Exercises C1 Advanced Use of English – choose a part

C1 Advanced Use of English in brief

In parts 2, 3, and 4 you write the answer independently, and spelling must be correct. A word with a typo will not receive a point, even if you chose the correct form.

C1 Advanced Use of English Part 1 – multiple-choice cloze

You receive a text with 8 gaps and for each one four options. All options usually mean something similar, but only one fits the collocation, grammatical structure, or fixed expression in the sentence. This task checks if you "feel" which words connect with each other.

Strategy for Part 1

• Read the entire text first to understand the context.
• Check what comes after the gap: preposition (rely on, consist of), infinitive, -ing, that. Often it eliminates three options.
• Look for fixed connections: draw a conclusion, pose a threat, take into account, turn a blind eye.
• Learn collocations as whole phrases, not single words.

C1 Advanced Use of English Part 2 – open cloze

Text with 8 gaps, for each you enter one word. There are no hints, so you have to recognize what word is missing. It is almost always a "grammatical" word: preposition, article, pronoun (also relative), auxiliary verb, conjunction, or an element of fixed construction (no sooner … than, as long as, in spite of, not only … but also).

Strategy for Part 2

• For each gap ask: what part of speech is it? Before a noun – it could be an article or a preposition, before a verb – it could be auxiliary.
• Read the sentence to the end. The missing word often depends on what comes next (so … that, such … that, the more … the more).
• Watch out for sentences with inversion: Not only did she…, Rarely have I…
• Enter only one word. Contractions (don't) are not allowed, as they count as two words.

C1 Advanced Use of English Part 3 – word formation

Text with 8 gaps. Next to each gap, the base word is written in capital letters, and you create a word from it that fits the sentence. At the C1 level, you often need to make two or three changes at once: add a negating prefix, a suffix, and also the plural form (CERTAIN → uncertainties).

Strategy for Part 3

• Determine part of speech: after the article – noun, before the noun – adjective, with the verb – adverb.
• Check meaning: does the sentence require the opposite meaning? (un-, in-, im-, ir-, dis-, mis-)
• Check number: should the noun be in plural?
• Watch out for changes in the root: long → length, deep → depth, maintain → maintenance, explain → explanation.

C1 Advanced Use of English Part 4 – key word transformations

Six sentences. Each must be transformed to retain its meaning. You use the given key word, which must not be changed, and write from 3 to 6 words (contracted forms count as two). Each sentence is worth 2 points, and the answer is divided into two parts. Even a partially correct answer can therefore give 1 point.

Strategy for Part 4

• Consider what structure is "forced" by the keyword: SAID → passive voice with infinitive, WISH → subjunctive mood, HARDLY → inversion.
• Check what changes between sentences: tense, voice, subject, part of speech.
• Compare the meaning of both sentences word by word. Nothing can be lost or gained.
• Count the words. Seven words mean zero points, even if grammatically everything is correct.
• Never leave a blank space – partial answers also earn points.

How much time for C1 Advanced Use of English?

For the entire Reading and Use of English part, you have 90 minutes. The texts in parts 5–8 are long and require careful reading, so for Parts 1–4, it is worth allocating about 30–35 minutes. Do not spend too long on one gap. Mark it and return to it at the end – often the answer comes by itself when you solve the rest of the text.

You transfer answers in the paper version to the answer sheet in capital letters. Leave yourself time for this.

Most common mistakes in C1 Use of English

• ❌ Part 4: changing the keyword (SAID → says). ✅ The keyword remains exactly in the given form. Any change of the keyword means 0 points for the entire sentence.
• ❌ Part 2: two words in one gap (in spite) or a contracted form (can't). ✅ Always one word in full form. An answer longer than one word is not accepted.
• ❌ Part 3: The report highlighted several weakness in the system. (WEAK) ✅ The report highlighted several weaknesses in the system. After several, a plural form is needed. A correct word in the wrong form does not earn a point.
• ❌ Part 3: The service was very unreliabel. ✅ The service was very unreliable. Exact spelling counts – a typo means loss of points.
• ❌ Part 1: choosing a word that “sounds good in Polish” (make a decision ✔, but make a photo ✘). ✅ take a photo, do research, pay attention, raise awareness English collocations often do not match Polish ones – learn them as a whole.