Reading & Use of English Parts 6–7 for the CAE Exam

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Part 6: Matching based on single topic words rather than reference chains and logical flow
• !Part 7: Reading entire sections when scanning for specific information is faster
• !Part 6: Not checking that the extra paragraph clearly does NOT fit any gap

Study tips

• 1For Part 6, underline pronouns, demonstratives, and synonyms before the gap and after — they are the cohesion links.
• 2For Part 7, underline key words in the questions first, then scan each text only for those key words.
• 3After placing Part 6 paragraphs, read the whole article through to confirm the narrative flow is logical.

Sample CAE Reading & Use of English Parts 6–7 questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real CAE questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   In CAE Reading Part 6 (gapped text), a removed paragraph begins "This was the turning point." The gap is most likely:

   • AAfter a paragraph describing background information
   • BAfter a paragraph describing a key event or changeCorrect
   • CAt the beginning of the article
   • DAfter a paragraph describing consequences
   Why this answer?

   "This was the turning point" uses "this" as a reference to a preceding event — it refers backward to something that has just been described as significant. The gap is most likely after a paragraph that describes a key event, which "this" refers to.