Is there a really big gap in terms of difficulty between CAE and CPE? Yes, there is. In a typical CPE coursebook you won’t get lots of grammar – you’re expected to know that by now.

The Cambridge English exams These are: IELTS (International English Language Testing System) FCE (First Certificate in English) CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) CPE (Certificate in Proficiency of English)

What are the CAE and FCE? Simply put, they are tests that are administered by Cambridge Assessment, University of Cambridge. FCE stands for First Certificate in English and CAE stands for Cambridge English: Advanced. The CAE is also known as the C1 Advanced.

FCE is for an upper-intermediate, B2 level qualification, the CAE is a C1 qualification exam and the CPE is for a C2 proficiency level.

Unlike the TOEFL and IELTS exams which are only valid for 2 years, the Cambridge exams (FCE & CAE) are valid FOR LIFE! Never take another English exam again!

It is the in-depth, high-level qualification that shows you have the language skills that employers and universities are looking for. More than 9,000 educational institutions, businesses and government departments around the world accept C1 Advanced as proof of high-level achievement in learning English.

The Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) exam is a very difficult to pass. If you still need or want to pass this exam, there are two things/options that you have.

Yes, essentially B2 is the ability to use the language, not necessarily to perfection but to a standard that they can be understood in most matters. C1 is the addition of specialized areas, generally linked with work and very few mistakes.

CAE is not easy. If you’re not actually advanced level yet, it would be pretty hard to pass it. Tasks like word formation or multiple cloze become much easier if you practice doing them, you just need to get a hang of it. And if you find CAE hard after all of this, you might want to study past papers.

CAE is more professional and more difficult! There is a huge difference between FCE and CAE. CAE is closer to CPE, not to FCE. That’s for sure.

The same is true for the Proficiency/Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE-CEF: C2). This is the most advanced qualification and a pass at this level proves you have reached a high competence in English, opening up more opportunities such as teacher training for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or ESOL (English as a Second Language).

A good score on the FCE shows that you possess the language skills that are needed to communicate confidently in an English-speaking setting. The CAE or C1 Advanced is intended to assess people at the C1 level of the CEFR; this test is also an effective assessment tool for the B2 and C2 levels of the CEFR.

Unlike IELTS, candidates are given a grade A, B or C based on a numerical scale from 160 – the lowest possible score within C grade at FCE, to a score of 230 – the highest for grade A at CPE.