SIB - English exams

Here is some information for my students at SIB about the Cambridge exams.

You are expected to sign up for the exam yourself. There are various companies at which you can take the exam including Cambridge English Languages, Cambridge Examinations Basel and Swiss Exams. I suggest you check out their websites and find a centre which offers the exam in a location that is convenient for you.

When should I sign up?

I recommend that you check the websites approximately six months before you want to do the exam. Sometimes the exam dates get booked up quite quickly.

Which exam should I take?

Some of my students are unsure whether to take the B2 exam or the C1 exam. The class that you have been assigned to should help you to make this decision. However, I would also encourage you to do the practice papers on the Cambridge website as this will help you to further assess your level. Make sure you check which exam is required by the end of your course at SIB.

In terms of the result, it is possible to go up or down a grade. This means that if you take the C1 exam, you could get a result certificate stating that you had achieved C2 level (if you did very well), C1 level (if you passed the exam) or B2 level (if you narrowly missed out).

Here is a link to a sample certificate so that you can see what it looks like. Please note that the certificate shows which exam was taken.

I generally encourage my students to aim high but if you are a person who hates to fail an exam, you might be better sticking to the lower one and working your way through the exams, one step at a time.

Should I take the paper-based or digital exam?

If you take the digital exam, you will get your results quicker and your words will be counted in the writing task.

Some students prefer the paper-based exam as they are more used to this format.

I suggest you practice both formats before you make a decision. The Cambridge website has sample papers in both formats for you to try.

Click for more information here - C1 exam or B2 exam.

Useful resources

If you want to do extra practice, I recommend the British Council website for grammar explanations and questions. You can also explore the rest of my website. I have blog posts on grammar, exam preparation, useful resources and much more.

After the exams

When you take the exam, please send me a short message to let me know how you got on. The feedback I get from students is really helpful for me and my future classes. If you want to improve your English further, why not sign up for my monthly newsletter, where I share tips about grammar, learning English, favourite podcasts and so much more? The newsletter also provides information about the courses I offer, including the bimonthly (once every two months) book clubs for advanced learners. You can sign up for my newsletter here.

PS Did you know that bimonthly can mean once every two months or twice a month? Confusing, isn't it!