ScoreFluentReading and Use of English, part by part.
One 90-minute paper with eight parts and 56 questions. It produces two separate scores: Reading, and Use of English, which tests how exactly you handle words and grammar.
Checked 15 and 16 October 2026 against Cambridge English. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
How long is Reading and Use of English, and how many questions?
The paper lasts 1 hour 30 minutes and has 8 parts and 56 questions, worth 78 marks. The texts add up to 3,000–3,500 words. Digital and paper tests share the same format: on screen you enter your answers directly, and on paper you use a pencil on a separate answer sheet, with no extra time for filling it in.
For how this paper feeds your overall result, see how C1 Advanced is scored.
What are the eight parts?
| Part | Task | Questions | Marks | What it tests and what you do | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Multiple-choice cloze | 8 | 8 | Vocabulary: idioms, collocations, fixed phrases, complementation, phrasal verbs and precise meaning. Choose from four options for each gap. | Reading |
| Part 2 | Open cloze | 8 | 8 | Grammar, with some vocabulary. Write one word in each gap. | Use of English |
| Part 3 | Word formation | 8 | 8 | Affixation, internal changes and compounding. Change the given stem word to fit each gap. | Use of English |
| Part 4 | Key word transformations | 6 | 12 | Grammar, vocabulary and collocation. Complete a second sentence in three to six words, one of which is the key word. | Use of English |
| Part 5 | Multiple choice | 6 | 12 | Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea, implication and text organisation, on one text with six four-option questions. | Reading |
| Part 6 | Cross-text multiple matching | 4 | 8 | Opinion and attitude, compared and contrasted across four short texts. | Reading |
| Part 7 | Gapped text | 6 | 12 | Cohesion, coherence and text structure. Paragraphs have been removed from a text and placed in jumbled order after it. | Reading |
| Part 8 | Multiple matching | 10 | 10 | Detail, opinion, attitude and specific information. Match each prompt to the right part of a text or texts. | Reading |
Parts 1 to 4 are the language-focused tasks, and each has its own guide: follow the task links in the table, or see every C1 Advanced task explained.
Which parts count towards Reading and which towards Use of English?
Cambridge’s practice test guide counts Parts 2, 3 and 4 as Use of English (28 marks) and Parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 as Reading (50 marks). Each gets its own Cambridge English Scale score, and each is one of the five scores averaged into your overall result, so this one paper supplies two fifths of it.
Part 1 looks like a vocabulary exercise but is scored as Reading. When you review mistakes, note which score each one cost you, and separate misunderstanding a text from choosing or forming the wrong word.
What loses marks in Reading and Use of English?
Spelling
Cambridge’s handbook says incorrect spelling loses marks in the Use of English parts, so check every typed or written answer.
Two answers
In Parts 2 and 4 the mark scheme may allow more than one correct answer, but you must give one. Write two, and one is wrong, and you get no mark.
Contractions in Part 2
Only full forms are accepted in the open cloze, so a gap that needs “not” cannot take “n’t”. Punctuation is ignored in that part.
Part 4 word count
The second sentence must use three to six words including the key word. A partly correct answer earns 1 of the 2 marks, so it is worth writing something for every item.
How should I split the 90 minutes?
Cambridge gives no time for each part. It advises planning your time, not spending too long on any one part, and leaving a few minutes at the end to check. The split below is ours, not Cambridge guidance, and it is a plan to test rather than a rule.
| Block | Marks | Suggested minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Parts 1–4 (single sentences and short gapped texts) | 36 | About 25 |
| Parts 5–8 (long texts and matching) | 42 | About 55 |
| Check spelling and blank answers | — | About 10 |
After a timed sample, write down how long each part really took and where you lost marks, then move minutes from the part you finish early to the part you rush. Leave no gap empty: an empty gap cannot earn a mark.
How do I practise each part?
The task facts above are Cambridge’s; the technique below is ours.
Parts 1–4: read the gap, then the whole sentence
Check what follows each gap (a preposition, a verb form) before choosing or writing. Each part has a guide: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
Part 5: test every option against the paragraph
Find where each question is answered, then check all four options against that paragraph, not just the option that shares its words with the text.
Part 6: note each writer’s position first
Before you read the questions, jot a few words for each of the four writers’ views. Matching is then a comparison of notes, not a reread.
Part 7: look at both sides of the gap
Read the sentence before and after each gap and underline reference words and linkers such as “this”, “however” or a time marker. They show which paragraph fits.
Part 8: read the prompts before the text
Underline the specific detail each prompt asks for. Two texts can seem to match, so look for the one that matches the exact detail.
Read without a dictionary
Dictionaries are not allowed in the exam. Practise working out an unknown word from the sentence around it, and read a wide range of articles to build vocabulary.
What can I practise on ScoreFluent?
ScoreFluent has practice for all eight parts, and reading practice is free within daily limits. For timed work there is a Reading and Use of English mock test with one 90-minute clock; at the time of writing it costs 10 credits, and a full C1 Advanced mock test costs 40. Results are practice estimates on the Cambridge English Scale, not official Cambridge scores.
See the C1 Advanced practice test guide for the official free samples and how the mock tests fit together.
Straight from Cambridge.
ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The format facts here were checked on 15 and 16 October 2026 against:
- C1 Advanced exam format — parts, questions, marks and text length.
- C1 Advanced Handbook for teachers (PDF) — the focus of each part, marks per question and preparation advice.
- Converting practice test scores (PDF) — which parts count as Reading and which as Use of English.
Exam details change. If a decision hangs on a detail here, check it against the official pages above first; they outrank this page.
Keep going: the C1 Advanced guide, Writing, Listening, Speaking and how scoring works.
Reading and Use of English questions, answered.
How long is C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English?
The paper takes 1 hour 30 minutes. It has 8 parts and 56 questions, worth 78 marks in total, and the texts add up to 3,000–3,500 words. The format is the same on computer and on paper.
Which parts are Reading and which are Use of English?
Cambridge’s guide counts Parts 2, 3 and 4 as Use of English (28 marks) and Parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 as Reading (50 marks). You get a separate score for each, and each is one of the five scores averaged into your overall result.
How many marks is each question worth?
Questions in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 8 are worth 1 mark each. Questions in Parts 4, 5, 6 and 7 are worth 2 marks, and in Part 4 a partly correct answer earns 1 mark.
Does spelling matter in Reading and Use of English?
Yes. Cambridge’s handbook says incorrect spelling loses marks in the Use of English parts. Punctuation is ignored in Part 2, and the answer there must be a single word in its full form, not a contraction.
What happens if I give two answers in Part 2 or Part 4?
Give one answer for each question. If you write two and one is incorrect, you do not get the mark, even where more than one answer is allowed by the mark scheme.
How long should I spend on each part?
Cambridge gives no time for each part, only the 90 minutes for the whole paper and advice to leave a few minutes at the end to check. Work out your own split in practice, using the marks per question as a guide.
Can I use a dictionary in Reading and Use of English?
No. Cambridge’s handbook says dictionaries cannot be taken into the exam, so practise guessing the meaning of unknown words from context.
Can I practise Reading and Use of English on ScoreFluent?
Yes. ScoreFluent has practice for all eight parts and a Reading and Use of English mock test with one 90-minute clock. Results are practice estimates, not official Cambridge scores.
Start practising C1 Advanced today.
C1 Advanced practice is live on ScoreFluent: all eight Reading and Use of English parts, free to start.
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