Cambridge Exam Course Example Timetable
| Session Time & Day | Session Time & Day | Session Time & Day | Session Time & Day | Session Time & Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 9.00-10.30am | Tues 9.00-10.30am | Wed 9.00-10.30am | Thurs 9.00-10.30am | Fri 9.00-10.30am |
| Reading Matching paragraphs and headings Understanding general meaning Looking for synonyms | Grammar Identifying adverbs and adjectives Choosing correct adjective and adverb forms | Grammar Adverbs of degree – expressing intensity Multiple choice questions and error correction | Grammar Practicing gerunds (-ing forms) Using infinitives Distinguishing the two forms | Use of English Multiple choice questions and answers Tips and strategies for taking the exam |
| 10.50-12.20pm | 10.50-12.20pm | 10.50-12.20pm | 10.50-12.20pm | 10.50-12.20pm |
| Writing Transaction letter Understanding the task Letter structure Language and content | Listening Cloze activity – building and strengthen vocabulary Listening for specific information | Language Development Prepositions, nouns and adjectives Feelings and expressions | Reading Gapped text – reading the paragraph and filling in the gaps | Writing Formal Application Letter Having an appropriate register and format |
| 1.15-2.45pm | 1.15-2.45pm | 1.15-2.45pm | 1.15-2.45pm | 1.15-2.45pm |
| Use of English Word formation – looking at collocations Forming nouns from verbs | Speaking Collaborative task Initiating, interrupting, offering and closing | Reading Skimming and scanning – two important fast reading techniques | Writing Formal letters Using accurate grammatical structures Writing for the target reader | Speaking Collaborative Task Taking turns initiating, interrupting, offering and closing |
History
Introduced in 1939, the Lower Certificate in English (LCE) was the second English language exam developed for speakers of other languages by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, the organisation that would later be known as Cambridge Assessment. The arrival of thousands of refugees from the Spanish Civil War and occupied Europe into the UK had created a growing need for language assessment. The LCE was intended to meet a demand for the certification of an English proficiency level below that of the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).
One hundred and forty-four students sat the first LCE exam on 21 June 1939.[4] The exam was divided into three sections:
- Oral (Dictation, Reading Aloud, and Conversation)
- English Composition and Language (2 hours for a free composition on a choice of subjects and various tests on the correct use of simple English)
- Prescribed Texts (2 hours on Dickens, Swift, Shaw and/or the Oxford English Course book).[5]
By 1943, LCE included a choice between ‘either prescribed texts or a paper in translation from and into English’. By 1944, 18 languages were catered for in the translation paper, including Polish, Arabic, Hebrew, Czech, Persian and Swedish.[6]
Many of those who took LCE served on active duty during World War II: the LCE December 1943 Pass List includes candidates from the Polish Army, the Polish Institute of Air Force Technology (RAF), the Netherlands Fleet Air Arm, and the Czechoslovakian RAF Squadron. On one day in 1948 over 2,500 men and women of the Polish Resettlement Corps took LCE.[7] A special version of LCE was also made available to prisoners of war detained in Britain and in occupied Europe. The test was made available to 1,500 prisoners of war in Britain, 900 of them Italians. In Germany, the test was offered at seven prisoner of war camps, with Indian prisoners of war encouraged to take LCE or School Certificate exams. After the war, LCE proved to be the most popular Cambridge English exam of the time, with over 4,000 candidates in 1947, compared to 2,028 candidates for the Certificate of Proficiency in English, now known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE).[8]
In 1975, driven by evolving principles of communicative language teaching and testing, LCE was revised and renamed as the First Certificate in English (FCE). The exam was updated to have five compulsory papers: Composition (free writing task); Reading Comprehension; Use of English (testing grammatical structures and vocabulary); Listening Comprehension (multiple-choice items); and an Interview (oral tests).[9]
The qualification was further updated in 1984 and 1996. Following the 1996 revision, FCE covered a greater range of writing, listening and speaking micro-skills. Its Speaking test format used two candidates and two examiners and the five papers were equally weighted, each representing 20% of the available marks.[10]
In January 2015, another set of revisions were introduced. The main changes are: the overall exam is now 30 minutes shorter; there are four exam papers, instead of five; and the Reading and Use of English papers have been combined into a single paper. Further information can be found in the revised Exam Specification.
In addition, a new way of reporting results has been introduced (effective from January 2015), with Cambridge English Scale scores replacing the standardised score and candidate profile used for exams taken pre-2015. The Cambridge English Scale was developed to provide exam users with more detailed information about their exam performance than was previously available.[11]
Transcription of the video
Question 1 (Q1): Is that okay if I ask you some questions that I have written down?
Answer 1 (A1): Yes, of course.
Q2: What level do I need to study the FCE (First Certificate in English) Preparation Course?
A2: We really recommend that the lowest level would be in intermediate, but the high level of intermediate going through to upper intermediate. That will give you the best opportunity to do the course comfortably.
Q3: How is the course organised?
A3: We do the course over either 10 or 12 weeks and we make sure we cover all the skills that you need to pass FCE, and that includes reading and listening, and those are your receptive skills. Then of course you have your productive skills which are writing and speaking. So we cover all of these points and use of English which is your grammar and of course your vocabulary. So we do this right throughout the course.
Q4: What should my expectation be of the FCE (First Certificate in English) class?
A4: A wonderful class, full of international students, where you will make lots of wonderful friends for the rest of your life actually, and together you study all these skills that I’ve just mentioned. We try to bring a lot of fun into the classroom, and do lots of activities, interactive activities. However, there is a serious side, so throughout your 10 or 12 weeks, you do have a lot of homework – two hours at night. So it’s a lot of fun, but a lot of hard work you have to be prepared for.
Q5: Is there a special course book for the candidates to work from?
A5: Yes, we have a 12 module course book for the FCE course that covers again, all these skills and each part of each paper. So there are no surprises when you sit down for the final test. With the course book we supplement it with complementary materials so if you are studying at a particular grammar point, you will have extra homework or activities to do in class so you make sure you re-use that grammar point or vocabulary. Also we try to take students out sometimes for some special activities that of course are related to FCE.
Q6: Do we get the chance to do practice tests?
A6: Yes, definitely. We have a practice test, a full mock test about halfway through the course and then at the end of the course, just before you go to do the final test. You can always take practice tests on the weekends, and we do a test every Monday to make sure you are all keeping on track with the different skills.
Q7: Do BROWNS students get good marks in the test?
A7: Of course we do! We are really proud of our reputation at BROWNS, we get some fantastic results for the students and of course a lot of our students go through to do the CAE course as well. What we find is that you do have to put a lot of hard work in yourself. We put a big effort in so we expect you to as well.
Make it official. Prove to universities and global organisations you’ve got the English to succeed with a high TOEFL examination score.
Our teachers use their experience and the latest technology to help you prepare for the best results.
Standard (20 lessons General English + 10 lessons TOEFL per week)
Why choose a TOEFL Exam Course?
- Improve the English skills you’ll be tested on.
- Become familiar with the different accents you may hear in the exam.
- Learn exam strategies that work.
- Be well-prepared with regular testing and mock exams.
- Receive help booking your exam.
- Improve your general language skills and level of English.
TOEFL courses run from 17 August – 28 August, so make sure you don’t miss the next start date.
FAQs
When/where are TOEFL exams held?
Some schools are approved TOEFL test centres – we’ll book you into the nearest centre.
Do I need to take an entry test before I apply?
After you send us your application we will ask you to take a short test to make sure your level is right for this course.
About the course
Course structure
20 General English + 10 TOEFL lessons per week.
Entry level
At least B1 (Intermediate) Your level of English
Timetable
Morning or afternoon classes according to the school timetable*, Monday-Friday
Standard: 30 hours a week,
Lesson Length
45 minutes
Course duration
2 weeks.
Certification
In addition to your official exam result you will receive an Oxford English Centre certificate and progress report, profiling your language level.
Assessment and progress
Your progress will be tested regularly throughout the exam course with exam task practice and you will do at least one full mock exam before the real thing. This will help prepare you for the timing and atmosphere of exam day.
FAQs
Does the certificate have an expiry date?
- It is valid for 2 years.
Do I have to buy materials for the course?
- We will provide you with everything you need.
Will we have a mock exam?
- We will do at least one full mock exam before the actual exam. This will help identify the areas which still need working on.
Do I have to book the exam?
- We will help you with this.
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KEY FACTS
Cambridge CAE Exam Course- Class duration: 2 weeks
- Class size: Maximum 14
- Lesson duration: 45 minutes
- Lessons per week: 30
- Learning materials: Included
- Start: See Course Dates below
- Minimum age: 16
REGISTRATION & COURSE DEPOSITS
Registration Fee: £90.00
Tuition & Accommodation Deposit: £490.00
Tuition Only Deposit: £290.00
Payment by cash, debit or credit card
Payment by bank transfer: See Bank Details