CAE Use of English (C1)

WeHere you can find CAE Use of English (C1) practice exercises – you can do them online or save in PDF. We also have detailed explanation of each task.

The exercises are a great addition to your CAE preparation, and can also complement your general language practice. The exercises have answer keys as well as answer explanations to help you understand the language and the logic of the answers. Click on each part to see the exercises, like CAE Use of English Part 1 right below.

CAE Use of English Part 1

This part has a text with eight gaps with a choice of four options for each gap. The texts are usually aimed at a reader of B2-C1 level, so more complex vocabulary and structures are to be expected. Overall, there are seven different types of tasks here:

1. 1. Preposition-dependent choice. This is when the choice of the word in the gap depends on the preposition that comes before (or after) the gap:
      Chris ____ against buying this car – it seemed like it was overdue for service a long time ago.

      A proposed

      B voted

      C suggested

      D advised

      We do not actually know that preposition is the key here until we start matching the answers with the context. A – proposed is not good, as it normally comes with ‘that’, e.g. ‘Chris proposed that we do not buy this car’. B – voted works grammatically, but it sounds too official and it implies that there are several people involved in this. C – suggested is similar to the first answer here. So we end up with the last option: ‘Chris advised against buying the car’. As short as they are, prepositions are a big part of grammar.

      There are also cases when a preposition is absent and you pick the option that doesn’t need it:
      The real estate agent recommended to take our time and ____ the mortgage documents.

      A peruse

      B look

      C observe

      D glance

      The word ‘peruse’ looks a bit weird, so skip it for now. B – look would need a preposition, e.g. ‘to look at something’. To observe something means to look at something from a distance, without getting involved – not the option we are looking for. To glance is to have a quick look and it also need a preposition ‘at’, so it doesn’t fit here for several reasons. Now we go back to the original word – we might just choose it because we know the rest don’t fit. To peruse something means to look at or to read something carefully, exactly the thing we were looking for.

   2. Phrasal verbs. Normally, each option is a real phrasal verb, but only one works in the given context:
      I tend to ____ difficult tasks until much later.

      A put out

      B put away

      C put aside

      D put off

      Note that each of these phrasal verbs makes sense in their own context. A – put out can mean ‘to extinguish something like a fire’. B – put away means ‘to put something to the side’ or ‘to save something for later in case you need it, e.g. money’. C – put aside is similar to the first meaning. Finally, if you put something off, you move it to a later date – so this is what we are going for.

   3. Collocations. This is a very big chunk of English – knowing and using connotations correctly:
      Eric managed to blow through the money his family has ____ over generations.

      A acquired

      B received

      C gathered

      D accumulated

      A – acquired looks good, but we might want to consider other options right now. B – received doesn’t seem to be a decent collocation, whereas answer C doesn’t work at all. Now we look at D – accumulated – it gives us the idea of gradual increase, exactly the kind of meaning we need, as it is said that it took generations.

   4. Idioms, set expressions and sayings. Possible answers will usually contain a part of the expression.
      This also includes so-called ‘binomials’, e.g. ‘flesh and blood’, ‘tooth and nail’ and so on:
      Most working adults nowadays fail to strike a ____ between career and family life.

      A reach

      B strike

      C achieve

      D get

      This is where your language knowledge will really stand you in good stead (an idiom as well!). Unfortunately, there is no real way of making the right guess in most of such tasks, as you simply have to know how the phrase goes. Here it is ‘to strike a balance’.

   5. Adverbs. The right choice of adverb can sometimes make or break the sentence – this type of task checks your understand of context:
      You should see Joe – he might have ____ the job you are looking for.

      A exactly

      B even

      C just

      D right

      A – exactly doesn’t work here here as we would need alteration to change the sentence a little bit for it to work: “he might have exactly the kind of job you are looking for”. Another change would be needed for B – even, this time moving the words around: “he might even have the job…”. D – right needs the words moved around in a similar manner. We are therefore left with answer C: “he might have just the job” – meaning exactly the kind of job you need.

   6. Conjunctions, introductory words and phrases. These are usually at the beginning of the sentence and work as a way to contrast, add or stress an idea:
      My sister wasn’t the most diligent of students.  ____, it didn’t stand in the way of her becoming a successful business owner.

      A Although

      B Though

      C Albeit

      D However

      In this case we are looking to contrast the two ideas – poor performance at school (‘diligent’ means hardworking) and becoming a successful business owner. A – although doesn’t work as it needs to be at the beginning of the first point: “Although my sister wasn’t the most diligent of students, it didn’t stand…”.We cannot use B – though at the beginning of the sentence. C – albeit works the same way as ‘although’. We are therefore left with D – however.

   7. Antonyms. A task with one word and the context calling for another word with the opposite meaning. Note that antonyms form with negative prefix can’t be chosen – naturally that would be too easy.
      When on holidays, most people choose to indulge themselves, whereas Peter always _____ from drinking or eating too much.

      A resists

      B stops

      C contains

      D abstains

      ‘Whereas’ at the beginning suggests using an opposite to ‘indulge’ – a word that means to let yourself have something that you want, especially more than would be reasonable or good for you.  A – resists could work if we didn’t have the preposition ‘from’. B – stops needs an object, e.g. ‘stop himself from drinking or eating too much‘. C – contains doesn’t fit contextually. Therefore, it is the last one. If you abstain from something (or doing something), you choose not to do it, especially if it is tempting and you know it wont be good for you.