Elara had not slept. Not really. She’d spent the night in a cheap hotel near the University of London’s exam hall, staring at the water-stained ceiling, running through conditional clauses in her head. If I had studied more, I would feel calmer. If I pass, I will move to Edinburgh. If I fail…

Paper 1: Reading and Use of English (1 hour 30 minutes)

This is the longest and most complex paper. It combines grammar and vocabulary (Use of English) with reading comprehension. It comprises 8 parts and 56 questions.

Part 3: Collaborative task with Carlos. They had to plan a team-building event. Carlos was nervous and kept interrupting. Elara gently steered: “That’s an interesting point, but shall we first consider the budget?” The examiner nodded. That was the secret – not dominating, not retreating, but managing the interaction.

6. Practice Distraction Removal for Listening

In Listening Part 2 (sentence completion), do not write the first thing you hear. Speakers often correct themselves: "The meeting is on Tuesday… actually, no, it's been moved to Thursday." The answer is Thursday.

She invented details: “The service was impeccable, although the over-reliance on truffle oil betrayed a lack of culinary confidence.” She smiled. That was good – advanced vocabulary, a concession clause, and a slightly sardonic tone. C1 level, for sure.