Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Practice Test 2026 - Free CPE Practice Questions and Study Guide

Reading texts in detail, focusing on comprehension and inference, is the most effective strategy for the reading section of the CPE exam. This approach enables candidates to fully understand the material, allowing them to grasp not only explicit information but also underlying meanings, themes, and inferences that may be required to answer the comprehension questions correctly. The exam often includes questions that test a candidate’s ability to interpret nuances and implications in the text, which can only be answered accurately through careful reading.

In contrast, skimming all texts quickly without understanding can lead to missing important details and the overall context of the passages, which are crucial for high-stakes assessments like the CPE. Similarly, focusing solely on the questions before reading can result in a narrow understanding of the text and may not prepare the reader adequately for context-based questions. Finally, skipping difficult passages outright could result in missing points on those sections, as there may be easier or contextually relevant questions attached to them. Engaging deeply with the texts allows for a more comprehensive approach to answering questions effectively.