Exam FAQ

«Si estás buscando un sitio donde aprender inglés que realmente puedas aplicar más allá de los libros, lo has encontrado: En ABC English te atenderán profesores nativos dispuestos a ayudarte a mejorar notablemente tu nivel, además de ser un centro de preparación para los exámenes Cambridge.»
Alba Mira C1

General questions about the exams

1. How do I register for my chosen exam?
You can register in two ways, as a private individual online with your local Examination Centre, or you can let your school organise the inscription. At ABC English we take care of your inscription but payment is made direct to the Examination Centre as a bank transfer. Be aware that academies or schools that collect payment often increase the price of the exam.

2. How much are the Cambridge exams this year?
B1 – 105.00 euros
B2 – 189.00 euros
C1 – 199.00 euros
C2 – 205.00 euros

2. How will I know my inscription is successful and the date and time of the exam?
After inscription you should immediately receive a confirmation of payment and inscription email from Cambridge. One week before your chosen exam date you should receive another email confirming the venue, date and time of your exam.

3. I received my email but there is a spelling mistake with my name, what can I do?
Relax, any mistakes can be rectified on the day of the exam as long as you make the organisers aware of the problem.

4. What do I need to take with me to the exam?
In your Confirmation of Entry email, instructions for what you may or may not take to the exam are clearly stated. Mobile phones must be kept in bags, no smart watches are allowed or any electronic device. You do need to take Photo-ID, usually your national identity card [DNI in Spain].

5. Will I know my speaking partner in the exam?
In general the answer to this question is no, however, when an academy presents students for their exams they can ensure that you know your partner in the speaking – if they want to. Most do not. At ABC we always make sure that our candidates do the speaking exam with a partner they know from the academy and with whom they have been practising the speaking part of the exam. How we achieve this is our secret.

6. Will the exam be on one day or will it be split?
The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, the number of candidates, the number of examiners and the time of year. Typically, all parts of the exam are on the same day, but on busy exam dates the Speaking part may be on a different day.

7. What is the order of the exam?
1 – Use of English [excluding B1]
2 – Reading
3 – Writing
4 – Listening
5 – Speaking

8. Why are listenings so bad in the exam?
In paper based exams candidates are often in large classrooms which suffer from poor acoustics. The examiners will always play a test audio first which will be perfect – followed by a listening which is distorted, too low in volume, or with severe echoes from the surrounding walls. It is up to you to complain at the end of the listening exam if this is the case. You cannot complain later.

In computer based exams candidates wear headphones so many of the problems with sound quality are resolved, but that does not mean the actual quality of the audio is perfect, it may not be.

9. Are examiners in the speaking friendly?
Examiners are people, there are good and bad examples. A good examiner will welcome the candidate and make them feel at ease – a bad examiner will make candidates feel uncomfortable and nervous and more likely to fail or score a low grade. At ABC English we train you how to deal with such situations and manage them so that you can achieve the grade you deserve.

10. I was treated badly in the speaking, can I complain?
Yes, you can and you should complain if you feel that you were treated unfairly. First, make an official complaint with the Examination Centre as well as your academy if they did the inscription for you. If your academy shows little interest then we suggest you find a new one!

11. What is the difference better the Paper Based and Computer Based exams?
Please use the link at the bottom of this page to read up on the major differences between these two exam types.

12. How can I better prepare for the exam?
We are asked this question all the time. If you have a teacher who is experienced in the exams and is genuinely motivated by your success, ask them for as much practice material as possible. In the weeks leading up to the exam be sure that you are attending exam practice classes and doing lots of writings, readings, Use of English [if needed] and listenings at home. A good teacher and academy will have the necessary time and resources to help you. At ABC English candidates have access to our own Examination Resources Library on Google Drive, which hosts over 6 gigabytes of resources.

13. When do I need to do the inscription, and how long before I know my Grade?
This depends on the type of exam. Paper based exams – inscription 6-8 weeks before the exam date. Grades released 6-8 weeks after the exam. Computer based exams – inscription 2 weeks before the exam date. Grades released 2 week after the exam.

The timing of inscription and release of grades is often a deciding factor when students choose their exam date, and requires a great deal of thought, especially for the paper based exams. You can always contact us for more information about this.

14. I failed my exam for a few points, can I ask for it to be checked?
We do not recommend this as it is very expensive and less than 2% of requests return a different or better grade. It is far better to return to exam practice classes and take the next available exam.

15. I failed my Cambridge exam, how quickly can I retake it?
Depending on why you failed and the advice of your teacher you can register for the next exam date, which may only be a few weeks. We urge caution and recommend you take your next exam on PC which will give you more time to prepare.

16. When will I receive my Cambridge certificate?
Certificates are usually available 6-8 weeks after you have received your grades.

17. I still have questions, can I call you?
Yes of course, you can call us on the number below or even better send us a WhatsApp on 633 219 760.

Did you know there is a Computer based and Paper based exam? Want to know the differences between them? Click here.

To find your local Examination Centre search Google with
‘My nearest Cambridge Examination Centre.’

For the Alicante region click here to access Levante, your local Cambridge Examination Centre.

[Tlf. / WhatsApp 686 02 19 83 [donde estamos]