Do you prepare students for Cambridge English tests? It’s a fantastic way to boost their English skills and get that official certification, opening up all sorts of opportunities for studies and work. Every year, we feel so happy when our students pass these exams, partly thanks to our help. It’sr eally rewarding, isn’t it?
But let’s be real – figuring out the scores for mock exams can be a bit of a headache, especially if you’re more into languages than numbers. So, here’s something that’ll make your life way easier, saving you loads of time!
Check out these editable, easy and ready to use templates with instructions, formulas and a link to convert the percentages into Cambridge Scores.
Want to know more about how this works?
Here’s a simplified guide on how to calculate your score, along with a detailed breakdown of each test to help you understand the scoring process.
Calculating Your Cambridge English Exam Score
To figure out your score for any Cambridge assessment, follow these steps:
- Add up the points from each section of the exam.
- Determine the percentage for each section.
- Calculate the overall average percentage.
- Translate your percentage to a score using the Cambridge scale.
Before you begin, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the exam’s structure. Know the number of sections and the value of each question. Below, I’ll break down the tests, showing the sections, questions, and their values.
How to Calculate A2 Key (KET) Scores
The A2 Key (KET) is made up of 4 different parts (a.k.a. papers), and each paper has several parts. Let’s see:
- Reading: 30 items = 30 points (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 1: 6 items
- Part 2: 7 items
- Part 3: 5 items
- Part 4: 6 items
- Part 5: 6 items
- Minimum score to pass: 20 points
- Writing: 2 items = 30 points
- Part 6: 1 item = 15 points
- Part 7: 1 item = 15 points
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Listening: 25 items = 25 points (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 1: 5 items
- Part 2: 5 items
- Part 3: 5 items
- Part 4: 5 items
- Part 5: 5 items
- Minimum score to pass: 17 puntos
- Speaking: 45 points in total (not divided into parts or items). In this case, points are assigned to different categories:
- Grammar & vocabulary: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Pronunciation: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Interaction: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Global: 15 puntos 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 3)
- Minimum score to pass: 27 points
- Add up the points for each part separately. For example: R = 20 points; W = 19 points; L = 18 points; S = 25.
- Work out the percentage for each part. To do so, divide each score by the total number of items and multiply by 100. Like this:
- Fórmula: (points obtained/no. items) x 100
- R = 20/30×100 = 66%
W = 19/30×100 = 63%
L = 18/25×100 = 72%
S = 25/45×100 = 55%
- Calculate the average percentage.
- Formula: Average = (R + W + L + S)/4
- The score = (66 + 63 + 72 + 55)/4
- The score = 64%
- Use the calculator link on the template to transform the percentage into the Cambridge English Scale score. For instance, if you introduce 64%, it will transform it into 115 points, which means your student would have failed.
How to calculate the score for B1 Preliminary (PET)
- Reading: 32 items = 32 points (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 1: 5 items
- Part 2: 5 items
- Part 3: 5 items
- Part 4: 5 items
- Part 5: 6 items
- Part 6: 6 items
- Minimum score to pass: 23 points
- Writing: 2 items = 40 points
- Part 1: 1 item = 20 points
- Part 2: 1 item = 20 points
- Minimum score to pass: 24 points
- Listening: 25 items = 25 points (1 item = 1 points)
- Part 1: 7 items
- Part 2: 6 items
- Part 3: 6 items
- Part 4: 6 items
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Speaking: 30 points in total (not divided into parts or items). In this case, the score is assigned to different competences:
- Grammar & vocabulary: 5 points
- Discourse: 5 points
- Pronunciation: 5 point
- Interaction: 5 points
- Global: 10 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Add up the points for each part separately. For example: R = 21 points; W = 26 points; L = 16 points; S = 19 points.
- Work out the percentage for each part. In order to do so, divide the points of each part by the number of items, and then multiply by 100. Like this:
- Formula: (score/no. items) x 100
- R = 21/32×100 = 66%
W = 26/40×100 = 65%
L = 16/25×100 = 64%
S = 19/30×100 = 63%
- Calculate the average percentage:
- Formula: Average % = (R + W + L + S)/4
- My average percentage = (66 + 65 + 64 + 63)/4
- My average percentage = 64%
- Use the calculator on the template to transform the percentage into the Cambridge English Scale score. For instance, if you introduce 64%, it will transform it into 135 points, which means your student wouldn’t have passed, as you need at least 140 to pass a B1 Preliminary test.
How to calculate the score for B2 First (FCE)
The B2 First (FCE) has 5 components and each one has a particular number of parts and items. Read the following information carefully, because while the test is done in 4 parts, it has 5 components because the Reading and the Use of English are assessed separately:
- Reading: 30 items = 42 points
- Part 1: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 5: 6 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Part 6: 6 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Part 7: 10 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Minimum score to pass: 24 points
- Use of English: 22 items = 28 points
- Part 2: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 3: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 4: 6 items (1 item = up to 2 points)
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Writing: 2 items = 40 points
- Part 1: 1 item = 20 points
- Part 2: 1 item = 20 points
- Minimum score to pass: 24 points
- Listening: 30 items = 30 points (1 ítem = 1 point)
- Part 1: 8 items
- Part 2: 10 items
- Part 3: 5 items
- Part 4: 7 items
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Speaking: 60 points in total (not divided into items or parts). In this case, the score is assigned to different competences:
- Grammar & vocabulary: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Discourse: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Pronunciation: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Interaction: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Global: 20 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 4)
- Minimum score to pass: 36 points
- Add up the points for each part separately. For example: R = 28 points; UoE = 15 points; W = ; L = 19 points; S = 22 points.
- Work out the percentage for each part. In order to do so, divide the points of each part by the number of items, and then multiply by 100. Like this:
- Formula: (score/no. items) x 100
- R = 35/42×100 = 83%
UoE = 20/28×100 = 71%
W = 18/40×100 = 45%
L = 27/30×100 = 90%
S = 36/60×100 = 60%
- Calculate the average percentage:
- Formula: Average % = (R + UoE + W + L + S)/5
- The average percentage = (83 + 71 + 45 + 90 + 60)/5
- The average percentage = 70%
- Use this calculator to transform the percentage into the Cambridge English Scale score. For example, if you introduce 70%, it will transform it into 169 points, which means your student has passed!
How to calculate the score for C1 Advanced (CAE)
The C1 Advanced (CAE) has 5 components and each one has a particular number of parts and items. Read the following information carefully, because while the test is done in 4 parts, it has 5 components because the Reading and the Use of English are assessed separately::
- Reading: 34 items = 50 points
- Part 1: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 5: 6 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Part 6: 4 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Part 7: 6 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Part 8: 10 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Minimum score to pass: 32 points
- Use of English: 22 items = 28 points
- Part 2: 8 items (1 ítem = 1 point)
- Part 3: 8 items (1 ítem = 1 point)
- Part 4: 6 items (1 ítem = up to 2 points)
- Minimum score to pass: 16 points
- Writing: 2 items = 40 points
- Part 1: 1 item = 20 points
- Part 2: 1 item = 20 points
- Minimum score to pass: 24 points
- Listening: 30 items = 30 points (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 1: 6 items
- Part 2: 8 items
- Part 3: 6 items
- Part 4: 10 items
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Speaking: 75 points in total (not divided into items or parts). In this case, the score is assigned to different competences:
- Grammar: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Lexis: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Discourse: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Pronunciation: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Interaction: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Global: 25 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 5)
- Minimum score to pass: 45 points
- Add up the points for each part separately. For example: R = 30 points; UoE = 19 points; W = 32 ; L = 25 point; S = 51 points.
- Work out the percentage for each part. In order to do so, divide the points of each part by the number of items, and then multiply by 100. Like this:
- Formula: (score/no. items) x 100
- R = 30/50×100 = 60%
UoE = 19/28×100 = 68%
W = 32/40×100 = 80%
L = 25/30×100 = 83%
S = 51/75×100 = 68%
- Calculate the average percentage:
- Formula: Average % = (R + UoE + W + L + S)/5
- My average percentage = (60 + 68 + 80 + 83 + 68)/5
- My average percentage = 72%
- Use the calculator on the template to transform the percentage into the Cambridge English Scale score. If you type 72%, it will transform it into 190 points, which means your student would have passed.
How to calculate the score for C2 Proficiency (CPE)
The C2 Proficiency (CPE) test has 5 components (papers) and each of these components has a certain number of parts and items (i.e. questions). Pay close attention to the number of each part because although Reading & Use of English are done together, as one part, they are assessed separately and so some parts belong to Reading and others to Use of English.
- Reading: 31 items = 44 points
- Part 1: 8 items (1 items = 1 point)
- Part 5: 6 items (1 items = 2 points)
- Part 6: 7 items (1 items = 2 points)
- Part 7: 10 items (1 items = 1 points)
- Minimum score to pass: 28 points
- Use of English: 22 items = 28 points
- Part 2: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 3: 8 items (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 4: 6 items (1 item = 2 points)
- Minimum score to pass: 17 points
- Writing: 2 items = 40 points
- Part 1: 1 items = 20 points
- Part 2: 1 items = 20 points
- Minimum score to pass: 24 points
- Listening: 30 items = 30 points (1 item = 1 point)
- Part 1: 6 items
- Part 2: 9 items
- Part 3: 5 items
- Part 4: 10 items
- Minimum score to pass: 18 points
- Speaking: 75 points in total (not divided into items or parts). In this case, the score is assigned to different competences:
- Grammar: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Lexis: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Discourse: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Pronunciation: 5 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Interaction: 5 poinst (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 2)
- Global: 25 points (up to 5 points, but multiplied by 5)
- Add up the points for each part separately. For example: R = 29 points; UoE = 20 points; W = 30 points; L = 18 points; S = 49 points.
- Calculate the percentage for each part. To do so, divide the points obtained by the total points of each part, and then multiply it by 100. Like this:
- Formula: (points/no. items) x 100
- R = 29/44×100 = 66%
UoE = 20/28×100 = 71%
W = 30/40×100 = 75%
L = 18/30×100 = 60%
S = 49/75×100 = 65%
- Work out the average of the 5 percentages:
- Formula: Average = (R + UoE + W + L + S)/5
- The score = (66 + 71 + 75 + 60 + 65)/5
- The score = 68%
- Use the calculator on the template to transform the percentage into the Cambridge Scale Score. For example, if you type in 68%, you’ll get 207 points, which means your student has passed at Grade C.
Check out this video to see how you can easily edit the templates with the scores you want to introduce and then use the link for the calculator:
Have fun and good luck with the exam prep!