Exams and Beyond:
Advanced English for CAE and CPE Learners
A structured C1–C2 course based on authentic articles, podcasts, videos and other real-world materials, graded and adapted into CAE- and CPE-style practice.
Across ten original units, you will work with complex contemporary topics, advanced vocabulary, Use of English, speaking tasks, listening and reading input, and writing practice that trains you to summarise, evaluate and express ideas with greater precision.
Placement required · For Advanced and Proficiency learners · Original AEE materials
Authentic materials, carefully adapted
Articles, podcasts, videos and real-world input
The course uses authentic sources as the basis for language work, then adapts them into tasks that reflect the demands of CAE and CPE.
Graded for high-level learners
Challenging input without random difficulty
Materials are selected, graded and shaped so that students can work with demanding ideas while still receiving clear language support.
Exam-informed, not exam-limited
CAE/CPE practice as a framework for development
Exam formats give the course structure, but the aim is broader: better vocabulary, stronger arguments and more flexible control of English.
Why this course works
Exams and Beyond bridges the gap between real-world English and exam performance. Authentic materials are selected, graded and turned into structured CAE/CPE-style practice.
Authentic input
The course is based on articles, podcasts, videos and other real-world materials, so students work with English as it is actually used.
Carefully graded
Materials are adapted for Advanced and Proficiency learners, so the input remains challenging but teachable and purposeful.
Exam-style tasks
Authentic input is shaped into CAE- and CPE-style reading, listening, Use of English, speaking and writing practice.
Active language use
Vocabulary, grammar and ideas are recycled through discussion, argumentation, summaries, evaluation and extended written responses.
From authentic input to exam-ready output
Students do not simply read or listen to interesting materials. They learn to process complex ideas, extract useful language, discuss them critically, and then apply this language in CAE/CPE-style tasks. This is what makes the course both intellectually engaging and exam-relevant.
Course at a glance
A structured C1–C2 course for learners who need challenge, guidance and regular activation of advanced language.
Level
Designed for strong B2+, C1 and C2 learners who want to develop greater range, accuracy and fluency.
Materials
Authentic articles, podcasts, videos and other sources graded and adapted into CAE/CPE-style tasks.
Structure
10 original units organised around complex topics, advanced lexis and integrated exam-style practice.
Skills
Speaking, writing, reading, listening, Use of English, vocabulary development and argument-building.
Classroom work
Discussion, guided analysis, exam-style speaking, vocabulary activation and feedback on language use.
Placement
Placement is required before enrolment to make sure the course is suitable for your current level.
This is not a quick exam-cramming course.
CAE and CPE formats are used as a framework, but the main focus is broader language development: lexical range, precision, flexibility, fluency and the ability to work with complex ideas.
What you will work on
Each unit combines authentic input, advanced language work and exam-style output, so that students learn not only to understand complex English, but to use it actively.
- Work with authentic articles, podcasts, videos and other real-world materials.
- Learn to process complex ideas rather than rely on simplified textbook input.
- Notice how advanced vocabulary, grammar and discourse patterns function in context.
- Discuss and evaluate the ideas behind the material, not just answer comprehension questions.
- Build topic vocabulary across success, travel, relationships, society, technology, work, health, education, art and money.
- Practise idioms, collocations, word families and register-sensitive choices.
- Move from passive recognition to active use in discussion and writing.
- Develop more precise and natural ways of expressing complex ideas.
- Practise open cloze, word formation, multiple-choice cloze and key word transformations.
- Work with CAE/CPE-style language tasks based on the topic of each unit.
- Review grammar and lexis through meaningful contexts rather than isolated exercises.
- Train accuracy, flexibility and awareness of phrase structure.
- Discuss challenging questions based on authentic input and unit themes.
- Practise CAE/CPE-style picture comparison, collaborative tasks and long-turn responses.
- Learn to develop, qualify and defend opinions more convincingly.
- Use new vocabulary actively in spoken production.
- Practise summarising and evaluating ideas from complex input.
- Develop paragraph-level control before moving to extended written responses.
- Learn to integrate your own ideas without losing focus or clarity.
- Build the skills needed for mature CAE/CPE-style writing.
- Return to key vocabulary and structures across the course.
- Use new language in different contexts: discussion, Use of English, writing and response tasks.
- Build stronger retention through repeated activation.
- Develop the confidence to use advanced language naturally and appropriately.
10-unit syllabus
The course is organised around ten broad themes that regularly appear in advanced English, academic discussion and CAE/CPE-style tasks.
Preview a sample unit
Open one unit from the course textbook and see how authentic input is graded and adapted into advanced vocabulary, Use of English, speaking and writing practice.
Personality, achievement, motivation, leadership, recognition and the personal cost of success.
Language focus
attitude, confidence, persistence, recognition, leadership qualities
Exam focus
Use of English, listening extracts, speaking discussion
Output
summarising, evaluating and discussing ideas about success
Tourism, overtourism, cultural stereotypes, authentic travel, destinations and the impact of global mobility.
Language focus
describing places, travel idioms, tourism vocabulary, cultural experience
Exam focus
Reading Part 1, open cloze, Listening Part 4, Speaking Part 3
Output
evaluating travel habits, tourism and responsible choices
Friendship, family, emotions, social networks, identity labels and the ways relationships shape us.
Language focus
personality adjectives, relationship idioms, emotions, identity vocabulary
Exam focus
multiple-choice cloze, listening interview, transformations, speaking
Output
discussing influence, identity, emotional control and social connection
Equality, rules and laws, crime, charity, social responsibility, environmental issues and public policy.
Language focus
law, charity, social issues, environmental responsibility, idioms
Exam focus
open cloze, word formation, listening notes, speaking task
Output
evaluating policy, charity, crime prevention and environmental choices
Inventions, technological progress, space exploration, digital habits and the limits of innovation.
Language focus
innovation idioms, compound nouns, technology vocabulary, evaluation language
Exam focus
open cloze, multiple-choice cloze, transformations, listening
Output
discussing benefits, risks and meaningful uses of technology
Careers, remote work, workplace culture, professional independence, interviews and modern working life.
Language focus
career idioms, prefixes, workplace vocabulary, professional communication
Exam focus
word formation, open cloze, listening extracts, speaking practice
Output
evaluating work environments, independence and professional choices
Fitness, diet, medicine, healthcare, alternative therapies, endurance sports and modern attitudes to health.
Language focus
health idioms, treatment collocations, diet, exercise, medical vocabulary
Exam focus
Reading Part 1, open cloze, listening notes, speaking discussion
Output
discussing healthy lifestyles, medical advice and public health choices
Academic success, learning strategies, 21st-century skills, behaviour management, creativity and school systems.
Language focus
education collocations, academic vocabulary, word families, prepositions
Exam focus
open cloze, word formation, listening interview, picture-based speaking
Output
evaluating skills, school systems, discipline and learning outcomes
Self-expression, books, films, adaptations, special effects, criticism, creativity and the role of art.
Language focus
art idioms, review language, descriptive adjectives, critique vocabulary
Exam focus
Reading Part 1, open cloze, Listening Part 4, speaking cards
Output
discussing literature, film, creativity and artistic value
Financial risk, income, consumer behaviour, advertising, brand values and the relationship between business and society.
Language focus
money idioms, financial vocabulary, advertising language, brand culture
Exam focus
word formation, open cloze, listening extracts, transformations
Output
evaluating advertising, consumer choices and social responsibility
Who this course is for
Exams and Beyond is designed for learners who already have a strong command of English but need more range, precision and confidence at Advanced and Proficiency level.
This course is for you if...
You want serious language development, not just another set of exam tips.
You are already around strong B2+, C1 or C2 and want to make your English more precise, flexible and natural.
You are preparing for CAE or CPE and want a course that develops language through exam-style practice.
You can understand complex English but feel that your active vocabulary in speaking and writing is still limited.
You want to work with authentic articles, podcasts, videos and real-world ideas, but with clear structure and support.
You want to improve your ability to summarise, evaluate, discuss and write about complex contemporary topics.
This may not be the right course if...
The course is demanding by design, so placement matters.
You need a short crash course focused only on exam tricks, templates and last-minute strategy.
Your current level is below strong B2 and authentic C1–C2 input still feels overwhelmingly difficult.
You want only grammar explanations without regular speaking, vocabulary activation and written follow-up.
You are not ready to work with complex topics or engage critically with ideas from authentic materials.
You prefer passive lessons where the teacher explains everything and students do little active production.
Placement before enrolment
Before joining the course, students complete a placement stage. This helps us make sure the group is level-appropriate and that the materials are genuinely useful for each participant.
Course format
The course combines live lessons, original AEE materials, independent preparation and regular activation of advanced language.
Live online classes
Structured lessons with guided practice, discussion and feedback.
Before class
Students prepare selected vocabulary, read or listen to input, and complete focused tasks where necessary.
During class
Lessons focus on discussion, language analysis, Use of English, speaking practice and guided work with complex ideas.
After class
Homework may include vocabulary recycling, Use of English practice, short writing tasks or preparation for speaking.
Across the course
Key vocabulary and structures are recycled across units to help students move from recognition to active use.
Practical details
The final timetable and group details are confirmed before the start.
Level
Strong B2+, C1 and C2
Materials
Original AEE textbook and authentic graded input
Group format
Small online group with active participation
Placement
Required before enrolment
Assessment and feedback
The course is designed to help students notice what is missing in their English and gradually improve control, range and accuracy through guided practice.
Placement first
Before joining, students complete a placement stage so that the group is level-appropriate and the course is genuinely useful.
Language feedback
During lessons, attention is paid to vocabulary choice, grammar, phrasing, register and the clarity of students’ spoken responses.
Writing guidance
Written tasks help students practise summary, evaluation, argumentation and paragraph control in a CAE/CPE-informed format.
Regular recycling
Vocabulary and structures are returned to repeatedly, helping students move advanced language from recognition into active use.
The aim is progress you can actually feel
At this level, improvement is rarely about learning “more grammar”. It is usually about sharper word choice, better control of complex sentences, more natural phrasing, stronger argumentation and the ability to use advanced language under pressure. These are the areas the course is designed to develop.
Course authors
The course is delivered by experienced teacher trainers specialising in assessment, standardisation, and exam preparation at higher levels.
Vladimir Pavlovich
Founder of Advanced English and Exams
C2 Proficiency (Grade A) with 230 points in Writing • IELTS 9.0
Perfect IELTS Writing (9.0)
MA in Linguistics • MA in Education • PhD candidate
65,000+ learners and teachers
View full profile
Susana Safarova
Founder of Skills for Exams
C2 Proficiency (Grade A) with 230 points in Speaking
IELTS 9.0 Speaking • CELTA (A) • full DELTA
IELTS Expert • Author of "Par Excellence"
35,000+ subscribers
View full profile
Instructors combine:
Hands-on experience in preparing learners for Cambridge and IELTS examinations
Extensive work with Speaking and Writing assessment criteria
Practical involvement in moderation and standardisation processes
Teacher training and curriculum development at advanced levels
Course fee and enrolment
Enrolment is confirmed after placement, so that every student joins a group that matches their current level and learning goals.
Full payment
The best-value option
Course fee
Access to the full 10-unit course.
Original AEE materials based on authentic articles, podcasts, videos and other sources.
Live online lessons with speaking, Use of English, vocabulary and writing practice.
Payment in instalments
Two separate payments
Total course fee
2 payments of 13,000₽
The same full course access and materials.
Payment is divided into two instalments of 13,000₽.
Suitable if you prefer not to pay the full course fee at once.
How enrolment works
1. Apply
Fill in the application form and tell us briefly about your level and goals.
2. Complete placement
We check whether the course matches your current level and learning needs.
3. Confirm your place
If the course is a good fit, you receive the payment details and timetable information.
4. Start the course
You receive the materials and join the group before the first lesson.
Places are limited.
The course works best in a group where students can actively speak, discuss and receive feedback. For this reason, we do not usually make the group too large.
Frequently asked questions
A few practical questions about the level, format and focus of the course.
The course is exam-informed, but not limited to exam technique. It uses CAE- and CPE-style tasks as a framework for broader language development: vocabulary, accuracy, speaking, writing, listening, reading and Use of English.
The course is designed for strong B2+, C1 and C2 learners. Placement is required before enrolment because the materials include authentic input and demanding CAE/CPE-style tasks.
The course is based on original AEE materials. The units use authentic articles, podcasts, videos and other real-world sources, which are graded and adapted into CAE/CPE-style reading, listening, Use of English, speaking and writing tasks.
Yes. Homework may include vocabulary recycling, Use of English tasks, reading or listening preparation, short written responses and speaking preparation. The aim is to help students activate the language from each unit.
Yes, provided your level is suitable. The course is useful for learners who want advanced English for academic, professional or personal purposes, not only for those preparing for CAE or CPE.
Yes. The course is taught live online. This matters because students need discussion, interaction, feedback and active language practice, not only access to materials.
First, submit the application form. We will then arrange placement and confirm whether the course is suitable for your current level and goals.