to identify specific information
• Jot down answers consisting of 1 to 5 words

Part 4: 7 multiple choice questions (each with 3 options)
Task:

• Listen twice to a discussion to identify gist, examples, fact, opinion, contrast, purpose, key ideas, attitude, cause and effect
• Choose the appropriate response for each question

Reading

Part 1: 5 questions (5 sentences identifying true and false statements about the text)
Task:

• Text includes idiomatic language, narrative or academic ideas, arguments and opinions
• Determine whether the statements are true or false

Part 2: 6 questions (8 sentences to choose from to complete 6 gaps in the text. 2 sentences are provided as distractors)
Task:

• A text with 6 sentences removed, e.g. topic sentence, summarising sentence, developing idea, emphasising a point, opinion, contrast, sequence, forward and back reference, transition to new idea
• Choose the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text

Part 3: 7 questions (4 texts provide the answers to 7 questions)
Task: Read 4 short texts, e.g. email, article, advert, etc. and choose which text answers which question

Part 4: 8 questions (requiring short answers of up to 5 words)
Task:

• A continuous text: narrative, descriptive, explanatory, expository, biographical, instructive
• Provide short answers of up to 5 words for each question

Writing

Part 1: 150 – 200 words (respond appropriately to a given text to produce a formal response for an intended public audience)
Task: Write a letter, report, argument or article using a written, graphic or visual input for the intended reader expressing stance, opinion, justification, argumentation as appropriate

Part 2: 250 – 300 words (produce a personal letter, a narrative composition/ story or a descriptive composition)
Task: Write an informal piece for a specified reader in order to persuade, argue or hypothesise, expressing mood, opinion, justification, evaluation etc.

Speaking

Part 1
Task:  • Give and spell name
• State country of origin
• Answer 5 questions

Part 2
Task:  • 2 or 3 situations are presented by the interlocutor
• Candidates are expected to respond to questions and initiate interactions

Part 3
Task: • Hold a short discussion to make a plan, arrange or decide something using written text as the prompt

Part 4
Task:  • Candidates are given 30 seconds preparation time
• Talk about a topic provided by the interlocutor for 2 minutes
• Answer follow-up questions