Free Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced Practice
32 questions from the Reading and Use of English paper. Multiple-choice cloze, open cloze, key word transformation, reading comprehension and word formation. Find out whether you are working at B2 or C1.
20 minutes, 32 questions
Four sections covering the Reading and Use of English task types.
B2 or C1?
See which Cambridge exam you should actually be entering.
Full section breakdown
Find out whether grammar, vocabulary or reading is holding you back.
What are the Cambridge English exams?
Cambridge English qualifications are lifetime certificates that never expire, which is what distinguishes them from IELTS and other tests whose results are usually treated as valid for only two years. B2 First and C1 Advanced are the two most widely taken, and both are accepted for university admission and by employers across Europe.
Each exam has four papers: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Results are reported on the Cambridge English Scale, and importantly, you can be awarded a certificate at the level above or below the one you entered. Score highly enough at B2 First and you receive a C1 certificate; score below the pass range at C1 Advanced and you may still receive a B2 certificate.
What this practice test covers
This test focuses on Reading and Use of English, the paper that most reliably predicts your overall level and the one you can practise alone. It covers multiple-choice cloze (collocation and precise word choice), open cloze and key word transformation (grammar under constraint), reading comprehension (attitude and implication) and word formation and advanced structures.
Writing and Speaking are not included because they need an examiner. Listening is not included here either — but Use of English is where most candidates gain or lose the marks that decide their grade.
B2 First or C1 Advanced?
This is the single most useful thing this test can tell you. Entering the wrong exam is expensive and demoralising, and a surprising number of candidates enter C1 Advanced when they are working solidly at B2. Your score maps onto the Cambridge English Scale like this:
What the key word transformation really tests
If one task type separates B2 from C1 candidates, it is the key word transformation: you must rewrite a sentence using a given word, without changing the meaning, in between two and five words. It rewards knowing whole phrases — in spite of, carried on with, no sooner had — rather than individual vocabulary. Candidates who study collocations and fixed expressions improve here far faster than those who study word lists.
How to prepare
Work on collocation and fixed phrases rather than isolated vocabulary, and drill the transformation task specifically. For reading, practise identifying the writer’s attitude, which is where C1 texts differ most from B2 ones. And decide your exam level from evidence rather than ambition: a grade A at B2 First earns you a C1 certificate anyway, so entering First and doing well is often the better strategy.
Frequently asked questions
No. This is an independent practice test built by Quizinq for study purposes. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Official exams must be booked through an authorised Cambridge exam centre.
No. Cambridge English qualifications are lifetime certificates and do not expire, unlike IELTS and similar tests which institutions usually treat as valid for two years. Some institutions may still ask for a recent result.
Take the one your current level supports. Remember that a high score at B2 First earns a C1 certificate, and a low score at C1 Advanced can still earn a B2 certificate — so entering First and performing strongly is often the safer route. Your result here gives you an evidence-based answer.
Both need a trained examiner assessing against detailed descriptors. Reading and Use of English can be marked objectively, and it is also the paper where most candidates gain or lose the marks that decide their grade. See all our quizzes.
It is indicative. It is based on your accuracy across genuine Cambridge task types mapped onto the Cambridge English Scale, but the real exam includes four papers and is timed. Treat it as a guide to which exam to enter, not a predicted grade.