CPE · 8% of test plan
Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue for the CPE Exam
CPE Listening Part 3 (interview with 5 multiple-choice questions) and Part 4 (monologue or interview, 6 multiple-choice or matching questions) test understanding of extended authentic discourse. Questions test fine distinctions: what was specifically stated vs merely implied, what one speaker agrees with vs only acknowledges.
Locale-specific study guides
Pass-rate data, regulatory context, and study tips for Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue all change by candidate locale. Pick your context:
- Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue · United StatesCalibrated for American candidates
- Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue · United KingdomCalibrated for British candidates
- Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue · IndiaCalibrated for Indian candidates
- Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue · PhilippinesCalibrated for Filipino candidates
- Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue · NigeriaCalibrated for Nigerian candidates
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.
- !Confusing concession (acknowledging a point) with agreement (endorsing a point)
- !Selecting factually true statements that do not match what the speaker actually said
- !Missing key meaning shifts when a speaker revises their position mid-turn
Study tips
- 1Listen to TED Talks and NPR Fresh Air interviews for practice with sophisticated English interview format.
- 2Practice distinguishing agreement from acknowledgement, criticism from description, certainty from possibility.
- 3Shadow complex academic speech to improve processing speed to C2 natural speech rate.
Sample CPE Listening Parts 3 & 4 — Interview & Extended Monologue questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real CPE questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
A speaker says: "While I can appreciate the argument for greater transparency, it's not something I'd personally advocate." The speaker's position is:
- AStrongly in favour of transparency
- BAcknowledges the argument for transparency but does not support itCorrect
- CStrongly opposed to the concept of transparency
Why this answer?
"Can appreciate the argument" = acknowledges the reasoning exists and has merit. "Not something I'd personally advocate" = does not personally endorse or campaign for it. This is a classic concession structure at C2 — acknowledging without agreeing — which is precisely what the question tests.
Practice Cambridge CPE (C2) free with Koydo.
Proficiency — the highest CEFR English credential.