The Format of the C1 Exam in Academic English

The exam is made up of two parts: written and oral.

The written part lasts 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes). The maximum mark available is 90 and the minimum pass mark is 50.

The written examination has the following parts:

• listening to a text on academic topics – 20 marks 
• reading a text on academic topics – 25 marks
• knowledge of grammar and vocabulary (transformations, open cloze, word formation) – 25 marks
• writing (e.g. descriptions of graphs, diagrams, processes, report, transactional letter) – 20 marks

The assessment criteria for the written examination can be found in the document below:

The oral part lasts about 20 minutes. You may obtain maximum 20 marks and the minimum pass mark is 11.

The structure of the oral examination:

• questions asked by the interlocutor
• an individual ‘long-turn’ on a topic from a selected card (technology, science, studies, politics, current events, etc.) 
• a conversation between the candidates on a topic from a selected card, testing the candidates’ ability to use language for expressing and justifying opinions, evaluating and reaching a decision through negotiation  

In the oral examination candidates may be awarded a maximum of 5 marks for each of the following aspects:

• grammatical correctness and range of vocabulary
• pronunciation,
• ability to construct complex sentences,
• overall impression.

Exemption from the oral examination

You may seek exemption from the oral examination if you have completed a 60-hour course (two modules) in Academic English with a grade of minimum 4.5.

In such cases, the marks for the oral part will be awarded according to the following principle:

• If you have completed these two modules within one semester (a 60-hour course):
  • end-of-semester grade – 4.5 = 14 marks in the oral exam
  • end-of-semester grade – 5.0 = 16 marks in the oral exam

• If you have completed these two modules within two semesters (two 30-hour courses):
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 4.5 = 14 marks in the oral exam
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 4.5 and 5.0 = 15 marks in the oral exam
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 5.0 = 16 marks in the oral exam
• If you have completed these two modules within two semesters (two 30-hour courses):
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 4.5 = 14 marks in the oral exam
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 4.5 and 5.0 = 15 marks in the oral exam
  • two semesters completed with a grade of 5.0 = 16 marks in the oral exam
• If you completed your C1 Academic English course in the semester immediately preceding the date of the exam (and received the minimum of 4.5 grade), your speaking C1A grade will register in USOS automatically.
• If you completed the C1 Academic English course in any other semesters (and received the minimum of 4.5 grade), please write an email to katarzyna.melaniuk@pw.edu.pl requesting exemption from the speaking C1A exam. 

In order to pass the C1 Examination in Academic English you must obtain a pass both in the written and oral part. 

 The final exam grade results from the sum of marks awarded in both parts of the exam: