GRADE "A" C2 PROFICIENCY STUDENT EXPLAINS HOW SHE PASSED HER CPE EXAM. Cambridge English exam tips.

🧑‍🎓 If you need more help and guidance with your Cambridge English exam preparation (B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency), check out my complete online preparation courses here: ttp-exam-academy-ben.thinkifi... 👩‍🎓
📖 The grammar you need to pass: "Essential Grammar for B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency: ttp-exam-academy-ben.thinkifi...
Silvia, from Italy, recently passed her C2 Proficiency Cambridge English exam (CPE exam) with some of the best results I've ever seen. So, I decided to interview her to find out how she did it and to share with you her tips on preparation, strategy and time management as well as more general insights into how she reached such a high level of English.
Cambridge English exam preparation books;
C2 Proficiency: • C2 Proficiency Cambrid...
C1 Advanced: • C1 ADVANCED CAMBRIDGE ...
B2 First: • B2 FIRST CAMBRIDGE EXA...
Thanks again to Silvia for sharing her experiences and tips!
Ben Gill
English teacher
Website: ttpenglish.com/
#englishexam #englishexampreparation #c2proficiency #c1advanced #cpeexam #caexams #cae #tothepointenglish #bengill

[@Poehee77]

Wow I am impressed, recently passed my c2 exam as well but barely. Nonetheless I am proud of my result.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations! You should be proud 💪

[@carlosm6276]

Whatever it's a C2

[@qweoiwjewiodc1954]

how did you pass your C2 exam , could you share us your experience? I passed C1 and I would like to attain C2 soon

[@nikossof7122]

@@qweoiwjewiodc1954 Me too

[@Crisguay]

Congratulations to Silvia for such a great achievement! Achieving something like that would be a dream come true for me. I have to be motivated to go for it. Both of you have done a great job with this video to keep us on the right track. Many thanks. I will never be grateful enough for your dedication and invaluable advice. 🤗

[@caroladokter7612]

I recently received my results for CPE as well, I definitely struggled the most with writing as well, but I got an A (223/230 on average) after all so I am very very proud of myself. I probably could have scored higher if I had prepared and practiced more hahah.

[@natvis]

weird flex but k.

[@caroladokter7612]

@@natvis I’m allowed to be proud of myself aren’t I? I worked for 5 years for this so I think it’s okay if I ‘flex’ a little bit 😊

[@hihihihi3806]

@@caroladokter7612 English is a boring language for real for real

[@martxyz3363]

@@hihihihi3806 Try Czech, you might enjoy 20 years of never-ending struggle

[@radioactivebeverage]

@@hihihihi3806it has its beauty

[@miguelmelo8735]

Ben your tips ,subjects and vídeos are really inspiring!!

[@vanessadimarco158]

Wow! It's amazing! Well done Silvia! Bravissima

[@adelefusco9016]

Thank you Silvia! Thank you Ben! A lot of useful tips!

[@david-cyclingnrunningtime1808]

Hello Ben and Silvia many thanks for the tips. I am all ears! Stay safe!

[@abfr48]

Thanks Ben it’s very inspiring 👍

[@TheLittlechicthings]

Omg! This girl is an ace! I will be playing this video first thing when I go back to school! Well done you both!

[@turicoppola9815]

Hi Ben, it's just as well you shared this motivational video! Congratulations to Silvia, she's very brilliant indeed, well done! To get C2 proficiency isn't as straightforward as any other exam.

[@ermelindalombardo1477]

Congratulations to this amazing italian engineer on her recent achievement 🎉🥰🎉🥰🎉🥰

[@LarissaSouza-py7mc]

I've just found this channel and I'm impressed with too much free information of certification tests. And this interview with Silvia! Wow! You motivated me guys! Thanks a lot

[@Kej.9]

Thank you for sharing Ben and Silvia.... I would like to taky my C2 exam in the future but I will take my time beacause I want to feel prepared and more relaxed... I´ve tried to do the Listening part which I am afraid of least - I got 23/30 points. Reading I also find quite easy for me ( not saying I don´t need to study though)....But I am quite afraid of the rest....I will try next year and meantime I am going to study :) Thanks for your wonderful job,Ben

[@yuliakasparova5323]

Great interview ! Thank you, Ben! Well done Sylvia! Absolutely agree, that your videos, Ben, are most helpful! I passed my CAE 20 years ago and now I stared working as an on-line English tutor, and having passed this test, even so long ago, really helped me to start! Good thing CAE diploma is timeless👍🏽

[@rodrigobeltrandperez8993]

YOUR ENGLISH IS INCREDIBLE SILVIA!! :)

[@darlingari6005]

Im almost in that level as her! Feeling excited!

[@MoritzLukas-sd3kd]

i love this channel!

[@ciaobellagente798]

Silvias are the best 😻

[@slangyrussianwords5972]

Just great !

[@franciscojose6496]

Hello brilliant teacher with explend channel exellent information all the time

[@gD-cp3cg]

Lovely video. I hated english in school but I love it now. To progress you have to put yourself outside of your comfort zone and accept your mistakes, errors and so on. You have to insist ever day, at a moment you will start to think in english and that is going to be the time to enjoy the process of progression. You need to incorporate some ludics moment. That is why when you are young you play game to progress in language. Today me I like listening podcast on any topics and at the moment we have a run between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak which is good to listen. You have questions from journalists citizens and answer from the both candidates. Even if you do not like policy which is my case, it is good to listen because it talks about daily problem, demand, project...

[@fleurblanche7642]

Oh this is a beautiful achievement indeed It is so extraordinary that it takes my my breath away Sylvia is courageous and brave and has got a lot of stamina because in two months she did it incredible My God it is a superb achievement She has got good organisational skills plus she watched your tips on youtube very intelligently It is fantastic in two months and such results yes in fliying colours

[@carlasegovia5679]

Really meaningful tips to apply in taking international exams. Silvia has come into my role model, so soon I will apply for the C1 and I feel inspired. I feel grateful for sharing her experience.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad you found the interview inspiring 👍

[@siaschandelier]

hi ben, thank you so much for your videos!! you helped me passing my B2 exam🙃

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you 😃👏👏👏

[@syphaxat-mhend3476]

Thanks for sharing the video with us ❤❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@franciscojose6496]

No doubt perfect channel pure evolution information congratulation ilumination teacher

[@ikiro4489]

Lovely communication and valuable interview). Thanks for providing the opportunity to hear feedback from the ones who have already passed the exam and are ready to share their experience!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@manuelgordillo520]

Congratulations. I got you 90%. Your accent is incredibly fantastic. Good luck with your German.

[@maxthirtyseven]

Congratulations Silvia for your level and your exam results.

[@christinepacini2490]

very interesting and brillant !

[@laralapu1722]

Great to see such path of success! Silvia should be really proud of herself, and so should you for helping people worldwide with these wonderful videos! I have taken my first language exam - CAE - as I have turned 14 this year (and moved back to my home country 2 years ago after living in England for 5 years) and didn't want to postpone it any longer. I have recieved the scores on Friday and I'm happy to say I have an overall score of 203.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great results! Congratulations 👏🏻

[@lizz4505]

Wow, really impressive marks!

[@alexbraz4255]

By the end of the year I will try B2 and I´m already thinking about C1 and C2. Congrats Silvia for your achievement.

[@Staruha91]

Thank you, this is a valuable insight. I couldn't agree more on incorporating English into your daily life. Because ultimately, Cambridge checks how well you can use English, not how well you can prepare for the exam. What I'm saying is that exam preparation in secondary, you can't really substitute your lack of ability (which comes with practice) with focused preparation, no matter how smart you are and how well organised your preparation is.

[@franciscojose6496]

always unique channel

[@carolinacaracheo8360]

I've discovered your channel recently and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about it, when I was 23 years old I took the CAE exam and obtain 192 points, now I'm 25 and I've just taken my CPE exam (waiting for my results), each one of your videos in regard to the CPE I literally binge watching them and indeed they were substantially useful for the exam. Cheers!💓

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad you find my videos useful, Carolina! I hope you stick around even though you finished with the exam 🙂

[@MaxusMV]

This interview is a living illustration of the fact that one doesn’t need to speak English perfectly to pass the CPE exam nearly immaculately. To my mind Silvia’s pronunciation still leaves much to be desired. And that slip-up with “We were three…” instead of “There were three of us…”

[@maureen6715]

Not to mention the construction: suggest sb to do which is wrong ( suggest sb do; suggest that sb ( should) do…

[@maureen6715]

I thought your English had to be flawless to pass CPE. Evidently this is not the case

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad you brought this up because it's a common misconception. Getting maximum marks is not equivalent to perfection (in writing and speaking). It's possible that Silvia made some mistakes in her Speaking test (or possibly not - this interview is much longer that the speaking test) but those mistakes occured only as slips. Regarding pronunciation, don't confuse it with accent. Silvia's pronunciation is obviously perfectly intelligible and that's all the examiners are concerned with, even though she has a slight accent.

[@MaxusMV]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Let me make sure I’ve got this right: if you mispronounce (more than once) the word “use” (/juːz/ instead of /juːs/ as a noun) it will probably be considered by examiners as an accent deviation, right?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

That's a very specific example and the difference between those sounds is usually indistinguishable in natural conversation. I would be surprised if a candidate lost marks for that type of thing. Unless it's very clear and repeated a few times. To get 5/5 examiners check that pronunciation... • Is intelligible. • Phonological features are used effectively to convey and enhance meaning.

[@naapetkovic759]

Hi Ben! I recently received results of the exam and I got C1 level, but what I have to say is that you helped me a lot with it and I am so grateful ! ( especially at speaking part where I got 224 points :)

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations! Fantastic achievement 👏

[@fainafaina1940]

Did you take an exam in your home country or did you have to travel to England? Also I was wondering if it's possible to take it online?

[@naapetkovic759]

@@fainafaina1940 I have taken the exam in my home country, and yes it is possible to do it online, but I did not :)

[@meels9]

Hi! First of all, congratulations for your CAE! I want to prepare my CAE exam but I don't know how to prepare myself for that. I mean, how did you organise your days? One day vocabulary, another day grammar and so? And in terms of study vocabulary, did you use any technique such as flashcards or a traditional "list" or how did you improve your skills? It's like there is a lot of material on the Internet but you don't know which of this material use. I hope I have explained it well. Thank you!

[@BM-lm8zg]

this video is a great propagation for your channel Ben

[@maz333schatz]

Hey thanks a lot for this Video. Can you link the video with the tips for the order which you recommend for the order of the use of English part?

[@vanjalj]

The C2 petrifies me, but this video helped me a lot, thank you. :) As an English teacher, I want to pass the exam with flying colours.

[@rosamariaortizpino1238]

She has the approach and understanding of an engineer.... very interesting!

[@huanyingwang9507]

Hi Silvia, you are such a role model and so inspiring! I know Brascia, my exemployer Cometal is based there :) und gib Gas mit Deutschlernen! ich erwartet ein Video von dir wenn du Goethe C2 bestanden hast!

[@EF-fv1hc]

People start at very different levels and are accompanied by very different circumstances. As a mother (to very young children), it‘s impossible to prepare for an exam in less than a week. Because one has to elevate the English level immensley in order to pass this test with no sleep and a runny nose. It was still very valuable to listen to her sharing her experiences but for my liking it hasn‘t been stressed enough that we‘re talking about a specific persona who found their individual optimum for preparation.

[@amayagz1933]

Only doing one book (I assume the Objective Proficiency by Cambridge) in such a short time and listening to some random videos has she obtained those extraordinary results in such a challenging exam? Wow! Unless she's got a talent for languages or a privileged mind I'm afraid we are missing something here!

[@Beny123]

My guess is she is a big reader . And perhaps very good at her native language too.

[@miguelmelo8735]

Ben This was one of The best vídeos you displayed ...with your useful tips and examples but can i ask you a question , what do you think about The Brazilian accent since many foreigners often listen to some more portuguese accent?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Personally, I like accents. Our accent is part of our identity

[@miguelmelo8735]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Thank you...

[@aniruddhbhatkal1834]

Hi I just got my results back from Cambridge (I passed). I watched your videos in the days leading up to the exam, and they really helped me get into the mindset. So thank you very much :)

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations! Great achievement 👏 I'm glad my videos helped

[@aniruddhbhatkal1834]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. thank you!

[@meels9]

Hi! First of all, congratulations for passing your exam! I want to prepare my CAE exam but I don't know how to prepare myself for that. I mean, how did you organise your days? One day vocabulary, another day grammar and so? And in terms of study vocabulary, did you use any technique such as flashcards or a traditional "list" or how did you improve your skills? It's like there is a lot of material on the Internet but you don't know which of this material use. I hope I have explained it well. Thank you!

[@aniruddhbhatkal1834]

@@meels9 first of all, thank you! So i wasn't able to take my time, unfortunately. I was asked to take the exam for a job opportunity, and had a limited time frame. As a result, I had to cram. I was lucky, as I've tried to maintain a good level of proficiency all my life. I was confident i could answer most questions, so my big worry was time. So all I focused on was mock tests. And trying to lower the time needed for each question. I gave more attention on question tyoes which I thought might be harder than others, and listening skills since we only got two shots at that. I also watched a few KZbin channels for some extra tips, including Ben's. I don't recall the others. I hope you have more time than I did, and that you do well. Watch Ben's videos, he lays out a good timetable for people who have some time to study.

[@nicolepriori6765]

Actually, she has already been “judged” by the Cambridge Board with excellent results. Some of the comments here are irrelevant although usefull for a global perception of the C2. Kudos Silvia ❤️👍

[@valentinagesini6513]

Hi and thanks! Which book do you recommend?

[@ktcooki276]

Found you at 5am. Its 6.12am now and im binge watching, despite being pretty English, and pretty proficient lol! Whhhyyy? X

[@Poehee77]

I agree Ben the cruelty of Cambridge to put the listening at the end of the exam. In my opinion they should combine it with the speaking exam.

[@pendragon6769]

i got the C1 advanced tomorrow, wish me luck

[@alinaplotnikova]

Hope everything went well!

[@nareshkumarjangid131]

Wow

[@theprinceofdarkness3569]

So ii came here to watch videos so i can practice more because i failed the first time for about 2 precent and now i want to study more because i have a lot of anxiety so do you have any tips

[@scarlettf.4761]

sadly there are so little CPE Exam dates, had to take CAE date then and hoping for a high score certifying C2

[@alescognamiglio4557]

could you make a video about the difference between accent and pronunciation? I kinda get confused sometimes

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

👍

[@freddiemercury8700]

Alright gaffer? Good to see you again Ben.

[@milagrost4114]

I'll aprove that one :D

[@lamisfayedlili1_11]

Where is the Telegramm channel?

[@cris_fe]

Where can I find the books/series for the writing part 2?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

At the moment, the set text books are Us by David Nichols and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

[@reviwer7650]

The fact is that getting to know the structure of the exam is the most important aspect. The test will evaluate your level of intelligence or preparation and not so much your level of English. Also, the examiner won't care too much about your pronunciation as long as you speak fluently. To be honest, the exam is so badly thought out but many people take it to have more chances to get a certain job. Just imagine... If Cambridge evaluated your speaking corresponding to the level of exam, Cambridge wouldn't make as much money as they are making currently. I learned this from experience, I used to spend a lot of time learning English on my own with no results in the exam.

[@martinborosi714]

I will improve my IELTS score

[@tehyonglip9203]

I suggest you try out CAE, it's permanent, unlike IELTS

[@Dude-ln8pe]

What is the best way to improve speaking when you hit the plateau?

[@dieglhix]

Read old books, learn unused words with specific meanings. Also make puns.

[@chij101]

Which books did you mentioned? C2 Proficiency - did you mean practice tests (past papers) from Cambridge

[@vanessadimarco158]

Sorry. Silvia mentioned a book to help you prepare the exam that you suggested. Could you tell me the name? I think I missed it.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It was Cambridge Proficiency 2. It's a book of sample papers amzn.to/3bKWRyU (Italy link) I also shared the link to my video on book recommendations for CPE preparation in the description of this video. 👍

[@vanessadimarco158]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. thank you very much for your early reply.

[@MelissatheBISDAKinGreece]

Any book reco for self studying before taking c2 exam?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes. Check out my video on C2 self-study book recommendations 👍

[@MelissatheBISDAKinGreece]

Thank you so much and yes I will. I'll check more of your vids for prep.

[@LiborSupcik]

What jobs can one get based solely on a solid C2 exam result? None in Bruxelles or Dublin,perhaps some in places of less [rarer] international presence

[@tcritt]

None. But it's requirement for many jobs. It's neccesary but not sufficient.

[@anikosebesteny845]

Watching this while brushing my teeth :)

[@scarlettf.4761]

Daily Habit #1 to improve english: living with an english-speaking partner:)

[@MATHEW94061]

How much did she get on toefl?

[@ericban842]

do we need to speak british english or it doesn't matter if you speak american english so as to take this exam?

[@italianwithkati]

As you can see, Silvia doesn't have a British accent. Actually, her accent is quite difficult to understand. Anyway, to answer to your question you don't need to speak British English.

[@ericban842]

@@italianwithkati to be honnest with you her accent is crystal clear. and I do not think she has an american accent. Her accent is closer to a British accent. anyway thank you very much for your answer. have a great day.

[@nakynie463]

@@italianwithkatiBritish English doesn’t only include the accent but also the chosen words.

[@sarapatzz]

Hi! How can I join your Telegram group?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Here is the link to the free group: t.me/+Rx-VmR9QA9dInVlm And this is the link to the TTP Exam Academy: www.patreon.com/BenGillEnglish

[@jcr1138]

What a disaster her score on the writing was! Not that I can't do that well on CPE, but taking the CAE would be a good measure of my English level. Get in there, Silvia!

[@alejandrapalleres5910]

My goodness me. She really crashed it. Got a question. What is the book you have recommended it, Ben?

[@user-iz6rb5mm6k]

Actually, Brasov is a not "a very small town", but a city of almost 300.000 people... 😂

[@meemes9785]

I managed to pass my B2 first exam and I got an overall score of 183/190 and it says my CEFR level is C1. Does that mean that the certificate I received has the same worth of a C1 one or not? I don't understand this.

[@tcritt]

In theory, yes. But it depends on who is asking you for the certificate. Some universities and employers may accept it in place of the Advanced. Others will require you have the actual Advanced.

[@meels9]

Hi! First of all, congratulations for passing the exam! I want to prepare my CAE exam but I don't know how to prepare myself for that. I mean, how did you organise your days? One day vocabulary, another day grammar and so? And in terms of study vocabulary, did you use any technique such as flashcards or a traditional "list" or how did you improve your skills? It's like there is a lot of material on the Internet but you don't know which of this material use. I hope I have explained it well. Thank you!

[@sergeis1435]

A really nice interview. Pleasure to listen to both speakers. What’s the book she’s mentioned?

[@englishtime5327]

We had a student, Ana, who passed B1, B2, C1 and C2 with our academy, all with grade 'A's.

[@Beny123]

Here is an advice for future exam takers , start a KZbin channel where you are forced to create content using English .

[@vidmate6900]

Greeting from pakistan

[@tylerkwong4947]

A score of 209 on CPE is already equivalent to a band 9 in IELTS. Now, we are talking about the range of 220-230. 😅If a band 9 were the exosphere, the outermost layer of the atmosphere, 220 would be outer space. Please be under no illusion that her writing is "less impressive" because it's still a band 9. 😂

[@annamartinez239]

Nice interview. Congratulations Silvia! @tothepointenglishwithben which book do you recomend to prepare for the c2 exam?

[@elenavizzi3364]

[@user-hi6jt8by2c]

Hello Ben! Thank you for sharing! I find it extremely useful. I'd like to joing your telegram chat

[@alejandrapalleres5910]

My goodness me. She really crashed it. Got a question. What is the book you have recommended it, Ben?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I think we spoke about Proficiency 2. The Cambridge publications with sample papers. We may have also mentioned Objective Proficiency, which is a good one if you have plenty of time to work through it.

[@alejandrapalleres5910]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. , thanks a bunch!

[@CarlosValenzuela-sx9xb]

Hey mate, it's "crushed it" not "crashed it". The first one means success whereas the latter is usually associated with failure. 👍🏻